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February 2001
Back Issues
Contents
A
Letter from Eleanor Daniel
I have for at
least ten years, long before my days at Emmanuel, assumed that I
would transition from my faculty position in an American school to
working in an international setting at age 62, at which time I
expected to take my retirement to finance my work. Though I have
been blessed beyond expectations at Emmanuel and fulfilled deeply
with my work as Dean, the call to some kind of international work
has remained urgent, especially with my continuing involvement with
the work of TCM. Now with age 62 but a year away, the plans are
clearer.
I will be
leaving my position as Dean at Emmanuel at the end of the school
year in 2002. At that time, I will be transitioning to a position as
Dean and Professor of Christian Formation with the Institute for
Biblical Studies, the educational arm of TCM International. Though I
have been doing some of that work on a volunteer basis for the past
year, the needs for the Institute have grown to demand more time. I
will spend from June through mid-November in Austria each year.
Dr. Wetzel and
I have discussed this transition and its timing for several months.
He has urged that I remain with Emmanuel in some capacity,
particularly since I expected to continue to live in Johnson City
when I am not in Austria. Currently, we are working on developing a
position description in which I would take on some combination of
duties at Emmanuel. This could involve duties that can be done from
a distance, but will entail being at Emmanuel from December through
May.
My Emmanuel
experience has been a time of personal and professional growth,
deeply satisfying to me. I love this school and this region. I am
committed to what Emmanuel is about. I look forward to many years of
connection with this place, albeit in a newly defined capacity.
NACC
Breakfast tickets on sale now!
Order your
tickets today for Emmanuel’s annual North American Christian
Convention breakfast. This special event for alumni and friends of
Emmanuel will be held in Tampa, Florida, on Wednesday, June 27
during the 2001 NACC. It will be at the Marriott Waterside Hotel at
7:30 a.m. in the Grand Ballroom Salon.
Tickets for
the breakfast, which are $15 each, may be ordered by sending a check
to the Office of the President, Emmanuel School of Religion, One
Walker Drive, Johnson City TN 37601.
We look
forward to seeing you in Tampa!
Meditation:
Time
to Remember
By Fred Balding,
MDiv ’86
“Remember
your Creator in the days of your youth…” Ecclesiastes 12:1
At an early age I learned how to spell “Cincinnati”
correctly. It was the brand name of the clock that hung on the wall
in my fifth grade classroom. Today, time seems to be running faster
and getting shorter every minute! However, on a clear, crisp October
weekday — when the warm, colorful outdoors invites one to engage
in some serious play time — “the minutes seem like hours” to a
young boy who “only has eyes” for the clock.
I recently paid a visit to our local Cineplex. Thirteen
Days, a gripping portrayal of the Cuban Missile Crisis, put me
right back in the fifth grade on those awful, sunny days in October
1962. I could taste again the fear of a boy … scared to leave home
on the morning school bus… wondering if he would live to see home
in the evening.
Memory: unexpectedly triggered by sights,
sounds, smells, textures and tastes — snapshots of long gone
moments may still hold sway over us … for pleasure or pain, for
exhilaration or embarrassment!
Memory: tangible evidence of our
unique kinship with the Creator … why we can know who
we are, from where we have come and whither we are
going.
Memory: making “grudge” all the more
debilitating and “grace” all the more divine. Might memory of
our life and choices on earth make Heaven and Hell all the more
heavenly or hellish?
Memory empowers us to give due reverence to
the sacrifice of life. It is why there are parades and wreath-laying
ceremonies across our land those last Mondays in May. Memory
gives even more meaning to the sacrifice of life Jesus of Nazareth
made on everybody’s behalf. It is all the more reason— at
least once a week— for us faithfully to partake of His Meal of
Remembrance, Communion and Anticipation.
Paraphrasing ‘ The Preacher ’ … “Do not
forget to remember your Creator while you are still young
enough to do something about it.” Remember! If you are yet
drawing breath, you are yet young enough.
Book
Review:
Forgiving
the Dead Man Walking
By Debbie Morris
with Gregg Lewis
Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998
Reviewed by Dr. C.
Robert Wetzel
During the
Winter Intersession at Emmanuel School of Religion, Dr. E. LeRoy
Lawson and I taught a course entitled “Theology in the Cinema.”
One of several films that we watched and discussed with our students
was Dead Man Walking, the powerful story of ministry to a man on
death row. The film is based on the experience of Sister Helen
Prejean and her willingness to show the love of Christ to a most
unlovable murderer. The character of the criminal in the film is
actually a composite of two death row inmates to whom she actually
ministered.
As our class
was coming to an end, I saw an announcement from Lincoln Christian
College concerning their forthcoming women’s conference. One of
the guest speakers was to be Debbie Morris, author of Forgiving the
Dead Man Walking. Thus I ordered the book and read it. As a 16 year
old, Debbie and her boyfriend were kidnapped and brutalized by two
men, one of whom was eventually executed for the rape and murder of
another girl. And he was one of the death row inmates to whom Sister
Prejean ministered. Debbie’s boyfriend had been tortured, shot and
left for dead. She was raped several times and would have been
murdered except for some fortuitous circumstances.
The account of
the kidnapping and cruelty is gruesome enough, but her pain hardly
ended with her release. The experience nearly destroyed the rest of
her life. Nightmares, anger, and depression made anything like a
normal life all but impossible. It was only after several years of
struggle that she found her way back to the church. But even then
she felt deep resentment when she read about Helen Prejean and the
film that was being made about her. It seemed to be a classic case
of sympathy for the criminal, but neglect for the victim.
What I found
particularly impressive about this book was the understanding of
forgiveness to which Debbie Morris came. It was not the trivial “forgive
and forget” notion that is espoused so glibly. Her experience had
been too horrible for such shallowness. What she has produced in
this book is a classic example of narrative theology. By her sharing
her story with us we are able to see the necessity of forgiveness in
healing while at the same time recognizing that forgiveness does not
answer all the questions. But faith enables us to live with the
unanswered questions.
Clipnotes
JEFF BALLARD (MDiv ’99) now serves East 91st Street
Christian Church in Indianapolis, Ind., as Minister to Singles.
JOSH (MDiv ’00) and RUTH (LINDAUER) BARRON (MAR
’00) were commissioned by Hopwood Memorial Christian Church in
Johnson City, Tenn., and left in November for mission work as
teachers in Kimberly, South Africa.
BEN CACHIARAS (MDiv ’00) wrote the article titled “It
Is the Sick Who Need a Doctor” in the January 14 issue of Christian
Standard. Ben serves as senior minister at Mountain Christian
Church in Joppa, Md. He also serves as adjunct faculty for Lincoln
Christian College-East Coast and as vice-president of the European
Evangelistic Society. Ben and his wife, Karla, reside in Joppa.
MICHAEL DUNN (DMin ’00, MDiv ’91) and his wife, Dawn,
celebrated the birth of their third child, Grace Pleasants, on June
23, 2000. Mike and his family recently moved to Houston, Texas,
where he now serves as Senior Minister at First Christian Church.
RICK GROVER (MDiv ’93, DMin ’98) wrote the article
titled “Faith and Your Next-Door Neighbor” in the January 14
issue of Christian Standard. Rick serves as Senior Minister
with Woodlawn Christian Church in Knoxville, Tenn., where he and his
wife Laura reside.
JONATHAN HUDDLESTON (MDiv ’99) and his wife, Adrienne,
celebrated the birth of a son, Jakob Imani, January 11. Jonathan
teaches part time at Milligan College. He and his wife currently
reside in Johnson City, Tenn.
CEPHAS N. IKWUECHEGH (1980–81) announces the birth of
daughter Ruth O. Ayo July 25, 2000. Cephas ministers in Abia,
Nigeria, where he lives with his wife and children.
AARON T. JONES (MDiv ’97) wrote an article titled “The
Vitality of Visitation” in the January 14 issue of Christian
Standard. Aaron and his wife, Debra, reside in Huron, S.D.,
where Aaron serves as minister with Huron Christian Church.
DEAN (MDiv ’99) and JOY JONES (MDiv ’99) live
in Washington, D.C., where Dean works with the Center for Conscious
and War while Joy serves as a missionary in the inner city with
Jubilee Ministries.
CRAIG KINGSTON (MAR ’92) serves as Youth Minister with
Southwest Christian Church in East Point, Ga. He and his wife,
Melody, reside in Douglasville, Ga.
CODY MOORE (MAR ’00) and his wife, Rachel, celebrated
the birth of their daughter Jori Danae on November 13, 2000. Cody
serves as minister with West Side Christian Church in Denver, Colo.
ENOCH NYADOR (MDiv ’86) plants churches and clinics in
Accra, Ghana, where he and his family reside. His wife, Lydia,
maintains a medical practice in the clinics they have begun.
CHARLES REESE (MDiv ’79) now serves as Senior Minister
at First Christian Church in Greeneville, Tenn.
LEO SALVADOR (MDiv ’88) serves as a missionary in Quezon
City, Philippines. He and his wife, Zeny, are both professors at
Manila Bible Seminary. Leo also teaches Moral and Values Development
at the Philippine Association of Christian Education. They reside in
Quezon City.
JOHN C. SAMPLES (MAR ’72) wrote a Resource Review
in the January 7 issue of Christian Standard. John is retired
from Standard Publishing. He and his wife, Joyce, reside in Fishers,
Ind.
RUTH SCHULENBERG (MDiv ’95) serves as a hospital
chaplain and an Association for Clinical Pastoral Education
Supervisor Candidate at St. Joseph’s Medical Center/Franciscan
Health System in Tacoma, Wash. She is currently pursuing the
Associate Supervisor certification. Ruth volunteers for the Pierce
County Sheriff’s Department in Tacoma, where she is credentialed
to provide care in disasters in which the NTSB and Red Cross
responds. Ruth resides in Tacoma.
JASON SIMPKINS (1999–2000) serves as Youth Minister with
Horsepasture Christian Church in Ridgeway, Va.
JAMES B. SPRADLIN (1967–68) is now serving as Senior
Minister with Central Christian Church in Hartsell, Ala.
REX STANCIL (1994–97) has been serving as Associate
Minister working with Small Groups, Adult Education and Involvement
Ministries at Central Christian Church in Mesa, Ariz. He resides in
Mesa.
DAVID J. TIMMS (MAR ’88) is teaching at Hope
International University. David and his wife, Kim, have recently
moved from Australia to Fullerton, Calif.
TONY TWIST (MDiv ’81) is the President of TCM and
Director of the Institute for Biblical Studies (IBS) in
Heiligenkreuz, Austria. IBS now has over 350 students enrolled in
the graduate programs and has established an official relationship
with the Evangelical Theological Faculty in Leuven, Belgium, for IBS
graduates to continue PhD degrees. Tony and his wife, Suzanne,
reside in Indianapolis, Ind.
ROB VAN DYKE (MDiv ’00) is an Associate Minister with
Oak Park Church in Calgary, Canada, where he and his wife, Stacey,
reside.
JOHN WASEM (MDiv ’87) completed his sixth year as the
founding pastor of SunCrest Christian Church in St. John, Ind., and
is looking forward to groundbreaking for their new building in
mid-2001. He continues as part-time faculty for Lincoln Christian
Seminary in Lincoln, Ill. He also serves as a “coach” for seven
new church pastors from Nova Scotia to Houston. He and his wife,
Leslie, reside in Munster, Ind.
Did
you know?
The
information needed to make a gift of stock to Emmanuel School of
Religion has changed. Emmanuel’s stock broker is now Paine-Webber.
The new DTC number is 0221, and our new account number is
JY-01074-CW.
Emmanuel
Faculty joins Pepperdine Faculty for Retreat
The faculty of
Emmanuel School of Religion traveled to Pepperdine University on the
weekend of February 9–11 for a joint faculty retreat with the
Pepperdine religion faculty. Last year the Pepperdine faculty came
to Emmanuel for the first meeting of these two faculties.
The general
theme of papers and discussion centered on the question of how we
can better prepare our students for ministry. Both Pepperdine and
Emmanuel have their roots in the Reformation of the 19th Century,
the Restoration Movement. Hence the coming together of the two
faculties was a way of giving witness to the need for greater
fellowship among schools and churches of the Movement.
Given the
distance between Johnson City and Malibu, we do not envision these
meetings to be an annual event. Rather it is hoped that the retreats
of the past two years will have opened other doors to expand
fellowship among those of us with common historical roots.
Staff
member to supervise archaeological dig
John Mark
Wade, Assistant Librarian at Emmanuel School of Religion, will
return to the archaeological excavation at Mudaybi in Jordan for
five weeks this summer.
His work is
part of the Karak Resources Project. Wade will focus on the Virtual
Karak Resources Project, which catalogs their findings digitally,
creating an electronic research tool. The Virtual Karak Resources
Project operates with the help of a grant from the Appalachian
College Association in order to use the use the virtual information
for classroom use.
The site is
one of over 400 occupation sites in the region of ancient Moab, and
was chosen because of the well-preserved Iron Age II (900–600 BC)
occupation debris.
DMin
Quote of the Month
By David E. Bruce, MDiv ’87 current DMin student
“I have
gained from the Doctor of Ministry Program and encourage others to
consider what Emmanuel School of Religion has to offer. Too many
fear that it will only be ‘academic’—I am finding out that my
hopes of a practical program with academic integrity with a
Restoration background are being fulfilled.”
For
information about Emmanuel’s Doctor of Ministry degree program
contact Melissa Noble at
1-800-933-3771.
Faculty Notes
ELEANOR A.
DANIEL will
continue teaching an adult Bible class on Sundays and a weekly Bible
study for women at First Christian Church in Johnson City, Tenn. On
March 23–25, Dr. Daniel will attend the Senior Women’s
Administrator’s Retreat sponsored by ATS. She will lead a case
study workshop at the ATS Dean’s Conference March 29–31. She
will also lead a teacher’s workshop at the Indian Creek Christian
Church in Cynthiana, Ky., Apr. 19–20. Dr. Daniel will also present
a paper at the “Faith and Healing” conference in Johnson City
April 28.
JACK B. HOLLAND
is a faculty team member for an interdisciplinary course on
Medical Bioethics at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City
this spring.
ROBERT F. HULL will
be the presenter for the Western Student Scholarship Banquets in
Turner, Eugene, Coquille, Portland, and Seattle, March 10-18. During
that time Dr. Hull will preach Mar. 11 at The Dalles, Ore., and at
Northwest Christian College Mar. 13.
THOMAS F. JONES
will lead a workshop on Assessment of Church Planters and
represent Emmanuel at the National New Church Conference in Las
Vegas, Nev., March 12–15.
FRED W. NORRIS will
preach in chapel at Milligan College on March 8. He will also be a
member of the Project Committee for the History of the World
Christian Movement at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary April 19–22.
ROBERT J. OWENS
will teach a series on the Book of Proverbs to the Sunday
morning Adult Forum at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Johnson
City, Tenn., March 4–April 1.
ROLLIN A.
RAMSARAN is on sabbatical this academic year studying at Boston
University in Boston, Mass.
BRUCE E.
SHIELDS will serve as chair of elders at Hopwood Memorial
Christian Church. April 1–3 he will preside at the annual meeting
of the European Evangelistic Society in Lower Burrell, Penn. Dr.
Shields will also function as a steering committee member at the
annual meeting of the Association for Doctor of Ministry Education
at Shaw University in Raleigh, N.C., April 19–21. Dr. Shields also
volunteers for chaplaincy duty at Johnson City Medical Center once a
month.
Development & Recruitment
on the Road
DAVID FULKS to
Hope International University, Bowling Green State University, Great
Lakes Christian college, University of Michigan, University of
Pittsburgh, Kentucky Christian College, Johnson Bible College, and
Gatlinburg Conference in February; to Atlanta Christian College, the
State University of West Georgia, Auburn University, Georgia Tech,
University of Southern Indiana, and St. Louis Christian College in
March; and to St. Louis Christian College, Ozark Christian College,
Central Christian College, Murray State University, University of
South Carolina, and Georgia Southern University in April.
DAN LAWSON to
Arizona and Southern California in February; to Florida in March;
and to Idaho in April.
JEFF MCNABB to
Ohio, Virginia, and East Tennessee in February; to Illinois, East
Tennessee, Virginia, Chicago, and Canton in March; and to Virginia
in April.
JERRY RUDBERG to
Turner, Ore., Portland, Ore., Beaverton, Ore., Salem, Ore., Central
Point, Ore., Medford, Ore., Roseburg, Ore., McKenzie Bridge, Ore.,
Tigard, Ore., Vancouver, Wash., Kelso, Wash., Seattle, Wash., and
Edmonds, Wash., in February.
C. ROBERT
WETZEL to the Faculty Retreat at Pepperdine University in
Malibu, Calif., in February; to Hays Christian Church in Hays, Kan.,
and The Christian Church in Los Alamos, N.M., in March.
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