\\ \ \ \\ \ VOL. 66 NO. 1 / JANUARY 1973 \\ \\ \\\ \ NEWS BULLETIN FROM COLUMBIA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY DECATUR, GEORGIA Merge 3 Required Courses In New Junior Year Experiment "Christian Freedom" is the theme for the Interdisciplinary Course 101, offered for the first time at Columbia Seminary during the winter quarter 1971-72. Fourteen juniors will meet together for all of their required course work (in Galatians, history, and preaching). The professors responsible for each of these areas (Profs. Charles B. Cousar, Ralph B. Person, and Wade P. Huie, respective- ly), are working together in planning the joint sessions and will teach them as a team. "This is our most significant effort yet to integrate the various disciplines in a student's theological education," Dean Cousar stated. (Continued on p. 2, col. 3) 5 STUDENTS SHARE WORK OF BOARDS AND AGENCIES Columbia Seminary has five students participating in the work of the boards and agencies of the Presbyterian Church in the U. S. These students will help Field Educa- tion Director J. Richard Bass interpret that work to the senior class to fulfill the field education requirement of "under- standing how the boards and agencies are supportive of local pastors and churches". William A. Bryant, Jr., is a member of the Task Force on Evangelism of the Board of National Ministries. J. Fred Fife and Howard Shockley sit on com- mittees of the General Council. Douglas Stearns and Caroline Leach have been appointed to Television, Ra- dio, and Audio-Visuals. Stearns Leach It is expected that other students will be named shortly to the Council on Church and Society and to the Board of Christian Education. BARR AND KECK NAMED TO GIVE SMYTH, ALUMNI ANNUAL LECTURES A California pastor and a Vanderbilt University professor will deliver the Smyth and Alumni Lectures, Feb. 2-4 and April 4-6, respectively. The Rev. Browne Barr, pastor of First Congregational Church in Berke- ley, Calif., and faculty member of the Pacific School of Religion, is the Smyth lecturer. He has delivered the Beecher Lectures at Yale Divinity School, and the English Lectures at Andover-New- ton Theological School. He has pub- lished East Bay and Eden, and Parish Back Talk. His previous pastorates in- clude Middletown South Church and the former Second Congregational Church of Waterbury, both in Connecticut. Grinnell College (la.) awarded Mr. Barr a B.A. degree, and Yale Divinity Leander Keck School a B.D. degree. ., . . . . Alumni Lecturer, Dr. Leander Keck, professor of New Testament at Vander- bilt University, received degrees from Linfield College, Andover Newton The- ological School, and Yale University. He has taught at Wellesly College, and is the author of Taking the Bible Seriously and Mandate to Wit new. Ministers Week events, usually sched- uled during the Smyth Lectures, will be held this year during the presidential inaugural programs set for April 13-15. Rock Eagle Conference To Be Held April 28-30 The 20th annual Rock Eagle Missions Conference will be held April 28-30 at the Rock Eagle 4-H Conference Center, Eatonton, Ga., it has been announced by the Society of Missionary Inquiry at Columbia Theological Seminary. The deadline for registrations has been set for April 10, according to Mr. Howard Shockley, society president. The conference is planned by the seminarians for high school and college students from Alabama, Georgia, Flori- da. North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. It is a weekend presentation of the vari- ous mission thrusts of the Presbyterian Church, U.S. "Here's a real challenge for young people to respond to our Church's needs in mission," Mr. Shock- ley has stated. Browne Barr INAUGURATION OF THE REV. DR. C. BENTON KLINE, JR. Inaugural activities April 13-15 Inauguration April IS FROM THE PRESIDENT In recent weeks I have been in all five of our supporting synods and have met with ministers and laymen and wo- men. I've talked and I*ve listened. I'm sure I've talked more than I should, but I've tried to listen in order to learn. When I've learned more, I want to share some impressions. Right now I would like to share something that I have been saying about the seminary. There are three basic commitments of the Seminary: Biblical authority, doctrinal fidelity, and ecclesiastical loyalty. What we teach and how we carry on our ministry is rooted in the authority of Scripture, as it is attested to be the word of God by the inward witness of the Holy Spirit. We teach and carry on our ministry in faithfulness to the doctrinal standards of the church, recognizing that those standards them- selves point beyond themselves to Scrip- ture and to God Himself. Our teaching and our ministry seek to be loyal to the Presbyterian Church, U.S., as it works out its life and program under the doc- trinal standards, the authority of Scrip- ture, and the lordship of Jesus Christ, the head of the church. These basic commitments are fulfilled in a certain style a style of teaching and community life that is open to honest trusting. We believe that young men and women must commit them- selves to these basics not under the duress of indoctrination but in the free- dom of self-commitment. Those who enter the service of Jesus Christ must do so out of a conviction which is their own. Only then can they be the ef- fective ministers of our Lord that our church and our world needs today. This Columbia Seminary seeks to help them to be. CFC Gives $8,000 To Richards Fund Over $8,000 has been pledged to date during Columbia Friendship Circle's project for the endowed support of the J. McDowell Richards Graduate and Continuing Education Fund. A pastor has written to the CFC that "you are to be congratulated on spon- soring this most worthwhile program. Because it has meant so much to me, I am confident that the value the pro- gram offers to the Church at large is without calculation. Please continue it!" The CFC project will help to insure its continuation, according the Rev. Alvin S. Jepson, staff director of the CFC of- fice. Twice before (1965-66 and 1967-68) CFC has designated support projects for continuing education at Columbia. The current campaign, which is an endow- ment plan, is the first to establish as- sured continuity. Georgia, for the first time, has be- come the leading synod in pledges to the fund with a total of $2,472, according to the December 1 progress report issued by the CFC office. Florida, which, since July, has had the highest pledge, now records $2,313. For those who may not have yet pledged or contributed to the project. Mr. Jepson has announced that such gifts may be made to the appropriate synod's CFC officer or sent directly to the CFC office at Columbia Seminary. College Conference To Draw 90, Feb. 4-6 About 90 college juniors and seniors are expected to be on Columbia's cam- pus Feb. 4-6 for the annual Conference for College Students, according lo the Rev. James T. Richardson, director of admissions. Among the leaders for the weekend event, which will include platform presentations, panel discussions and con- ferences with professors, will be Presi- dent C. Benton Kline, Jr., Dean Charles B. Cousar, Professor of Homiletics Wade P. Huie, Professor of Speech and Music Hubert V. Taylor, Professor of Bible J. Will Ormand, and Professor of Theology Shirley C. Guthrie. Conference brochures and applica- tion forms may be obtained from Mr. Richardson. Since there will be a limited number of acceptances, applications should be made as soon as possible and no later than Jan. 28. Mr. Richardson has requested. All students accepted will be provided meals and housing while in Decatur as guests of the seminary. The Rev. Bert C. Swearingen (Chiplcy, Fla), the Rev. Thomas J. Rogers (Marietta, Ga), and the Rev. Dan E. Youngblood (Anniston, Ala.) were among the 12 ministers attending the Oct 26- Nov. 4 Continuing Education seminar on "Mar- riage and Family Relations". Continuing Education Set For 1972 Winter Quarter Columbia's Continuing Hdueation pro- gram has served 89 ministers during 1971 in eight programs of planned or independent study of between three and ten days each. Sessions planned lor the first quarter of 1972 are: Jan. 11-20, Columbia Semi- nary Class of 1967; Jan. 25-Feb. 3. Reading and Dialogue; Feb. 8-17, Pas- toral Opportunities in the Georgia Ment- al Health Plan; and Feb. 22-March 2, Clinical Pastoral Practicum. Applications for the remaining avail- able spaces should be sent to Dean A. Milton Riviere in the Ministry Develop- ment Office at Columbia. Programs held during 1971 included: Jan. 12-21, Independent Study; Feb. 2- II, Pastoral Counseling; Feb. 15-17, Preacher-Camera Playback; March 1-6, Communication through Mass Media; April 20-29, Worship and Preaching; and May 4-12, Columbia Seminary Class of 1966. (Continued from p. I, col. I) The course instructors are expecting to develop the concept of Christian free- dom from consideration of the freedom themes in the book of Galatians, Luther's theological and humanistic heritage, and the freedom of preaching and the pas- toral voice. The students will have obser- vation sessions at a monastary, and Lutheran worship and preaching, among other situations. Students enrolled for the course al- ready have been involved in the plan- ning of the course assignments, agenda, and grading basis. The course grew out of Columbia's current involvement in education for pro- fessional ministry, and "out of a desire to see what we are doing academically as well as personally, and how that is related to worship and preaching," Dean Cousar explained. First CTS Soccer Team Ties Augusta Medical Re-match Set For January Columbia Seminary's first soccer team played through two overtime periods to a 3-3 tie with Augusta Medical College Nov. 20 after losing an earlier game to the Georgia Tech squad 6-0. A re-match is scheduled in January with Augusta Medical. Columbia dominated Augusta Medical College after the first quarter, which ended with the seminarians trailing 0-2. During the next three periods, Colum- bia's tight defense kept the medical col- lege players from getting to within 25 yards of the goal, with Fahed Abu Akel, an Israeli student from Galilee, turning in the best defensive game, along with C. O. Magee of Corpus Christi, Tex., M. Div. senior. John Sloop, middler M. Div. candi- date from Atlanta, scored all three Co- lumbia goals as he led Columbia's of- fense. Sloop scored twice in the second period, and booted one more into the net in the third. Sloop was injured midway through the fourth period, and Columbia finished the game, including the two five-minute overtime periods, with only ten players on the field. The injury, torn knee liga- ments, means that Sloop is out of soc- cer for the season. With Columbia shorthanded, Augusta Medical kicked its game-tying third goal with four minutes to go in the final quarter. Columbia came close to winning in the last overtime period when an attempted goal by Maclean Kumi of Ghana hit a goalpost and went out of bounds, "which could have ben called either way," according to manager and coach, C. O. Magee. A Columbia player demonstrates the form that almost won CTS their soccer game against Au- gusta Medical College on Nov. 20. Photo Mcfadden NEW D. MIN. PLANS GO TO BOARD IN MAY Plans for the new first professional de- gree (D. Min.) will be presented to the Board of Directors at its May meeting for their action, according to an an- nouncement by Dean Charles B. Cousar. The proposal will contain completed descriptions of the program's require- ments and of the academic and field cur- riculum design. Columbia's D. Min. committee is cur- rently working on the definition of ade- quate supervision for students involved in the practice of ministry; clarification of educational goals and objectives and the development of course offerings to implement them; plans for phasing-in the program; feasibility studies on faculty, cost, and funding resources; and the de- velopment of criteria and procedures for admission of students to candidacy after initial academic work has been com- pleted. Prof. James Gailey is chairman of the ten-member committee. HIS GIFT WILL CONTINUE Last year a long-time friend of Co- lumbia died in South Carolina. Because of his thoughtful advance planning his support to Columbia is continuing. Since the beginning of Columbia's Living Endowment program this active layman had made annual gifts of $100. These gifts were his "over and above" ministry, for he and his congregation were already generous in their support of Columbia and the other institutions of the Synod of South Carolina through their benevolent giving. It was not until after the death of this friend that Columbia learned of his de- sire to extend his support for Columbia beyond his own lifetime. Through a be- quest of $2500 to Columbia's endow- ment he insured regular annual income to take place of his gift. Columbia is proud of the confidence and support of a person who had such a deep sense of responsibility to his church and for the training of pastors. We are determined to justify the faith of this friend and others who have made simi- lar gifts, large and small, through the years. Columbia welcomes inquiries from friends regarding opportunities to make deferred gifts. We are happy to discuss various deferred giving plans and par- ticular parts of Columbia's program which you may wish to support. Wharton Is Preacher For 1971 Fall "Hope" Series The Rev. Dr. James A. Wharton presented the fall preaching series at Columbia Oct. 26-29. During the series. Dr. Wharton warned the Columbia student body, faculty, and guests: "Let none of us claim to be the proprietors of the living God. the sole champions of His renewing work." His four lectures were entitled: "Horizon of Hope", "This Damning Hope", "This Hard-Headed Hope", and "The 0} namics of Hope". Dr. Wharton earned a B.A. from the University of Texas, a B.D. from Austin, and a Th.D. from the University of Basel. He is the author of "The Com- mand to Bless." in Interpretation, and has contributed to Interpreter's Dic- tionary of the Bible. In 1966 he wis resident theologian at the Center for the Study of Democraic Institutions in Santa Barbara, Calif. Dr. Wharton has followed his father on the faculty of Austin Seminary; the Rev. Conway T. Wharton was at the seminary from 1937 to 1940. FOURTEEN COUPLES AT NOVEMBER CONFERENCE Fourteen young to middle-aged mar- ried couples took part in the Consider the Ministry Conference on the Colum- bia campus Nov. 12-14. Planned to give a realistic view of the ministry today and the problems in- volved in making a career switch, the three-year-old conference was developed by Columbia's Director of Admissions James T. Richardson. Faculty leadership for the conference included President C. Benton Kline, Jr., Dean Charles B. Cousar, Jr., Dean O. H. Lyon, and Profs. Wade P. Huie, Ralph E. Person, J. Richard Bass. Jack B. Mc- Michael. and J. Will Ormond. Dale Mclnnis watches as her husband, Davia, poses a question during the couples conference, Consider the Ministry, Nov. 12-14. Mr. Mclnnis is a son of the Rev. Donald 0- Mclnnis, execu- tive secretory of Suwannee Presbytery. FACULTY PROFILE Ralph Erb Person Columbia Seminary has a man for all Even though he also organized a new seasons. party to clean up politics on the 18.000- Campus minister, church historian, student campus, he moved into more track champion, scholar, musician, stu- church-related activities, spending a sum- dent work-camp organizer, assistant mer in Europe to observe the varieties of sor Shirley Guthrie) and doctoral work pastor to the Ceylonese churchman, D. ministries there, and a summer in Mexi- with Professors Barth. Cullman, and T. Niles, university campus political co learning Spanish in preparation for Geiger in the field of Church history reformer, seminary professor all are the summer work camp he organized, and the history of Christian thought part of Ralph Erb Person, associate pro- funded, and "sold" to the World Council (assisted by a Kent Fellowship). His fessor of Church history at Columbia of Churches for their adoption. dissertation (Scripture and Tradition at Seminary. Peggy Rowland, another UT student, the Early Ecumenical Councils of the The road to Columbia led through all had helped organize the funding for the Church) is still in process; after a fruit- these interests, many of which made project, and, during the summer of 1954, ful period of work on it last summer, strong claims as his life's work. But the she, five other students, and Ralph Per- Mr. Person is hopeful ol completing influence of Presbyterian Pastor W. P. son joined a group of 25 Brazilians of it within the coming year. Dickey in his hometown of Karnes City, diverse religious and racial backgrounds Since becoming associate professor of Texas, and of Dean James I. McCord of in building a double apartment house Church history at Columbia in I96S, Austin Seminary (his freshman Bible in- for Presbyterian USA teachers and an Professor Person has been an active structor at the University of Texas) were airplane hanger in the Matta Grosso on contributor to the life of the seminary. most compelling in showing the excite- a mission station before proceeding on a Most recently he has spent several ment of being Christ's minister. tour of Brazilian mission work. Before months on the committee developing Mr. Person's father, who owned an the summer was over, the Person-Row- the new first professional degree pro- abstract company, had hoped he would land working relationship had become gram (D. Min.). consider the legal profession, but was very definitely a personal one with their "Sometimes I get awfully impatient thinking he would join this family busi- engagement. with the Church, but there is an excitc- ness after completing his degree at the While an Austin Seminary student, ment in the Church, too, as ministers University of Texas. So, he entered as a Mr. Person spent his middler year at the and laymen struggle with questions business administration major in 1948, University of Aberdeen on a Rotary about God and the meaning of life. I even though he was seriously enough in- Foundation Fellowship, had field educa- believe very deeply that the Gospel has terested in music (especially opera) to tion experience at the First Southern the power to change men and society, be practicing two hours a day in addition Presbyterian Church in Austin, and got and that theological education is crucial to his studies and to running track. He married. for the Church in understanding and in- continued track in college after being Following ordination in 1956, he had terpreting the Gospel. a four-letter man in high school, plus a one-year period with D. T. Niles in "We are living in a very demanding playing golf. While at UT he was na- Jaffna, Ceylon, teaching, preaching, times when many questions and prob- tional AAU champion (220-yard low coaching, lecturing, and choir directing, lems must be rethought. Students today hurdles) in 1952-53. During his 40.000 miles of travel with realize this and get excited about the- Back in Karnes City, Mr. Person used the Student Christian Movement that ology because they see what it has meant to spend hours talking with the local year he "saw quite a lot of the Asian and can mean to speak and act in the Presbyterian minister because he liked social revolution, missions, Hinduism," name of Christ," he said recently with what he was doing. Then came Dean yet another aspect of his rich offerings the intensity that is typical for him when McCord's freshman Bible course that to Columbia Seminary students today. he is talking about the Church or the- "really tore me up" and became a spirit- For five "glorious years" (1958-63), ological education. ual experience. Because of these two he was campus minister at the University There is a long road between Ralph events, Mr. Person became involved of Texas, with its 2,000 Presbyterian Erb Person, today, and managing an with Westminister Fellowship where he students. Finding the "intellectual gas abstract business. His father was prob- found spiritual nourishment, social ac- tank running low," and that his own ably amazed at its scenery. On the other tion, and service projects. He discovered major interest lay in teaching, he then hand, since he knew his son, maybe he the ministery was not only attractive, headed to the University of Basel (with has not been too surprised to be saying but was something "I could actually do." the encouragement of Columbia Profes- "my son, the theology professor". Then flew one of the seraphim unto me, having a live coal in his hand, whkh he had taken with the tongs off the citar and he laid it upon my mouth, and said; this hath touched thy lips, and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. Also i heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom y send, and go for i Then said I, HERE AM I; said, Go, and ted this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand m senc id see he 20th annual Rock Eagle Missions Conference April 28-30, 1972 Rock Eagle 4-H Conference Center, Eatonton, Georgia Auditorium RUSTY DRAPER Minister to Galveston Beach. Former DJ. Dynamic Christian witness and preacher who skillfully transmits Bibli- cal truths in the language of today's youth. Chapel SPEAKERS, RAP SESSIONS, MISSION MODELS, RECREATION, BIBLE STUDY, BOOKSTORE Mail to: Society of Missionary Inquiry Columbia Theological Seminary Box I Decatur, Georgia, 30031 Please forward registration forms. Name Address. ZIP REGISTRATIONS: due April 10 COST: $21 for the entire weekend SAVE THE DATES and send now for reservation forms r Faculty Notes... President Kline has preached nearly every Sunday this fall in South Carolina. Florida, and Georgia, and met with numerous area groups in Florida, Ala- bama and South Carolina, in addition to serving as chairman of the AATS Accrediting Committee for Ashland (O.) Theological Seminary and as a member of Atlanta Presbytery's Com- mission on the Gordon Street Church. Ludwig Dewitz spoke on "What is Human" before an Oct. 30 meeting of the Medical Christian Fellowship, Stone Mountain, Ga., and presented a series on "Light from the Old Testament" at Dillon (S. C.) First Presbyterian Church. Training conferences, nearly all for church officers, in Atlanta, Marietta, Lithonia, Mecklenberg Presbytery, Southwest Atlanta Presbytery and Bir- mingham, Ala., have occupied Jack B. McMichael since the beginning of Sep- tember. Harold Prince is chairman of the Library Advisory Committee of the At- lanta University Center. Advisory Com- mittee of the Offices of Worship and Music of the United Presbyterian Church and the Presbyterian Church, US, met on the campus Sept. 27-28, with Don M. Wardlaw as host. He has been the interim pastor of John Knox Presby- terian Church in Marietta, and has led worship workshops in Dallas (Nov. 6-7) and Savannah (Nov. 19-20). Samuel A. Cartledge has been meeting monthly with the Graduate Professional Studies Committee of the Atlanta The- ological Association. Hubert V. Taylor was reelected for one year as chairman of TRAV. He collaborated with Dr. James Smylie (of Union) on the Unity in Diversity program during the Prebyter- (Continued in next column) ENROLLMENTA T187 FOR FALL - UP 14 : % One hundred and eighty-seven men and women have enrolled at Columbia Seminary for the fall quarter. Master of Divinity candidates total 1 18 (juniors 43; middlers 40; and seniors 35), while there are 33 can- didates for the Master of Theology de- gree. Six men are pursuing the require- ments for the Doctor of Sacred Theology degree. Another 28 special students and two auditors complete the roster. ian Convention. J. Will Ormond has supplied churces in Alabama and Geor- gia, and he preached the ordination sermons of Gary Bryant and Mark Verdery. Charles B. Cousar presented a paper (The Christology of Mark as Reflected in Mark 14:43-72) to the Society of Biblical Literature when it met in At- lanta Oct. 28-31. Donald Williams has held consultations with other theo- logical clusters. He was re-elected to the executive committee of the Associa- tion of Professors and Researchers in Religious Education, and presented a paper at the Institute for the Study of the Rural South at Erskine College and Seminary. Board of Directors Name Davis Chairman Dr. Frank B. Davis, head of Au- burn University's Department of Speech, was elec- ted chairman of the Columbia Board of Directors in November. An elder in Auburn's First Presby- terian Church since 1951, Dr. Davis was chairman of the forerunner of the Council on Church and Society of the Presbyterian Church, US, and is on Gen- eral Assembly's Ad Interim Committee on the Church's Use of Her Ordained Ministry. Following one of his presentations during the fall preaching series, the Rev. Dr. James What tor chats with Columbia M Div. candidates Mrs. James Sutherland (c) and Mr. Donald Flowers (r). DO WE HAVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS CORRECT? If not, please make corrections opposite your name and address below, and mail to us in a separate envelope. PLEASE CHECK CHANGES DESIRED: 1. Change name or address as shown below 2. Please remove name below from mailing list Q 3. Receiving another copy (please return both address copies, indicating one to be removed) Q // you have a friend who would like to receive the Columbia Seminary Bulletin, please zend name and address. VOL. 66, NO. 1 / JANUARY 1972 Elizabeth Andrews, Editor Published 7 times a year / Jan., Feb., Apr., May, July, Oct., Nov. Second Class POSTAGE Paid at Decatur. Ga. COLUMBIA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY P. O. Box 520 Decatur, Georgia, 30031