Columbia Theological Seminary Vantage, 70, number 4, Summer 1976

Columbia 5eminory

VantoQ

Dr. George Thomp6on Brown Qddre56e6 Graduates

COMMENCEMENT END6 148th YEPR

June 6, 1976, marked the 148th
Commencement Exercises of Colum-
bia Theological Seminary. J. Erskine
Love, Jr.. Chairman of the Board of
Directors, awarded 38 degrees upon
recommendation of the Faculty. Stu-
dents receiving their degrees repre-
sented 10 states and 3 countries or
territories outside the United States.

Dr. George Thompson Brown, Di-
rector, Division of International Mis-
sion of the General Executive Board
of the Presbyterian Church, U.S.. de-
livered the commencement address
titled, "The Four Billion" at the exer-
cises in the Columbia Presbyterian
Church adjacent to the Seminary
Campus.

Commencement was preceded by a
Baccalaureate Service Sunday morn-
ing at the Decatur Presbyterian
Church with Dr. J. Phillips Noble,
pastor of the First (Scots) Presby-
terian Church of Charleston, South
Carolina, preaching.

Graduates Andrea Eddings Pfaff
Ahlers, Joan Standridge Gray and
Henry Duval Gregory, IV, were
awarded their degrees "with distinc-
tion" due to their outstanding aca-
demic achievement. Graduates Ahlers
and Gray also received the Alumni
Fellowships for further graduate study
and Leslie Alice Andrews received
the Fannie Jordan Bryan Fellowship,
also for further graduate work. Joan
Standridge Gray also received the
Wilds Book Prize for graduating with
the highest academic rating in the
class. The Abdullah Award, for the
best paper submitted designing a pro-
gram for the development of moral

1Q76 WONOR GRPDUQTE6

V, ^

Gray

Gregory

Watson

and spiritual values in the public-
schools, was awarded to Marion
Thomas Norwood, Jr., a Middler.
Olin Marsh Whitener, Jr., received
the Florie Wilkes Sanders prize for
his work in Theology; first year stu-
dent Jacalyn W. Thomas received the
Paul T. Fuhrmann Book Prize in
Church History and Cody Usry Wat-

Whilener

son, Jr., received the American Bible
Society award for his Greek exegesis
work.

President J. Davison Philips
charged the Graduating Class with
appropriate passages of Scripture, a
tradition of long standing, and retir-
ing Dean Jack B. McMichael pro-
nounced the Benediction.

WITW OUR QLUMNI

ALUMNUS ESTABLISHES
MEMORIAL TO WIFE

The Rev. Roy W. Cokcr, pastor of
the Pincvillc, North Carolina, Church
(Columbia '48) has established a
Memorial to his late wife, Anne Gra-
ham Coker, who was one of the
founders of the Columbia Friendship
Circle.

As we extend our sympathy to Mr.
Cokcr we also rejoice in this appro-
priate manner of continuing Christian
service in her name.

GRADUATES EARN
DOCTORATES

The Rev. Victor E. Makari, who
earned his Th.M. degree from Colum-
bia in 1965, has attained his Ph.D.
in Religious Studies from Temple
University, Philadelphia.

Dr. Makari was born and reared in
Egypt, receiving his undergraduate

education there. His doctorate was
earned in the field of Islamic studies.
He is currently the Associate PastOl
of the Overbrook Presbyterian
Church in Columbus, Ohio.

The Rev. F. Harry Daniel, Colum-
bia '66 has recently received his
Ph.D. from Vandcrbill University in
Religion. His dissertation is entitled
"The Transfiguration (Mark 9:2-13
and parallels): A Redaction-Critical
and Traditio-Historical Study."

CHAPLAIN RECEIVES
SERVICE MEDAL

Chaplain (Col.) John L. Edwards.

who has served the past six years in
Anniston's 405th Civil Affairs Group,
has been awarded the Meritorious
Service Medal. A 1945 Columbia
graduate, he has had a 25 year mili-
tary career, serving in Korea as well
as the National Guard and Army
Reserve.

He is the pastor of the First Pres-
byterian Church in Piedmont, Ala.
He was cited for outstanding service
while serving as chaplain and staff
officer in the 405th.

PRESBYTERIAN CHAPLAIN
ASSIGNED TO AUSTRALIA

U.S. Air Force Chaplain (Maj.)
Donald L. Wilson, originally of Sa-
vannah, Ga., has been assigned to
duty with an Air Force unit in
Woomera, Australia. Major Wilson.
a member of the Aerospace Defense
Command, was previously assigned at
Malstrom AFB, Montana. He is a
Columbia graduate of 1961.

RICHARD DODDS ACCEPTS
SEMINARY POST

I he Rev. Richard Dodds, currently
pastor of the Pines Presbyterian
Church. Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and
formerly pastor of the St. Andrews

WMERE TWERE'6
P WILL-

A will is one of the most important
documents one will ever sign. It can
be an instrument to carry out our own
plans to:

Care for those people close to us
whom we love;

Extend our personal efforts to meet
others' needs through the Church and
charitable agencies;

Express in practical terms the be-
liefs we cherish.

Failure to write a will simply means
we are satisfied to have an imperson-
al court of law make decisions about
guardianship of minor children and
the distribution of our estate through
a mechanical formula. To die with-
out a will results in unnecessary court
costs and taxes, and in reducing the
amount to be distributed to heirs and
causes that reflect our own values
and beliefs.

Church in Tucker, Ga., has accepted
the post of Director of Seminary Re-
lations at Columbia, beginning Sep-
tember 1 . A full story will appear in
the next issue of Vantage.

FROM the PRE6DENT

Amid the many duties of a Semi-
nary President is the marvelous
privilege of participating in the Com-
mencement of our Seniors. This June
Columbia sent 38 graduates, whose
pictures and accomplishments are
noted in this issue of Vantage, on
their way to varied and challenging
futures.

Even as we are reluctant to release
them, we are confident of their com-
petence and dedication to ministry
and commend them to you and the
whole Church.

The Church always stands just one
generation from extinction, yet as we
look toward the future we are certain
that these men and women will carry
the Gospel fully and faithfully to one
more generation, and through their
ministries affect the life of the Church
for decades to come.

The strength of the Church resides

not only in the commitment of its
members, but also in the quality of
its leadership, and it is our responsi-
bility to help maintain and increase
that leadership quality in the minis-
try. It is to this end that we dedi-
cate our efforts and the more than
$1 million we spend each year.

In effect our graduates are Colum-
bia's report card to the Church; they
are the 148th such reporting to the
Church of our stewardship of time,
effort and resources. We pray that as
they carry out their ministries and we
continue our efforts, both they and
we shall be found to be faithful to
the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Faithfully yours,
U J. Davison Philips

Andrea Eddings I'fajj Ahlers

Ernest William Dav

Htnry Duval Gregory, H

Albert Franklin Masters, III

James l)n\ id Anderson

Hugh Dickson Druary

Madison Maxwell Highfill

Millie B. Mattison

Leslie Alice Andrews

Dennis Rav Bennett

Linda Lorraine Blessing

Jtrrv C. Bustle

COLUMBIA 6EMINPRY

GRPDUQTE6

1Q75

Dinesh S. Jerome

)

William Woodland Johnson, Jr.

Alplionso Nathaniel McLean William Oliver Nisbet, Jr.

Etta Carlton Rossman

Charles Edwin Van Devender Victor Albert Varkonyi

Milford Bradley Walters

Cody Usry Watson, Jr.

Winona Millicent Jones

Bennett Lanneau Scott

Harry I ink ChrOnli

m

James Slaughter Dunovant

Walter O'QuIn Kelly

Cary Gough Speaker

Robert Donald Cooke

Joan Standrldge Gray

Homer 1 1 mini Kimmons

David Dane Troutman

Olin Marsh Whitener, Jr.

Barry Edward Wilborn Raymond Michael Winters, III

Mary Leslie Young

1Q76 CQQDUPTE
DEGREE6

MASTER OF THEOLOGY

Larry Jack Holt

Decatur, Georgia

B.S., Virginia Polytechnic Institute

M.Div., Union Theological Seminary in

Virginia

Sidney S. Macaulay

Decatur, Georgia

B.A.. Erskine College

B.D., Erskine Theological Seminary

James O. Maner

Brazil

B.S., University of Mississippi

B.D., Columbia Theological Seminary

Benjamin Franklin Wright

Jackson, Georgia

B.A., Georgia State University

B.D., Candler School of Theology

GRPDUPTE PLPCEMENT6
1Q76

ANDREA EDD1NGS PFAFF AHLERS

JAMES DAVID ANDERSON

LESLIE ALICE ANDREWS. DCE. Christian and Missionary Alliance Church. 1313 N Druid Hills Rd

Atlanta, Ga. 30329
DENNIS RAY BENNETT, Associate Pastor, Memorial Prcsbvterian Church. 1300 S. Olive Avenue

West Palm Beach. Fla. 33402
LINDA LORRAINE BLESSING, Pastor. First Presbyterian Church. P. O. Box 87. Cohutta. Ga. 30710
JERRY C. BUSTLE. Pastor. Keystone Presbyterian Church. Rt. I, Box 35. Odessa. Fla. 33556
HARRY LOCK CHRONIS. Pastor. Falls View Presbyterian Church. Box 147. Charlton Heights West

Va. 24040
ROBERT DONALD COOKE, Office of Information and Development, Missionary Aviation Fellowship

P. O. Box 2828. Fullerton. Calif. 92633
ERNEST WILLIAM DAVIS. Graduate work, Columbia Theological Seminary. Decatur. Ga. 30031
HUGH DICKSON DRUARY. Associate Pastor. First Presbyterian Church. 5300 S. Main St Houston

Tex. 77004
JAMES SLAUGHTER DUNOVANT, Pastor. Peterson Presbyterian Church. Brooklield Dr. Columbia

S. C. 29206
JOAN STANDRIDGE GRAY. Pastor. Mountain View Presbyterian Church (UPUSA). Sandy Sprints

Road, Marietta, Ga. 30060
HENRY DUVAL GREGORY, IV, Pastor. Lickville Presbyterian Church. R. 2. Pelzer, S. C. 29669
MADISON MAXWELL HIGHFILL
DINESH S. JEROME
WILLIAM WOODLAND JOHNSON, JR.. Pastor, First Presbyterian Church. P. O. Box MS, Highlands

N. C. 28741
WINONA MILLICENT JONES
WALTER O'QUIN KELLY. Pastor. Gretna and Woodland Presbyterian Churches. Box 450. Gretna,

Fla 32332
HOMER LAMAR KIMMONS. Pastor, Ft. Gaines and Cuba Presbyterian Churches. Blakely. Ga. 11723
ALBERT FRANKLIN MASTERS. III. Pastor. Shearer Presbyterian Church. Rt. I, Box 385. Moons

ville. N. C. 28115
MILLIE B. MATTISON
ALPHONSO NATHANIEL McLEAN
WILLIAM OLIVER NISBET, JR., Pastor. Fairview Presbyterian Church. 1949 Harper Ave.. S.W..

Lenoir, N. C. 28645
ETTA CARLTON ROSSMAN. Virginia Council of Pastoral Care. Richmond. Va.
BENNETT LANNEAU SCOTT
CARY GOUGH SPEAKER
DAVID DANE TROUTMAN, Pastor. Hewitt Memorial Presbyterian Church. Box 892. Mansfield. La.

71052
CHARLES EDWIN VAN DEVENDER. Pastor, Lyons Presbyterian Church, 500 S. Washington St..

Lyons, Ga. 30436

VICTOR ALBERT VARKONYI, Associate Pastor, Green Acres Presbyterian Church. 3135 Hanley Ave..
Portsmouth, Va. 23703

MILFORD BRADLEY WALTERS, Pastor. Christian Church, Monroe, Ga. 30655

CODY USRY WATSON, JR.. Division of International Mission, I year appt.. Chungju. Korea

OL1N MARSH WHITENER. JR.. Pastor. Shiloh-Dixon Presbyterian Churches. Box 76. Grovcr. N. C.

28073
BARRY EDWARD WILBORN

RAYMOND MICHAEL WINTERS, III, Pastor, Bremen and Tallapoosa Presbyterian Churches. 4 Talia-
ferro St., Tallapoosa, Ga. 30176
MARY LESLIE YOUNG

COLUMBIA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, DECATUR, GEORGIA 30031
Vol. 70, No. 4 / Summer, 1976
Eugene H. Tennis, Editor
Published Quarterly

Colunnbb

Theological

6eminory

Second Class

Postage

Paid at

Decatur, Ga.