News

Renewing God's Call: A Pilgrimage to the Holy Land

Emmanuel School of Religion’s Institute for Excellence in Ministry is pleased to present “Renewing God’s Call: A Pastoral Pilgrimage to the Holy Land.”  This pastoral renewal experience is fully funded and made possible because of a generous grant to Emmanuel School of Religion from the CF Foundation.

2008 Commencement Ceremonies
Emmanuel School of Religion conferred degrees upon thirteen students on Sunday, May 25, 2008.

Three Emmanuel graduates received a Master of Arts in Religion (MAR) degree, eight students received a Master of Divinity (MDIV) degree, and two graduated with a Doctor of Ministry (DMIN) degree. Receiving their degrees were:

Arthur Cena, Jr., MAR, is the outreach pastor of Summit Christian Church in Sparks, Nevada. Jana Dobešová, MAR, will soon work with the Presbyterian Campus Ministry at East Tennessee State University. Warren Gordon Hulbert, III, MAR, has been accepted into the doctoral program in Biblical Studies with a concentration in Old Testament at Baylor University. Darrell E. Asche, MDIV, has begun a youth ministry with Elberton Christian Church in Elberton, Georgia. Daniel James Buckley, MDIV, will become a youth minister for Harrisburg Christian Church, Harrisburg, Oregon. Steven Charles Jackson, MDIV, is returning to Zambia to help start a Bible college where he will be a professor and academic dean. Stephen Lynn Lyons, MDIV, will continue ministry with Colonial Heights Christian Church in Kingsport, Tennessee for the summer while he continues to seek a preaching ministry in the northwestern U.S. Donald Mushayamunda, MDIV, plans to work on the DMin degree here at Emmanuel. Kent Michael Pettit, MDIV, has accepted the position of senior pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Douglas in Georgia. Jason Cory Simpkins, MDIV, will continue as senior minister of Heaton Christian Church in Elk Park, North Carolina. Della Mae Walker, MDIV, is serving as pastoral care pastor at the Celebration Church in Blountville, Tennessee. Jerry Wayne Headen, DMIN, will continue his ministry with Philokalia Ministries in Chiang Mai, Thaliand. Timothy Woodrow Ross, DMIN, will continue as senior minister at Hopwood Memorial Christian Church, Milligan College, Tennessee. Congratulations, job well done!
 

This year’s commencement speaker was Dr. Randolph Lowry, III, President, Lipscomb University, Nashville, Tennessee. Dr. Lowry strongly believes in the academic preparation of young adults in a context where faith informs their study and lives. 

Dr. M. Eugene Boring was honored with The James A. Garfield Award during the commencement service. This is the highest award given by Emmanuel in recognition of outstanding service to the church of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The award is named for our nation’s twentieth President, James A. Garfield, the only preacher ever to become President of the United States. President Garfield was a dedicated Christian preacher who served in the nineteenth century among the churches that grew out of the Stone-Campbell Movement.

2008 Alexander Campbell Scholars Announced

MAY 1 — The 2008 Recipients of the Alexander Campbell Scholarships have been announced by Emmanuel School of Religion.

Director of Admissions David J. Fulks, coordinator of the scholarship program, said, “The 2008 Alexander Campbell Scholarship competition drew 13 well qualified candidates. While all of the candidates presented strong credentials, and show great promise for success in ministry, the field was narrowed to the five whose documents were judged to be the most outstanding. Emmanuel School of Religion is proud to present the Recipients and the Applicants in the 2008 competition for the prestigious Alexander Campbell Scholarships with sincere congratulations to all who applied.”

The scholarships cover full tuition for up to 90 hours of course work toward completion of the Master of Divinity degree, or up to 58 semester hours of course work toward completion of the Master of Arts in Religion degree at Emmanuel. They are intended to serve as an encouragement for those with outstanding potential for ministerial leadership to continue their educational preparation for ministry at the graduate level.

Alexander Campbell Scholarship Recipients:

• Emily Archer, Atlanta Christian College

• Katie Guthrie, Manhattan Christian College,

• Stephen Lawson, Ozark Christian College

• Jose’ Perez, William Jessup University,

• Alexander Robinson, Kentucky Christian University

Other Alexander Campbell Scholarship Applicants:

Dr. Paul Blowers Awarded Research Grant
2008-09 ATS Lilly Theological Research Grants Recipient

The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS) recently announced this year's twenty-five recipients of the Lilly Theological Research Grants. Supported by the Lilly Endowment for the past eleven years, this grant entitles Faculty Fellowships of $30,000 during a leave, Theological Scholars Grants of $12,000 and Research Expense Grants of $5,000.

Among this year's recipients is  Dr. Paul Blowers, Emmanuel School of Religion's Dean E. Walker Professor of Church History. Dr. Blowers has been working with Scott Douglas Seay, Assistant Professor of History of Global Christianity at Christian Theological Seminary; Douglas Foster, Associate Dean and Professor of Church History at Abilene Christian University; and Newell Williams, President and Professor of Modern and American Church History at Brite Divinity School, Texas Christian University. They are overseeing the work of eleven other historians researching and writing A World History of the Stone-Campbell Movement, which will chronicle the origins and development of those bodies known today as Churches of Christ, Christian Churches, and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) which comprise some six million adherents worldwide.