Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

SPRING ’11 | VOL.39 NO.1

why
theology
matters

w w w.gordonconwell.edu/ c o nta c tma g a z i ne 1

 the marshall hudson summer conference
June 10-11, 2011
South Hamilton, MA
Carol Kaminski & David Palmer
www.gordonconwell.edu/summer_conference
2 SPRING ’11
Contents SPRING ’11 VOL.39 NO.1
The Ministry Magazine of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Mr. Joel B. Aarsvold 4 ON THE FRONT LINES
Dr. Claude R. Alexander, Jr. Domestic Violence in the Church
Mrs. Linda Schultz Anderson
Dr. George F. Bennett Anne B. Doll
Rev. Dr. Garth T. Bolinder
Rev. Dr. Richard P. Camp, Jr.
Mr. Thomas J. Colatosti,
Chair
Mr. Charles W. Colson 8 What Is Theology?
Dr. Stan D. Gaede Peter D. Anders
Mrs. Joyce A. Godwin
Dr. William F. Graham
Rev. Dr. Michael E. Haynes
Mr. Herbert P. Hess,
Treasurer
Mr. Ivan C. Hinrichs
11 Theology and Spiritual Formation
Rev. Dr. John A. Huffman, Jr. Gwenfair Walters Adams
Mr. Caleb Loring III
Rev. Dr. Christopher A. Lyons
Mrs. Joanna S. Mockler
Fred L. Potter, Esq.
Shirley A. Redd, M.D. 14 The Bible and Theology
Mr. Timothy B. Robertson Sean M. McDonough
Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, Jr.
Mr. John Schoenherr
Mrs. Virginia M. Snoddy
Joseph W. Viola, M.D.,
Secretary
J. Christy Wilson III, Esq.
18 The Role of Theology in the Life of the Church
Rev. Dr. John H. Womack John Jefferson Davis
William C. Wood, M.D.
EMERITI MEMBERS
Dr. Richard A. Armstrong
Rev. Dr. Leighton Ford 22 The Wisdom of the Gospel in the Partisan
Mr. Roland S. Hinz
Rev. Dr. Robert J. Lamont
Public Square
Mr. Richard D. Phippen Richard Lints
John G. Talcott, Jr.
Rev. Dr. Paul E. Toms
President and Trustee Emeritus
Dr. Robert E. Cooley, 24 Trustee Profile: John Huffman
Ruth E. Hawk
President Emeritus
Dr. Walter C. Kaiser, Jr.
President
Dr. Dennis P. Hollinger 26 Seminary News
Vice President of Advancement
Mr. Kurt W. Drescher
Director of Communications
and Marketing
32 Focus on Alumni
Mr. Michael L. Colaneri
Senior Communications
37 Opening the Word
Advisor and Editor of Contact Donna Petter
Mrs. Anne B. Doll
Art Director of Contact
Ms. Nicole S. Rim
Inquiries regarding CONTACT may be addressed to:
Assistant Editor of Contact Editor, CONTACT Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
Mrs. Ruth Hawk 130 Essex Street, S. Hamilton, MA 01982
Design Intern
Tel: 978.468.7111 or email: rhawk@gordonconwell.edu
www.gordonconwell.edu
Ms. Emily Gries
GORDON-CONWELL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE ON
Photography THE BASIS OF RACE, GENDER, NATIONAL OR ETHNIC ORIGIN, AGE, HANDICAP
Mr. Tom Kates OR VETERAN STATUS.
Ms. Nicole S. Rim
www. g o r d o n c o n we l l . e d u / c o n t a c t m a g a z in e 3
 on the
front lines
“the spiritual wilderness in which some victims and their
children must wander before finding the sanctuary they
so richly deserve would daunt even the most devout of
believers. if dv [domestic violence] is not stopped, it may
eventually separate a victim from god. it can interfere with
the victim’s faith, the victim’s belief, the victim’s worship
and the victim’s prayer life.” 1
A
pproximately one in four women worldwide
anne b. doll has suffered physical abuse by an intimate male
domestic
partner, such as a husband or ex-husband. 2
According to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, in the U.S., an estimated 1300 women die
each year as a result of domestic violence, nearly 5.3 million
incidents of interpersonal violence occur and approximately
2 million women are injured.3
For churches, the statistics are equally sobering. Domestic
violence “happens within and beyond communities of faith
in approximately the same prevalence rates,” says Nancy
Nason-Clark, Ph.D., Professor of Sociology at the University
of New Brunswick, Fredericton, Canada.
Dr. Nason-Clark is also creator of the RAVE Project, a
web-based series of resources that provides information
and training for families of faith impacted by abuse. She
has studied contemporary Christianity and violence for 20
years. “The numbers tell us there’s a significant problem that
we need to be positioned in the churches to do something
i n t h e ch u rc h about,” she notes. “But if one woman in one church is having
this problem, then we need to be a safe refuge for her…
“…There continues to be a holy hush that permeates
many churches, and it only takes a few people to shatter
that silence.”
In October of 2008, Pastor Timothy P. Philabaum, D.Min.
(cand. ’12), awakened to the gravity of domestic violence
when Nancy addressed his Gordon-Conwell D.Min. residency.
Returning to Zoar Lutheran Church in Perrysburg, OH, a
congregation of some 650 worshippers that he has served
for 31 years, he resolved to shine the light on domestic
violence and enlist his members to help address it.
4 SPRING ’11
on the
front lines
alison snow jones, ph.d., associate professor,
department of social sciences & health policy,
wake forest university school of medicine
“I know there are abuse problems in my church,” the
senior pastor says. “I have met with families experiencing
domestic abuse. But what really galvanized me was when
Nancy Nason-Clark came to the residency. Her web page
(theraveproject.org) has a wonderful collection of resources
for clergy and for women who are abused. I thought, ‘Here’s
one way to put my faith and care into action.’”
To counter the “holy hush” surrounding domestic abuse,
he has addressed this issue in sermons and the Sunday
School throughout the year, when appropriate.
“I really try to verbalize the word ‘abuse’ because it is such
a hidden word, an unwanted word,” he says. His intent is to
raise the consciousness of church members about domestic
violence, and about resources that are available locally.
Behind the scenes, Pastor Tim maintains connections
with leaders of domestic violence shelters in the Greater
Toledo area, and has invited representatives from several
shelters to his church to “share their issues—their people
with our people.”
This year, his church hosted an Unveiling Ceremony,
during which officials from a local abuse shelter displayed
full-size plywood silhouettes of women in Wood County who
had died from domestic abuse. “We had a worship service,
unveiled the silhouettes and read the names and stories of
each of these women with all their families there. We have
also had people from the Cocoon Shelter come to our place
on an annual basis. They bring…their silhouettes, tell their
story, raise money and keep connection.”
Members of his congregation have also stepped up to
the plate to help the local shelters with material support,
including money, food and clothing. One member has
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 on the
front lines
served on a shelter board. “There are people in our church
who know about problems of abused women, and people
who have family members [with abuse issues],” Pastor Tim
explains. “Some already knew about the shelters and had
some contact with them. I think our church has made a very
caring response to this ministry.”
In addition, Zoar Church has instituted a practical alert
system for women suffering abuse. Behind the doors in each
stall in the women’s restrooms are small pieces of paper
designed to be unobtrusively inserted into a woman’s shoe.
Entitled “Do You Feel Safe?” the papers contain the name and
phone number of a shelter, phone numbers of Pastor Tim
and the church’s female pastor, the RAVE Project website and
other resources.
“What my staff and I still find intriguing is that I always put
six papers behind each stall, and they disappear. None show
up in the trash cans or are thrown around… We’ve come to
the conclusion that they’re being taken, which is valuable…
what I hope for. They’re obviously meeting a need. I have no
idea who takes them. They’re designed to be anonymous.”
Dr. Nason-Clark says that it’s wonderful when pastors
“shatter the silence” about domestic violence, because this
gives immediate credibility to DV as an important issue, and
also gives women permission to come forward. Moreover,
“It says to those who would be violent that this will not
be tolerated. It gives incredible support to those who are
helping other victims, and it really changes the world of
survivors because it says the church is walking with you.”
She notes that many women and men are very frightened
to talk about domestic violence “because it challenges the
notion that families of faith have it together… Somehow,
people can cope with the notion that cancer can eat away
at the body of a believer, but they have a lot of trouble
understanding mental health issues and…issues of abuse. I
think there is a resistance, and when I say that in Christian
seminars and conferences, it gives a challenge to religious
leaders to speak clearly and unequivocally that God does not
support this kind of behavior.”
Nancy’s research has shown that women of faith often
stay much longer in abusive relationships than those who
are not. She encourages pastors to address this issue with
women, because often they will say, “Until he touches the
children, until he hurts the children, I will not leave.”
“When women are enduring abuse themselves, it is
hurting the children. You cannot be a victim of domestic
violence living in a household with your children and not
have it impact them… If women are encouraged to see that
the children are already being impacted, they’re more likely
to believe that they should seek safety for themselves and
the kids.”
Regarding the practice of some church leaders who insist,
on scriptural grounds, that a woman must remain with an
abusive husband, Nancy quotes her colleague and Gordon-
Conwell professor, the late Dr. Catherine Clark Kroeger, with
whom she collaborated on several books. “I can tell you how
Cathy would handle that. I have been with her many times
6 SPRING ’11
on the
front lines
when she would say, ‘What do you do with the body bags?’
That would be her response.”
According to Pastor Tim, “Women [who are abused] feel
powerless and unable to make a change. Or they are fearful
of what might happen… In counseling women, my biggest
FAQs about Domestic Violence
issue is to trust the woman who has been abused. I need to
listen carefully to her story and provide mercy. Safety for the
woman and the kids is paramount.
from the RAVE Website
“A pastor also needs to know what kind of resources are in During the past 15 years, RAVE researchers have interviewed 500 church leaders and 500
the community, to know who to call when someone calls you
church women about domestic violence. They found that:
and says, ‘I’m having problems with my husband. Where are
the contacts for the shelter or the YWCA or the safe houses?’”
Dr. Nason-Clark says that “when pastors listen to women,
they can respond to the questions that women are asking: 9% of pastors have counseled 5+ abused 95% of church women have never heard
women per year a message on abuse preached from the pulpit
‘Why has God abandoned me?’ ‘I promised forever ‘til death
do us part. Why is this taking place?’ ‘How can I be a better
Christian?’ …Pastors need to be in a position to listen to 83% of pastors have counseled one 58% of church women have helped
what the heart cry is and respond with the toolkit that is abused woman per year another abused woman at her point of need
available to them as a result of their training and knowledge
of Scripture.
“Sometimes it’s as simple as praying with the victim Pastors believe that
31% of pastors say they have preached a 70% of church women have sought the
message against abuse from the pulpit help of another woman for a family-related
without placing blame... Sometimes it’s giving them a
selection of five or six passages to look over and think
1 in 5 problem
about… When pastors have an awareness of some of the church couples 40% of pastors say they discuss Many church women who have been violated
by an intimate partner do not feel that the
dynamics of abuse, they are able to listen with ears that are is violent domestic violence in their premarital
counseling term “abused woman” applies to them
attuned. And then they’re able to harness their repertoire
of spiritual helps to offer a woman spiritual counsel. Some
pastors do that. And when they do, it augments a survivor’s
10 Reasons
journey towards healing.”
Pastor Tim says that most of his counseling about
domestic violence occurs with non-abusive, soon-to-be
Evidences of a “Holy Hush”
to Include Pastors Around the
married couples during pre-marital conversations. And
while he has experience in counseling congregants, the Collaborative Table on Domestic Violence aMost pastors have never
RAVE website gave him helpful resources on how he could visited the transition house
better help a woman who is in trouble. He advises pastors to in or near their local area
check out this website, and take some of its online training 1 Chosen by victims
courses. “Of course, most pastors are not skilled in abuse aMost pastors do not know
counseling, so knowing what your referral possibilities are 2 Sought by perpetrators when the victim leaves the home by name any of the workers
is vitally important.” in the local shelter
Can change and reconciliation occur when each individual 3 Invested with moral authority
in an abusive situation receives professional domestic aMost pastors have never preached a
violence counseling? “It takes a lot of work,” he contends,
4 Access to lives at the point of crisis message that explicitly condemns wife
“but we’re gospel people. There’s always hope. abuse and/or child abuse
“And, for me, I would say clearly to my people, ‘God never
takes delight in abuse of women, of children, of anyone…God 5 Provide educational resources to all age groups aClergy are reluctant to refer [those who
never takes delight in abuse.’” come to them for help] to outside com-
6 Held as experts on “marriage” and the family munity resources
(Endnotes)
1 Alison Snow Jones, “Ask a Researcher,” n.d., http://www.theraveproject.com/index.
php/faqs/what_is_abuse/C11/ (Accessed March 2011). 7 Able to offer spiritual comfort and guidance aReferrals are least likely from clergy
2 “How common is abuse in intimate relationships?” n.d., http://www.theraveproject.
reporting little knowledge or training in
com/index.php/faqs/q2/how_common_is_abuse/ (Accessed March 2011) 8 Often in regular contact with those who are marginalized domestic violence
3 www.cdc.gov 2008
9 Able to provide ongoing support after the crisis
For more information, visit
10 Skilled in talking about hope www.theraveproject.org/
www. g o r d o n c o n we l l . e d u / c o n t a c t m a g a z in e 7
 Peter D. Anders, D.Phil. (cand.)
w h a t i s t h e o l o g y ?
D
efining what theology actually is may not be as simple as it
first seems. The complex of attendant issues includes everything
from questioning the possibility of theology at all, to accounting for
the multitude of “theologies” now competing in the marketplace of
ideas. In this short essay, we will seek to define theology through a
close reflection on the term itself. We will develop our definition with
three key points that follow from this reflection, and then use this
definition as a context for making two further points that take into
account theology’s task. By the end, we will have established a very
brief, but at least properly theological, definition of theology.
8 SPRING ’11
“Theology,” or Theos/Logos,
refers in its strictest sense to
the God/Word, or the Word that is,
with and from God (John 1:1–2).
Taking John’s use of logos in its historical and cultural
context, we might expand this basic reflection to a
rational discourse concerning God. By “rational” we
don’t mean according to pre-established norms of
human reason; but rather we mean intelligible, cogent
on its own terms, and able to be communicated in our
language.
Moreover, by “discourse” we don’t mean strictly
cognitive, because this Word of God is personal, living
and active. Far from being a mere communication of
information, this rational discourse concerning God is
a personal self-communication, wherein God speaks
and acts to make himself a “Thou” to our “I.” This
grounds our definition of theology in the miraculous:
through the Word that is, with and from himself, the
incomprehensible and holy living God is cognitively
comprehended and personally apprehended by finite
and sinful people.
This discourse brings commands and promises, but
because it judges us, heals us and opens us to a future of
new possibilities, it is also profoundly life defining—our
lives make no sense apart from Jesus Christ. Theology,
then, is the discourse personally encountered in Jesus
Christ, who is this Word of God with us and for us. And
therefore, on this basic reflection, “theology” is simply
a synonym for “Christianity.”
Let’s develop this basic reflection into three defining
points. First, because theology comes from God, we can
identify its source as God’s own infinite and perfect
self-knowledge, which must be the archetype of all our
theology and the ground for even the possibility of our
theology. In love, God does not keep this knowledge
to himself, but rather sends it forth as a discourse of
speech and acts—as his own Theology. In grace, God
accommodates his Theology to our capacity to receive
it. Thus, our theology is not founded on our freedom
and capacity to know God, but on God’s freedom and
capacity to make himself known to us. God’s Theology
always precedes our theology. For this reason, our
theology should always be understood as response—
before we can have anything true to say concerning
God, God must have had already said something
concerning himself to us: “What do you have that you
did not receive?” (1 Cor. 4:7).
Second, God has made theology a holistic possibility
for us, as the life, words and work of Christ, the
incarnate Word, come to us from God as an objective
discourse of divine self-definition. By the speech and
redemptive acts of this objectively revealed Word, we
come to know the truth that we are sinners and that
God is gracious to the sinner. We know this because
Jesus Christ tells us so, and because we sense it by his
personal, reconciling presence (Luke 5:1–11, 24:25–
32; 2 Cor. 4:6). The Holy Spirit continues to make the
objectively revealed Word present to us in and through
his verbally inspired testimony of Holy Scripture (John
16:13–15; 1 Tim. 3:16).
The Spirit makes the risen Christ present to us also
by establishing the subjective dimension of theology as
the newly created capacity to apprehend this objectively
revealed Word—the newly created capacity to be the
knower of God that is called faith (John 14:17; Eph. 2:8–
10). Theology should not be understood as a possibility
we naturally possess. Rather, it is only through this
quickening activity of the Holy Spirit that our sinful
and distorted concepts of God are broken (Is. 55:10–
11; Heb. 4:12). No longer blinded and enslaved by our
sin and by the lies for which we have exchanged God’s
truth (Rom. 1:25); we are made free by the Spirit to cry
“Abba, Father” (Rom. 8:15). Thus, in the wholeness of
www. g o r d o n c o n we l l . e d u / c o n t a c t m a g a z in e 9
 both the objective and subjective aspects of our theology,
we are enabled to discourse concerning God in truth and
in spirit. Theology should always be understood as a new
possibility created for us in the single prior divine activity
of the Triune God’s holistic work of grace: God’s downward
condescension makes possible our upward apprehension.
Objectively we come to know the Truth, and subjectively
this Truth makes us free (John 8:32; cf. John 5:24–26; 2
Cor. 3:17).
Third, this sure twofold foundation of our theology as
the Spirit’s work of inspiration and illumination is a reality
for all Christians. In this way, the risen Christ, through the
ministry of the Holy Spirit, encounters us personally and
tells us who he is and what he has done for us. And in this
way, the possibility of theology as response is established
and sustained from generation to generation. God’s people
have been freed to engage in the activity of theology
(Eph. 1:4–23). We each have been given the astonishing
“Theology is holy—our God-ordained task
of faith seeking understanding.”
possibility and privilege of discoursing concerning God in
spirit and truth. Following her Lord, in love the Church does
not keep knowledge of God to herself, but rather sends it
forth as a discourse of words and deeds (1 Cor. 2:10–13).
To know God is to be engaged in theology. Whether we are
intentional about it or not, everything we say and do as
Christians forms our theological discourse. Thus, in the
broader sense, there is no such thing as a Christian who is
not also a theologian.
So theology is our individual and corporate discourse
concerning God that is made possible by God himself. As
such, it should be characterized by humility, thankfulness,
praise and especially wonder. In this context, we can now
develop our definition further by looking at theology’s
task as both science and relationship.
As a science, theology uses appropriate methodology
to articulate the absolutely authoritative content of Holy
Scripture, for the instruction and edification of the Church
and in critical response to, and compassionate engagement
with, contemporary culture. All the theological disciplines
(biblical, systematic, historical, philosophical/ethical
and practical) work together for a comprehensive
understanding of God’s self-revelation—an understanding
that embraces the integrity of the biblical facts and enacts
their meaning in obedient witness to Jesus Christ. Here,
theology’s basic content is understood as the Word of
God in the Bible, and is concerned with the great thematic
declaration “that God was reconciling the world to Himself
in Christ” (2 Cor. 5:19). Although our theology can be
and indeed is true, it is nevertheless always an ectype: a
finite reflection of what may be known perfectly only by
10 SPRING ’11
the ultimately incomprehensible and inexhaustible God
himself. Thus, it will always be a theologia viatorum: a
theology “on the way,” or a theology “of the pilgrim.”
As relationship, theology responds to the Triune
God who has graciously made himself both present and
known to us as Father, in Jesus Christ, by the power of
the Holy Spirit. Theology is holy—our God-ordained
task of faith seeking understanding. All the theological
disciplines proceed on the humble assumption that true
understanding is found in Scripture alone, and only within
the sanctifying work of the Spirit and in the reality of faith;
for “man without the Spirit does not accept the things
that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness
to him and he cannot understand them” (1 Cor. 2:14; 2
Thess. 2:13). By the Spirit, we are free relationally to seek
understanding with our whole selves and full attention,
really present both to God and to one another in Christian
community of love and grace. Here we gain an insight from
T h e o l o g y
Spiritual Formation
Jesus himself: theology is incarnational (“the Word became
flesh and made his dwelling among us” [John 1:14]); and
theology is communal (“there I am with them” [Matt. 18:20;
&
28:20]). Thus, in this way, theology is spiritual formation.
It begins in worship of the God who stands behind and
reveals himself in Scripture. It continues in the prayerful
Gwenfair Walters Adams, Ph.D.
seeking of biblical understanding by the illumination of
the Spirit and the communion of saints. And it ends in
praise for what God has done in Christ as proclaimed in
Scripture, and in grateful obedience to what God has given
the Church to say and do in Scripture, both in witness and
mission to the world.
Our definition of theology has now taken shape:
theology is every Christian’s faithful discourse concerning
God, made possible by God himself. Theology is cognitive and
ethical, scientific and relational, and profoundly life-defining.
It is a holy and prayerful endeavor of our whole person and
community in the presence of the living God—marked by
humility, praise, amazement and joyful expectation.
PETER ANDERS, D.PHIL. (CAND.), INSTRUCTOR OF
THEOLOGY, HAS HELPED TRANSCRIBE AND EDIT ORIGINAL
18TH-CENTURY SERMON MANUSCRIPTS BY JONATHAN
EDWARDS WHILE AT YALE DIVINITY SCHOOL; HAS
SERVED IN INNER-CITY OUTREACH AND COMPASSION
MINISTRY IN CALIFORNIA; AND WAS A MISSIONARY WITH
EASTERN EUROPEAN BIBLE MISSION, WORKING WITH
AND SUPPORTING PERSECUTED CHRISTIAN CHURCHES
AND SEMINARIES IN EASTERN EUROPE AND THE FORMER
USSR. HE HAS PUBLISHED A NUMBER OF ARTICLES;
HAS PRESENTED PAPERS, LECTURES AND TALKS IN ACADEMIC SETTINGS AND
CHURCHES; AND IS A CONTRIBUTING SCHOLAR TO MODERN REFORMATION. HE IS
CURRENTLY PURSUING HIS DOCTORAL DEGREE AT OXFORD UNIVERSITY.
www. g o r d o n c o n we l l . e d u / c o n t a c t m a g a z in e 11

G
eorge Despinis, the director of
the Acropolis Museum in Athens,
Greece, had an instant reaction to the
beautiful, seven-foot marble statue of
a young Greek man standing in front
of him. He immediately knew it was a
fake. The heads of the Archaeological
Society and the Benaki Museum
of Athens had the same response. The Getty Museum, on
the other hand, after months of research by scientists and
lawyers, had decided that the $10 million statue was an
original, 6th century BC sculpture. Who was right? The
painstaking research of the Getty Museum turned out to be
wrong; the gut reactions of the art experts turned out to be
right. How could this be?
Malcolm Gladwell, hearing this story, became intrigued
about those first two seconds in the brains of the art curators
as they first viewed the statue. What was it that made their
immediate responses so accurate? He set out to explore
this question in his bestseller, Blink1. Gladwell discovered a
number of fascinating things which suggest that intuition,
when it is most powerful and accurate, is not as intuitive
as it appears. And as I read the book, I found myself asking
what the implications of his findings might be for theology
and spiritual formation. Here are my musings on several of
the stories that Gladwell explores.
For purposes of this essay, I’ll be referring to theology as
the formal discipline of the study of God and his interaction
with his world, as revealed in Scripture. And for spiritual
formation, we’ll be focusing on the role of the pastor, spiritual
director, discipler, counselor or wise friend in walking with
someone in the midst of the Holy Spirit’s ongoing work of
drawing that person into a deeper relationship with the
Triune God and conforming that person into the image of
Christ.
I want to look particularly at the role of theology in the
discernment that is required in spiritual formation. Matters
12 SPRING ’11
of the spirit can, by definition, be hard to pin down. And
discernment requires making judgment calls. Sometimes
those have to be made very quickly. So, how can we make
the best ones in those fleeting moments? The questions can
come fast and furious. Is God angry at me? Will the child that
I aborted go to heaven? Have I committed the unpardonable
sin? Where was God when I was being abused? Why does God
seem so hidden? Is God leading me to marry this particular
person? Do I need to follow the Ten Commandments? Are
the spiritual disciplines required, suggested, efficacious? Are
there means of grace? What are they? What is the purpose
of life? What is the purpose of my life? How do I get closer
to God? Should that be a goal? All of these queries and many
others can come up in the process of spiritual formation.
Gladwell describes the abilities of professional taste
testers. Their ability to identify ingredients in any mouthful
is extraordinary. If chewing on a prepackaged cookie, they
can tell not only the exact factory where it was made, but
what leftover ingredients from a previous batch have been
incorporated into this batch. Is this purely a natural gifting on
their part? No, says Gladwell. Rather, they have been trained
in a highly technical discipline with a clear and precise set of
terms, criteria and scales.
In an analogous way, theology allows one’s biblical taste
buds to become highly trained. It takes the principles and
truths of the Scriptures and develops them into a disciplined
set of vocabulary and a helpful set of grids. Knowing these
terms and concepts gives one the categories to look out
for when listening to someone’s struggles. And in giving
counsel, the vocabulary helps one communicate truths that
can overcome deeply embedded falsehoods.
Did you know that if you are either a Coke or a Pepsi
lover, if you are asked to do a blind taste test between the
two of them, you might have a good chance of identifying
which was which? But if you were given three cups, two of
which had one of the colas, and the third of which had the
other, you would have a very difficult time telling which
two were the same brand. Gladwell says that in a test of a
thousand people, only a few more than a third were able to
pass the test, which is about as good as randomly guessing.
It’s because the two colas are quite similar in their flavors,
and so only experts can keep track of the first versus the
second cup as they move to the third. And that is because
the taste-testing professionals are able to analyze with
precision the exact ingredients, their relative amounts and
the intensity of the flavors, and they have the vocabulary
“When things get complex, when intellectual problems and
ethical conundrums and psychological challenges collide,
it can be helpful to have a strong theological grid
integrated into the core of one’s thinking.”
with which to describe what they are perceiving. Hence,
they are, in effect, able to code what they are tasting, and this
helps them to make objective statements about which cola is
which. And this allows them to speak with greater certainty
about their judgments. They can defend their choices with
clear explanations. And their taste pronouncements can be
accepted with greater trust by the companies that hire them
for their expertise.
When things get complex, when intellectual problems
and ethical conundrums and psychological challenges
collide, it can be helpful to have a strong theological grid
integrated into the core of one’s thinking. It can help to sort
out the intricacies. The more complicated the problems,
the more helpful it is if one’s theology is clearly developed.
For example, knowing the names and characteristics of the
various heresies from the past can help safeguard one from
making the same errors today. And knowing what the larger
theological picture is and how the parts fit together provides
context that can make sense out of intricately knotted
questions.
One final Gladwell story piqued my interest. He described
John Gottman’s work on marriage. Gottman, a psychologist,
set out to discover the factors that lead to divorce. He set up
a “love lab” where he and his assistants observed couples
over the course of 24 hours, recording their heart rates,
perspiration and so on. They videoed the couples’ facial
expressions, then they analyzed all the data. They identified,
second by second, every expression that flashed across the
couples’ faces, analyzing them according to a set of 20 or so
emotional categories and measuring their intensity. Their
findings have put Gottman in a position where he can now,
after watching a 15-minute videotape of a couple, predict
with 95 percent accuracy whether they will be divorced
within 15 years. He has found that if he has a couple discuss
something on which they disagree, he can tell, from the way
they are arguing, whether their marriage will survive.
Even if Gottman were to tell you all the criteria he and
his assistants used to measure various indices, however,
you would not be able to watch the same video and come
to the same conclusions as he does, for it is impossible to
keep track of all the variables for 15 minutes. How, then, is
he able to come to such clear conclusions so easily? Well,
it turns out that he no longer has to watch for dozens of
variables. He’s looking for only four. His comprehensive
research has revealed that there are four things that predict
divorce: stonewalling, criticism, defensiveness and, above
all, contempt. So, when he observes a couple, he’s not
watching for everything. He’s watching for the signals that
matter most. He has boiled the findings of years of research
down to their core. And that’s what allows him to hone in on
what is crucial.
With Scripture itself as the preeminent and authoritative
text for theology, there is, perhaps, a sense in which
church history has served as a “lab” for testing many of the
theological theories that have emerged over the course of
the past 2,000 years. The events of church history have taken
the human constructs within theology and tested them in
real-life settings. Theology takes into account the findings
of the hard work done by thousands of biblical scholars and
theologians and lived out by the Church in a wide diversity
of contexts. All these “lab results” together, boiled down to
their essentials, can help inform our understanding of the
Scriptures and give us a biblical framework for discernment.
(Acquiring and integrating this kind of theological grid is an
important part of seminary education, incidentally.)
Theology matters to spiritual formation. For when we
are in those spiritual formation contexts where discernment
matters, the more deeply integrated and the more accurate
our theology is, the wiser our judgments may be during
those two-second blinks.
(Endnotes)
1 Malcolm Gladwell. Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking (New York, NY: Little,
Brown and Company, 2005).
DR. GWENFAIR WALTERS ADAMS IS ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
OF CHURCH HISTORY AND FACULTY MENTOR FOR WOMEN’S
SPIRITUALITY AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. IN THE LATTER
CAPACITY, SHE WORKS WITH THE GORDON-CONWELL WOMEN’S
RESOURCE NETWORK TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN
TO DEEPEN THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST. HER
TEACHING SPECIALTIES INCLUDE MEDIEVAL AND REFORMATION
STUDIES, WITH ADDITIONAL INTERESTS IN THE HISTORY OF
WORSHIP, SPIRITUALITY, MEDIA AND THE ARTS IN THE CHURCH.
DR. ADAMS IS THE DESIGNER OF BIBLICAL NARRATIVE (STORY) SPIRITUALITY, A
SPIRITUALITY MODEL THAT CAN BE USED IN SPIRITUAL FORMATION, DIRECTION,
DISCIPLESHIP AND COUNSELING. SHE IS ALSO THE AUTHOR OF VISIONS IN LATE
MEDIEVAL ENGLAND: LAY SPIRITUALITY AND SACRED GLIMPSES OF THE HIDDEN
WORLDS OF FAITH (E.J. BRILL, 2007).
www. g o r d o n c o n we l l . e d u / c o n t a c t m a g a z in e 13
 the

Bible
Sean M. McDonough, Ph.D.

&
theology
A few years ago, I had to file a special tax form for self-
employed workers. When it came time to list my occupation, I searched in
vain for “New Testament Professor” or “Biblical Studies Professor.” The only
one that was remotely close was “Theologian,” so I dutifully put it down. But
the IRS may be the only ones who consider a New Testament scholar a theo-
logian. In the world of theological education, there is often a yawning divide
between biblical studies and theology. Tertullian framed the tension between
philosophy and religion by asking, “What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?”
We might ask ourselves, “What has the Bible to do with theology?”

14 SPRING ’11 www. g o r d o n c o n we l l . e d u / c o n t a c t m a g a z in e 15

 T
here are certainly reasons to distinguish
the two. Biblical studies typically addresses
historical or grammatical issues and is
governed by the verb “was.” What was Paul
thinking when he wrote of baptism for the
dead? What was James referring to when he talked about the
“law of liberty?” Why was John on the island of Patmos?
Theology, meanwhile, is primarily concerned with
the question of what is the case about X, and thus
typically operates with the verb “is.” What is sin? What is
righteousness? What is the proper use, if any, of genetic
engineering? Even the most ardent postmodernist can’t
escape this fundamental task of theology—note the
operative verb in the sentence “There is no metanarrative.”
To put it another way: While it is not a particularly good
idea to generalize, we might say that biblical studies focuses
on particulars, and theology on generalities.
There are stylistic differences between the two as well.
The field of biblical studies tends to be more prosaic; theology
more poetic. The data-crunching propensities of biblical
commentary put a bit of a damper on artistic expression;
the exegete (someone who studies the biblical text at the
technical level) can wax only so lyrical. Theologians have the
luxury of polishing lovely little gems of insight. Let us say,
for example, that an exegete and a theologian are discussing
the healings of Jesus. Whereas the exegete must dutifully
slog his way through healings in the Old Testament, and sort
through the various quacks and butchers littering the Greco-
Roman medical world, a theologian like Jürgen Moltmann
can cut to the heart of the matter: “Jesus’ healings are not
supernatural miracles in a natural world. They are the only
truly ‘natural’ thing in a world that is unnatural, demonized,
and wounded.”1
This is not to unduly exalt theological discourse. Bad
prose is bad, but bad poetry is awful…and the same holds
true for Bible and theology. Unless an exegete is a complete
hack, she is at least going to grind out some useful bits of
information which others can use to their advantage. But
poor theologians impoverish everyone they touch. They are
chatterers, obfuscators, stealing sense with the sleight of
hand of half-understood jargon and monstrously contorted
sentences. We may borrow an analogy from music: a good
theologian is Izhtak Perlman playing Beethoven; a bad one
“And an exegete with no theological
sense at all will at best
be a kind of fleshy database with
no real insight to share.”
16 SPRING ’11
is a six-year-old scratching and squeaking his way through
“Three Blind Mice.”
But this is at best half the story. Moltmann was only able
to find the perfect words to capture Jesus’ healing ministry
because he is a patient reader of Scripture himself. The 20th
century’s greatest theologian, Karl Barth, began his career
as a New Testament scholar. (We leave aside whether the
previous sentence might read, “Despite having started as
a New Testament scholar, Barth was the 20th century’s
greatest theologian;” or the undoubtedly more accurate,
“Because he started as a New Testament scholar, Barth was
the 20th century’s greatest theologian”). And an exegete
with no theological sense at all will at best be a kind of fleshy
database with no real insight to share. (One thinks of Dylan
Thomas remembering his childhood Christmas presents,
which included “books that told me everything about the
wasp, except why.”)2
H
ow, then, do the two relate? One familiar
model puts them in a strict sequential order.
First, biblical studies folks carefully unpack
the relevant data of a given text, which data
are then handed over to the theologians for
analysis. This relationship can be parsed to favor one side
or the other. One might view the biblical scholars as farmers
who cultivate what is essential to life—meat, grains, fruits,
vegetables—while the theologians are chefs who make
it taste a bit better or prettify it on the plate. By contrast,
one could envision exegetical miners laboring blindly
underground, hauling up raw materials which only become
useful after theological processing and manufacturing. The
dull, lumpy iron of exegesis is refined into the sleek steel of
theology.
But such a sequential model simply won’t do. Theological
insight is needed long before the biblical scholar even
approaches a text. What sort of approach is she to take?
What does she think about the authority of the text? Why is
she even interested in a document thousands of years old?
The answers to these questions do not emerge ex nihilo (out
of nothing). They are the product of personal and communal
theological reflection. (Or at least they ought to be: often
enough exegetes do blunder into texts all unawares, and
unthinkingly read their own opinions into the Scriptures.)
“Theology, then, is essential both
before reading a biblical text, and
while reading a biblical text.”
T
heology is equally in play while reading the
text. Consider John 1:1: “In the beginning was
the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God.” It is, of course, crucial to note,
in good exegetical fashion, that John depends
on Genesis 1 here, and equally crucial to note that the word
logos shows up precisely 40 times in John’s gospel as a
whole (lest we imagine that we need to wander the ancient
philosophical terrain in search of the meaning of logos, rather
than looking in the rest of the gospel itself). But if that is all
we can talk about, can we really claim to have heard John
1:1? If we can give no account of how it is that the Word can
be with God, and at the same time be God, are we offering
anything of real value? In this case, at least, a theologically
informed reading of the text is the only reading that can do it
anything like justice.
Theology, then, is essential both before reading a biblical
text, and while reading a biblical text. Its value in actually
doing something in response to the text is even more
evident. Most contemporary evangelical women don’t wear
head coverings, even though Paul told the women in Corinth
to do so. What is the rationale for taking “Do not murder”
literally, and Paul’s exhortations about head coverings in
some other way? The text itself does not give us an answer
to this question, nor can it ever do so. Theological work is
necessary if we are to bridge the gap from then to now.
If exegetes need theology, however, it is equally true
that theologians need exegesis. “Faith comes by hearing,
and hearing by the word of Christ” (Rom. 10:17), and this
is as true for theologians as it is of anyone else. God spoke
in the beginning, and his speech remains prior to ours in
every respect. While the primal hearing of God’s message is
different from the detailed textual analysis that characterizes
biblical studies, theologians must always be willing to submit
their theories to the scrutinizing light of Scripture.
We may use an analogy from the workplace. Theologians—
and I am thinking broadly here of dogmaticians, homiliticians
and practical theologians of all stripes—manufacture all
sorts of useful “thought gadgets” to assist people in reasoning
out their Christian faith. But these gadgets all need product
testing, which is (one place) where biblical studies comes
in. It must be difficult for automobile designers to watch
their prototypes bounced and scratched and smashed to test
their roadworthiness; but it has to be done. In the same way,
even the most treasured theological formulations must be
thoroughly poked and prodded by Scripture to ensure they
meet God’s exacting standards.
Of course, if we want an image for a relationship that
is as intimate, interdependent, and, indeed, symbiotic as
that of Bible and theology, we can do no better than that of
marriage. Our common goal as exegetes and theologians is
to hear and obey God’s Word. God has uniquely gifted each
discipline to contribute to this common goal. It is something
like the commission given to Adam and Eve: be fruitful and
multiply, fill the earth and subdue it. Not, of course, that we
subdue the Word itself. We are meant rather to be subdued
by the Word. But it takes tremendous work to manage our
understanding of the Word, and the two disciplines must
work hand in hand to that end.
N
ow, the course of true love never did run
smooth, and we ought not to imagine that
the marriage of Bible and theology will be
an endless dewy-eyed love affair: “I fixed
that exegesis of 1 Corinthians 15 you’d been
worried about, dear!” “Thanks so much! I just baked up a fresh
batch of that realized eschatology you love so much!” Would
that things worked that way! In reality, the relationship will
undoubtedly encounter the same clashing of ideas, “spirited
discussions” and occasional mutual incomprehension that
characterize even the best marriages. But with patient
endurance, we will find it to be a fruitful union, one that
enables God’s people to hear his voice more clearly.
1 Moltmann, The Way of Jesus Christ (London: SCM, 1990), p.69.
2 A Child’s Christmas in Wales (NY: New Directions, 1995), p.29.
DR. SEAN M. MCDONOUGH, PROFESSOR OF NEW TESTAMENT,
JOINED THE SEMINARY IN 2000 AFTER SERVING AS CHAIR OF
THE BIBLICAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT AND LECTURER IN NEW
TESTAMENT AT PACIFIC THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE IN SUVA, FIJI.
HE IS ACTIVE IN MINISTRY AS A SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER
AND OCCASIONAL PREACHER AT FIRST CONGREGATIONAL
CHURCH IN HAMILTON, MA, AND AS A SPEAKER FOR MEDAIR, A
CHRISTIAN RELIEF ORGANIZATION IN SWITZERLAND. HE HAS
WRITTEN SEVERAL BOOKS AND A VARIETY OF ARTICLES FOR
SCHOLARLY AND PROFESSIONAL JOURNALS.
www. g o r d o n c o n we l l . e d u / c o n t a c t m a g a z in e 17
 TH
ER
OL
EO

TH
F

EO
LO
“WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THEOLOGY IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH?”SOME BUSY

GY
PASTORS IN AMERICAN CHURCHES TODAY MIGHT BE TEMPTED TO ANSWER,

“HONESTLY, NOT MUCH. I HAVEN’T THOUGHT MUCH ABOUT ‘THEOLOGY’

SINCE I LEFT SEMINARY. I’M TOO BUSY PREPARING SERMONS, ATTENDING

COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND DEALING WITH CONFLICTS AND PROBLEMS IN

in MY CHURCH TO GIVE MUCH ATTENTION TO THEOLOGY.”
the
life of the
church

However, I would like to suggest that for even such busy
pastors, a more accurate image of the role of theology in the
life of the parish would not be that of a neglected textbook on
the pastor’s shelf, but rather that of a backbone in a healthy
body. The backbones in our bodies, like the foundations and
electrical and plumbing systems in our homes, are usually
taken for granted–until something goes wrong. Like a
healthy backbone in a healthy human body, sound biblical
theology can provide support, shape and stability to the
Body of Christ.
Catechesis, Apologetics,
Polemics and Homiletics
“discipling” today. Converts were instructed in the “rule of
faith,” a summary of Christian doctrine that formed the basis
of the later Nicene and Apostles’ Creeds.
Such early summaries of Christian belief are found in the
New Testament itself, e.g., Paul’s summary of the kerygma
in I Cor. 15:3-5: “For what I received I passed on to you as
of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to
the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the
third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared
to Peter, and then to the Twelve…”
Augustine’s Enchiridion, or On Faith, Hope, and Love
(c.421), was prepared as such a catechetical manual,
following the outline of the Apostles’ Creed, the Lord’s
Prayer and the two “Great Commandments.” In the preface to
his 1560 French edition of the Institutes, John Calvin stated
that it was his intention to provide a summary of Christian

I
n the early church, the development of Christian
theology was shaped by four important functions
it served in the life of the church: the catechetical,
the apologetical, the polemical and the homiletical.1
All four of these functions of theology in the early
church are still vital for the ministry of the church today. In
its catechetical function, theological instruction prepared
converts for church membership and participation in the
Eucharist, instructing them in basic Christian doctrine. This
JOHN JEFFERSON DAVIS, PH.D process of catechesis is often referred to as “discipleship” or
doctrine that would help Christians in their reading of the
Old and New Testaments. Today, new converts and new
church members still need to be catechized and instructed
in the fundamentals of the faith. Books like John Stott’s Basic
Christianity or R.C. Sproul’s Essential Truths of the Christian
Faith can assist the pastor in this historic task.2
The apologetic task of theology in the early church was
to defend and explain the faith to outsiders (cf. I Pet. 3:15,
“Be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to
give the reason for the hope that is in you”). Early Christian

18 SPRING ’11 www. g o r d o n c o n we l l . e d u / c o n t a c t m a g a z in e 19

 apologists such as Aristides, Diognetus and Tertullian
responded to misunderstandings and accusations from the
pagans, and Justin Martyr responded to criticisms from
the Jews of his day. Thomas Aquinas in his Summa contra
Gentiles defended the Christian faith in the face of Muslim
criticisms. In today’s religious climate of religious pluralism
and the “new atheism,” the need for informed Christian
apologetics remains as relevant as ever. Several generations
of Christians have been helped by classics such as C.S. Lewis’
Mere Christianity and Miracles. Tim Keller’s The Reason for
God provides cogent responses to many of the criticisms of
the faith in our own day.
In its polemical function, Christian theologians defended
and expounded the biblical faith against heretical threats
from within the church. Irenaeus, bishop of Lyons, in his
massive Against Heresies (c. 185), defended the biblical faith
against the threat of Gnosticism, which denied the goodness
of the physical creation and placed the biblical story into an
alien context of Gnostic cosmological speculation.
“KNOWLEDGE OF SOUND DOCTRINE AIDS IN PREACHING
AND TEACHING, NOT ONLY BY HELPING CHRISTIANS
AVOID HERESY, BUT ALSO BY ENABLING THE PREACHER
TO PLACE THE PARTICULAR TEXT IN THE LARGER
CONTEXT OF REDEMPTIVE HISTORY: CREATION, FALL,
REDEMPTION AND NEW CREATION.”
20 SPRING ’11
In the face of the Arian threat, Athanasius vigorously and
tenaciously defended the full deity of Christ, and together
with the Cappadocian fathers of the 4th century, laid the basic
foundations of Christology and Trinitarian theology that
have guided the church ever since. In the modern period,
orthodox theologians have labored to preserve the historic
Christian faith from the attacks of Enlightenment biblical
criticism, deistic denials of miracles and Unitarian denials of
the Trinity, original sin and substitutionary atonement.
More recently, revisionist readings of biblical sexual
ethics, Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code, feminist criticisms of the
“patriarchal” language of the Trinity and “Open Theism” have
questioned or rejected historic orthodox belief. The Pauline
admonitions to “watch your life and doctrine closely” (I Tim.
4:16), and for believers not to be “blown about by every wind
of teaching” (Eph. 4:14) but to grow mature in the faith, are
just as relevant as ever.
The fourth function of theology in the life of the early
church was the homiletical one: assisting preachers and
teachers in the exposition and teaching of Scripture (cf. I Tim.
4:13: “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of
Scripture, to preaching and teaching”). The church leader
is to “hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been
taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine
and refute those who oppose it” (Tit. 1:9).
Knowledge of sound doctrine aids in preaching and
teaching not only by the avoidance of heresy, but also by
enabling the preacher to place the particular text in the larger
context of redemptive history: creation, fall, redemption and
new creation. This was precisely what the Gnostics in the
early church failed to do, wrenching the biblical texts out of
their biblical contexts and placing them in the context of an
alien system of thought.
Heterodox religious movements today such as the
Jehovah’s Witnesses or Mormons can distort the biblical
teachings in the same way. Sound teachers in the early
church such as Irenaeus, and effective preachers today such
as John Stott, John Piper, John MacArthur, Haddon Robinson,
Timothy Keller, Gordon Hugenberger, Mark Dever and
others have robust theologies that enable them to place the
biblical text in its wider redemptive-historical context, and
so preserve the distinctive Christian identity of the message.
Vitality, Vision and
Assessment
I
n addition to these historically recognized functions
of theology in the life of the church, a sound biblical
theology can provide vitality, vision and standards for
assessment in the local congregation. Church history
shows that a robust biblical theology can contribute
to church growth and vitality. The opposite is also the case.
Churches and denominations that tolerate doctrinal erosion
tend to have tepid worship and declining memberships.
During the decades between 1965 and 1999, for example,
the PC(USA), the United Church of Christ, the Episcopal
Church and the United Methodist Church lost, respectively,
40 percent, 29 percent, 26 percent and 24 percent of their
total memberships. Growing churches were generally those
committed to an orthodox and biblical theology.
As the leader of the flock, the pastor is responsible for
casting a vision for the church. The biblical metanarrative
of creation, fall, redemption and new creation provides
the theological framework and context for such a vision.
Salvation itself is not only forgiveness of sins and hope
of heaven in the future, but also an experience beginning
now of entering into the life of the Triune God.3 Because
of Jesus’ incarnation, death, resurrection, ascension to the
right hand of the Father and sending of the Holy Spirit,
we—as adopted sons and daughters in Christ—can begin
to experience the love of Jesus’ Father for his beloved Son,
in the communion of the Holy Spirit, looking forward to its
culmination and never-ending deepening in the presence of
God in a gloriously beautiful New Creation (Rev.21, 22). Such
a theological vision can energize and unify a congregation,
just as John F. Kennedy’s famous vision casting of May 1961,
to a joint session of Congress—“A man on the moon by the
end of this decade”— energized NASA and the nation for the
Apollo space mission.
Finally, sound theology provides a standard for
congregational assessment, a basis for asking and answering
the question, “How are we doing as a church?” For example,
the biblical doctrine of the church, that specifies worship,
discipleship and mission as the three God-ordained
purposes of the church, then provides the basis for asking
questions such as “How well are we worshipping God?”
“Are we as a people growing deeper and more mature in
our relationships with Christ and one another?” “How
effective are we in reaching out to others—in service and
proclamation?” “Are we growing as a church that is ‘deep,
thick and different’—deep in our worship and knowledge
of the Triune God, ‘thickly’ committed in love and service to
one another and distinctive from the secular culture in our
beliefs, lifestyle, values and hopes?” “Are we growing both
in our obedience to the ‘Great Commandments,’ and in our
fulfillment of the Great Commission?”
And so it is that theology now, as in the New Testament
and subsequent centuries of church history, can play a vital
role in the life of a healthy church. As pastors, teachers and
lay leaders, may we continue to “teach and admonish with
all wisdom, so as to present everyone mature in Christ” (Col.
1:28), and so be able to say with the Apostle Paul at the
end of our ministries, “I have fought the good fight, I have
finished the race, I have kept the faith” (II Tim. 4:8), in the
expectation of that crown of righteousness to be awarded by
the Lord to his beloved church.
1 John Jefferson Davis, Foundations of Evangelical Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker,
1984), pp.50-51; see also James Leo Garrett, Jr., Systematic Theology: Biblical,
Historical, and Evangelical, v.I (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990), pp. 12-15, and Carl
E. Braaten and Robert W. Jenson, eds., Christian Dogmatics, v.I (Philadelphia: Fortress
Press, 1984), pp. 20-23.
2 Excellent resources for the catechetical ministry of the church include the book by
my colleagues Gary Parrett and S. Steve Kang, Teaching the Faith, Forming the Faithful:
A Biblical Vision for Education in the Church (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2009),
and Thomas F. Torrance, The School of Faith: The Catechisms of the Reformed Church
(Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 1996; 1959).
3 A Trinitarian vision of Christian life and salvation has been very helpfully
articulated by my colleague Donald Fairbairn in Life in the Trinity: An Introduction
to Theology with the Help of the Church Fathers (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic,
2009).
JOHN JEFFERSON DAVIS, PH.D., A MEMBER OF THE FACULTY
AT GORDON-CONWELL SINCE 1975, IS PROFESSOR OF
SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY AND CHRISTIAN ETHICS, AND SERVES
AS CHAIR OF THE DIVISION OF CHRISTIAN THOUGHT. HIS
MOST RECENT BOOK IS WORSHIP AND THE REALITY OF
GOD: AN EVANGELICAL THEOLOGY OF REAL PRESENCE (IVP
ACADEMIC, 2010).
www. g o r d o n c o n we l l . e d u / c o n t a c t m a g a z in e 21
 RE
H
E
A D.

U h .
,P It is not an exaggeration to say that

AN P F T
ts

Q n diversity is part of the air we breathe

EL
Li
IS S MO ar
d today. Every time we step out our front

S
h
doors, we feel the winds of diversity

c
Ri
IC
RT O O
Whether the matter is child-rearing, family
blowing. We are conscious of it in the

BL
budgets or time management, family
disagreements quickly get interpreted as
political realms, in the worlds of art requiring a “winner” and a “loser.” The
PU
PA G D

stalemates which emerge are especially

and education, in our sports loyalties, in difficult since harmony appears possible
only when one side loses.
our social and economic structures and
IS

Wisdom, by contrast, understands that

there are different kinds of differences and
surely not least in our religious habits. different differences which differences
make. Wisdom sees through the

T
complexity of circumstances not by virtue
W

he sheer complexity of technology compounds of a universal law, but by the simple nature of complexity. An
the diversity which surrounds us. Consider example may help illustrate the point. Is it right or wrong
how many diverse individuals fill our email to answer a fool? The writer of Proverbs supposes that
address books or how many “friends” one has sometimes it is important to answer fools (Proverbs 26:5)
E

on Facebook. Consider how many television and sometimes it is important not to answer fools (Proverbs
channels fill diverse niches of interest today. 26:4). Knowing when to answer and when not to answer is
TH

The emergence of these deep diversities in our lives has the a matter of wisdom. If we are tempted by the foolishness of
inevitable consequence of privileging diversity over unity in the fool, then wisdom suggests we refrain from answering. If,
our public life together. on the other hand, we discern that fools may understand the
These differences exert enormous pressures towards folly of their ways, wisdom suggests we provide a genuine
fragmentation in our society as well. It seems more and response to them.
more difficult to speak of a “common good,” when only “my The loss of wisdom as a theological category in the public

good” and the need to protect it from the intrusion of outside square has too often meant that our differences are always
e

forces prevail. A great irony of modern life is the ever- interpreted as fundamental conflicts, rather than as tactical
th

growing disparity between the diversity of contemporary differences that might be sorted out, or a disagreement
culture and the actual homogeneity of the communities in about which reconciliation is actually possible. Historically,
which we experience day-to-day life. We have all become the public square in western democracies was guided by a
in

partisans in one way or another—of political parties, common morality about virtue and vice. It may have been
different sports teams, educational establishments, musical as simple as the need for virtue in our public leaders and
styles, radio talking heads and just about anything else that a concern for justice among the citizenry. That common
one can imagine. How do we as Christians relate not only to morality is what the Bible often refers to as wisdom. Thinking
the overwhelming diversity in the public square but also to theologically about the public square requires this very sort
its increasingly partisan nature? of wisdom.
Our experience of diversity sometimes lends itself to

W
thinking of differences as always large and irreconcilable. We isdom as a category eroded under the pressure
frame our differences as “core disagreements” about which of mass consumer culture in the 20th century. The
it is only possible to be a “winner” or a “loser” in a conflict. highly commercialized public square now seems
Families go through this dynamic frequently in our modern driven by individual greed, largely kept in check, if at all,
democratic culture. Different opinions within a family are only by the intrinsic conflicts of diverse desires. Greed is too
too often interpreted as expressing core disagreements. often rewarded and integrity too often ignored. All goods

22 SPRING ’11 www. g o r d o n c o n we l l . e d u / c o n t a c t m a g a z in e 23


have become private and personal. Differences must then
be about getting or not getting what we want. You can see
why differences become very partisan very quickly in this
context.
The Christian conviction that God creates all humans with
an “inalienable human dignity” compels Christians to enter
the public square and urge a wider cultural conversation
about the common good. How Christians bring this deeply
theological conviction to bear in a pluralistic society is a
matter for discernment and wisdom. Wisdom is required to
address the breadth of public issues in such a fashion that
we hold in tension our differences as well as our convictions
about the common good, without sacrificing the very public
Wisdom is required to address the breadth of public issues in
such a fashion that we hold in tension our differences as well as
our convictions about the common good, without sacrificing the
very public discourse required to talk about the common good.
discourse required to talk about the common good. In the
last half century, we have surely erred in holding too tightly
to our differences, and too superficially to our convictions
about inalienable human dignity—especially as it pertains
to our opponents in the public square.
Dealing with diversity requires humility and wisdom.
It requires vigilance against resentment and cynicism.
Dealing with diversity also requires faith, hope and charity.
Christians must learn to engage the social world of diversity
on its own God-given terms rather than on the terms being
dictated by our cultural elites or by the partisan voices of
our social media. The mission of God as manifest in Christ
did not seek the subversion of the public square, but rather
the opportunity to speak into the public square honestly,
prophetically and humbly.
T
he Gospel asks us to embrace the radically counter-
intuitive claim that showing hospitality to those
with whom we have deep disagreements is the best
option in dealing with entrenched differences. We
engage our disagreements neither by seeking to dominate
nor by being merely tolerant. We invite the outsider into
the common wisdom of our tradition. We take their ideas
seriously, not primarily to overthrow their ideas, but rather
with the expectation that wisdom is found in the strangest of
places—even among those who disagree with us.
In our time, many cultural elites look askance at
evangelicals in the public square, because evangelicals
actually believe that some differences do make a difference.
But evangelicals have also too often been guilty of partisan
abuses in the public square. Changing this ethos with respect
to evangelism may well require that we think of evangelism
in the public square less in terms of defeating an enemy and
24 SPRING ’11
more in terms of showing hospitality to the stranger. It also
requires thinking not only of ideological disagreements,
but of the people whose inalienable dignity is not to be
impugned simply because we disagree with them.
Wise persons seek the well-being of others in the
ordinary affairs of life. Their character is kind and gracious
and honest. These are the sort of persons Christians are
called to be as citizens of this world. It is a wisdom applied
to the ordinary spaces and places of our lives. It is the
recognition that life is to be marked by a deep and abiding
meaningfulness, anchored in beliefs and habits that promote
reconciliation as a reflection of the Gospel. And like the
Gospel, this theological wisdom takes corruption seriously,
and, in fact, privileges the recognition of corruption in our
own hearts before we see it in the hearts of our opponents.
P
eculiar to the Gospel is the embrace of diverse
tribes, races and cultures, all because Christ
is our peace who has “broken down the
dividing wall of hostility” (Eph. 2). A distinctive
dimension of the Gospel ought to be manifest in
the reconciliation of those who are in conflict with each other.
The Gospel is reflected not in the abolishing of diversity, but
in the reconciliation of disagreements. Reconciliation is the
goal because it reflects the work of God towards broken and
sinful humanity. Christians in the public square engage in
the work of reconciliation not as a substitute for the Gospel
but as a reflection of it in all of life. This is to say, the Gospel
itself contains a sacred wisdom in dealing with diversity.
It is theological precisely in the sense that it arises from
the reconciling work of God in the Gospel. By it, Christians
express the conviction that human corruption is not as
powerful as divine grace.
DR. RICHARD LINTS, ANDREW MUTCH DISTINGUISHED
PROFESSOR OF THEOLOGY, JOINED THE GORDON-
CONWELL FACULTY IN 1986 AFTER SERVING AS LECTURER
IN PHILOSOPHICAL THEOLOGY AT TRINITY COLLEGE,
BRISTOL, UK. HE HAS ALSO TAUGHT AT SEVERAL OTHER
COLLEGES AND THEOLOGICAL SCHOOLS, INCLUDING YALE
DIVINITY SCHOOL, THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME AND
WESTMINSTER AND REFORMED THEOLOGICAL SEMINARIES.
AN ORDAINED MINISTER IN THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
IN AMERICA, DR. LINTS IS AN ACCOMPLISHED CHURCH
PLANTER (REDEEMER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, CONCORD,
MA), HAS SERVED IN A VARIETY OF OTHER PASTORAL POSITIONS AND IS A FREQUENT
PREACHER AND CONFERENCE SPEAKER. HE IS ON THE BOARD OF THE GOSPEL
CULTURE CENTER AND IS ITS THEOLOGIAN IN RESIDENCE.
Dr. John Huffman
Ruth E. Hawk
D
r. John Huffman’s
association with Gordon-
Conwell began in
the 1960s, as family friends
Billy Graham and Harold
John Ockenga discussed with
him their vision for a new
evangelical seminary. After
four decades as Gordon-
Conwell’s trustee, he rejoices
to see that vision still being
expanded and fulfilled.
“I love the influence Gordon-Conwell has on New England
and now the whole world,” he says. “When I first began to
travel the world in the 1960s, many of the people I met were
graduates from Princeton Theological Seminary. The next
decade, graduates from Fuller joined them, and now Gordon-
Conwell grads have been added to that number. Gordon-
Conwell graduates are where it’s happening.”
As a trustee, Dr. Huffman has helped equip students for their
global ministries. His accomplishments include helping hire
leaders like President Dennis Hollinger, Provost Frank James
and beloved former missions professor Dr. J Christy Wilson,
Jr., leaders who have significantly impacted students’ lives
and ministries.
Now, he has also begun equipping students even more
directly as Gordon-Conwell’s new minister-in-residence. In
a role he describes as “generative,” he meets with students
one week each semester to provide advice and counseling.
It’s the kind of work with which he’s familiar, having spent
47 years in active parish ministry.
“I was trying to go into politics [while at Princeton],” he
says. “Sam Shoemaker [a prominent Episcopal clergyman]
challenged me to give up my whole life to parish ministry,
and to pray for five people going into politics and impact
them and accomplish more than if I had gone into politics.”
As a result, Dr. Huffman devoted himself to pastoral work,
turning down presidencies of schools, seminaries and even
World Vision to do so. He was ordained in the PC(USA),
earned a D.Min. from Princeton Theological Seminary and
pastored churches in Oklahoma, Florida, Pennsylvania and
California.
Trustee Profile
Throughout those 47 years, he also maintained an active
writing and speaking ministry. Each week, he mailed several
thousand of his printed sermons to all 50 states and more
than 30 foreign countries. He also wrote nine books and
spoke extensively on radio and television.
The majority of his ministry (1978-2009), however,
was spent pastoring the 4,000-member St. Andrew’s
Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach, CA. During his
tenure there, he saw the church grow in numbers, giving and
support for missions; and he oversaw the complete rebuilding
and expansion of the church campus. In recognition of his
long and faithful service, the church in 2009 elected him
Pastor Emeritus.
Although he is now retired from parish ministry, Dr. Huffman
remains active as a Minister at Large. In this role, he is
heavily involved in a number of boards, including those of
World Vision and Christianity Today International. He guest
preaches frequently and serves as the chaplain of Fuller
Theological Seminary’s Doctor of Ministry program. He also
travels frequently, often for World Vision, and has made 80
trips worldwide.
He has been married to Anne for 46 years, and they have
three children: Suzanne (deceased), Carla and Janet, and
three grandchildren.
Throughout his work, both past and present, Dr. Huffman
has embraced the lesson Sam Shoemaker taught him. He
calls it “leveraging ministry” and credits Gordon-Conwell’s
existence to this kind of strategic planning.
“Students need to see the possibility of leveraging their
ministry in a greater way,” he says. “It’s important to have
a strategy for one’s life and ministry that God opens one’s
mind to. Gordon-Conwell would not exist today if Ockenga
and Graham had not strategized.”
His desire is that Gordon-Conwell continue to effectively
impact the world, as he has helped it to do over the past 40
years. “I hope,” he says, “that Gordon-Conwell will maintain
its biblical and theological integrity, but boldly face the
problems of the future creatively.”
www. g o r d o n c o n we l l . e d u / c o n t a c t m a g a z in e 25
Seminary News
Why Would Anyone Support
a Theological Seminary?
Kurt Drescher
I
f we are to do our jobs well in Advancement at Gordon-
Conwell Theological Seminary, we need to ask ourselves
regularly why anyone would support a theological
seminary.
A few answers are obvious. Some donors feel they have
benefited from the ministry of our graduates. Others share
our vision “to advance Christ’s Kingdom in every sphere of
life by equipping Church leaders to think theologically, engage
globally and live biblically.” Both are excellent reasons to
support a theological seminary.
Other answers are less obvious, but immensely
encouraging. Emanating from real stories like those that
follow, they shine light on the passion of our donors to see the
Gospel taught…and advanced.
The first story is about a donor couple whose son enrolled at
Gordon-Conwell—South Hamilton. When they subsequently
met with President and Mrs. Hollinger, they learned about
some of the seminary’s pressing needs and agreed to pray for
God’s direction. Soon after, they called to share their joy and
desire to fund a brand new “Pastors for Africa Scholarship.”
This scholarship provides financial assistance to worthy
students from the African continent. Qualified applicants are
those who pursue a Master of Divinity degree, are natives and
current residents of Africa, and agree to return to minister
and spread the Gospel in their homeland. Today, two grateful
scholarship recipients are preparing for ministry because
a praying and generous couple sought God’s direction and
responded to His answer.
The second story is about a gift that took us completely
by surprise. At Gordon-Conwell, we seldom receive large
unsolicited gifts, and even fewer that come with a passionate
and profound cry to do more of what we do best. Last December,
we received a large check from a couple with whom we had
not been in contact. With the check was a small, handwritten
note that read, “We have been very concerned about the lack
26 SPRING ’11
of biblical teaching in our churches today—too much talk and
joking. Please use this gift to encourage future pastors to teach
the Word of God.” That gift came at just the right time and
with just the right sentiment. At Gordon-Conwell, our call is
to train pastors, as well as teachers, missionaries, counselors
and church leaders, to preach and teach the Word of God. It
is an unswerving fundamental of our mission. The couple’s
generosity and message from their hearts encouraged us
indeed to do more of what we do best.
The third story relates to a foundation grant we did not
receive. Last summer we applied for funds to launch a new
Hispanic Ministries Program. This initiative is part of both
our strategic plan and ethos, and answers a crying need in
the Church. Hispanics are now the largest and fastest growing
ethnic group in the U.S., and the evangelical Hispanic Church
is also escalating rapidly. Yet, Hispanics constitute less than
five percent of seminary students. Leaders in the evangelical
Hispanic community have asked Gordon-Conwell to address
the need for theological education to strengthen and deepen
the Hispanic church by preparing its leaders to reach out
with the Gospel to millions who need Christ’s transformation.
However, we were turned down for grant funding largely
because alumni giving to our Education Fund for operations
was so low. Foundation officials felt that a school like Gordon-
Conwell should have alumni giving in the 20 percent-plus
range, not in single digits. They also advised that participation
matters, not the gift amount. The moral of the story: Regular
alumni giving to the Education Fund can make a big difference. 
At Gordon-Conwell, we are deeply grateful for the hundreds
of faithful, generous partners who give their time, talent
and treasure to our educational ministry. Perhaps the most
obvious answer to “Why would anyone support a theological
seminary” might be, frankly, because someone asked them to.
If you are not already one of our faithful partners, would you
prayerfully consider supporting Gordon-Conwell? Consider
yourself asked.
KURT W. DRESCHER IS THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADVANCEMENT
AT GORDON-CONWELL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. HE IS AN ACTIVE
MEMBER OF GRACE CHAPEL, AND LIVES WITH HIS WIFE AND TWO
DAUGHTERS IN READING, MASSACHUSETTS.
Board Names New Trustee
T he Gordon-Conwell Board of Trustees
welcomed Dr. Stan D. Gaede, president
of the Christian College Consortium (CCC),
as its newest member in October 2010.
Since 2008, Dr. Gaede has been
president of the CCC, a group of 13 Christian
colleges and universities that support each
other through scholarships and other programs. He is also
scholar-in-residence at the Center for Christian Studies at
Gordon College.
A trained sociologist, Dr. Gaede has spent his career in
higher education. From 1974 to 1996, he taught sociology
at Gordon College and served in a number of administrative
roles, including as provost. Dr. Gaede has also served as
provost, academic dean and president of Westmont College.
He has written seven books and many articles and has
spoken across the country. He is a member of the American
Sociological Association and the Society for the Scientific
Study of Religion.
Dr. Gaede is married to Judy, and they have three grown
children and two grandchildren. They live in Wenham, MA.
Gordon-Conwell—Charlotte Appoints New
Advancement Officer
N eely Gaston has been named
Chief Advancement Officer for the
seminary’s Charlotte campus. In this role,
he will oversee advancement efforts in
Charlotte, work closely with Charlotte
Dean Dr. Tim Laniak and serve as a liaison
to the institutional advancement team.
Neely joins Gordon-Conwell—Charlotte after six years on
the Board of Trustees for Erskine Theological Seminary
in Due West, SC, and then eight years as Executive Vice
President. He was also a pastor for 14 years in Associate
Reformed Presbyterian churches in North and South
Carolina. His pastoral ministry included serving in various
roles on the First Presbytery and General Synod. He holds
an M.Div. from Erskine.
Neely and his wife, Lyn, have two grown children.
Seminary News
Dr. Kaminski Named Hamilton Campus
Dean of Faculty
D r. Carol M. Kaminski, Associate Professor
of Old Testament, was appointed Dean
of Faculty for the Hamilton campus, effective
July 2010. She began serving as interim dean
in April 2009, replacing Dr. Alice Mathews. As
dean, she is responsible for the oversight and
nurture of the Hamilton faculty.
Dr. Kaminski has taught Old Testament and Hebrew
language courses at the Boston and Hamilton campuses of
Gordon-Conwell since joining the seminary faculty in 2002.
Her CASKET EMPTY Bible series, which explores the
metanarrative of the Old Testament and its culmination in
the person of Jesus, is a favorite with students, pastors and
laity alike.
“Dr. Carol Kaminski is a natural as Dean of Faculty,” says
Provost Frank James. “When she assumed the role, it was
obvious to all that she would be a great leader and colleague.
She has not disappointed. She assumed her new role with
creativity and verve, and Gordon-Conwell is a better place
because of her efforts.”
Her research interests include Genesis and Old Testament
covenants. Originally from Australia, she holds an M.A. in Old
Testament and an M.A. in Religion from Gordon-Conwell, as
well as a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge. She lives in
Salem, MA, with her husband and two sons.
Gordon-Conwell—Charlotte Hires New
Associate Dean for Hybrid Learning
C indy Wheatley, Ph.D., has been named
Associate Dean for Hybrid Learning at
Gordon-Conwell. In that role, she will be
responsible for the design and operation of
hybrid programs at the Charlotte campus,
including the new MAR in Christian
Ministry.
Cindy has more than 10 years of
experience in distance education, working with a variety
of higher education institutions to develop, launch and
manage online degree programs. She has served as a faculty
member with Florida State University, the University of
Alabama, Rollins College and the University of Maryland
University College. She earned her Ph.D. from Florida State.
The daughter of missionaries, Cindy is active in the
United Methodist Church and has a passion for both
education and missions. She is excited about the opportunity
to make Gordon-Conwell’s quality education available to a
broader audience, both national and international.
www. g o r d o n c o n we l l . e d u / c o n t a c t m a g a z in e 27
Seminary News Seminary News

New Global Education Program Launching This Summer Gordon-Conwell Staff, Students Share Their Lausanne Experiences
April Seipp and Ruth Hawk

“Gordon-Conwell believes study abroad opportunities are

integral to our mission, and essential preparation for effective
ministry in the multi-cultural and global world in which our
students will ultimately minister,” says Dr. Mary Ann Hollinger,
Special Assistant to the Provost for Global Education.
The first course will be offered this summer. Dr. Gordon
L. Isaac, Berkshire Assistant Professor of Advent Christian
Studies, will be teaching “History of the Reformation” in
Germany, allowing students to relive the events of the
Protestant Reformation by exploring the sites where they
occurred. Dr. Sean McDonough, Professor of New Testament,
will offer “Paul and His Letters” while taking students through
Greece and Turkey, following the footsteps of Paul to Athens,
A group of 27 from the Gordon-Conwell community, plus
more than 100 alumni, had the privilege of attending the
historic Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization in
Cape Town, South Africa, in October. They joined more than
4,000 people from 198 countries to worship, fellowship and
talk about the future of world evangelization.
“You had this sense that it probably was the nearest thing
to heaven,” says Dr. Mary Ann Hollinger, who attended with
her husband, President Dennis Hollinger. “As far as my eyes
could scan, I was seeing people from every tribe and every
nation… Seeing that sense of unity as they exalted the name of
the Lord together was incredible.”
This global context was also a valuable source of
Other Gordon-Conwell participants served as some of the
300 stewards doing the legwork for the Congress.
“We just did whatever needed to be done,” says Shawn
Woo, a steward and current M.Div. student, describing days
when he worked from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. “We felt like the global
church was there, and it was a privilege to serve.”
Amy Donovan, Chief Information Officer at Gordon-
Conwell, volunteered as the senior manager of Cape Town’s
tech squad, running a help desk that oversaw 200 office
computers, computers for the Internet cafes, attendees’
personal laptops and the rest of the technology infrastructure.
She still keeps in touch with many on her team: 25
volunteers and stewards from all over the world, most of them

G
ordon-Conwell students will be studying in Greece and
Turkey this summer, thanks to a new Global Education
program designed to offer classes in context.
With this initiative, Gordon-Conwell joins an increasing
number of undergraduate and graduate schools offering an
internationalized curriculum. Such courses help students
cultivate a global lens for future ministry, discover new global
needs and opportunities, strengthen their cultural knowledge
and sensitivity, develop a stronger appreciation for the global
Church, and solidify their identity as world Christians.
Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi and Thessaloniki.
More courses will be offered in the future, typically as three-week
intensives during the January or summer sessions. Courses will be
taught by Gordon-Conwell faculty, but delivered in global contexts
with direct application and relevance to course content.
Master’s level courses will be available in Biblical Studies,
Christian Thought and Ministry of the Church. Various Doctor
of Ministry tracks also include global residency components.
For more information, visit www.gordonconwell.edu/global_
education.
information regarding the worldwide church. In many
countries, data on churches is difficult to obtain. LouAnn
Stropoli (’10, M.Div.), a member of the research team from
Gordon-Conwell’s Center for the Study of Global Christianity,
was able to overcome some of these difficulties at Cape Town.
“My role at Lausanne allowed me to talk to a lot of people
and hear their stories,” Stropoli says. She left the Congress
with 300 global contacts who can help her understand what is
happening with the local church all over the world.
young people in their 20s.
“Just seeing the energy and passion of Generation Y, I was
encouraged and impressed,” Donovan says.
For some of the attendees from Gordon-Conwell, an
additional blessing was seeing the global nature not only of the
church, but also of the more than 100 alumni who attended a
Gordon-Conwell reception.
“Our alumni are everywhere,” Donovan says. “It’s good to
realize the seminary is a launching point, that graduates are
serving God all over the world.”

Dr. Gary Parrett Wins Book Award, Dr. Davis Publishes New Book on Worship
Gordon-Conwell to Offer Online MAR Program Visits Campus

B eginning in January 2012, Gordon-Conwell—Charlotte will be offering

a new online Master of Arts in Religion program for church leaders,
administrators, educators and lay workers, along with others serving in
parachurch ministries.
The program will consist of core classes in Bible and theology with
concentrations in specific focus areas of ministry. The 40-month program
will deliver these courses through a combination of online classes and
intensive on-campus residencies several times a year.
Robust, web-based engagement will support student learning
throughout the year. The goal will be to extend a Gordon-Conwell education
to students preparing for or involved in Christian ministry who cannot
travel to campus more than two weeks per year. Cindy Wheatley, Ph.D., is
the Associate Dean for Hybrid Learning at Gordon-Conwell and will oversee
the design and operation of this program.
“We are thrilled to deepen our relationship with students who live at a
distance,” says Charlotte Dean Dr. Tim Laniak. “It is a natural extension of
the Charlotte model’s commitment to equip leaders in their current context
of ministry. We are now able to reach beyond our region to a national and
international student body.”
28 SPRING ’11
G rounded in the Gospel: Building Believers
the Old-Fashioned Way (Baker, 2010),
authored by Dr. Gary A. Parrett, Professor
of Educational Ministries and Worship,
and J.I. Packer, received an Award of Merit
in Christianity Today’s 2011 book awards.
Their book argues for renewing the practice
of catechesis in evangelical churches.
Dr. Parrett, who was severely injured in a bus accident in
South Korea last July, is now at home. Though still receiving
physical therapy, he has been able to visit the seminary twice
since January and has been sitting in on a Romans class this
semester. On January 18, he ate lunch with students, faculty
and staff and participated in the Biblical Worship Doctor of
Ministry Program. On February 8, he attended and spoke at
a campus-wide day of prayer. His talks have focused on God’s
faithfulness in difficult times, and particularly God’s presence
with him through this period of recovery.
“Gary Parrett is a visible reminder that God is still in the
miracle business,” says Provost Frank James. “The doctors are
stunned, and those who saw him just a couple of months ago
would be astounded to hear him speak in chapel and observe
him participating in a D.Min. class. We are all amazed at what
God has done and is doing in the life of our dear brother.”
D r. John Jefferson Davis, Professor of
Systematic Theology and Christian
Ethics, recently published Worship and the
Reality of God: An Evangelical Theology of
Real Presence (InterVarsity Press, 2010).
Inspired by observations from dozens
of different services, this theological
exploration of worship contends that a
renewed understanding of the real presence of Christ in
worship is essential for the church today.
Going beyond details such as musical style or presentation,
Dr. Davis explores cultural mindsets and philosophies
that hinder worship; and he offers practical solutions
for putting the focus of worship back on the risen Christ,
who, he says, “is really present in the midst of his gathered
people by Word, Spirit and table fellowship.” Davis argues
that the church must first be powerfully transformed by a
renewed sense of the presence of God before the church can
effectively transform the culture.
www. g o r d o n c o n we l l . e d u / c o n t a c t m a g a z in e 29
Seminary News
Haddon Robinson Honored by Preaching Magazine
D
r. Haddon W. Robinson, Harold John
Ockenga Distinguished Professor of
Preaching, was recently named one
of the 25 most influential preachers of the
past 25 years by Preaching magazine.
“Haddon Robinson has used the
classroom and printed page to exert a
profound influence on the American
pulpit,” the article said, citing his focus on
teaching the next generation of preachers to develop a “Big
Idea” in sermons.
Dr. Robinson taught at Dallas Theological Seminary and
was president of Denver Seminary before coming to Gordon-
Conwell in 1991. He also served as interim president of the
seminary from July 2007 to August 2008.
“I feel a bit like Groucho Marx, who commented on his
election to a country club: ‘I don’t want to belong to any
club that would have me for a member!’” says Dr. Robinson.
“I am honored by Preaching magazine for even allowing me
Karen Mason Receives Lilly Research Grant
W
hen Dr. Karen Mason, Associate
Professor of Counseling and Psy-
chology at Gordon-Conwell, was
meeting with clients early in her career as a
psychologist, she had a realization.
“It struck me that suicide is preventable,”
she says. “It isn’t a big scary thing we can’t
do anything about.”
So began an interest in suicide prevention
that recently earned her a grant from the Association of
Theological Schools and the Lilly Endowment to research the
involvement of clergy in suicide intervention and aftercare.
The National Strategy for Suicide Prevention name
members of the clergy as “key gatekeepers” who are in a
position to intervene with individuals at risk for suicide, and
studies show that suicidal people are just as likely to seek help
from clergy as from mental health professionals.
The ATS Lilly Theological Research Grant will support a one-
year project designed by Dr. Mason and her collaborator, Dr.
James D. Wines, a psychiatrist with Harvard-affiliated McLean
Hospital and an expert in the field of suicide prevention.
They hope to gain an understanding of the ways Catholic,
Jewish and Protestant clergy
• Interact with suicidal help-seekers
• Identify someone at risk for suicide
30 SPRING ’11
to associate with some of the
others on the list. I am mixing
with some high-flying people.
Of course, what really matters
is what my Lord thinks of me
on ‘that day.’”
Dr. Robinson was seventh
on the list. Trustee Dr. Billy
Graham and alumnus Dr. Tim
Keller (‘75 M.Div.) were also
named.
In a separate article, the
magazine cited Dr. Robinson’s
book, Biblical Preaching, as
the most influential preaching
book of the past 25 years.
More than 120 seminaries and Bible colleges throughout the
world use it as a text for preaching.
• Refer people to mental health professionals
• Engage with a community in the aftermath
of a suicide
The final stage of the project will use the results of the
study to create a webinar for clergy.
“We are studying the issues to be able to target the
training,” said Dr. Mason. “My interest is understanding the
role of clergy in preventing suicide in a community,”
Dr. Mason has worked in the mental health field since
1990, including two years as a manager in the Office of Suicide
Prevention at the Colorado Department of Public Health and
Environment. When she came to Gordon-Conwell in 2006,
she started thinking about the ways clergy were involved in
prevention and aftercare.
This new study will build on a 2008 survey conducted
by Dr. Mason in collaboration with Dr. Pablo Polischuk and
Dr. Ray Pendleton, both professors of counseling at Gordon-
Conwell. Their project, also funded by a Lilly Theological
Research Grant, surveyed Protestant clergy in the Boston
area on their procedures of referring suicidal people to
mental health professionals. Their findings will be published
in an article currently in press with the Journal of Pastoral
Care and Counseling.
Mockler Center Hosts Seminar on Christians in the Workplace
Paul Aganski, (‘84 MATS, ‘03 D. Min.)
“Salting Today’s Workplace: How?” a seminar exploring the
relationship between Christian faith and everyday work,
was hosted April 19 by Gordon-Conwell’s Mockler Center for
Faith and Ethics in the Workplace.
Led by David W. Gill, Ph.D., Mockler-
Phillips Professor of Workplace Theology
and Business Ethics, this seminar brought
together more than 100 academics, clergy
and people from the marketplace to take
a closer look at work as God created it
and the ways in which Christians can be
Dr. David Gill, Mockler faithful disciples in the workplace.
Center Director
Keynote speaker was William Pollard,
former CEO of Fortune 500 company ServiceMaster, an
extraordinary business success praised by the Wall Street
Journal, Financial Time, and colleagues, commentators
and business analysts
worldwide. Drawing
from his extensive
business leadership
experience and years
of biblical study, Mr.
Pollard spoke of the
need for redemptive
leadership in today’s
marketplace and
illustrated the
challenges and joys
that come with being
such a leader.
Dr. Gill spoke on
“Nine Biblical Insights
You Can Take Straight
William Pollard, former ServiceMaster CEO
into the Workplace.”
Director of the Mockler Center at Gordon-Conwell, he has
authored seven books, including, It’s About Excellence:
Building Ethically Healthy Organizations.
The seminar also featured a distinguished panel of
speakers from a variety of workplace backgrounds who
Seminary News
spoke about how their faith has shaped and enlivened their
working lives. Their testimonies about living the Christian
faith in the marketplace enforced the idea that faith and
work were never meant to be separate. The panel included:
Dr. Jewel Hyun (‘01 MA, ‘05 D.Min.), Board
chair of Matthew 28 Ministries, an organiza-
tion that equips women in Africa for ministry
and discipleship. She has more than 15 years
experience ministering to second-generation
Korean American congregations
John Truschel, MBA, Chief Investment Officer
for the Boston Company.
Virginia Viola (’02 M.Div.), a former campus
minister and author of the popular study
book, Living in Two Economies: Following
Christ into the Marketplace. She has worked
with college students at Boston’s Park Street
Church, served for 15 years in the health
care industry as an office manager, and was
a board member and volunteer organizer,
study leader and mentor with Network, Inc.
Larry Ward, M.Ed., pastor of Abundant Life
Church, Cambridge, MA. A graduate of the
Harvard Divinity School Summer Leadership
Institute, he is a certified trainer for the Na-
tional Foundation of Teaching Entrepreneur-
ship and the Financial Education Associates,
and trains people in financial literacy and
home ownership.
Andy Wasynczuk, MBA, Harvard Business
School faculty member and former consul-
tant at Bain & Company, Boston. From 1989
to 2005, he was Chief Operating Officer for
the New England Patriots and Foxboro/Gil-
lette Stadium.
In sponsoring this event, Gordon-Conwell continues its ef-
forts to reclaim a biblical understanding of work, ethics and
profitability. In his remarks to attendees, President Hollinger
affirmed the seminary’s commitment to fulfilling the grow-
ing desire for marketplace Christians to have a rich resource
from which to draw for their workplace lives.
PAUL AGANSKI, D. MIN., HAS BEEN A QUALITY ENGINEER IN THE AEROSPACE INDUSTRY
FOR OVER 30 YEARS AND HAS BEEN CALLED BY GOD TO HELP OTHERS LEARN HOW TO
DO “GOOD WORK” AND LIVE GODLY LIVES IN THE MARKETPLACE.
www. g o r d o n c o n we l l . e d u / c o n t a c t m a g a z in e 31
In Memoriam
In Memoriam
Gordon-Conwell mourns the recent deaths of two very special individuals whose lives were spent in service to God.
Dr. Catherine Clark Kroeger
D P
r. Catherine Clark Kroeger,
Ranked Adjunct Professor of
Classical and Ministry Studies, passed
away February 14 at the age of 85,
after a brief illness.
“We are all saddened to learn of
Dr. Kroeger’s unexpected death,” says
Provost Dr. Frank James. “It was just
a few short weeks ago that she was
reminding me, with a twinkle in her eye, that we needed to
devote a chapel service to encouraging women. She will be
greatly missed by our community, but we are confident she
will brighten the halls of heaven.”
Dr. Kroeger had taught at Gordon-Conwell since 1990 and
was beloved for her passion, generosity and wit.
“Dr. Kroeger made substantial and abiding contributions
over the years to Gordon-Conwell,” says Dr. John Jefferson
Davis, Professor of Systematic Theology and Christian Ethics.
“She leaves a rich and valued legacy, and she will be sorely
missed.”
“I was deeply touched as a student by her generosity to me,”
says Dr. Donna Petter, Assistant Professor of Old Testament.
“She was generous in providing resources to travel abroad
with her and to utilize her home and her home library. Her life
was an open book.”
Dr. Kroeger dedicated much of her life to fighting for the
equality of women and against domestic abuse. She founded
and was president emerita of Christians for Biblical Equality, a
coalition of Christians united around the belief that Scripture
supports the equality of men and women. She was also founder
and president of Peace and Safety in the Christian Home, an
organization committed to providing resources and education
to eliminate domestic violence in the Christian home.
Her writings on these topics include the books Refuge From
Abuse: Hope and Healing for the Abused Christian Woman and
I Suffer Not a Woman: Rethinking 1 Timothy 2:11-15 in Light
of Ancient Evidence. Most recently, she traveled to England
to speak at a conference about domestic abuse. She had also
served on the editorial board of the Journal of Religion and
Abuse.
Dr. Kroeger was active in the academic realm, held many
professional memberships and was an involved layperson in
the Presbyterian Church USA. She held an M.A. and a Ph.D.
from the University of Minnesota and an honorary doctorate
from Houghton College.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Rev. Dr.
Richard Clark Kroeger, Jr. and is survived by five children,
10 grandchildren and numerous foster children. She will be
missed by all whose lives she touched.
32 SPRING ’11
Dr. Roger R. Nicole
rofessor Emeritus Dr. Roger R.
Nicole, widely-known theologian
and faithful friend of the seminary,
passed away December 11 in
Longwood, FL, at the age of 95.
Dr. Nicole began his long
association with Gordon-Conwell
while the seminary was still Gordon
Divinity School, earning degrees
there in 1939, 1940 and 1943. He later taught theology at
the seminary for 41 years, and continued supporting the
school after joining Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS)
in Orlando, FL. He was Professor Emeritus of Theology at
RTS at his death.
Dr. Nicole was deeply respected for his gracious spirit. It
was this spirit that stood out to Gordon-Conwell Provost, Dr.
Frank James, who served with Dr. Nicole at RTS.
“I think of Roger as the truest of ecumenical theologians,”
he says. “He held strong positions on inerrancy, on penal
substitution, the ordination of women, but he always
managed to treat his fellow Christians, even those with
whom he disagreed, as a “bro-zur.”
Distinguished Senior Research Professor Dr. David Wells,
a former Gordon-Conwell colleague of Dr. Nicole’s, agrees.
“Roger was always an island of calm in the midst of any
storm,” he says. “He was always gracious, always generous,
always cordial, while nevertheless having a very clearly
defined theological position.”
In addition to teaching, Dr. Nicole helped found the
Evangelical Theological Society, the International Council
on Biblical Inerrancy and Christians for Biblical Equality.
He also contributed to 50 books and reference works, and
wrote many articles, reviews and essays.
A Swiss native, Dr. Nicole earned an M.A. from the
Sorbonne in Paris. He also earned a Ph.D. from Harvard
University and was awarded a D.D. from Wheaton College.
Dr. Nicole and his late wife, Annette, were married more
than 61 years and were known for their hospitality. He
collected both books and stamps, and many of his 26,000
books now comprise the Roger Nicole collection at RTS.
Dr. Nicole is survived by all the friends, colleagues,
students and “adopted” children who were deeply impacted
by his wisdom, generosity and teaching. As Dr. Garth Rosell,
Professor of Church History, comments, “his real legacy can
be found not so much on the written page as in the lives of
those into whom he poured his time and energy.”
Alumni Events
Three alumni gatherings in October and November brought together graduates from around the world.
Cape Town 2010
In October 2010, 4,000 Christian leaders from around the
world converged in Cape Town, South Africa, for the Third
Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization, Cape Town
2010. These delegates gathered to engage and pray for some
of the most challenging issues facing the global Church today.
Gordon-Conwell alumni participated in this historic event on
many levels. During the Congress, more than 100 alumni from
around the world also gathered for a special reception hosted
by President Hollinger.
Annual Society of Biblical Literature (SBL)
Gordon-Conwell Alumni Breakfast
Nearly 70 alumni and friends gathered November 21 at the
SBL GCTS alumni breakfast, hosted by President Hollinger
at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta, GA. Alumni reconnected,
received updates on Gordon-Conwell, interacted with faculty
and worshiped together.
Visit connect.gordonconwell.edu for the latest
alumni news and upcoming events.
To receive InCommunity, the monthly alumni
e-newsletter, contact alums@gordonconwell.edu.
Focus on Alumni
Lausanne attendees in alphabetical order: Claude Al-
exander, Ramez Atallah, Peter Barnes, Laurie Barnes,
Gary Becker, Doug Birdsall, Jeannie Birdsall, Paul
Borthwick, Bobby Bose, Margie Bose, Mike Chadwell,
Dan Cho, Robert Coleman, Brad Coons, Barry Corey,
Paula Corey, Wendy Der, Amy Donovan, Stan Gaede,
Anatole Glukhovsky, Ed Green, Richard Haney, John
Hanford, David Henderson, Bert Hickman, Mary Ann
Hollinger, Dennis Hollinger, David Horn, Bill Houston,
John Huffman, Peter James, Todd Johnson, Andrew
Kaiser, Tim Keller, Kathy Keller, Ben Kim, Barbara
Kohl, Peter Kuzmic, Ralph Leo, Rajan Mathews, Grace
Mathews, Jason McKnight, Kosta Milkov, Nada Milkov,
Daewon Moon, Bill Murdoch, Tanya Pitre, Brannin Pitre,
Geoff Quinn, David Ro, Jacqueline Ro, Seppo Rissanen,
Bobby Ryu, Michelle Sanchez, Mickey Sanchez, Jack
Sara, Richard Showalter, Sara Singleton, Brad Smith,
LouAnn Stropoli, Scott Sunquist, Ken Swetland, Jim
Tebbe, Tim Tennent, Julie Tennent, Yusuf Turaki, Nick
Valadez, Mathews Varghese, Carson Weitnauer, David
Wells, Jane Wells, Shawn Woo, Allen Yeh, Maria Zheng
Editor’s Note: Certain faces were blacked out and
names ommitted to protect them from possible perse-
cution in the counties where they live and work
Pittsburgh
Gordon-Conwell continued its efforts to host alumni events in
major cities with a gathering of alumni in the Pittsburgh area
for dinner on November 12. Alumnus Rev. Tim Janiszewski (‘86
M.Div.) opened his church, Mt. Lebanon United Presbyterian
in Pittsburgh, for the event, which was hosted by President
Hollinger.
Upcoming Alumni Events
June 7-10 – Virginia Beach, VA – PCA General Assembly
July 25-28 – Cleveland, OH – CCCC Annual Conference
October – Washington, DC – Date & Location TBA
November 19-22 – San Francisco, CA – SBL Annual
Meeting
http://connect.gordonconwell.edu
www. g o r d o n c o n we l l . e d u / c o n t a c t m a g a z in e 33

Editor’s Note
Gordon-Conwell alumni are engaged in manifold ministries around the globe,
teaching and preaching the Word of God and advancing Christ’s Kingdom.
In Focus on Alumni, a new section in Contact, Rhonda Gibson, Director of
Alumni Services, will highlight the lives and ministries of several graduates.
Learn how they have been serving our Lord in the years since commencement.
Woodrow Kroll (‘70 M.Div.)
Woodrow Kroll is President and Senior
Bible Teacher for the international me-
dia ministry Back to the Bible. The Back
to the Bible radio broadcast can be heard
daily in one of 14 languages by more than
50 percent of the world’s population.
Woodrow is the author of more than 50
books. His passion to increase Bible liter-
acy in America by engaging people in the
Bible and connecting them with the Author, and his clear, inci-
sive teaching of the Word keep him in demand as a speaker all
over the world. He and his wife, Linda, reside in Ashland, Ne-
braska. Read more at http://www.backtothebible.org/index.
php/About-Woodrow-Kroll.html. A list of his books is available
at: http://connect.gordonconwell.edu/?page=AlumniBooks.
WHAT FROM YOUR SEMINARY EXPERIENCE HAD THE GREATEST
IMPACT ON YOUR VOCATION?
I don’t think there’s any question but that my professors had
the greatest impact on me and on what God called me to do in
ministry. I remember dearly Roger Nicole…He’s the one who
really gave me an understanding of how important systematic
theology is as a platform for ministry, to make sure everything
else that you say squares with what is evangelical and what
is biblical…[and] Gwyn Walters–I loved to hear that man pray.
He taught me more about worship, I think, by listening to him
pray, than I learned anywhere else. [Editor’s note: Woodrow
served as pastor for part of his time in seminary at First Baptist
Church North Middleboro in Middleboro, MA, and indicated it
also had a great impact on his life and ministry.]
WHAT SEMINARY EVENTS STAND OUT FROM YOUR DAYS AT
GORDON-CONWELL?
I remember Gordon-Conwell sponsored some students to go to
the 1969 Billy Graham Crusade in New York City. I was one of
those students. It gave us a backstage pass to see what went on.
I think that occasion helped me understand how much work it
takes before an event to make [it] successful… Of all the things
that I did while I was [in seminary] ...observing what [the Billy
Graham Team] did taught me a lot about how one makes an
event successful by preplanning...
WHERE DID YOU MOST ENJOY SPENDING TIME OUTSIDE OF
CLASS OR MINISTRY WHEN YOU WERE AT GORDON-CONWELL?
…I didn’t have a chance to participate—because of my
schedule—in all the events at the seminary, but I do
34 SPRING ’11
remember being Roger Nicole’s bowling partner. It was just
a scream because he was a great theologian, not so much a
bowler…I have an older brother who is a pastor and he was two
years ahead of me at Gordon [Divinity School, now Gordon-
Conwell]. He and I actually formed an evangelistic team while
we were there…I learned early on that education is not just
[the classroom]. It’s a whole seminary experience, so I tried to
get in as much as I could.
WHAT CAN PASTORS DO TO ENCOURAGE BIBLICAL LITERACY?
I think what pastors can do…is just keep preaching the Word,
but don’t lose balance in preaching the Word. We’re in a society
today [where] we want to get right to the end of things…in
preaching that often means getting right to application, and
application is so very important, but...you have to know what
the Bible says—that’s instruction—[and] you have to know
what it means—that’s interpretation—before you can get to
application. And, don’t assume that Bible illiteracy is not a
problem in your church…I think we have to realize that pastors
only have people maybe an hour, perhaps two hours a week…
so [they] need to find a way to help people learn to feed
themselves…If I am spiritually immature, it is not my pastor’s
fault…I have to learn to feed myself, and the unfortunate
thing is most Christians, statistically, have not learned much
about how to get into the Word and to engage God in his Word
for themselves.
Ben Witherington (‘77 M.Div.)
Bible scholar Ben Witherington is Amos
Professor of New Testament for Doctoral
Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary
and on the doctoral faculty at St. Andrews
University in Scotland. A graduate of
UNC, Chapel Hill, he went on to receive
the M.Div. degree from Gordon-Conwell
Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. from
the University of Durham in England. He is
married to Ann Elizabeth Sears Witherington. Read more at Dr.
Witherington’s blog: http://www.patheos.com/community/
bibleandculture/. A list of his books is available at: http://
connect.gordonconwell.edu/?page=AlumniBooks
WHAT SEMINARY EVENTS STAND OUT FROM YOUR DAYS AT
GORDON-CONWELL?
Visits from Billy Graham [a Gordon-Conwell founder]. I grew
up just down the road from him [in North Carolina]. It was
nice to have someone around who shared that same southern
accent! Gerald Ford spoke at graduation. [His son] Mike and
I were supposed to be roommates, but he married his wife
just before starting seminary. I recall thinking how different
my life at seminary would have been having Secret Service
personnel following me in those days…Meredith Kline taught
me so much about Old Testament theology. I took [Lloyd]
Kalland’s Bonhoeffer class and read all of Bonhoeffer’s books.
I remember Roger Nicole’s humor! I remember him saying,
“I will point out two things about infant baptism in the Bible:
When the Bible talks of infants, there is no baptism; and when
the Bible talks of baptism, there are no infants.”
HOW DID YOUR PASTORAL MINISTRY EXPERIENCE AFFECT WHAT YOU
DO TODAY?
Well, after I went to Durham…I came back and pastored four
United Methodist Churches in rural North Carolina. I never
applied to a seminary [to teach]. I would have been completely
happy being a scholarly pastor. Several people recommended
me to [teach at] Ashland Seminary in Ohio. This clearly was a
call from God…In the classroom, I’m able to relate to seminary
students going into pastoral ministry, able to anticipate and
address what they will be learning. Anyone teaching in a
seminary should have some pastoral experience.
WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO WRITE YOUR MOST RECENT BOOK, WORK:
A KINGDOM PERSPECTIVE ON LABOR?
I want to deal with the theology of ordinary Christian life. It’s
important for Christians to understand theology in ordinary
practices. It is astounding how few books are available about
this subject. Most Christians, for example, take retirement for
granted. Haddon Robinson is the one who got me thinking more
about this area. He called me about six years ago and asked me
to become involved with the Theology of Work project [that
he was spearheading]. I couldn’t do it at the time, but I knew I
wanted to research more about it.
WHAT CHALLENGES DO STUDENTS FACE AS THEY PLAN FOR
MINISTRY OUTSIDE OF SEMINARY?
If you are talking about seminary and theological education
mainly in the West, increasingly we live in a post-Christian and
post-modern culture. The way people look at religion in general
is far more Gnostic and far less Christian. I think that there is
going to have to be a revamping of theological education. We
need more apologetics. The culture is where it is, and we have
to face that fact. We will have to help ministers tool up and
retool to meet the culture where it is. We need to address and
correct [the culture] with a winsome message, then we will be
doing better at equipping students for ministry.
Kevin DeYoung (’02 M.Div.)
Kevin DeYoung has been the Senior Pastor
at University Reformed Church (URC), East
Lansing, Michigan, since August 2004. His
main responsibilities include preaching,
leadership, and administration. Kevin’s most
recent book is titled, Don’t Call It a Comeback:
The Old Faith for a New Day (Crossway
Books, 2011). He attended Hope College
and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Prior to serving at
URC, he was the Associate Pastor at First Reformed Church in
Orange City, Iowa. Kevin and his lovely wife, Trisha, have four
children: Ian, Jacob, Elizabeth and Paul. Read more at Kevin’s
blog:http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung.
Alumni Notes
A list of his books is available at http://connect.gordonconwell.
edu/?page=AlumniBooks.
WHAT FROM YOUR SEMINARY EXPERIENCE HAD THE GREATEST
IMPACT ON YOUR VOCATION?
There are a number of things I could mention…[including] my
involvement in the local church. I attended First Presbyterian
Church in Ipswich…and had an opportunity to preach and sing
in the choir and teach children’s catechism…I would also say
the relationships I made. I did and still do have a…great group
of friends from Gordon-Conwell…We met each week and just
walked through life together…And then, obviously, just the
classes: the things that I learned, and the resources and the
tools, and being able to spend three years of concerted effort
and think through theology and biblical interpretation, have
served me well as a pastor.
WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO WRITE YOUR MOST RECENT BOOK DON’T
CALL IT A COMEBACK?
Really, [there are] two reasons for that book… One was to
reassert the theological nature of evangelicalism…[We]
really wanted to write [about] some of the basic doctrines of
evangelicalism and reassert what an evangelical is. We’re not
trying to be the new gatekeepers, but it’s such a loose term now
that we want to say, “Here are traditionally some of the things on
Scripture and justification and conversion that evangelicals have
believed. You can be young and hopefully vibrant and engaged in
ministry and still believe these same things that our evangelical
forbearers believed”…The second reason, very practically–to be
a discipleship tool. And that’s really the more important reason.
It’s so common that Christians don’t know what they believe or
why they believe it, [and] may not be able to articulate it. That
was certainly some of my experience in college. I would love it
if high school youth groups or college ministry [groups] or a
new members’ class or a one-on-one disciple[ing relationship]
would use this book to walk through the basics of our faith…and
how we’re supposed to live as Christians.
HOW CAN LAYPEOPLE BEST SUPPORT THEIR PASTOR?
Obviously the first thing that comes to mind is simply to pray
and probably to let your pastor know that you’re praying…I
think if laypeople try to understand that pastoral ministry is
more demanding than they might think…That’s not at all to say
it’s the hardest job…That would be totally untrue. But, so much
of what people see is “Sunday”—your preaching or leading in
some way…The pastor’s pulled in a lot of different directions
so if people can understand that, that’s helpful…I have lots of
encouragement, but I know there are many pastors out there
who go a long time without people thanking them or writing
them a note…The last thing that comes to mind is just realizing
that there are a number of things that happen in the church
that people in the pews may not fully understand…Sometimes
you can’t tell the congregation everything…If laypeople keep
that in mind, it would help them from being too quick to make
a judgment.
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Alumni Notes
In Memoriam
Roger Nicole (‘43 Th.D., ‘40 S.T.M., ‘39 B.D.), 85, passed away in Long-
wood, FL, December 11, 2010. An accomplished theologian, he had taught
at Gordon-Conwell and Reformed Theological Seminary. He also helped
found the Evangelical Theological Society and the International Council
on Biblical Inerrancy.
Lloyd C. Ellis (‘47 M.Div.), 90, passed away February 5, 2011, at his home
in Elyria, OH. Rev. Ellis was an ordained minister in the Presbyterian
Church (USA) and ministered in Rhode Island, Michigan and New York.
He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Esther Boone Ellis; three daughters,
Carol, Nancy and Janet; seven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; a
brother, Harold; and nieces and nephews.
Ehrmann Bennett (‘51 MDIV), 89, died Jan. 16, 2011, at Poet’s Seat
Health Care Center in Greenfield, MA, following a long illness. He was
ordained to the gospel ministry at Calvary Baptist Church in Springfield,
Vt., Sept. 7,1951, and served at various churches in Vermont, Maine, and
Massachusetts for many years. He is survived by his wife Fay and three
daughters.
Kenneth McCowan (‘52 B.D.), 88, passed away November 8, 2010,
in Salina, KS. His 58 years of ministry included pastoring churches in
Massachusetts and Maine and helping plant Grace Community Church in
Maine. He also spent nearly two decades teaching at Lexington Christian
Academy in Lexington, MA. A memorial service was held January 2 at First
Congregational Church in Wiscasset, ME.
Lee J. Betts (‘60 M.Div.), 76, passed away November 23, 2010, at
Quarryville Presbyterian Retirement Community in Pennsylvania. He
was an honorably retired minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA)
and President Emeritus at Frederick Community College in Maryland.
He volunteered as a program associate with Little Children of the World
and Little Children of the Philippines. He was also director of the Student
Development Action Center in Kansas and held leadership positions in a
number of community colleges. He enjoyed traveling, biking, the arts and
community, and world service. He and his wife, Marjorie, were married
for 33 years.
Ken Curtis (‘64 M.Div.), a legendary Christian filmmaker who founded
Vision Video, Gateway Films and the Christian History Institute, passed
away after a long battle with cancer. A memorial service was held January
15 at Souderton Mennonite Church, Souderton, PA.
Stan Hibbins (‘71 M.Div.) passed away unexpectedly March 29, 2010, in
Orillia, ON, Canada. Stan was credentialed with the Baptist Convention of
Ontario & Quebec, pastored three churches and served as an area minister
for 10 years. He is survived by his wife, Win; daughter, Nancy; and son,
Scott.
Claude “Sonny” DeWayne Manning (‘94 MA) passed away March 2 due
to a heart attack that occurred February 26. He is survived by his wife,
Margaret (‘96 M.Div.). A memorial service was held March 12 at St. Paul’s
Episcopal Church in Seattle, WA.
1950s
Morris A. Inch (’51 M.Div.) recently published two books, Thumbs Up
for the Family (Eloquent Books, 2010) and The Enigma of Justice (Wipf &
Stock, 2010).
36 SPRING ’11
1960s
Wayne Greenawalt (‘64 B.D.) retired after 27 years as executive director
of Wayside Cross Ministries, an organization in Aurora, IL, that focuses on
serving and discipling the powerless and afflicted.
George O’Carroll (‘66 M.Div.), his wife, Ruth, and their longstanding
Christian book and health store, Body and Soul, were featured on www.
mycentralJersey.com.
Donald Long (‘69 M.Div.) and his wife, Donna, have been pastoring
Faith Christian Church, in Fitchburg, MA, for the last eight years. Don
is also the Massachusetts Director for Christians United for Is-
rael and is active in CUFI’s annual Washington D.C. summit meet-
ing. The Longs also lead a yearly trip to Israel to support a number
of youth and pro-life organizations there. They have nine children.
1970s
Rollin Karnehm (‘71 M.Div.) has been called to pastor First Baptist Church
in Mansfield, MA.  the Visiting Nurse Association, is active in his local church and provides
John Werley (‘71 M.Div.) retired in April 2010 after 37 years of pastoral
ministry. He had spent the last 19 years as senior pastor of the First
Congregational Church (United Church of Christ) in Malone, NY. He and
his wife, Cathie, remain in Malone.
Elward Ellis (‘74 M.Div.) recently hosted Dr. Richard Mouw, President
of Fuller Theological Seminary, at Crossroads Presbyterian Church in
Stone Mountain, GA. On November 21, Dr. Mouw preached there on “The
Authority of the Resurrected Christ.”
James Tony (‘74 M.Div.) was featured in an article on www.South-
TownStar.com about his pastoral service at churches in Kansas, Mis-
souri and Illinois.
1980s
Kent Yinger (‘80 M.Div.) has spent 10 years as Professor of New
Testament at George Fox Evangelical Seminary in Portland, OR. His most
recent publication is The New Perspective on Paul: An Introduction (Wipf
& Stock, 2010). He is also a grandparent, with one granddaughter and
another grandchild on the way.
Phil Corr (‘81 M.Div.) is the new pastor of First Congregational Church
of Escondido, CA.
Peter Scazzero (‘85 M.Div.) was featured in January at the 2011
Westerdahl lectures, which occurred at North Park Theological Seminary
in Chicago, IL. He is a best-selling author whose works include The
Emotionally Healthy Church (Zondervan, 2003) and Emotionally Healthy
Spirituality (Nelson, 2006). He is also the founder and senior pastor of
New Life Fellowship Church in Queens, New York City, a multi-racial,
international congregation.
Michael Littlefield (‘86 M.Div.), with his wife, LeMei, was commissioned as
the national director of OMF International (U.S.) on January 15 at Colorado
Community Church in Denver.
David Helm (‘88 M.Div.), lead pastor of South Side Congregation of the
Holy Trinity in Chicago, IL, was a main speaker at the 2010 Princeton
Regional Conference on Reformed Theology. The conference theme was
“These Speak of Me: The Glory of Christ in All of Scripture.”
Phil Meher (‘88 MATS), an army chaplain, has been deployed from the
New Hampshire National Guard to Kuwait and will be serving in Iraq.
Stephen K. Moroney (‘88 MATS) has written a new book, God of Love
and God of Judgment (Wipf & Stock, 2009).
Christopher Smith (‘88 MATS) is writing a series of study guides,
entitled Understanding the Books of the Bible (Biblica Publishing), for
young adults who have little or no Scriptural background. Guides on
Genesis, the wisdom literature, the apocalyptic literature and John have
been published so far.
Rich Schoenert (‘89 D.Min.; ‘69 M.Div.) will retire from pastoral
ministry at Calvary Church in Minnesota on June 30, 2012, after 44
years in pastoral ministry. He spent these years in Saline Baptist
Church, Saline, MI (7 years); North Shore Community Baptist Church,
Beverly Farms, MA (12 years); and Calvary Church (25 years).
Joel Stoddert (‘89 M.Div.) has been living in his native Vermont since
1992. Ordained with the C&MA since 1995, he presently works with
regular pulpit supply for a small congregation. He is married to Aprile.
Daniel Young (‘89 MATS) and his wife, Shelly, celebrated their
first Christmas in La Paz, Mexico, with family and friends. They are
ministering in La Paz as part of their work with Latin America Mission.
They have served with LAM for 20 years. They have five children: twins
Benjamin and Stephen, who are at Simpson University in California; high
school senior Ana Christina; Michael (5th grade) and Rebecca (6th grade).
1990s
Ronald Huggler (‘91 MATS; ‘83 M.Div.) retired in 2011 after 30 years
of service as a chaplain (colonel) in the U.S. Army. He and his wife,
Sue, have moved to San Antonio, TX, where he continues to serve as a
Department of the Army civilian.
Tobias Nyatsambo (‘91 MAR) was installed February 9, 2011, as
rector at St. James Episcopal Church in Laconia, NH.
Douglas LaPointe (‘93 M.Div.) is the new pastor at Cold Spring
Presbyterian Church in Bristol, TN.
Alex Kish (‘94 Th.M.; ‘93 M.Div.) successfully defended his dissertation
in November and was granted his Ph.D. in Church History at the Free
University of Amsterdam. His dissertation was “The Origins of the
Baptist Movement among the Hungarians: A History of the Baptists
in the Kingdom of Hungary from 1846 to 1893.” A revised version of
the dissertation is forthcoming in 2011 in the Brill’s Series in Church
History.
John Lee (‘94 M.Div.) is serving at Universitas Pelita Harapan (UPH)
in Indonesia as vice president for university development and external
relations. UPH is the largest Christian university in Indonesia.
Stanley Schultz (‘95 M.Div.) and his wife, Rhonda, were featured in
an article on www.WickedLocal.com/stoughton. He has served as the
pastor of First Baptist Church in Stoughton, MA, since 1995.
Alumni Notes
Peter Sprigg (‘97 M.Div.) appeared on MSNBC March 10 to discuss
the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). He makes frequent media
appearances, often to discuss issues of human sexuality.
Dale Tadlock (‘98 M.Div.) continues to serve as the associate pastor
and minister to young adults and students at First Baptist Church,
Waynesboro, VA. In addition, Dale has been a featured speaker
and workshop leader teaching technology and youth ministry and
contributes to Youthworker Journal. He also served on the writing team
for Becoming Like Christ: Grounding Youth in Jesus, a youth evangelism/
discipleship resource recently released by the Cooperative Baptist
Fellowship.
2000s
Lennel Anderson (‘00 M.Div.) was ordained at St. Francis-in-the-
Fields Episcopal Church in Somerset, PA, September 25, 2010.
Juan Hernández (‘00 Th.M.; ‘98 M.Div.), Associate Professor of
Biblical Studies at Bethel University in St. Paul, MN, was invited to the
Kirchliche Hochschule in Wuppertal, Germany, to share his research on
the textual history of John’s Apocalypse. On this trip, he presented the
results of one of his studies to scholars and lectured university students
at the school.
Michael Lee (‘00 MACH) was featured in the student newspaper of
Eastern University. Dr. Lee is the new assistant professor of history at
Eastern.
Foley Beach (‘02 D.Min.) was consecrated as the first bishop of the
newly formed Anglican Diocese of the South. Beach is the rector of Holy
Cross Anglican Church in Loganville, GA.
Wendy Davis (‘02 M.Div.) was commissioned December 19 as
associate pastor of North Shore Bridge Church, which is currently
meeting in Ipswich, MA. Wendy has been in leadership at The Bridge
since its founding in 2005.
Brian LoPiccolo (‘02 M.Div.) serves as associate pastor at Severna
Park Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Pasadena, MD. In March 2010,
he also released a CD of his music, entitled The Angry Sea.
Paul Hoffman (‘03 M.Div.) joined a nationwide campaign against
pornography and delivered the message, “Confronting the Elephant in the
Pew” on Super Bowl Sunday, February 6. His church’s service was featured
on the front page of the Newport Daily News.
William Reese (‘03 D.Min.) was recently appointed chair of the
Religious Studies and Philosophy Department at Viterbo, a Franciscan
liberal arts university in La Crosse, WI. He was also named Viterbo’s
2010 Teacher of the Year.
Ron Ruthruff (‘03 D.Min.) recently released his first book, The Least
of These: Lessons Learned from Kids on the Street (New Hope, 2010).
The Least of These is the story of 25 years of ministry to street kids
around the world. Ruthruff argues that “these kids are not a problem to
be solved but can be our greatest teachers, and, if we let them, will give
us new eyes to see the biblical story.”
Bart Stevens (‘03 M.Div.) was ordained a Catholic priest at St. Patrick’s
Co-Cathedral in Billings, MT, December 9, 2010.
Kevin Wilson (‘03 M.Div.) is planting an Evangelical Presbyterian
church called Confluence in Champaign-Urbana, IL. He and his wife,
Esther, have three children, Kael (6), Emma (4) and Seth (1).
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Alumni Notes
Mark Allen (‘04 D.Min.) was welcomed as the new pastor at Plymouth’s
Sunrise Chapel in Plymouth, IN, on February 27.
Felix Orji (‘04 D.Min.), pastor of St. Francis on the Hill in El Paso, TX,
was elected bishop for the Convocation of Anglicans in North America
(CANA).
Maurice Greaves (‘05 M.Div.) recently began full-time pastoral
ministry at the Massachusetts Avenue Baptist Church in Cambridge,
MA. The church ordained Pastor Greaves July 11, 2010, and he had been
serving as the interim pastor since then. He and his wife, Karen, a native
of Trinidad and Tobego, have two daughters.
Jason Paul Haas (‘05 M.Div.) was featured at www.Charlotteobserver.
com as the new pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Monroe, NC.
Mike McGarry (‘05 M.Div.) and his wife, Tracy, welcomed their second
child, Hannah Paige, into the world November 8, 2010. They also have a
3-year-old son named Matthew. Mike also wrote an article for the July/
August issue of YouthWorker Journal and has enrolled in Gordon-
Conwell’s D.Min. program, Ministry to Emerging Generations.
Clinton Tolbert (‘05 M.Div.) has been named the pastor of First
Presbyterian Church of Maumee, OH.
Holgie Choi (‘06 Th.M.) was ordained and installed November 7, 2010,
at Acton Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, in Acton, MA.
Michal Beth Dinkler (‘06 M.Div.), a Th.D. candidate at Harvard Divinity
School, has been named the 2010-2011 winner of the annual Word &
World Essay Prize for Doctoral Candidates. Word & World: Theology for
Christian Ministry is the quarterly journal published by the faculty of
Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN.
Kevin Hanly (‘06 M.Div.) is the new senior pastor at the River Vale
Community Evangelical Free Church, in River Vale, NJ.
Ian Noyes (‘06 M.Div.) is minister at the Church in the Tetons, a
Presbyterian church that meets in Driggs, ID, serves four towns in the
Teton Valley, ID, and is located 30 minutes from Jackson Hole, WY. The
church was planted a year ago with about 20 attending Sunday worship
services. “We had 180 for Christmas, with almost 300 who stay in touch
and come when they are in town,” Ian says. “It is a seasonal community
of sorts, so while we average about 90 people each Sunday, it is never
the same 90.”
William R. Robinson (‘06 M.Div.) began a new position October 3 at
First Christian Church in Kittery Point, ME.
John Sowers (‘06 D.Min.) was featured in an article on www.
ChristianityToday.com about reaching the fatherless. He is involved
with The Mentoring Project (TMP), which seeks to provide mentors for
fatherless children. Sowers spoke at the White House’s 2009 Father’s
Day event.
Charles Tieszen (‘06 Th.M.; ‘05 M.Div.) published “Re-planting
Christianity in New Soil: Arabized Christian Religious Identity in
Twelfth Century Iberia” in the January 2011 issue of Islam & Christian-
Muslim Relations.
Jeff Bost (‘07 D.Min.; ‘97 M.Div.) was installed as the new pastor at
Young Memorial Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Anderson,
SC, on February 20, 2011.
Marc Gauthier (‘07 D.Min.; ‘91 M.Div.) is serving as the only chaplain
to a NATO Command represented by militaries from more than 27
nations in a camp of almost 4,000 personnel.
38 SPRING ’11
Karen Munn (Potter) (‘07 M.Div.) is the new associate pastor at the
United Church of Christ in Medfield, MA. She comes to UCC Medfield
from Grace Chapel in Lexington, MA, where she served as director of
elementary education. Previously, she served as associate pastor at a
UCC church in St. Joseph, MI.
Sarai Rivera (’07 D.Min.) delivered the benediction at the inauguration
of Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick on January 6, 2011.
Ajay Thomas (‘07 M.Div.), pastor of Seven Mile Road Church in
Philadelphia, was featured in an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer. 
Michael Alix (‘08 M.Div.) married Erica Weigelt December 18, 2010.
Jonathan Chechile (‘08 M.Div.) was featured in an article on www.
WickedLocal.com. He is currently serving as pastor of First Baptist
Church in Medfield, MA.
Roxanne Booth (‘10 D.Min.) was featured in an article on www.
TheDailyMail.net for hosting, along with her husband, Antonio, a
gospel concert at Riverview Missionary Baptist Church in Coeymans,
NY, where they minister.
Lillian Buckley (‘10 D.Min.) recently participated in a Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. birthday concert to benefit The Seacoast Family Food
Pantry. Accompanied by Kent Allyn, she performed gospel music and
civil rights music. The Voices of New Hope Choir shared selections, and
the concert took place at Middle Street Baptist Church in Portsmouth,
NH.
Nathan Creitz (‘10 M.Div.) and his wife, Kim, were featured in an
article on www.WickedLocal.com. He is the founding pastor of Red Rock
Community Church in Swampscott, MA. The church recently threw a
Preview Party to reach people in the area who might be interested in
joining the church community.
Leah Easley (‘10 MACH) appeared in an episode of Catholic Focus on
“Remembering Brother André.” She and her husband, Jordan, along
with other pilgrims, shared how Br. André continues to touch the hearts
of all today. Jordan is expected to graduate with an M.Div. in 2011.
Matthew Gladd (‘10 M.Div.) recently accepted an offer to pastor First
Baptist Church of Kittery Point, ME, and will be moving there March 14.
He also hopes to eventually write about his pastoral experiences for
Leadership, a magazine of Christianity Today.
Kerry Luddy (‘10 MACO) is writing on relationships for www.
Examiner.com. She is also working as Director of Community Relations
and Discipleship at Brighton Presbyterian Church in Rochester, NY.
Daryl Malden (‘10 M.Div.) was featured in an article on www.
WickedLocal.com. He was recently named the pastor of Bethel African
Methodist Episcopal Church in Fall River, MA.
Ho-Ming Tsui (‘10 D.Min.) was ordained October 2, 2010, at his
home church, Richmond Hill Christian Community Church, in Toronto,
Canada. He blogs regularly at http://doxa.rhccc.ca.
Opening
Isaiah 40:27-31
Word
the Donna Petter, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Old Testament
The Waiting Room:
This devotion is dedicated to the Gary Parrett family.
On the heels of Isaiah’s pre-exilic announcement concerning
impending destruction (Isa.1-39), Chapter 40 offers a
message of hope. Beyond Zion’s destruction, a new Zion
will emerge with the restoration of Yahweh’s presence and
glory (Isa. 40-66). Isaiah writes of this hope to weary people;
hence, the exhortation, “but they who wait upon the Lord
shall renew their strength (Isa. 40:31). The hope applies to
Isaiah’s generation, but also to those during the exilic and
post-exilic periods, since the presence and glory did not
reappear in Ezra’s time (Ezra 6:14-18). Then with John the
Baptist’s announcement and the incarnation, the hope of
restoration was tangible when the disciples beheld the glory
in flesh and blood (Mark 1:1-8; John 1:14).
Looking forward, we await a full manifestation of these
things when he returns (Col. 1:27; Titus 2:11-12; 2 Pet. 3:12-
14). In this interim age of tension, however, God’s presence
resides in us through the Holy Spirit. Accordingly, we should
expect a revelation of his glory along with divine action and
attentiveness in life’s difficult circumstances (2 Cor. 3:18).
Instead, God’s covenantal people, then and now, tend to feel
and express a sense of divine abandonment while waiting:
“My way is hid from the Lord” (40:27). Therefore, Isaiah’s
exhortation about waiting remains a timeless solution for
weary souls in the waiting room of life.
Why wait, then? Waiting is crucial because Isaiah promises
that God will come into our desperate circumstances:
“Behold the Lord God comes” (Isa. 40:9-10). His coming
means he will act and reveal himself. More specifically, says
Isaiah, our God is going to shepherd us in our struggles and
father us in the midst of our frustrations: “… He will gather
the lambs in his arms, and he will carry them in his bosom
…” (Isa. 40:11). Isaiah makes no guarantee of an instant fix.
He actually speaks of something better. The living God will
nurture us and respond as he sees fit. Waiting from Isaiah’s
perspective means a staunch dependence, not independence.
The results: a weary soul gets relief and action.
Furthermore, as if this promised visitation were not
enough, Isaiah’s rhetorical tongue-in-cheek question lauding
God’s nature remind us that we are not waiting for just
anybody: “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The
Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the
earth. He does not faint or grow weary, his understanding is
unsearchable” (Isa. 40:28). If we truly apprehend this fact,
we should be on the edge of our seats anticipating what our
inexhaustible, omnipotent, creator God will do. The futility
of looking elsewhere for help seems evident. Indeed, waiting
for the incomparable God is worthwhile (Isa. 40:12-28)! The
question then becomes, why not wait?
The outcome of waiting is transformational! The tireless
God imparts his strength to us when our natural reserve
reads empty: “He gives power to the faint” (Isa. 40:29).
A divine deposit of strength will permeate every fiber of
our being. The weak obtain vigor and ability to function
regardless of physical limitations. The frail can soar above
life’s struggles with sudden ease (Isa. 40:29-30). God
supernaturally transforms us in the waiting room of life.
Since Isaiah teaches that waiting for the inexhaustible
God is worthwhile and transformational, we should
reconsider our demeanor when seated in life’s waiting
room. Rather than dread the wait, as one typically does for a
dentist appointment, we should welcome it as one welcomes
a restaurant reservation. In addition, we need to carry on in
confidence, which requires alertness and awareness. He will
call our name and declare it is time for relief. All we have to
do is to trust in his arrival (Isa. 40:5, 8). “From of old no eye
has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for
him” (Isa. 64:4).
DR. DONNA L. PETTER, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF OLD
TESTAMENT, HAS FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS TAUGHT
BIBLICAL STUDIES ON FOUR CONTINENTS. SHE HAS
ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO VARIOUS OLD TESTAMENT
PUBLICATIONS, INCLUDING VETUS TESTAMENTUM AND THE
DICTIONARY OF THE O.T. HISTORICAL BOOKS (IVP). HER
RESEARCH INTERESTS INCLUDE BIBLICAL HEBREW GRAMMAR
AND SYNTAX, HEBREW EXEGESIS, WOMEN IN THE BIBLE
AND ANCIENT NEAR EASTERN RELIGIONS. SHE RECEIVED
MAR AND MA DEGREES FROM GORDON-CONWELL, AND AN
MA AND PH.D. FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO.
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40 SPRING ’11