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Note #6664 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

Columbia Theological Seminary
announces faculty appointments
13-June-2001
GA01105

Columbia Theological Seminary
announces faculty appointments

by Sue Boardman

LOUISVILLE, June 13 - A sense of optimism filled the room Wednesday as
members of the Columbia Theolgical Seminary community hosted a luncheon for
graduates, supporters and friends of the Decatur, Ga., institution. The
luncheon took place during the annual business meeting of the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.) in Louisville, Ky. The Rev. Laura S. Mendenhall, recently
inaugurated as Columbia's eighth president, greeted participants, laughing
as she recalled that she was "completely glazed over at this event last
year" just one week after being elected by the seminary's board of trustees.
	A graduate of San Francisco Theolgical Seminary, Mendenhall introduced
Moderator Jack Rogers, saying, "If there are any parts of my theology that
are good it's because Jack is one of the very important people I've hung
around with for the last 25 years."
	"Things are looking up in every way for Columbia Theological Seminary,"
said Rogers, "and I'm glad to be a friend of this seminary."
	Mendenhall, speaking on behalf of the Rev. Cameron Murchison who officially
began his work as Dean of the Faculty on June 1, then announced that, in
their meeting last week, the board of trustees had elected The Rev. Emmanuel
Lartey as Professor of Pastoral Theology and Director of the Doctor of
Theology program. Lartey is a native of Ghana who serves as the president of
the International Pastoral Care Guild.
	Also joining the faculty is well-known preacher and author, the Rev.
Barbara Brown Taylor, who has been named a Distinguished Visiting Professor
in the Spirituality Program. Taylor will begin her work at Columbia in the
winter of 2002, working primarily with Doctor of Ministry and continuing
educations students.
	A panel composed of three faculty members along with a second-year Master
of Divinity student addressed issues raised by participants. Dean of
students Philip R. Gehman, who made the report to the Assembly Committee on
Church Orders and Ministry, on Entrance to Ministry, responded to a question
about Columbia students entering pastoral ministry. He stated that 60-75
percent of Master of Divinity students have entered parish ministry
immediately following graduation over the last 5 years, but approximately 80
percent of the seminary's first professional degree students are engaged in
parish ministry three years after graduation.
	Mendehall, who also serves on the General Assembly Permanent Judicial
Commission, fielded the question concerning Columbia's interaction with "the
politics of the national church, specifically concerning the ordination
questions before the Assembly."
	"We are a school of the church," she said. "We don't do ordaining. Our
doors are open to everyone who would come and learn among us. The issues
related to ordination don't affect how we respect each other in any regard."

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