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Candler Connection Summer 2015Centennial Edition II
Laurel Hanna, Editor
Contributing Editors
Molly Edmonds
Claire Asbury Lennox
Candler Connection is published by the Office
of Communications of Candler School of
Theology at Emory University and is distributed
free as a service to all alumni and friends of
the school. Send correspondence regarding
the magazine to: Laurel Hanna, Director of
Communications, Candler School of Theology,
1531 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322 or email
laurel.hanna@emory.edu
This magazine may be viewed online at
www.candler.emory.edu
Design by Wages Design,
www.wagesdesign.com
Copyright 2015, Candler School of Theology,
Emory University. All rights reserved.
www.candler.emory.edu
Corrections: The print edition of the Fall 2014
issue of Candler Connection contained these errors: In
“Centennial Medalists,” we stated that William R.
Cannon joined the Candler faculty in 1944 and became
dean nine years later. In fact, he joined the faculty in
1943 and became dean ten years later. In “Influential
Faculty Books,” we broke our own rule of counting
only those books published while the author was on
the Candler faculty by including Fred B. Craddock’s
As One Without Authority (1971), Luke Timothy Johnson’s
The Writings of the New Testament (1986), and
Thomas G. Long’s The Witness of Preaching (1989).
Though all are among the most influential books in
their fields, they were published before the authors
joined Candler’s faculty.
Features:
12 Meeting the Theological Challenges of the New Century LukeTimothyJohnsonontheissuesfacingtheologyandthechurchtoday
20 Echoes of Prophetic Voices ArecapofCandler’scentennialacademicconference
28 From Here to There RobertFranklinonraceandreconciliationinpolice-communityconflicts
34 Everyday Prophets
SnapshotsofeightCandleralumniandtheirpropheticwork
in this issue
20 28
34
Faculty:26 Required Reading
Whatfacultyarereadingnow
32 New Books By Candler Faculty
Alumni: 40 Mentorview
JaneWeston14Ttalks
withTomLong
46 Class NotesNewsfromouralumni
Community: 02 The Collect
Newconditionsand
newresponses
04 News ThelatestfromCandler
44 Giving Growingstudentscholarships
48 Benediction BrentStrawnpondersif
Candlerisamongtheprophets
12
WESTERLUND 2 STAR CLUSTER: NASA/ESA; HANDS: HYOSUB SHIN/ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION VIA AP; SMITH: KAY HINTON/EPV; ILLUSTRATION: “AN ANCIENT LIGHT” © JAN RICHARDSON, JANRICHARDSON.COM. USED BY PERMISSION.
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Candler Connection | Summer 20152 The Collect 3
Dear Friends,OurcommemorationofCandler’scentennialhascometoanend,leaving
ourcommunitywithamultitudeofmemoriestosavor,awealthofnew
knowledgetospurfurtherlearning,andarenewedsenseofcallaswe
enteroursecondcentury.
Wherethefirsthalfofthecentennialfocusedonourhistory,thisspring
weturnedourmindstowardprophecy—“discerninginthecomplexcir-
cumstancesofeverydaylifeaWordfromGod,andspeakingthatWordtoa
worldthatmostdesperatelyneedstohearit,”asLukeTimothyJohnsonso
eloquentlyputsit.Inpopularparlance,anotherwaytoputitisto“speak
truthtopower.”Thoughsomeconsiderthephraseoverplayedtoday,when
Quakersfirstintroducedittothewiderpublicin1955viaabrochureofthe
samename,itsparkedfreshandprovocativeconversationsrootedinGod’struth.
Yetaspopularasthetitlephraseis,theopeningofSpeak Truth to Power featuresanotheraxiomthatbefitsCandler’sobservanceofour
centennialevenmore:“newconditionsdemandnewresponses.”Conditionsarecertainlydifferentnowthantheywere100yearsago
whenCandlerwasfounded;thus,duringthesecondhalfofourcentennial,wechallengedourselvestoseeknewresponsestothese
newconditions.Thecenterpieceofthisspring’sactivitieswasamajoracademicconferencethatbroughttogetheradozenscholars,
thoughtleaders,andpractitionerstoexamineissuesconfrontingtheologyandthechurchtoday,andtoexplorefaithfulresponsesto
thoseissues.Intruepropheticfashion,theconferencestartednewconversationsrootedinGod’struth.Asyou’llreadinLukeTimothy
Johnson’skeynoteaddressandinthearticlesummarizingtheconference,thechallengesaregreat,andengagingthemwilldemand
greatthought,greataction,andevengreaterpropheticboldness.
Asweclosethiscentennialyear,letusconsidertheclosingofSpeak Truth to Power:
…the world is not saved by discoveries or inventions, by the trample of iron hoofs nor the thunder of
bombing planes, but by the quiet pervasive influence of the small company of people who in all lands
and in all times, in spite of all that has happened or may come to pass, steadfastly continue to say,
‘Nevertheless…I believe.’ Faith is relevant, and in an Age of Anxiety, we affirm ours.
Indeed,inourfirstonehundredyears,andnowatthedawnofoursecondcentury,we,thepeopleofCandlerSchoolofTheology,
continuetoproclaimourfaithamidthisongoing“AgeofAnxiety.”Thisyear,ourattentiontostoryandprophecyhasenlivenedand
energizedustomoveforwardwithconfidenceintheGodwhocallsusforthetransformationoftheworld.
Graceandpeace,
Jan LoveDean and Professor of Christianity and World Politics
The Collect
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The Centennial in Pictures 01 August 28, 2014: The centennial opened with Fall Convocation, featuring the dedication of Phase II of Candler’s new building.
02 September 12, 2014: Candler dedicated the new Wesley Teaching Chapel in Phase II.
03 October 16, 2014: Doris Shockley attended the dedication of a classroom in honor of her late husband, Grant S. Shockley, the first tenured African American on Candler’s faculty.
04 October 23, 2014: Brent Strawn, professor of Old Testament, preached at the opening chapel ser-vice for the fall two-day Centennial Celebration.
05 October 23, 2014: Attendees enjoyed an out-door reception on Theology Plaza after “Memories of Candler in Word and Song.”
06 October 24, 2014: The Centennial Convocation highlighted Candler’s historic significance within the larger community, with 56 individuals recog-nized as Centennial Medalists.
07 October 24, 2014: Professor Emeritus of Church and Community Luther E. Smith, Jr. gave the Centennial Convocation address, “Since We Are Surrounded.”
08 November 6, 2014: Professor Emerita of Church History Roberta C. Bondi, Candler’s first female tenured faculty member, attended the dedi-cation of classroom in her honor.
09 March 18-20, 2015: Candler’s centennial academic conference, “Prophetic Voices: Confront-ing Theological Challenges of the Next Century,” featured presentations by a dozen renowned theolo-gians from Candler and beyond.
10 May 11, 2015: Candler conferred 138 degrees on the school’s 100th graduating class.
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Candler News 5Candler Connection | Summer 20154
Whatayear!Candlermarkedits100thanniversarywithanarrayofevents,fromtheCentennialCelebration
inthefalltotheacademicconferenceinthespring,andmuchmoreinbetween.Hereareafewofour
favoriteimagesfromtheyearlongcommemoration.Foracompleterecapofcentennialevents,including
linkstovideos,visitthenewssectionofcandler.emory.edu.
Photo Credits: 01-Pat Graham; 02, 03, 10-Lisa Stone; 04-Bryan Meltz/EPV; 05, 06, 07, 09- Kay Hinton/EPV; 08-Claire Asbury Lennox.
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Candler Connection | Summer 20156 Candler News 7
“Dr.Longhasthisunique
giftandcallingtohelp
peopleseethegiftsthat
Godhasgiventhemfor
ministry,evenifthey
can’tseeitinthemselves.”
—Daniel Ogle 08t
After winningeverypossibleCandlerandEmoryprizeforteaching,wideacclaimforhisbooks,
therespectofhispeers,andthegratitudeofhisstudents,Thomas G. Longretiredattheendofspring
semesterafter15yearsasCandler’sBandyProfessorofPreaching.
Namedin1996as“oneofthe12mosteffectivepreachersintheEnglish-speakingworld,”Long
hasbeenpopularwithCandlerstudentsandcolleaguesalike.Inadditiontouniversity-widehonors
suchasthe2011EmoryWilliamsTeachingAwardandthe2015Scholar/TeacherAward—twoofthe
highestfacultyhonorsEmorybestows—Longrecentlyreceivedthe“OnEagle’sWings”Excellencein
TeachingAward,whichispresentedbyCandler’sseniorclassinrecognitionoffaithfulanddedicated
service.Inthewordsofonestudentnominator,Long“doesmorethansimplyteachstudents;hepre-
paresthemforgrowthinministrywithhelpful,criticalfeedback,andaspiritofencouragement,which
createsstrongerpreachersandleaders.”
Notonlyagiftedpreacherandteacher,Longisalsoanaccomplishedscholar/authorwhohasproduced
aprolificbodyofwork,including21booksandscoresofarticlesinbothprofessionaljournalsand
popularperiodicals.His1989bookThe Witness of Preaching—nowinitssecondedition—isoneofthe
mostwidelyusedtextsonpreaching,appearingonclassreadinglistsinseminariesthroughoutthe
world.In2010,Preaching magazinenameditoneofthe25mostinfluentialbooksonpreachingfrom
thelast25years.TheAcademyofParishClergynamedhisPreaching from Memory to Hopeasoneofthe
“toptenbooksforparishministrypublishedin2009”andWhat Shall We Say? Evil, Suffering, and the Crisis
of Faithasthe2011BookoftheYear.AndheisafrequentcontributortoThe Christian Century magazine.
AlthoughLongisofficiallyretiring,Candlerwillcontinuetobenefitfromhisexpertiseinhisnext
chapter:directingagrantprogramtohelprecentCandleralumnibecomeleadersintheircommunities
throughatwo-yearprogramofleadershipeducationandpastoralformation.ThanksbetoGod!n
The Gift of a Long Legacy Real International
Engagement 01
JamesT.andBertaR.LaneyProfessorinMoral
LeadershipRobert M. Franklin, Jr.,ledstudents
inhis“MoralLeadershipinInternationalContext”
travelseminarcourseonaten-daytriptoSouth
KoreainMay.Theirjam-packeditineraryincluded
thesehighlights:meetingandworshipingwith
familiesofvictimsoftheSewolFerrydisaster,
visitingtheDemilitarizedZone(DMZ)[01],taking
partinademonstrationalongsideKorea’sWorld
WarII-era“comfortwomen,”andparticipating
inaprayerserviceattheworld’slargestchurch,
800,000-memberYoidoFullGospelChurch.They
alsovisitedYonseiUniversityandattendedMethod-
istTheologicalUniversity’sInternationalConference
forthe277thanniversaryofJohnWesley’sconver-
sion,featuringtheuniversity’spresident,Jong Chun
Park 82T 86G.AssociateProfessorofPastoralCare
andCounselingGregory C. Ellison IIaccompanied
thegroupasaguestlecturer.
Back to School 02
CandlerwelcomesbackDon E. Saliers[02],William
R.CannonDistinguishedProfessorofTheologyand
Liturgy,Emeritus,whohasreturnedtotheactive
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facultyforamulti-yeartermasTheologian-in-
Residence.SaliersretiredfromCandlerin2007
after33yearsofteachingsystematictheologyand
liturgy.Inhisnewrole,heisfocusingonspiri-
tualformationandlifelonglearning,including
developingandteachingnewcourses,craftingop-
portunitiesforstudentstopracticedailyprayerin
Candler’snewWesleyTeachingChapelandnew
spiritualformationroom,andleadingretreats
andworkshopsforcongregationalleaders.Itwill
comeasnosurprisethatoneofhisgreatpassions
willaccompanythisnewjourney.“Therewillbe
musicallalongtheway,”hesays.
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Cambridge Calling 03
WhenJeania Ree Moore 15T[03]decidedtoattend
Candler,shewasn’tsureexactlywheretheexperi-
encewouldlead.Nowthatexperienceisleadingher
tofurtherstudiesattheUniversityofCambridge
inEngland,whereshehasbeenawardedaGates
CambridgeScholarship,aprestigiousfullscholar-
shipgiventostudentsoutsidetheUnitedKingdom
topursueapostgraduatedegreeatCambridge.The
40U.S.recipientswerechosenfrom755national
applicants,with55additionalscholarscoming
fromothercountries.Recipientsareselectedfor
outstandingintellectualability,leadershippotential,
andacommitmenttoimprovingthelivesofothers.
Sincethescholarship’sinceptionin2000,Mooreis
onlythefourthEmorystudenttobenamedaGates
Cambridgescholar—andthefirstfromCandler.
Acandidatefordeacon’sordersinTheUnited
MethodistChurch,Moorewillpursueaone-year
master’sdegreeofphilosophyintheologyand
religiousstudies,onlythefourthGatesCambridge
scholartodoso.
Career High
John Snarey,FranklinN.ParkerProfessorof
HumanDevelopmentandEthics,wonthe2014Lisa
KuhmerkerCareerAwardfromtheAssociationfor
MoralEducation(AME).Theawardrecognizesthose
whohavemadeoutstanding,long-termscholarly
contributionstothefieldofmoralityandtotheAME.
Praisedas“aninnovativeandfearlessresearcher,”
Snareywasnotedforhisaward-winningresearchand
criticalreviewinPsychological Bulletinoncross-cultural
morality,aswellasforhisbookHow Fathers Care
for the Next Generation: A Four-Decade Study(Harvard
UniversityPress,1993).“Snareyhasfocusedon
religiousethicsandexperiences,buildingabroad
foundationforresearchandtheorizingatthein-
terfacebetweenmoralityandreligion.Heputshis
theoreticalideasandresearchfindingsintoactionby
honoringmultiplevoicesinthemoralityconversa-
tionatAMEconferencesandschoolclassrooms,”
readtheawardannouncement.
Luminaries Who Lecture
Candlerhostedastar-studdedrosterofguest
lecturersthisspring.Obery Hendricks,whohas
beencalledoneofthecountry’smostprovocative
andinnovativecommentatorsonreligion,politics,
andsocialpolicy,taughtaJ-termcoursecalled
“ThePoliticsofJesus”asthe2015SankofaScholar
inBlackChurchStudies.FormerpresidentJimmy
Carter spokeinFebruaryaspartoftheLaneyLegacy
inMoralLeadership.GeorgetownUniversity’sJulia
Watts BelserspokeinMarchattheinauguralNancy
EieslandEndowmentLecture,namedforCandler’s
lateassociateprofessorofsociologyofreligionand
disabilitystudies.ActivisttheRev.Osagyefo Sekou
addressed“TheLiberationTheologyofFerguson”in
April.Readmoreabouttheseandotherlecturesin
thenewssectionofcandler.emory.edu.
Faculty Moves 04 & 05
Newtitlesandnewopportunitieswereabundant
amongtheCandlerfacultythisspring.Professor
ofHomileticsTeresa L. Fry Brown[04]wasselect-
edfromanationalpoolofcandidatestobecome
Candler’sfourthBandyProfessorofPreaching,
effectiveSeptember1.TheBandyChairinPreach-
ingwascreatedin1986withagiftfromB.Jackson
Bandy,andisconsideredbymanytobethe
premierchairinhomileticsinthecountry.Bishop
MackB.andRoseY.StokesProfessorofTheol-
ogy Ian A. McFarland[05],whocurrentlyserves
asassociatedeanoffacultyandacademicaffairs,
willleaveCandlerthissummerfortheUniversity
ofCambridge,wherehehasbeennamedRegius
ProfessorofDivinity.England’sKingHenryVIII
createdthefamedRegiusProfessorshipsin1535.
FollowingMcFarland’sdeparture,Associate
ProfessorofChurchHistoryJonathan Stromwill
serveasassociatedeanoffacultyandacademicaf-
fairs.Rex D. Matthews waspromotedtoprofessor
inthepracticeofhistoricaltheologyandWesleyan
studies.Gregory C. Ellison IIwaspromotedto
associateprofessorofpastoralcareandcounsel-
ing,Steffen Lösel receivedanewtitle,associate
professorofsystematictheology,andElizabeth
Corriewaspromotedtoassociateprofessorinthe
practiceofyoutheducationandpeacebuilding.
Andrea C. White,assistantprofessoroftheology
andculture,hasacceptedaposition
asassociateprofessoroftheologyatUnion
TheologicalSeminaryinNewYork.
Lighting the Way
CandlerandtheIvanAllenCollegeofLiberalArtsat
GeorgiaTechhaveestablishedajointinitiativecalled
theLeadershipandMulti-FaithProgram(LAMP)to
addresstheneedformulti-faithunderstandingand
communitybuildinginAtlantaandthesurrounding
region.Thepartnershipincludestheestablishment
ofafacultypositionatCandlerandthedevelop-
mentofpublicprogrammingtobecoordinatedby
theIvanAllenCollege.“Morethaninanyprevious
periodinAmericanhistory,peopleofmanydifferent
faithcommitments—ornofaithcommitments—go
towork,schools,hospitals,recreationalfacilities,
grocerystoresandmallstogether,buttheyoften
don’tunderstandeachother’sreligiousidentityor
communalpracticesverywell,”explainsCandler
DeanJanLove.Thatignorance,shesays,hasthe
potentialforbreedingcontemptthatcancausethe
degradationofpublicdiscourseand—intheworst
Candler Connection | Summer 20158
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Candler Connection | Summer 201510 Candler News 11
Remembering the Saints
Candler recently lost twoofitsbest-lovedsaints.William Mallard,professoremeritusofchurch
history,diedonDecember23,2014,attheageof87,andFred B. Craddock,BandyProfessorofPreaching,
Emeritus,diedonMarch6,2015,attheageof86.Bothlegendaryteachersputtheirinimitablestampsonthis
place,andwerehonoredasCandlerCentennialMedalistsattheschool’sCentennialCelebrationinfall2014.
BillMallardwasCandler’slongest-servingprofessor,teachingfrom1957-2000.Duringthose43years,he
shapedthelivesofgenerationsofstudents,alongwiththeschool’scultureandcurriculum.Aleadingvoice
onthefaculty,hedemonstratedstrongcommitmentstocivilrights,academicfreedomandcollegiality,the
church—andperhapsmostofall—teaching.Mallardwasknownforhisunfailinglywhimsicalpresentation,
occasionallyunconventionalmethods,andunparalleledbroadreachashetaughtthousandsofstudentsat
Candlerandthousandsmorelifelonglearnersinchurchprogramsaroundtheregion.HisimpactonCandler
mightbeillustratedmostclearlybythecourseheco-taughtwithRobertaBondi,saysDavidPacini,profes-
sorofhistoricaltheology.“Theirpracticeofopeningeachclasswithafull-throatedrenditionof‘GiveMe
thatOldTimeReligion’wontheheartsofmanyaCandlerstudentwhootherwisemightnothavefoundthe
intricaciesofearlyChristianchurchhistoryanywherenearasenticingastheydid.”
Describedbysomeas“oneofthemostimportanthomileticiansinAmericaforthelastfortyyears,”Fred
Craddockappearedonmanyliststhatmarkedhisimpact.In1996,BaylorUniversitynamedhimoneofthe12
mosteffectivepreachersintheEnglish-speakingworld,andin2010,his1985book,Preaching—widelyused
asatextbookinseminariesaroundtheworld—wasrankedfourthonPreachingmagazine’slistofthe25most
influentialpreachingbooksofthepast25years.WhenCraddockcametoCandlerin1979asthefirstBandy
ProfessorofPreachingandNewTestament,hewasalreadyaworld-renownedpreacher,buthewasalsoa
scholar.Hisadvocacyofaninductivestyleofpreachingwasgroundbreakinginthefieldofhomileticsand
continuestoinfluencecountlesspastorsinthepulpittoday,fourdecadesafteritsintroduction.
WearegratefultoGodforthelivesofBillMallardandFredCraddock.Toreadfullertributesandaccess
linkstovideosoftheirmemorialservices,visitthenewssectionofcandler.emory.edu.n
06
cases—spawnviolentacts.LAMPwilllighttheway
towardunderstandingbyofferingstudents,civic
andbusinessleaders,andthegeneralpublictraining
inmulti-faithrelationsthroughcoursesatthetwo
schoolsandcontinuingeducationprogramming
suchasseminarsandexperientiallearningopportu-
nitiesthatdrawontheexpertiseofCandlerfaculty
andotherrenownedspecialists.
New Degrees of Possibility
Nowopenforbusiness:Candler’snewestdegrees,
theMasterinReligionandPublicLife(MRPL)and
theMasterofDivinity/MasterofSocialWork(MDiv/
MSW)dualdegree.TheMRPLisa30credit-hour,
residentialdegreeprogramthatexploresthedy-
namicsoffaithinthepublicsphere.Designedfor
completionbyapart-timeorafull-timestudentin
onetofouryears,theMRPLisidealforprofessionals
desiringabetterunderstandingofthespecificcon-
cernsofreligioustraditionstheyencounteratwork,
aswellasforlifelonglearnersinterestedindevel-
opinganappreciationforthewaysreligionshapes
thepubliclandscape.TheMDiv/MSW,offeredin
partnershipwiththeUniversityofGeorgia,isde-
signedforthoseinterestedinconsideringtheroleof
faithandreligiousinstitutionsincommunityhealth
anddevelopment,thecareofindividualsinpoverty
andcrisis,responsestosystemicandinstitutional
injustice,andissuesofsocialtransformation.The
programallowstheMDiv/MSWdegreestobeearned
infouryears,oneyearlessthanifthetheologyand
socialworkdegreeswerepursuedseparately.For
moreinformationontheseandanyofCandler’s17
degrees,visitcandler.emory.edu/academics.
Bothlegendaryteachers
puttheirinimitable
stampsonthisplace,
andwerehonoredas
CentennialMedalists
atCandler’sCentennial
Celebrationinfall2014.
The Prize is Wright’s 06 Actually,makethattwoprizes.AssociateProfessor
ofHebrewBibleJacob L. Wright [06]hasreceived
a$50,000TempletonFoundationgranttounder-
writenewresearchandabookawardrecognizing
hismostrecentscholarship.Thegrantwillenable
Wright’sparticipationinaphilosophyresearch
groupatJerusalem’sHerzlInstitute,wherehewill
examinethehighlydevelopeddiscourseregarding
theknowledgeofGodintheHebrewBibleandun-
dertakecomparativeworkwiththeNewTestament.
Wright’s2014book,David, King of Israel, and Caleb
in Biblical Memory (CambridgeUniversityPress),
receivedanhonorablementioninthetheology
andreligiousstudiescategoryatthisyear’sPROSE
Awards,administeredbytheAssociationofAmeri-
canPublishers.Recognizingexcellenceinprofes-
sionalandscholarlypublishing,thePROSEAwards
acknowledgepioneeringresearchandlandmark
workinmorethan40categories.Entriesarejudged
bypeerpublishersandlibrarians,andawardsare
giveneachyearattheProfessionalandScholarly
PublishingConference.
15556 Emory_magazine.indd 10-11 7/16/15 10:16 AM
13
Butanotherwayofconstruingtheologyisasaform
ofprophecy.ByprophecyIdonotmeantheability
topredictthefuture.Ispeakofprophecyinbiblical
terms,asdiscerninginthecomplexcircumstances
ofeverydaylifeaWordfromGod,andspeakingthat
Wordtoaworldthatmostdesperatelyneedstohearit.
Theologyunderstoodasprophecyisariskyproposi-
tion.Riskybecauseprophecyseekstodiscoverthe
waysofthelivingGod,andasHebrewsremindsus,
itisaterriblethingtofallintothehandsoftheliving
God.RiskybecauseGod’sworkintheworld,here
andnow,isdisclosedonlypartially,indirectly,and
often,darkly.
Itisriskyaboveall,though,becausethetheologian
asprophetdoesnotstandaboveorapartfromthe
contextofordinarylifebutstandssolidlywithinlife
assharedbyall.Thetheologianisthereforerequired
todiscernanddeclareGod’sWordbothwithbold-
nessandwithhumility—boldnessbecausetheWord
mustbespoken:withoutavisionthepeopleperish;
humilitybecausethetheologianholdsnoposition
greaterthanthatofservant,wieldsnopowerother
thanthatoftheWorditself.
ForaschooloftheologylikeCandler,construing
theologyasprophecymeanscommittingfaculty
andstudentsaliketothedangerousandexhilarat-
ingchallengeofmovingbeyondtheexegetingof
ancienttextstotheexegetingofthecomplexand
ever-changingtextsofworldlylife.Weseektolearn
howtohearandtospeaktheWordthatisGod’sown
amidtheconstantnoiseanddistractionofhuman
babble.Wemusttogetherembracetheriskofengag-
ingGod’sworlddirectlyandwithoutsafetygoggles.
THEOLOGYASPROPHECY
ThisconferenceontheoccasionofCandler’scenten-
nialrepresentsjustsuchanefforttodotheologyina
propheticmode.Wehavegatheredtogethertospeak
simplyandcandidly,tolistencarefullyandrespect-
fully,andtodiscussresponsiblysomeofthegreat
theologicalchallengesthatfaceusaswemoveinto
theschool’ssecondcentury.Wedonotpretendtobe
prophetsinthepredictivesense:Wehavenospecial
abilitytoforetellthefuture.Wetakeononlythe
dauntingtaskofdiscerningwhatGodmightbeupto
intheworldnow,andtowhatresponseGodmight
becallingusasdisciplesoftheLordJesusChrist.
ToexpectthosewhofoundedCandlerahundred
yearsagotobepropheticinanysenseoftheterm
wouldhavebeenfatuous,muchlikeexpectingthe
pilgrimsin1620tostepofftheMayflowerandim-
mediatelydeclareAmerica’sforeignpolicy.In1914,
Atlantawasquiteliterallymakingtheturnfrom
horseandcarriagetoautomobile;howcouldanyone
thenlivingpredictthetechnologicalrevolutionsthat
wouldtransformeveryaspectoflife:theaircondi-
tioningthatwouldchangetheoldtothenewSouth,
theantibioticsthatwouldconquerinfectionsand
extendlife,thecyberneticsthatwouldchangecom-
munication,theplanesthatwouldspantheglobe
andtherocketsthatwouldleaptospace?
By Luke Timothy Johnson, R. W. Woodruff Professor of
New Testament and Christian Origins
Meeting the Theological Challenges of the New Century
Ifweaskwhatthetaskoftheologyiswithinthelifeofthechurchandinservicetotheworld,several
answersarepossibleandlegitimate.Theologycanbethoughtofalternativelyascatechesis,criticism,
ordoxology,dependingonwhetherweseeitsgoalasthehandingonoftradition,theassessmentof
thoughtandpractice,orthepraiseofGod.ForaschooloftheologylikeCandler,theologicaleduca-
tioncancorrespondinglybethoughtofasequippingstudentstofaithfullytransmittheteachingofthe
church,orasdistancingstudentsfromanunthinkingacceptanceoftraditionalways,oraspreparing
themforaricherexperienceofworship.Allthesemodesareactivelypresentinourpedagogy.
This was the keynote address
at the “Prophetic Voices”
conference in March 2015.
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Meeting the Theological Challenges of the New Century 15
recently,however,preacherscouldassumethatif
thewordwasproclaimedclearlyandpassionately,it
wouldfindahearinginhumanhearts.Afewstones
mayneedtobecleared;thebirdsandtheweedsneed
tobecontrolled,butthereisalwaysgoodsoilforthe
seedtotakerootandgrow.
Therewerealwaysproblemsposedtoeffective
preachingbyculturaldiversity,tobesure;thus,the
persistentconcerntotranslatetheScripturesinto
languageintelligibletopeopleindiversesettings—if
peoplecouldonlyhearofGod’swondersinwords
oftheirown,theywouldrecognizeGod’sWordand
respondtoitinfaith.ButtheoptimismofChristian
preachingwasalwaysbasedonthepremisethat
humans,nomatterhowalienatedtheirexistenceor
howdepravedtheirbehavior,stillhadalongingfor
thetruththatenabledthembothtohearandobey
God’scall.
Accordingtothispremise,humanshaveanatural
tropismtowardGod:Peoplehavealongingfor
somethingmorethantheeverydayworldoffers
them.Christianpreachinghistoricallyfoundsuc-
cessamongthosewhowereinonewayoranother
alreadyreligious.TheGospelprovidedadistinctive
andconvincingversionofatruththattheirhearts
alreadysoughtwithoutknowing.Butwasthatreli-
giousinstinctsolelyamatteroftheheart’snatural
longing,orwasitalsoaconsequenceofcultural
formation?
Weknowthattherehavealwaysbeenthoroughly
secularpeople,whodefinedthemselvesexplicitly
bywhattheysawandtouched,andwholivedtheir
livesindisregardofthedivine.Butsuchfolkwere
historicallyatinyminority,andtheirsecularstance
wasactivelydiscouragedbysocietiesthatsupported
andrewardedreligiousadherence.Takeforexample
theGreco-RomanculturewithinwhichChristianity
founditsfirstandmostlastingsuccess.Thestruc-
tureofthatsocietysupportedapietyembracingboth
politicsandreligioninasinglevision,andtheform
ofeducationreinforcedthisvision,sothatGreeks
andRomansthoughtnaturallyintermsofa“cityof
godsandmen.”
Today,thathistoricalpremiseforproclamationisno
longerobvious.Thechallengefacingtheologytoday
withrespecttoGod’sWordisnotdisorderedreligi-
ositybuttheapparentabsenceofreligioussensibility
inthecontemporaryFirstWorld,anabsencecarved
outofhumanconsciousnessbytheEnlightenment,
bytheastoundingsuccessesofscienceandtechnol-
ogy,andbypowerfulideologicalforcesmakingthe
argumentthatthebeginningofhumanliberationis
thebanishmentofreligiouspiety.Secularity—defin-
ingrealitysolelyintermsofmatter,seeingtheworld
notasmysterybutasasetofinterlockingproblems
andanswers—isnownolongerthequirkofidiosyn-
craticindividualsorofoddgroups.Itisthedefin-
ingelementofFirstWorldculture,supportedand
reinforcedbypolitics,commerce,andeducation.
Thetheologicalchallengefacingustodayisthere-
foremoreradicalthanforthefoundersofCandler,
whocouldassumeintheirstudentsandintheir
congregantsbothalanguageandaperceptionofthe
worldshapedbyreligiousconvictionsandcommit-
ments,whoknewthatwhentheyspokeofsacri-
ficeforothers,ofseekingGod’swill,orofvalues
transcendingself-interest,suchideaswerealready
familiartothoseculturallyshapedbylateChris-
tendom.Nosuchassumptioncanbemadetoday.
Today,theologymustcometogripswitharadical
andpervasivesecularitythatmakesspeakingofGod
atallincreasinglystrange,evenquaint,andmust
cometogripswiththefactthattheeffectsofsecular-
ismaffectinprofoundlycorruptingwayseventhose
whoprofessreligiousbelief.Thechallengeofhow
wemightspeakGod’sWordtodayisreal,serious,
andnotfortheweakofheart.
Whoin1914Atlantacouldhavepredictedthatthe
greatEuropeanempireswoulddissolve,thatcolo-
nialismwoulddisappear,thatnewworldpowers
wouldemergefromtheFarEast,thatAfricawould
bethearenaforgreatadventuresinsuppression
andliberation,thatthecombinationofmineral
resourcesandreligiousupheavalwouldgiveIslamic
landsanimportancegreaterthanatanytimeinhis-
tory?HowcouldanyoneimaginethattheGreatWar
begunin1914wouldinitiateacenturyofwarfarein
whichadvancedtechnologywouldbeemployedfor
theslaughterofuntoldmillions?Whocouldhave
dreamedthathumanswouldbecapableofideologi-
callyinspiredgenocideonthescaleoftheShoahin
NaziGermanyortheGulagArchipelagoofStalinor
thekillingfieldsofPolPot?
In1914,thegreattheologicalcentersofEurope
showedthemselvesunawareofthecataclysmic
eventsthatthe20thcenturywouldbringandill-
equippedtorespondtothemwhentheyoccurred.
Theologicalresponsestowar,genocide,andsocial
oppressiontendedtobeweakandlate.Nosur-
prise,then,thatthefoundersofCandler,withatiny
faculty,fewstudents,andtrulymeagerresources,
wouldhavekepttheireyesfixedmainlyonthe
catecheticalanddoxologicaldimensionsoftheology
astheysoughttoformministersfortheMethodist
EpiscopalChurch,South.
Mainly,butnotentirely.Inthegreatbattlebetween
fundamentalismandmodernismthathasdomi-
natedAmericantheologyfromthetimeofCandler’s
founding,thisschoolaligneditselfquicklyand
consistentlywithmodernism.Thereputationof
being“liberal”—thatis,ofencouragingandsup-
portingfreeinquiryintoScriptureandtradition—
hasbeenCandler’sthroughoutitshistory,withnot
alwayspositiveconsequencesfortheperceptionof
theschoolinapredominantlyconservativeregion
andchurch.Insimilarfashion,althoughCandler
asaninstitutionwasagonizinglyslowtoadvance
thecauseofracialequality,itsfirstprofessorof
NewTestament,AndrewSledd,wrotepassionately
againstracistpractices,andCandler’salumni
wereamongthemostprominentfiguresinraising
regionalconsciousnessontheissue.
THEOLOGICALISSUESFACINGUSTODAY
WeseekinthisconferencetostandwithinthatCan-
dlertraditionoffreeinquiryandpassionforsocial
justice.Weattempttodotheologyinaprophetic
modebyconsideringfourissues,whichinourjudg-
mentdemandourbestattentionnow,andwill,in
alllikelihood,continuetodemandtheattentionof
theologiansthroughthecomingcentury:theologi-
calimaginationandsecularization;theimageof
Godincontemporarysociety;creationandthecare
oftheearth;andthekingdomofGodandglobal
pluralism.
Thefourtopicshaveseveralcharacteristicsincom-
monthatrecommendthemtoourattention.They
areallgroundedinScriptureandtheCreed,and
involveconvictionsclosetothecoreofChristian
identity.Theyhaveallbeenthesubjectofexamina-
tionintheearliertheologicaltradition.Theyall
involvedevelopmentsinhistoryandculture,making
themespeciallyattractivetothisschool’shabitof
practicingtheologycontextually.Andtheyallare
underseriousthreatinthecontemporaryworld.
Theological Imagination and Secularization
ThefirstissueisthatoftheWordofGod.Noneed
todefendthecentralityofthistopicwithinChristian
faith.ScripturedeclaresthatGodcreatestheworld
throughspeechandcommunicateswithcreatures
throughspeech.ThemediumofGod’srevelationto
humansistheword,expressedfirstthroughcreation
itself,thenthroughGod’sself-disclosureinlaw,
prophecy,andwisdom.God’sWord,weconfess,is
mostfullyrevealedthroughtheincarnationofGod’s
SonJesusChrist,inhisembodiedpresenceamong
humans,inhisscandalousdeath,andinhisglorious
exaltationasLord.ThroughthepresenceofGod’s
HolySpirit,wealsoaffirm,God’sWordcontinues
tobespokeninandthroughtheexperiencesofmen
andwomen.Thegiftandtaskofthechurch,there-
fore,istobetheplaceintheworldwheretheWord
ofGodistrulyembodiedandpowerfullyexpressed,
sothatthepowerandpresenceofGodthatisonly
implicitlypresentwithinhumanexperiencemight
bebroughttofullarticulationwithinthecommunity
gatheredbytheHolySpiritinthenameofJesus.
Thetheologicaltraditionhasnaturallydevoted
sustainedattentiontotherevelatoryword,debating
thewaysbywhichGod’sWordinScriptureisbest
interpreted,inquiringintotheadequacyofhuman
speechtoexpressdivinemysteries,distinguishing
betweentheordersofnaturalandsupernaturalrev-
elation,identifyingthewaysthatGod’sWordcalls
humanstotheobedienceoffaith.Untilrelatively
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Candler Connection | Summer 201516
onhumanrelations;thetaleofhumansavageryand
violenceisbothlonganddismal.Peoplehavebeen
conqueringeachotherinwar,rapingandpillag-
ing,takingothersintocaptivity,anddegrading
otherpeopleapparentlyaslongastheyhavebeen
awareofeachother.Butitcanlegitimatelybeasked
whetheroverthehundredyearssinceCandlerwas
founded,thepitchandpaceofhumansavageryhas
notmadebothaquantitativeandqualitativeleap.
Itmaybe,infact,thatthispastcenturyhasseen
anunprecedentedconvergenceofhumancruelty,
technologicalcapacity,andideologicaljustifica-
tion,leadingtoformsofgenocide,enslavement,
discrimination,anddegradationthatformerages
couldscarcelyhaveimagined,andwhichmakesany
efforttothinkcreativelyaboutthehumanpersona
perilousproposition.Recoveringsomesenseofthis
mostfragileandpreciousoftheologicalconvictions
isdifficult,notleastbecauseoftheoverwhelming
amountofexperiencethatseemstocontradictit.As
GerardManleyHopkinslamentedconcerningGod’s
grandeur,“generationshavetrod,havetrod,have
trod;andallissearedwithtrade;bleared,smeared
withtoil;andwearsman’ssmudgeandsharesman’s
smell:thesoilisbarenow,norcanfootfeel,being
shod.”Itisdifficult,butitisalsonecessarydirectly
inproportiontoitsdifficulty.
Creation and Care of the Earth
ThatfrighteningquotationfromHopkinsservesas
atransitiontoourthirdtopic,creationandthecare
oftheearth.Thecrisisofthepresentmomentcanbe
seenasshapedbythecollisionoftworealities.The
firstistherecognitionthatChristianshavepartici-
patedinpracticesderivingfromadistortedvisionof
thehumanplaceinGod’screation.Thesecondisthe
suddenandshockingrealizationthatsuchpractices
threatentodamageorevendestroytheworkofGod
increation.Candler’sfoundershadnosenseofthe
issue:Thoughcoinedin1873,theterm“ecology”
wasnotusedinreferencetohumaninteractions
withtheenvironmentuntilthe1960s.Now,itforms
amajordimensionofourawarenessoftheworld.
ThedistortedChristianvisionofhumanity’splace
inthecosmoshastakentwomainforms.Thefirst
derivesfromthepowerfuldualisticviewoftheworld
thatweassociateinitsmildformwithChristian
PlatonismandinitssevereformwithGnosticism:
Matterisatbestashellforthespiritandatworsta
prison;thepointofhumanexistenceistoliberate
thesoulfromthebody.Inthisconstruction,theno-
tionof“caringfortheearth”isaformofentangle-
mentwiththatdeceptivematerialityfromwhichthe
souloughttoflee.Amorecontemporaryformof
suchdualismistheferventexpectationoftherescue
oftheelectfromtheearthwheretheyhavebeen
trapped,withtheirbeingsweptuptoheaven,leaving
theplanettoconflagrationanddestruction.
IftheGnosticversionsawonlythesoulworthsaving
andregardedallothercreatureswithatbestbenign
neglect,asecondtheologicalposition—onebased
squarelyonacertainunderstandingofhumansbe-
ingcreatedintheimageofGod—adoptedafarmore
aggressivestancetowardcreaturesregardedaslower
linksonthegreatchainofbeing.Thescripturalwar-
rantforsuchasenseofsuperiorityisclearenough.
HavingcreatedmaleandfemaleinGod’simage,
“Godblessedthem,andGodsaidtothem,‘Befruit-
fulandmultiply,andfilltheearthandsubdueit;and
havedominionoverthefishoftheseaandoverthe
birdsoftheairandovereverylivingthingthatmoves
upontheearth’”(Gen1:28).Thismajesticimpera-
tivehashistoricallyovershadowedthehumblerbut
nowsuddenlymorepersuasivescenewhere“The
LordGodtookthemanandputhiminthegardenof
Edentotillitandtokeepit,”andplacedstrictbound-
ariestothehumanexploitationofthegarden’sfruits
(Gen2:15-17).
Ecologicalblindnessisnotentirelythefaultofthe
BibleorChristiantheology.Christianslivedforcentu-
rieswiththeseviewsinremarkableharmonywithother
creatures.Indeed,materialexploitationanddespolia-
tionarefarmoretheresultofattitudesandpractices
thathavedevelopedindirectoppositiontoclassical
Christiantenets.ItisthespiritoftheEnlightenment,
afterall,thatseekstodemystifyeverything,reduce
mysterytoproblem,magictostatistics.Cartesian
dualismdidmorethanChristianmysticismtocultivate
theperceptionofthebodyasamachineandtheworld
asthemind’slaboratory.Aboveall,ithasbeenthe
spiritofcapitalism—intensionwiththeChristian
idealofsharingpossessions—thathasfostered
competitiveacquisitionasthemeasureofhuman
success,andhasreducedallthingsmaterialand
spiritualtomarketplacecommodities.
Morethananythingelse,theeffectsoftechnological
revolution—andthehumanpopulationexplosion
suchtechnologysupports—havefundamentally
alteredtherelationbetweenhumansandtherestof
creation.Theimpactofourinsatiablegrowthand
consumptiononthesurvivabilityofthehuman
speciesaswellaseveryotherspeciesissomething
wearestillstrugglingtocomprehend.Theimpact
couldnothavebeenunderstoodahundredyearsago,
whentheconsequencesofthehumandriveforpower,
possessions,andpleasure—abettedbymind-boggling
technologicalprowessandmultipliedbyswarming
populations—couldnotyetevenbeimagined.Nature
stillseemedtobeinfinitelyvast,infinitelyrichand
variedinlifeandresource,eveninfinitelyfrightening
The Image of God in Contemporary Society
ThesecondissueistheimageofGodincontempo-
rarysociety.Theconvictionthathumansarecreated
intheimageofGodisonethatderivesentirelyfrom
Scriptureratherthantheobservationofhuman
behavior.ItisaperfectexampleofthewayScripture
doesnotsomuchdescribetheworldasimaginea
world,andinviteus,byimaginingtheworldinthe
sameway,tomakeitreal.Weshouldneverhave
cometosuchaperceptiononourown,butweare
schooledbyScripturetoregardourselvesandevery
otherhumanasbearingtheimpressofthedivine.
AsSaintPaulinsists,“Justaswehavebornetheim-
ageofthemanofdust,wewillalsobeartheimage
ofthemanfromheaven”(1Cor.15:49).
Christiantheologicalanthropologyisthusinher-
entlycomplexandtension-filled.Ononeside,
Scriptureproposesatruthaboutourselvesthat
wecouldneverimagineonourown;ontheother
side,Scripturealsoinstructsustopaytheclosest
attentiontoouractualmortalbodies,forthrough
themwefindGod’sSpiritdisclosedintheworld.
Notonlychangesinhumanconsciousness,then,
butalsochangesinhumanbodiesaresignificantfor
thinkingabouttheimageofGod.Today,thedigital
revolutionischangingourculturewithunparalleled
speed,andpromisestoaltereventhestructuresof
humanconsciousness.Medicaltechnologyhasin-
creasedlongevityandenabledanastonishingrange
ofphysicalalterations:organtransplants,prosthe-
ses,plasticsurgery,transgendering,cloning—all
thesetransmogrificationspressonusseriousreflec-
tiononwhathumanidentitymightmeanintheface
ofsuchmalleability.Whatmightitmeantobe
createdintheimageofGodwhenweorourneigh-
borsarecyborgs?
Speakingoftheneighbor,ourconvictionscon-
cerningGod’simpressonhumansdemandsthat
wethinkinmoralaswellasontologicalterms.
Scripture’slanguage,infact,tendstofocusonthe
imperativetotreathumansdifferentlybecausethey
arestampedwithGod’simage.Thethirdstatement
ofitinGenesis9:6declares,“Whoevershedsthe
bloodofahumanbyahumanshallthatperson’s
bloodbeshed,forinhisownimageGodmade
humankind,”andthelastinJames3:9decriesthe
eviluseofthetongue:“withitweblesstheLordand
Father,andwithitwecursethosewhoaremadein
thelikenessofGod.”Paulsimilarlylinksbearingthe
imageofChristandthewaywetreatothers:“When
yousinagainstthebrothers,andwoundtheirweak
conscience,yousinagainstChrist”(1Cor.8:12).The
dignity,eventhesacrality,ofhumanlife,andthe
basisforallclaimstoreligiousandotherrights,is
locatedinthespecialcharacterofthehumanperson
ascreatedinGod’simage.Howwetreatourneigh-
boristhemeasureofourresponsetoGod.
ThehistoricalrecordfromCainandAbeltothekill-
ingfieldsofRwanda,however,doesnotsuggestthat
thisdoctrinehashadmuchofapositiveinfluence
Meeting the Theological Challenges of the New Century 17
“WeareschooledbyScripturetoregardevery
humanasbearingtheimpressofthedivine.”
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Meeting the Theological Challenges of the New Century 19
thosedoingthedeciding.Fromthestart,authentic
beliefwasdefinedintermsofanabsoluteeither/or,
andlocatedincontrasttorivalseekersafterGod:
amongtheGentiles,therecouldbeonlydarkness,
nolight;amongtheJews,therecouldbeonlyblind-
ness,notsight.ThepracticeofGentilereligion
wasdemonic;thepracticeofJudaismwasstubborn
disobedience.
Definingbyexclusioncontinuesinthelongtradition
ofheresiology:Gettinganythingwrongmeansget-
tingeverythingwrongandfallingoutsidetherealm
ofGod’srule.Inatimeofrelativelyrobustecumen-
ismamongfamiliesofChristianstoday,itishelpful
torememberthatatthetimeofCandler’sfounding,
scurrilousattacksbetweenCatholicsandProtestants
werestandardfare,missionstoAfricawereregarded
intermsofanurgentrescueofpaganbabiesfrom
theclutchofdemons,andtheologicalJew-baiting
wascommoninChristiansermons.
Allofthistheologicalmap-makingwascarriedout
withsupremeindifferencetowhatmightactually
behappening—stilllesswhatGodmightbeup
to—amongJewsandthecountlessGentileswhohad
neverheardofJesusorperhapshadneverheard
ofhimapartfromthesinisterimplicationsof
Westernimperialism.
Christiantheologianswerelikepre-Copernican
astronomerswhocoulddrawexquisitechartsofthe
starsandplanetsvisibletothoserestingcomfortably
ontheplanettheycomplacentlyassumedwasthe
centeroftheuniverse.Thepasthundredyearshave
rudelyjerkedusfromthatstateofcomplacencyto
alonelierandmoreisolatedplaceinaCopernican
universe.ThetragedyoftheHolocausthasrevealed
therotthatlayatthecenterofChristiansuperses-
sionism.Thecollapseofcolonialismhasrevealed
howcorruptthealliancebetweenChristianmission
andWesternpoliticalambitiontrulywas.Islam
hasawakenedfromitscenturies-longslumberto
becomethefastestgrowingreligionontheplanet,
makingclaimsconcerningGod’sruleanditscon-
nectiontothestatethatareeerilyreminiscentof
Christianity’sConstantiniandalliance.TheGentile
religionsofthepresent—aboveallthoseofIndia
andChina—areinourschoolsandplaygrounds.
Thesecularizationoftheso-calledFirstWorldhas
revealedthepowerfulideologicalforcesthatnot
onlydiminishtheroleofChristianityinsocietybut
challengethedefaultpremisefavoringreligion.In
short,ChristiansandChristiantheologymusttoday
cometogripswithapluralismthatisbothglobal
andradical.
Onthistopic,wetrulyareatthestartingpoint.
Withregardtothequestionofthechurchandthe
world,weneedtostartover.Thetaskismassiveand
demanding.WearenotsurehowtorereadScripture
andthetraditionwithsufficientlyfresheyes.Butat
stakeistheauthenticityandintegrityofChristian
preachingwithinaworldthattrulyisunderGod’s
ruleratherthanours.
CONCLUSION
These,then,arethetheologicalissuesthatweseek
toaddressinthisconference.Letmeconcludebyan-
ticipatingthreeobjectionstotheagendawehaveset.
First,ourselectionoftopicsomitsissuesofarguably
evengreaterurgencyandvisibility.Whynotspeak
propheticallytotheissueofecumenismandchurch
unity,thehistoricalJesus,theprosperityGospel,or
thepersistentconflictamongChristiansbetween
fundamentalistandmodernist?Whilenotdenying
theimportanceoftakingastanceoneachofthese
issues,theyarenotofsuchfundamentalimportance,
fortheworldaswellasforthechurch,asthethemes
wehavechosen.
Second,itmaybeobjectedthatthetopicsareinsuf-
ficientlytheological,inthesensethattheydonot
derivedirectlyfromthechurch’sconfessionor
leaddirectlytoprayerandpiety.Theytiltratherto
culturalanalysisandethics,areperhapstoomuch
criticalandnotenoughdoxological.Ouranswerto
thisissimplythatthisisthewaywedotheologyhere
atCandler.Overtheseveraldecadesthatwehave
triedtolearnandtoteachhowtothinktheologically
withinsocialandpastoralcontexts,wehavenow
becomeunabletothinkoftheologyasasubjectthat
everlacksculturaldimensionsandethicalentail-
ments.Andweareconvincedthatthisisjustthesort
oftheologyourworldmostneeds.
Finally,eachofthesethemestakenbyitselfcould
commandtheattentionofmanysuchconferences.
Wearewellawarethattakingthemonalltogether
insuchashortspanoftimecanmakeourtreatment
appearintroductoryandsuperficial.Itisourhope,
though,thatourconversationwillbringtolight
otherdimensionsofeachtopic,andthatbyputting
allthesetopicsintoplayatonetime,wecanappreci-
atetheinterconnectionsamongthem.Wedonot
pretendtoknowaheadoftimehowourtheological
conversationwillturnout.Butwedonotintendto
closeaconversation.Wewanttostartaconversation
thatcanhelpshapethenexthundredyearsofthis
schoolandbeapropheticvoiceforthechurchand
world.So,let’sgetstarted.n
You can view a video of this address online at
vimeo.com/candler.
whencomparedtohumanstrengthandcunning.We
couldnotleapintospace,lookdownonourbeloved
planet,andseeitasastunninglybeautifulyetsud-
denlyfragilebluemarble.Butnowwehavesoseen
it,andthatmakesallthedifference.
Puttingasidethequestionofblame,therearethree
reasonswhyChristiansnowbearadistinctive
responsibilityforrespondingtotheecologicalcrisis.
First,therearemoreChristiansintheworldthanad-
herentsofanyotherreligion;whatChristiansthink
anddomatters.Second,ofalltheworld’sreligions,
Christianityhasbeenuniquelycorruptedbythespirit
ofmodernity,thatcombinationofEnlightenment
reason,technology,individualism,commodification,
andconsumerism;conversioniscalledfor.Third,
Christianityisthedominantreligionintheparts
oftheworldmostresponsibleforthedespoliation
oftheearth’sresources;becauseoftheirprivileged
position,theconversionofChristiansisthemost
importantandcanhavethegreatestimpact.
Conversionisnotamatterofeachofusdoingour
bitbyrecycling.Thechangerequiredismassive.It
requiresachangeofmindaswellasoftheheart.
Andthisispreciselythetheologicalchallenge:
tothinkofGod’screationandoftherelationof
humanstoothercreaturesinwaysthatrestorethe
senseofwonderandreverenceatGod’swork,that
leadstoasenseofappreciationfortheequalityand
necessaryreciprocityamongallbeings,thatyields
dispositionsandpracticesthataremoreprofoundly
inaccordwithGod’svisionfortheworld.Itisa
challengewemightnothavechosen,butitisone
wemustengage,forthestakescouldnotbehigher.
The Kingdom of God and Global Pluralism
Thefinalissueagaindemandsthereassessmentof
traditionalteachinginlightofcontemporarycir-
cumstances.Inthiscaseitistheconviction,rooted
inthepreachingofJesushimself,thatGodisking
oftheuniverseand,asJesusexpressedinhisprayer,
thatGoddesireshiswilltobedoneonearthasitis
inheaven.InPaul’sfirstlettertotheCorinthians,
acorollaryofJesus’exaltationtoGod’srighthand
isthatChristrulesoverallcosmicpowersuntilhe
givesoverfinalsovereigntytoGod,sothatGod
willbe“allthingsinallthings.”TheNiceneCreed
declaresasthehopeoftheChristianpeoplethe
expectationofakingdomthatshallneverend.
ButconvictionsconcerningthekingdomofGod
haveneverbeeneasytocorrelatewithconditions
ontheground.Christiansfromthebeginning
experiencedatensionbetweenthealreadyandthe
notyetofGod’sdominion,withbelieverslocating
themselveseitheroptimisticallyintermsofGod’s
presencenow,or,morepessimistically,interms
ofGod’striumphinthefuture.Therewasalsothe
questionoftherelationshipofGod’sruletohuman
kingdoms.WithConstantine’sestablishmentof
Christianityasthereligionoftheempire,thechurch
beganamisalliancewithhumanpoliticalpower
thatlasteduntilveryrecently,andthatmadeit
seemfittingtowedevangelismtocolonialism.
Onlywiththehammerblowstoreligion’sestablish-
mentstruckbypoliticalrevolutionintheUnited
States,France,andRussiahasthechurchfound
itselflargelyunsupportedbycivilgovernment
andableatlasttoembracethediasporaawareness
thatwasnaturaltoitinthefirstfourcenturies
ofitsexistence.
Despitesuchuncertainties,Christiantheologians
havealwaysbeenconfidentaboutdeclaringwhowas
tobeincludedandwhoexcludedfromGod’srule,
ortoputitmoreprecisely,whowouldexperience
thatrulepositivelyassalvationandwhoasdamna-
tion.Outsidethechurch,theslogansaid,therewas
nosalvation.AgreatdealofChristianself-definition
overthecenturies—involvinganastonishingamount
ofintellectualpassionandenergy—hasconse-
quentlybeendevotedtodecidingissuesofinclusion
andexclusion,alwaystotheadvantage,tobesure,of
Candler Connection | Summer 201518
15556 Emory_magazine.indd 18-19 7/16/15 10:17 AM
Thethree-dayeventconsistedofacademicpresenta-
tionsbyCandlerfacultymembers,withresponses
fromdistinguishedguestpanelistsandquestions
fromtheaudience.Eachofthepresentationscen-
teredonathemedeliberatelycraftedandselected
byCandler’sCentennialCommittee,chairedby
Luke Timothy Johnson,R.W.WoodruffProfessor
ofNewTestamentandChristianOrigins.Johnson
introducedthefourthemesinhisopeningkeynote,
“MeetingtheTheologicalChallengesoftheNew
Century”:theologicalimaginationandseculariza-
tion,theimageofGodinthecontemporaryworld,
creationandthecareoftheearth,andthekingdom
ofGodandglobalpluralism.[Seep.12toreadhis
address.]
“Thesewereidentifiedasissuesthataredistinctive
toourageinawaythattheyweren’twhenCandler
wasfoundedacenturyago,”Johnsonsaid.
Regardingthetitle“PropheticVoices,”Johnson
emphasizedthat“prophecy”inthiscontextshould
notbetranslatedaspredictingthefuture,butas
discerningGod’sWordineverydaylifeandspeaking
thatWordtotheworld.Thus,insteadofchoosing
isolation,aprophetmustlivefullyengagedwithin
theworld.
Thepresentersandrespondentsrosetothatchal-
lenge,engagingthese“realworld”problemswith
intellectualfinesse,theologicalinsight,andlively
discourse.Together,thesepropheticvoicesstarted
aconversationthatcanhelpshapeCandler,the
church,andtheworldinthenexthundredyears.
Theological Imagination and Secularization
AssociateProfessorofPreachingandEthicsTed A.
SmithopenedPropheticVoices’firstfulldaywith
“GreatBirdsoftheKingdom,”consideringtwo
formsofsermonnarratives:thetypologicalnarra-
tive,popularamongthePuritansinthe17thcentury,
andtheillustrativenarrative,whichrosetopromi-
nenceinthe18thcenturyandisstillthemost
commonsermonnarrativetoday.Smithproposed
thatthedeclineoftypologicalsermonsandtherise
oftheillustrativesignaledashifttowardsecularism
—butthisisnotnecessarilyareasonforconcern,
hesaid.
Smith’sexampleofanillustrativesermoncame
fromBishopWarrenAkinCandler,co-founderof
CandlerSchoolofTheology.Inasermonnearlya
centuryago,BishopCandlerdescribedtheanxiety
anddespairthatmusthaveovercomethesailorswho
accompaniedChristopherColumbusonhis1492
expedition,afterweeksoffloatinginopenwater.
Whenlandbirdsbegantoappearintheskiesabove
theship,thecrewjoyfullyshouted,“Landahead!”
Candlerusedthisstorytoillustratehowhumans
sail,despondent,on“unchartedwaters”until“the
greatbirdsofthekingdomcomesinginginthe
sails,”andweknowthereislandahead.
“Candlerusedthestoryofthelandbirdstoillustrate
hispointthatGodsendssignsofhopewhenweneed
them,”Smithsaid.“Becauseallthetheologicalsig-
nificanceresidedinthatpoint,andbecausethestory
connectedtothepointonlyasCandlermadethe
connection,Candlerpreachedasiftheeventsofthe
storyhadnotheologicalsignificanceinthemselves.”
IntheearliertypologicalnarrativesofthePuri-
tans,preacherspairedathing,personorevent—a
“type”—withan“antitype”thatrepresenteditsful-
fillment.“Suchstoriesworkedthroughconnections
thatwerefound,notmade,bythepreacher,”Smith
said.Puritansheldthatthoseconnectionsexistedto
befoundbecauseGodhadestablishedthemoutof
Echoes of Prophetic Voices: A Recap of the Centennial Conference 21
SomeofthebestmindsintheologicaleducationgatheredatCandlerthisspringfor
anacademicconferenceonthepressingissuesfacingtheologyinthecomingcentury.
PartofCandler’syearlongCentennialCelebration,“PropheticVoices:Confronting
Theological Challenges of the Next Century,” sponsored by the McDonald Agape
Foundation,featuredadozenrenownedtheologiansfromCandlerandbeyondwho
considerednewresponsestothenewconditionsthatsurroundus.
Echoes of Prophetic Voices:A Recap of the Centennial Conference
“Pointsofstories
declareourhopefor
somethingmore...
ourtrustinastory
withabetterending.”
Ted A. Smith
By Claire Asbury Lennox
KAY
HIN
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Intermsofuniversality,Marshallarguedthatthe
imago Dei isbothaChristiancriterionforjusticeand
atheologicalstatement.Allinequities,whetherthey
arebasedoneconomics,race,genderorotherele-
mentsofdifference,areviolationsoftheimago Dei.
Andyet,theagentsofthoseinequitiesarenotleft
outofthatblessedimage.“Wemust,surely,stumble
abitwhenwerecallthatallpersonsarecreatedin
God’simage,”Marshallsaid.“Notonlytheop-
pressed,butalsotheoppressor;notonlythevictim,
butalsotheperpetrator…Eachandeveryoneofthem
isalsocreatedintheimageofGod.”
Thatrealization,Marshallcontinued,goesdeeper
whenconnectedtotherelationalitythatinformsthe
imago Dei.“Itisevenmorearrestingtorealizethat
theperpetratorsofviolencearenotonlymadein
theimageofGodlikeIam;butthattheyaremade
intheimageofGodwithme,”shesaid.“Theimago
Dei isnotonlyadeclarationofpersonhood;itisa
declarationofrelationship.Weshareacommonroot
system.Withthisargument,imago Deiemergesas
atheologicalfoundationforrestorativejusticeand
processesofreconciliation.”
Processappliestobothdesecrationandhealing.“An
actofviolenceisneveranisolatedorencapsulated
event,”Marshallnoted.“Itisalwayspartofalarger
story.”Thesameappliestoviolationoftheimago Dei.
Butthatsenseofabroaderstorymeansthattheim-
pactofviolenceandviolationblursthelinesbetween
perpetratorandvictim.“Asweexplorethedetailsof
alife,weseetheformationandtransformationof
personhoodovertime.Weseethewaysinwhichthe
imago Deigetsburiedbeneathactsofabuse,”Mar-
shallsaid.“And,mostpowerfully,weseethatthis
burialoccursinthelifeofthoseinflictingviolence
aswellasthosereceivingit.”Asanexample,she
citedtheconceptofmoralinjury,studiedin-depth
overrecentdecadesofwar,whenveterans“feelas
iftheylosttheirsoulsincombatandarenolonger
whotheyoncewere.”
Healingfromsuchinnerwounds,asvictimorperpe-
trator,isalsoaprocess;ittakeswhatMarshallcalls
“ajourneyofgrace.”Shenotedthehealingworkand
processofaffirmationtakenonjustthisyearbyCan-
dlerstudentsinthe“BlackLivesMatter”movement
andinadvocacyfordeathrowinmateKellyGissen-
daner.“Thestudentsherenotonlyaffirmtheimage
ofGodthatnarrativesofviolencehavediminished
anddisregarded,buttheyalsobearthatimageinto
thisworldofgreatneedandpain.”
Marshallconcludedthatthoughweallfacethedaily
challengeofaffirmingandreflectingtheimageof
Godintheworld,thereisamoreparticularchal-
lengefortheologicaleducation:maintainingimago
Dei’sdynamism,vibrancy,andcoherence,while
avoidingitsfragmentation,instrumentalism,and
idolatry.This“sitsatthefeetoftheologicaleduca-
tion,particularlytheologicaleducationthatseeksto
beprophetic.”
M. Shawn CopelandofBostonCollegeandSteven J.
Kraftchick ofCandlerwerethepanelists.Copeland
emphasizedtheconceptoftheWordmadeflesh,as
statedatthebeginningofJohn’sGospel.Shealso
citedIrenaeusofLyon,whobelievedthatimago Dei
wassituatedinthebody.“Christ,Irenaeustellsus,
isthevisibleimageoftheinvisibleGod.Further,
Christistheperfecthumanbeing…thecomingling
andunionofthesoulreceivingthespiritofGod
andjoinedtotheflesh,whichwasmoldedafterthe
imageofGod.”Kraftchickdealtwiththeconcept
oftranshumanism,theprocessofhumanbrains
andbodiesbecoming“enmeshed”withtechnology,
fromcommunicationandbusinesstomedicineand
implanteddevicesthatprolonglife.“Thephysical
andpsychologicalboundariesbetweentheperson
andthetoolareincreasinglyblurredtothepointof
vanishing.”Whatistheimago Deiwhentheorganic
andtheinorganicaspectsofhumanityaresoclosely
intertwined?
Creation and the Care of the Earth
CharlesHowardCandlerProfessorofOldTestament
Carol A. Newsom’spresentation,“Understanding
andHopeinaTimeofClimateChange:AConversa-
tionwiththeBible,”beganinthecontextofCan-
dler’sfirst100years.Whentheschoolwasfounded
in1914,noonecouldforeseetherateatwhich
humanprogresswouldmove,andtheseveredam-
agethatso-calledprogresswouldcausetheearth’s
environment.Today,shesaid,thereisnearcertainty
thathumanity’sactionshaveimpactedtheearthso
negativelythatitwouldrequirethousandsofyearsto
repair.“Theworldthatcomesafterthiscenturywill
beverydifferentfromtheonethatexistedbefore,
muchpoorerinbiodiversity,muchlesshospitableto
manyspecies,”Newsomsaid.“Atthesametime,I
donotseethefutureindystopianterms.”
InGenesis,AdamandEve’seatingfromthetreeof
knowledgegivesthemaccesstowhatNewsomcalls
a“divinecapacity”thathumansarenotequipped
tohandlewisely:thecapacityforreflectiveself-
consciousness.“Wearebothsplendid,andvery,very
dangerous,”Newsomsaid.WhenGoddiscoversthe
couple’stransgression,Goddeclares,“Cursedbe
theearthonaccountofyou.”
Thereisadeepirony,Newsomnoted,inthat
human-helddivinecapacity:“Suchabilityto
God’sgraciousdesiretobeknown.Smithrecounted
PuritanpastorJohnWinthrop’s1630sermontohis
congregationaboardashipheadingforNewEng-
land,whereWinthropdeclaredthatGod’sdeliver-
anceofthePuritanstotheNewWorldhadcreated
acovenantbetweenthem,makingthePuritansan
antitypetotheIsraelites,God’soriginalcovenant
people.InWinthrop’ssermon,therelationshipbe-
tweenthetwocommunitieswasnomerepersuasive
inventionofthepreacher’simagination;itwasseen
asreal,Smithsaid.
Theriseofmodernscience,religiouspluralism,and
increasingsocialandgeographicmobilityinthelate
18thand19thcenturiescatalyzedtheshiftfromthe
typologicalsermonnarrativetotheillustrative.“The
shifthappenedbecausedeepchangesinbackground
beliefsmadetypologylessplausiblethanillustra-
tion,”Smithexplained.
Acknowledgingthatsomemayviewthisshiftas
anarrativeofdeclineintheologicalimagination,
Smitharguedagainstthatperspective.First,anar-
rativeofdeclinedoesnottakeintoaccountthefact
thathumansarefinitebeingsthatdevelopovertime.
“Wecannotundothedeepshiftsofmanycenturies
simplybychangingthewaywetellsermonstories.”
Secondly,anarrativeofdeclinefailstoseethatthe
shiftfromelect-conscioustypologicalsermonsto
moredemocraticillustrativesermonsfitwiththe
culturalreforms“inthenameofequalityforall.”
Finally,anarrativeofdeclinedoesnotrecognizethe
richnessthatcomesfromtherolethathumansplay
inmakingmeaning.
“Storiesaboutthisworldhavemeaningnotbecause
wetelltheminaparticularway,butbecausethe
worlditselfispartofamuchlargerstory,”hesaid.
“Pointsofstories,evenifwemakethem,declareour
hopeforsomethingmore.Theydeclareourtrustina
storywithabetterending.”
PulitzerPrize-winningauthorMarilynne Robinson
andJanet SoskiceoftheUniversityofCambridge
servedasguestpanelistsatthesession.Robinson
suggestedthatperhapsthelackoffaithinoursoci-
etycomesdownnottosecularization,buttoalack
ofreverenceforhumankind.“Ifindmyselfhaving
toexplainthatyes,IamaChristian,butI’mnot
angry.Idon’thateanybody.”Soskicedescribed
propheticChristiansasthosewhoactwhencalled
upon,evenwhentherearegraveconsequences.
“Jesuscallsus‘friends,’notservants,”shesaid.
“Theservantdoeswhatheistold,whichdoesn’t
requireinitiative.Friendstakeinitiative.Afriend
seeshisfriend’sneedandsays,‘Icanhelpwiththis.
HereIam,Lord.Sendme.’”
The Image of God in the Contemporary World
AssociateProfessorofChristianEthicsandConflict
TransformationEllen Ott Marshall presented“Af-
firmationandAccountability:EthicalDimensions
of‘ThatBlessedImage.’”The“blessedimage”she
referredtoistheconceptof imago Dei,theideathat
allhumansaremadeintheimageofGod.Affirming
thisidea,Marshallsaid,isoneofthegreatprophetic
challengesforthe21stcentury.“Ifwetaketheimago
Deiseriously,wecannotdismissanyoneasunworthy
ofcareorbeyondredemption.”
Theimago Dei hasitsbasisinScripturebutcomes
toafullerdepictioninlifeasweliveit,Marshall
said.“The imago Dei isinformedbyourexperiences
intheworld.Weunderstandmorefully[its]pro-
foundmeaning…bytrulyattendingtobodies,
intheirdestruction,brokenness,healing,restora-
tion,andtransformation.”ForMarshall,theimage
ofGodincontemporarysocietyisnotsomuchan
exerciseindoctrinaldefinitionasanengagement
withanexpansiveanddynamicprojectoffaith
comprisingthreeelements:universality,relational-
ity,andprocess.
Echoes of Prophetic Voices: A Recap of the Centennial Conference 23Candler Connection | Summer 2015 22
Ellen Ott Marshall
“Allinequities,whether
basedoneconomics,
race,genderorother
elementsofdifference,
areviolationsofthe
imago Dei.”
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ThisincludesfreshperspectivesregardingWestern
theologicaleducation.Hancilesproposedthata
“fundamentalreorientation”isrequirediftheologi-
calprogramsintheWestaretointegrateglobal
perspectivesinordertoofferthebesteducationfor
thenextgeneration.“Leadingtheologicalinstitu-
tionslikeCandlermustaddressthisneedasamatter
ofpriorityandacademicintegrity,”hesaid.
“Navigatingthenewandexcitingfrontiersofthe
worldChristianmovementcallsformultiplelenses
andcriticalembraceofamultiplicityofvoicesand
experiences.Ourcommitmenttothekingdomof
Godrequiresunwaveringdeterminationtoaffirm
andcultivate‘fishofeverykind.’”
Candler’sArun Jonesreadthepaperofrespondent
Daniel Jeyaraj ofLiverpoolHopeUniversity,who
wasunabletoattend.Jeyarajcontendedthatonly
togetherarewecompleteinChrist.Hecalledon
Christianstolookbeyondlocalcontexts,notingthat
immigrantorethnicchurchesoftenaskdifferent
questionsthandolocalestablishedcongregations.
Joneshimselfthenofferedaresponse,sayingthat
economic,culturalandpoliticalhomogenization
worksymbioticallyandconflictuallywithinglobal
pluralism.FinalpanelistDana RobertofBoston
Universityarguedthatinthe21stcentury,itisnot
Jehu Hanciles
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Candler Connection | Summer 2015 24
“Wehavebeenenchanted
bytheidolsofourown
making,andwearebeing
calledtoaccount...”Carol Newsom
Echoes of Prophetic Voices: A Recap of the Centennial Conference 25
issue.Peopleoffaithshouldbeleadingthemove-
menttowardacleaneconomy.”Norman Wirzba
ofDukeUniversity,thesecondrespondent,focused
onwhathecalledtwo“troubling”elementsof
theologicaleducationtoday:first,thatitistoo
anthropocentric,assumingthatnothingelsematters
buthumanflourishing.“HowcanGodbeaffirmed
whencreationisnot?”Secondly,henotedthattoo
often,theologicaleducationistreatedonlyasapass-
ingonofinformation,resultinginalossofcontexts
thatrequiretheologicalreflection.
The Kingdom of God and Global Pluralism
D.W.andRuthBrooksAssociateProfessorofWorld
Christianity Jehu J. Hancilesoffered“FishofEvery
Kind:TheKingdomofGodandGlobalPluralism,”
thefinalpresentationoftheconference.
Asthefuturistsofthe1960senvisionedtheim-
pendingnewmillennium,twostrikingomissions
hinderedtheiraccuracy,saidHanciles:thelackofa
globalperspectiveandnomentionofreligion.
Theprognosticators’homogenizedthinkinginpure
WesternworldtermswasnotasurprisetoHanciles.
Infact,heremindedtheaudience,“Thetendency
toviewtheimmeasurablediversitythatcharacter-
izeshumanexistenceasanunhelpfulpredicament
hasalonghistory,andremainsprevalentamong
Christiansofvariousstripes.”Herecountedthe
biblicalstoryofthetowerofBabel,onethatis
typicallyinterpretedfromtheangleof“prideand
punishment.”Butfromadifferentangle,Hanciles
argued,thepeople’sdesiretobuildacitysimply
showstheirdesireforastablelifeinthemidstof
constantmovement.Perhapsthebuilders’action
“waspromptednotbysinfulrebellion,butrather
anaturalhumanresistancetomigrationandthe
forcesofdispersion,”hesaid.Whenthetextis
interpretedthisway,Hancilescontinued,“thedivine
planforhumanityisnotonelanguagebutaplurality
oflanguages,notonelocationbutglobaldispersion,
notasinglenameorculturalidentitybutamultiplic-
ityofcultures.”
HancilesnotedthegrowingreachofIslam,Hindu-
ism,BuddhismandChristianity,andthemassive
impactofglobalizationandimmigrationonthe
spreadofthesereligions,inparticularwhathecalled
“there-emergenceofChristianityasanon-Western
religion.”Ontheotherside,thedramaticriseofim-
migrantcommunitiesmeansthatWesternsocieties
asawholeareincreasinglypluralistic,withhugeim-
plicationsforreligiousencounterandchange.The
mostdynamicandfastestgrowingchurchesinthe
U.S.todayareeitherlinkedtoimmigrantcommuni-
tiesorincorporateawiderangeofracialandcultural
groupsintheirstructures.
Acknowledgingthisincreaseinglobalpluralism,
Hancilescalledonthe“kingdomofGod”concept,
which“evokesGod’spresenceandsavingpowerin
theworldandexpressesthegoodnewsofsalvation
forthepoorandoppressed,”andwhichfoundits
fullestmanifestationinthelifeandministryofJesus.
Matthew13:47encapsulateswhatHancilescalledthe
“pluralistintent”ofJesus’message:“Thekingdom
ofheavenislikeanetthatwasthrownintothesea
andcaughtfishofeverykind.”Inthisworldview,
Hancilessaid,“Ourcommoncommitmenttothe
‘kingdomofGod’dailycallsustoanewunderstand-
ingandfreshperspectives.”
thekingdomofGod“versus”pluralism,butthat
thekingdomofGodstretchestoincludetheother.
RobertclosedwiththeRoadtoEmmausstory,
which,shesaid,remindsusthatweareapost-
Resurrectioncommunityonapilgrimageinthe
companyofstrangers,whereChristisrevealedtous
inthebreakingofthebread.
Within a Broad Arc
Inhiskeynote,LukeTimothyJohnsonsaid,“The
theologianasprophetdoesnotstandaboveorapart
fromthecontextofordinarylife,butstandssolidly
withinlifeassharedbyall.”Thougheachtopic
andpresentationthroughoutthePropheticVoices
conferenceacknowledgeddifferentchallenges,one
definingthreadwasclear:allhumans,allpeopleof
faith,allChristiansarepartofalargercontextanda
widerstory,somethingthathasonlybecomeclearer
inthe100yearssinceCandler’sfounding.Bycon-
sidering,discussing,listening,andwelcomingthat
broadarc—bystanding“solidlywithinlifeasshared
byall”—maythelife-givingWordofGodresonate
evenmoreprofoundlyinthissecondcentury.n
You can view all conference sessions and
worship services online at vimeo.com/candler.
distinguishbetweenwhat’sgoodandwhat’sbad
canonlybewieldedwiselybydivinebeingswhocan
lookuponthewholevastnexusofcausesandtheir
effects.Humansseetoonarrowlyandsomakedev-
astatinglybaddecisionsthatlookgoodatthetime.
Thisisatragicstructureinourverybeing.”
Atthecenterofhertalkweretwointerpretationsof
time:Deuteronomistictimeandapocalyptictime.
Deuteronomistictimestemsfromthenarrativestory
toldinGenesisthrough2Kings;Newsomdescribed
itashumanity’sperceptionoftime,when“theac-
tionsoftheparentshaveconsequencesforthelives
oftheirchildren.”Inparticular,humans’timeof
responsetothecrisisofclimatechangefallsunder
thecategoryofDeuteronomistictime.“Itisatime
inwhichwerealizethatwehavebeenenchantedby
theidolsofourownmaking,”Newsomsaid.“And
wearebeingcalledtoaccountbypropheticvoices
whodemandthatwelookattheconsequencesof
ouridolatry.”
Apocalyptictime,ontheotherhand,takesawider
view,asillustratedinRevelation21:1:“ThenIsawa
newheavenandanewearth;forthefirstheavenand
thefirstearthhadpassedaway.”Newsomadmit-
tedthatwhenshefirstbeganstudyingit,shefound
apocalyptictimeirredeemablyanti-environmental,
seeminglyenvisioning“adisposableworld.”
Withfurtheranalysis,though,Newsomfound
apocalyptictimetobeanindispensibleelement
oftherelationshipbetweenpeopleoffaithand
environmentalactivism.Apocalyptictimedoesnot
meanthathumansevadetheirresponsibilitytothe
planet,sheargued;itsimplyplacesDeuteronomis-
tic,“realworld”timeinabroadercontext,“thestory
ofcreationfromitsverybeginningsuntilitsultimate
end.Thisisnottimeonahumanscale,buttimeona
divinescale—deep,cosmictime.”
Newsompointedoutthatinbiblicalbookssuchas
Revelation,theimageofEdeniscombinedwiththe
imageofthecity,apurposefulpairingsheviews
withhope.“Weoftenthinkofthecityasthesymbol
ofallthatiswrongwithhumanwaysofbeing.But
asweenvisionatransformedfutureforourplanet,
ahealingfuture,itwillnothelptothinkinterms
ofromanticizednostalgia,areturntosomepure
hunter-gathererpast.Thecityisnolongerthesign
ofourfallennessbutbecauseitistheplacewhere
Goddwells,itbecomesthesourceofthehealingof
theland.”
Still,Newsomemphasizedthatthinkinginterms
ofapocalyptictimedoesnottakeawayhuman-
ity’sresponsibilitytotheworldorgriefoverthe
environmentalscarshumanscreate.Thiswider
contextshouldinsteadserveasacalltoaction.“The
theologicalresourcesofourtraditionofferusways
oflivingwithunderstandingofwhoweare,with
seriousnessofpurpose,andyetwiththehumility
thatouractions—whethersuccessfulornot—are
enfoldedinaprocessthatwillincorporatetheminto
thelargerstoryofdivinefaithfulnesstocreation.”
Panelist Sally G. BinghamofInterfaithPowerand
LightandTheRegenerationProjectwasthefirstre-
spondent.Callingherselfanenvironmentalactivist,
notatheologian,sheemphasizedthattheongoing
damagehumansareinflictingontheworldaffects
morethantheenvironment.“Climatechangeis
notjustanenvironmentalissue,butasocialjustice
“Thedramaticriseof
immigrantcommunities
meansthatWestern
societiesareincreasingly
pluralistic.”
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History Lesson
Doc: A Novel, by Mary Doria
Russell (Random House, 2011)
TheDocHollidayoflegendisagamblerandgunmanwhoappearsoutof
nowherein1881,arrivinginTombstonejustintimeforthegunfightatthe
O.K.Corral.InDoc,MaryDoriaRussellcastsafullerstoryofthis“scared,
sick,lonelyboy,bornforthelifeofaminoraristocratinaworldthatceased
toexistattheendoftheCivilWar,tryingtostayaliveontherawestedgeof
theAmericanfrontier.”
BorntoaprosperousGeorgiafamily,classicallyeducatedandmusically
trained,JohnHenryHolliday(1851-1887)earnedthedegreeofDoctorof
DentalSurgerybeforehewas21.Whenhedevelopedtuberculosis,the
diseasethathadclaimedhismother’slife,heknewexactlywhatkindof
deathhefaced.Inthevainhopethathishealthwouldimproveinthehot,
dryclimateoftheWest,heleftAtlantaandeverythinghelovedin1873to
encountercharacterslikeWyattEarpandBatMastersonandgainanindel-
ibleplaceinAmericanfolklore.
Historicalfiction,ifwellwritten,cantakeareaderinsideacharacterina
waythatworksof“regular”biographyornarrativehistorysimplycan’t.
Thepoweroftheauthor’simaginationenablesthereadertounderstand
andexperiencethecharacter’semotions,attitudes,andthoughtsaswell
asactions,sothatthecharacter“comesalive”forthereader.Knownfor
hermeticulousresearchandnarrativedrive,MaryDoriaRussellwrites
historicalfictionexceptionallywell.ThesceneneartheendwhereDoc
playsBeethoven’s“Emperor”ConcertoonadancehallpianoinDodgeCity
movedmetotears.
— Rex MatthewsProfessor in the Practice of Historical Theology and Wesleyan Studies
Beth Corrie,associateprofessorinthepractice
ofyouthministryandpeacebuilding,callsMapping
Exile and Return: Palestinian Dispossession and a Political
Theology for a Shared FuturebyAlainEppWeavera
“watershedbook.”Assomeonewhocaresdeeply
abouttheimpacttheologyhasontheworld,Cor-
riesaysshewasparticularlyimpressedwithhow
theauthorfoundawaytodrawontheologyto
addressoneofthemostdifficultandintransigent
religiousandpoliticalissuestoday:justiceand
peaceintheHolyLand.
JamesT.andBertaR.LaneyProfessorinMoralLeader-
shipRobert FranklinhasbeenreadingKevinDut-
ton’s“insightful,quirky,andhumorous”The Wisdom
of Psychopaths: What Saints, Spies, and Serial Killers Can
Teach Us About Success. Franklin’sclassonmoralleader-
shipentertainstwoquestionsposedbythebook:Do
thesaintandthepsychopathsomehowconstitutetwo
transcendentalsidesofthesameexistentialcoin?And
whydopeoplefollowtoxicleaders?Duttonanswers
fromhisperspectiveasaresearchpsychologist,offer-
ingalookintothenatureofirrationalityandleadership.
AWallStreetJournalreviewspurredM. Patrick
GrahamtoreadOur Kids: The American Dream in Crisis
byRobertPutnam.TheMargaretA.PittsProfessor
ofTheologicalBibliographyanddirectorofthePitts
TheologyLibraryreportsthatthebookusesportraits
ofrepresentativeindividualstoanalyzethecurrent
Americanlandscapeofsocietalfragmentationalong
linesofclass.Theissuesofincomeinequalityandwan-
ingpossibilitiesforupwardeconomicmobility“willbe
ofinteresttoallwhoseeresponsibilitiesforthechurch
intheseareas,”hesays.
Required Reading 27
David Pacini,professorofhistoricaltheology,has
beendivingintotheworksofMarilynneRobinson,
theacclaimedauthorwhorecentlyvisitedCandlerto
participateinthe“PropheticVoices”conference.He
recommendshermostrecentnovel,Lila,aswellas
itscompanionvolume,2005’sPulitzerPrize-winning
Gilead.“Deeptheologicalthinkingoftenappearsin
stunningliterature,”hesays.Thesetwoworksare
exemplarsofthat.MarilynneRobinson’slyrical,spare,
andspiritualproseallows“eventhefaithlessreaderto
feelthepossibilityoftranscendentorder”(Slate).
AlisonLuriemaybebetterknownasaPulitzerPrize-
winningnovelist,butit’sanonfictionbookthat
captivatedEllen Echols Purdum,assistantdeanof
studentlifeandspiritualformation.Sherecommends
Lurie’sThe Language of Houses: How Buildings Speak to
Us.Purdumsaysthebookismoreaboutformation
thanarchitecture,as“Luriepersuadesthereaderthat
theexteriorandinteriordetailsofbuildings—from
apartmentstogradeschoolstohousesofworship—
affecthowwefeel,behave,relatetoothers,andgrow
ashumanbeings.”
Jacob Wright,associateprofessorofHebrewBible,
callsJenniferEgan’sPulitzerPrize-winningA Visit from
the Goon Squad“stunning.”Thecastofinterconnected
characterswithalternatingvoices,fluidtreatmentof
timeandplace,andstylisticexperimentationareall
noteworthy,butWrightwasfascinatedbysomething
else.“WhatmakesEgan’swritingsocompellingis
thetensionbetweenthesaidandtheunsaid—what
Ifindtobethemostimportantaspectofwritingin
generalandsomethingthatmakesthenarrativesofthe
HebrewBiblesocompelling,”hesays.
“Iamjustfinishingasmallbutwonderfulbookcalled
The World of Saint Patrick,”saysArun Jones,Danand
LillianHankeyAssociateProfessorofWorldEvange-
lism.Thebook,editedbyPhilipFreeman,contains
someoftheearliestChristianwritingsofIreland,in-
cludingaccountsofSaintsPatrick,Brigid,andBrendan.
Notingthathepickedupthevolumeinhispursuitto
readmoreliteratureinworldChristianity,Jonessays
thathe“foundthecollectionagreatdelight,aswellas
asourceofpersonaledification.”
AssociateProfessorofNewTestamentSusan Hylen
foundThe Hidden History of Women’s OrdinationbyGary
Macyacompellingread.“Mostofushavetheideathat
ordinationofwomenisentirelyamodernphenomenon,
butMacy’sthesis—whichhesayssurprisedevenhim—
isthatwomenwereordainedforthefirsttwelvehundred
yearsofChristianity,”shesays.Macydrawsonawide
rangeofhistoricalevidenceincludingliturgies,literary
references,letters,andinscriptionstosuggestthatthe
suppressionofwomen’sordinationemergedinthe11th
and12thcenturies.“Accessibleandintriguing,”the
bookreshapesourimageoftheearlychurchandits
relationshiptowomen.
Thankstomodernmedicine,wearelivinglongerthan
everbefore—buttheendoflifeisstillinevitable.When
itnears,docurrentmedicalpracticeshelporhinder
us?That’sthetopicaddressedinBeing Mortal byAtul
Gawande,recommendedbyDeanJan Love.“My
husbandandIareatthestagewherewe’rethinking
aboutendoflifeissues,bothforourselvesandour
agingfamilymembers,”shesays.“Thisbookhelps
readersfocusonwhatreallymattersattheend.”
Required ReadingWhether it’s the wisdom of ancient saints and psychopaths, revisionist history, or prize-winning literature,
you’re sure to find something to intrigue you in the latest books recommended by Candler’s faculty.
Candler Connection | Summer 201526
15556 Emory_magazine.indd 26-27 7/16/15 10:18 AM
From Here to There 29
DR.KING’SVISIONANDVALUES
WegathertodaytohonoroneofAmerica’sgreatest
moralleadersbytakinghislifeandworkseriously.
King’slifeandlegacyprovidemuchforourreflec-
tiononwhomoralleadersare,whattheydo,andthe
outcomestheyenable.Moralleadersarewomenand
menwhoactwithintegrityandimaginationtoserve
thecommongoodwhilestrivingtomakepeople
better.Thisincludesbutisnotlimitedtoclergy.Be-
comingamoralagent,onewholivesinaccordwith
deeplyheldethicalprinciplesandmoralvalues,is
hardwork.TheGreekssaidthemorallifeisanagon,
adailystruggleorcontest.Buttoaspiretomoral
leadership—asmallleapbeyondmoralagency—is
amoreaudaciousenterprise.
Kingwasanimatedbyavision,andweshould
understandourresponsibilityforimplementinghis
vision.Hewasalsodrivenbyaframeworkofvalues.
Hisvisionandvaluesplacedhimatanhistorical
crossroadwherehewouldprovidethemoralleader-
shipAmericarequiredtoalignherrealitywithher
nobledemocraticrhetoric.Kingelaboratesonhis
visioninhisfinalbook,Where Do We Go From Here:
Chaos or Community?Inthelastchapter,“TheWorld
House,”hewrites:
“Some years ago a famous novelist died. Among his
papers was found a list of suggested plots for future
stories, the most prominently underscored being this
one: ‘A widely separated family inherits a house in
which they have to live together.’ This is the great
new problem of mankind. We have inherited a large
house, a great ‘world house’ in which we have to live
together—black and white, Easterner and Westerner,
Gentile and Jew, Catholic and Protestant, Muslim
and Hindu—a family unduly separated in ideas,
culture and interest, who, because we can never
again live apart, must learn somehow to live with
each other in peace.”
Hegoesontodescribepeopleandlifeas“interde-
pendent”and“interrelated.”Inthe13shortyears
thatmarkedhispublicministry,thesewerethe
animatingvisionandtheinnervatingvaluesthat
drovehimforward.
King’svisionofinterdependencehasbeencreatively
reformulatedforourdigitalageinanexercisecalled
“100People:AWorldPortrait.”Itconsidershow
avillageof100peoplewouldbecomposedifthe
existinghumanratiosoftheearth’spopulationwere
applied.Withthismethodology,therewouldbe60
Asians,15Africans,14peoplefromtheAmericas,
and11Europeans.Therewouldbe33Christians,
22Muslims,14Hindus,7Buddhists,12peoplewho
practiceanotherreligion,and12peoplenotaligned
withanyreligion.83wouldbeabletoreadandwrite,
but17peoplewouldnot.Only7wouldhaveacol-
legedegree,while23wouldnothaveshelterand13
wouldhavenocleanwatertodrink.
Thisisaportraitofstunningdiversityanddiffer-
encethatinvitesaninclusive,generous,respectful
narrativecapableofmovingforwardinpeace.King’s
metaphoroftheworldhouseoffersthat.Itisavision
thatcanimplementcomponentsofhumancoopera-
tionandunderstanding.Ashisvisionlingersinthe
mind,letusturnnowtotherealityofthishour.
OURCURRENTREALITY:ATHREATTO
JUSTICEEVERYWHERE
Theeventsofrecentmonthsandyearshaveexposed
thedangerofasocietywantingforavisionofinter-
dependenceandanarrativeofequaljusticeforall.
EricGarner,MichaelBrown,TamirRiceandothers
demonstratethatunarmedmenofcolorfacean
unacceptablyhighriskofbeingkilledbyasmall
numberoflawenforcementofficerswhoregard
themthroughthelensoffearandprejudice,com-
plicatedbysituation-specificpoorjudgment.Butit
isimportanttounderstandthatthesehighprofile
caseshaveexposedmorethanthehistoryofbad
police-communityrelations.Theyalsoexposea
widerdisturbingdivide.
InDecember,CNNreportedonracialdifferencesin
howAmericansviewpoliceandthecriminaljustice
system.Accordingtotheirpoll,57percentofwhite
Americansthinknoneoralmostnoneoftheirarea
policeareprejudicedagainstblacks,whileonly25
percentofnon-whiteAmericanshadthatpercep-
tion.WhiteAmericanswerealsomuchmorelikelyto
believethatthecriminaljusticesystemtreatsblacks
fairly—50percentfeltthatway,comparedto21
percentofnon-whitespolled.
Thesedivergentperceptionsarerootedinverydif-
ferenteverydayexperiencesandperceptionsofrace,
classdifference,andthefunctionsoflawenforce-
ment.Peopleservingongrandjurieswhoseepolice
onlyasbenevolentfiguresarenotlikelytoindict
themincomplicatedcases.Wheneveraclosecall
mustbemade,lawenforcementwillalwaysgetthe
benefitofthedoubt.Asasociety,weneedtoreckon
withthesepotentiallylethalassumptions.
Timewillnotallowafullunpackingoftheimplica-
tionsofthesevaryingperceptions,butIdowantto
drawyourattentiontothehistoricalandlegalreali-
tiesthatinformtheseviews.InOctober2014,the
EconomicPolicyInstitutereleasedareportbyRich-
ardRothstein,thesubtitleofwhichcouldserveas
thethemefortheevolutionofurbanAmerica’sracial
polarizationduringthepastcentury.Thetitleofthe
articleis:“TheMakingofFerguson,”butthesubtitle
is“PublicPoliciesattheRootofitsTroubles.”
Rothsteinnotesthatwhileracialprejudiceshaveled
tothecreationofwhiteandblackneighborhoods,
influentialandintentionalpoliciesdevelopedby
governmentofficialsandbusinessleaderswere
alsoresponsiblefortheresidentialsegregationthat
hasbeenthestatusquoinurbanandsmalltown
America.Rothstein’slistoftheoffendingpolicies
includesactionssuchaszoningdecisions,restrictive
covenants,governmentsubsidiesthatfavoredwhite
developments,lackofmunicipalservicesinpoorer
By Robert M. Franklin, Jr.,
James T. and Berta R. Laney
Professor in Moral Leadership
Dr. King’s Vision, Our Current Reality, and the Way Forward
From Here to There:
OnDecember4,2014,Candlerstudentsleda“die-in”protestonEmory’scampus,spurredby
recentgrandjurydecisionsnottoindictwhitepoliceofficersinvolvedinthedeathsofunarmed
black men. The peaceful protest attracted approximately 200 students, faculty, and staff from
CandlerandEmoryandgarneredtheinterestofmediaoutletsfromtheAtlantaJournal-Consti-
tutiontotheBBCNewsandUSAToday.Severalfacultymembersspokeattheprotest,including
RobertFranklin.InJanuary2015,FranklindeliveredthefollowinglectureduringEmory’sKing
WeekhonoringthelifeandlegacyofDr.MartinLutherKing,Jr.
LIS
A S
TON
E
15556 Emory_magazine.indd 28-29 7/16/15 10:18 AM
poseandtheirgreatopportunityistoprepare
thenextgenerationfortheworld.
Partofthatlearningagenda—perhapsthehard-
estpart—willbethepsycho-social-spiritualand
politicalworkinourethnicandeconomicenclaves.
Whitesmustgrapplewithwhiteprivilegeandmyths
ofsupremacy,abenefitnotrequestedorearned
butmerelyconferredbysocialsystemsandcodes
withdeeprootsinaracistpast.Onedoesnothave
tochoosetobeprejudiced;likefriesinaHappy
Meal,itcomesalongwiththepackage.Know
thehistory,knowyourlocationinthenarrative,
andaboveall,knowhowyoucantranscendand
transformthenarrative.
Blacksmustwrestlewiththetortuousmemories,
legacies,policies,andsocialdemonsofthepast.
Thesedemonsassumemanyforms,includinga
senseofvictimizationthatpromotesself-pity,stag-
nation,andself-destruction.Blacksmustavoidthe
trapsofinternalizedoppressionandself-hatred.
ThosewhoareAsian,Hispanic,andotherswhoare
neitherblacknorwhitemustunderstandthatthey
arepartofthisinterconnectednetworkofdestiny.
Noonegetsapassorcanstandoutsideofhistory.
Youareinthisnarrative.Insteadofbeingassigneda
part,beanagentanddefinethepartyouwillplay.
Inallofourcommunities,ouryoungpeopledesper-
atelyneedtoknowhowtolivetogetherinadiverse
world.Teachthemtheirresponsibilitiesaswellas
theirrights.Teachthemtorespectandaccept—not
merelytolerate—peoplewhoaredifferent.Teach
themtheartofcivilityandmanners.Teachthem
towork,tolove,toforgive,andtoreconcile.This
isparentalworkofcareanddiscipline,butitistoo
importanttoleavetoparentsalone.Wehavedone
thatandreapedtragicconsequences.Norcana
governmentorthemarketteachthemwhatthey
needtosurviveinthisnewworld.Ifthevillage
eldersdonotfillthevoid,thevillageidiotswill.
Aspolice-communityrelationsaresortedout,andas
eachofourhouseholds,neighborhoods,andhouses
ofworshipworkonsocializingouryouthforthe21st
century,thethirdzonecallsusalloutofourethnic
andeconomicenclavestothedemandingworkof
reformingandreengineeringourinstitutions,poli-
cies,andpracticesthroughmulti-racial,interfaith
coalition-building.Moralleadersdonotremainin
theirzipcodesorcomfortzones,theyventure,they
pushboundaries,andtheyexploreandpioneernew
relationshipsforthecommongood.Wemustwork
togethertoensuregreaterinclusivenessandequity
inourinstitutions.Thosewhohavebeenexcluded
orbarelyvisibleinthepastmustbewelcomedatthe
table,includingwomen,peopleofcolor,andthose
fromotherfaithtraditions.
OrganizationalmanagementexpertsJulieO’Mara
andAlanRichterprovidesomeguidanceinhowto
changetheseinstitutions.Workingwithavastgroup
ofotherscholars,diversityexperts,andchange
managers,theyhavedefineddiversityas“thevariety
ofdifferencesandsimilarities/dimensionsamong
people,suchasgender,race/ethnicity,tribal/indige-
nousorigin,age,culture,generation,religion,class/
caste,language,education,geography,national-
ity,disability,sexualorientation,workstyle,work
experience,jobroleandfunction,thinkingstyle,and
personalitytype.”
Thisexpansiveunderstandingoftheconceptof
diversityishelpful.Achievingbasicinclusiveness
wherediversesegmentsofthecommunityarewel-
comeatthetablewillbeahugemoralachievement,
butitisnotenough.Thenextstep—recallKing’s
vision—istodemonstrateourethicalcommitment
toinclusionbyinstitutionalizingtheworldhouse.
Howwillweknowweareachievingthis?O’Mara
andRichterpresentbenchmarksthatinstitutions
canstrivetomeet.Accordingtotheirguidelines,
wewillbeonthewaywhendiversityandinclusion
aren’tisolatedinitiatives,butatrue,embeddedfac-
toringrowthandsuccess.Wewillbeontheright
pathwheneveryoneinaninstitutiondemonstrates
abeliefthatinclusivityisakeytosuccess.Wewill
beheadingtherightdirectionwhenwecancredit
ouraccomplishmentstoourworkbecomingmore
inclusive.Andaswecontinueonthepath,wemust
continuallyreviewourvision,initiatives,andgoals
toensurethatwearedoingallwecantoachieve
inclusion.
CONCLUSION
Thereisanalternativetoourstatusquo.Thereis
anotherscriptwecanconsultaswenavigatethedif-
ficultwaterssurroundingus.Itbeginswithforgive-
ness.AsDesmondTutusaid,“withoutforgiveness
thereisnofuture.”
Weliveinacynicaltime.Weseeevidenceofleaders
whonolongerpretendtohavearesponsibilityfor
thecommongood.Butwearestillcapableofbeing
movedbythepresenceandpowerofmoralleaders,
leaderslikeMartinLutherKing,NelsonMandela,
MalalaYousafzai,theDalaiLama,DesmondTutu,
andPopeFrancis.Theyinviteustoreflectonwhat
moralleadersmustdoandtoacceptourown
mantlesofleadershipandmoralagency.
Thetimetoassumethismantleofmoralleadership
isnow.AsthemedievalrabbiMaimonidesreminds
us:“Theworldisequallybalancedbetweengood
andevil;yournextactwilltipthescale.”n
This is a condensed version of Dr. Franklin’s lecture.
To view the full lecture, visit vimeo.com/candler.
Photos, these two pages, L-R: Claire Asbury Lennox;
Bryan Meltz/EPV; Hyosub Shin/Atlanta Journal-Con-
stitution via AP.
neighborhoods,andannexationandincorporation
initiatives,allofwhichservedtokeepthe
racesseparate.
Iampersonallyintriguedanddisturbedbythese
patternsofresidentialsegregationbecausemy
familylivedinthisnarrative.Ourfirsthomewasin
anall-blackcommunityonChicago’sSouthSide.
JustbeforeIcametoAtlantatoattendMorehouse
College,myfamilybecamethesecondblackfamily
tomovetoMountVernon,formerlyanall-white
neighborhood.Weenjoyedgoodrelationshipswith
ourneighbors,butwewitnessedfamilyafterfamily
moveoutoftheirhomesatnight,nevertobeseen
again.Friendshipsruptured,butmoreimportantly,
integratedcommunitiesthatmighthavethrived
werequicklyabandoned.
Residentialsegregationwasnotsolelyresponsible
forisolatingghettos.Racialdiscriminationinlabor,
jobs,andeconomicpoliciesmeantthatblacks
wereexcludedsystematicallyfromopportunitiesto
improvetheireconomicconditions.Bypayingtheir
taxes,theyhelpedtofinancepubliclysupported
measuresthatbenefitedtheirwhitecounterparts,
subsidizingtheirownexclusion.
Itisimportant,however,torememberthatblack
peoplewerenothelplessvictimsinthisunfolding
narrativeofstate-sponsoredexclusion.Theyestab-
lishedtheirownbanks,creditunions,entrepreneurial
activities,andvastbusinesses.Blackbusinessdistricts
thrivedinplaceslikeAuburnAvenueindowntown
Atlanta.BlackcollegeslikeMorehouseandSpelman
pastorthattheneighborsobjectedtoablackbuyer.The
pastorheldaprayermeetingfortheneighborhood,
andtheneighborsagreedtoallowtheWilliamsfamily
topurchasethehome.
Onewhitepastor,oneloneandcourageouspastor,
helpedopenthedoorforthisfamilyandbrokethe
silenceofthefaithcommunity.Amidstthetragiccolor
narratives,therehavebeen,arenow,andmustcon-
tinuetobemoralleaderswhotransgresstheracialreli-
giousboundaries,whobreakthesilence,andactwith
integrityandimaginationforjusticeandinclusion.
THEWAYFORWARD
Goingforward,Iseethreezonesofmoralactionthat
peopleoffaithmustengagesimultaneously.First,the
zoneofcommunity-policerelations.Moralleaders
muststepintoplaceswherethereismistrustandfear
withvisionsandvaluesofinterdependence,respect,
andhope.Wemusthavedifficultpublicconversations
aboutrepairingpoorcommunity-policerelations
throughchangesinpolicy,greaterdiversityinpersonnel,
andbyholdinglawenforcementaccountablefor
professionalbehavior,particularlyincommunities
ofcolor.
Second,alongsidethepublicworkofimprovingpolice-
communityinteractionsistheunglamoroushomework
ofprovidingcare,discipline,andmoraleducation
forouryoungpeople.Thatistheresponsibilityofthe
villageelders,anchorinstitutions,families,schools,
congregations,andcommunityorganizations.Harvard
developmentalpsychologistErikEriksonsaidthatas
eldersenterthelatterphasesofthelifecycle,theirpur-
From Here to There 31
helpedattractanationalcadreoftalentedyoung
people.Blackchurchessupportedentrepreneurial
andsocialjusticeactivism.
Inadditiontoresidentialandlaborsegregation,law
enforcementispartofthenarrative.Manyscholars
andactivistshavecommentedonhowlawenforce-
mentwasdeployednotsimplytoserveandprotect
localcitizens,butalsotopatrolandprotectcolor
linesandclassboundaries.Policebecamevirtual
guardsonthebordertopreventunwantedspatial
transgressionbyblacks,especiallyyoungblackmales.
Asweengageincommunityempowermentand
socialministry,weshouldthinkaboutthepolitical,
social,andeconomichistoriesofourchurchesand
neighborhoods.Weshouldallowthatknowledge,
theknowledgeofthecurrentreality,andDr.King’s
visionofinterdependencetoinformouroppor-
tunitiesformoralleadership.Anexamplefrom
Rothstein’sreportmademesmileandgavemehope
ofthewayforward.
In1968,thesameyearmyfamilymovedtoMount
Vernon,LarmanandGeraldineWilliamsboughta
homeinFerguson,Missouri,becomingoneofthe
firstblackfamiliestodoso.Theyhadbeenlivingin
aSt.Louisghetto,andthoughtthatFergusonwould
provideabettereducationandlessviolencefor
theirdaughters.Butthepathtohomeownershipin
Fergusonwasn’teasy—therealestateagentrefused
toshowtheWilliamsfamilyahousethatwason
themarket.Thefamilybelongedtoachurchwitha
whitepastor,whocalledtheagent;theagenttoldthe
Candler Connection | Summer 2015 30
15556 Emory_magazine.indd 30-31 7/16/15 10:18 AM
The Story of Us
AlongwiththesubstantialliteraryoutputfromCandlerfacultyduringthiscentennialyear,abookonCandler
itselfdebutedtocommemoratetheschool’sfirstcentury.Gary S. Hauk,vicepresidentanddeputytothepresi-
dentofEmoryUniversity,pennedReligion and Reason Joined: Candler at One Hundred (Bookhouse,2014),which
beginswithCandler’sfoundingin1914atthestartofWorldWarI.“Historyhadbeguntoturnonahinge,”
Haukwrites.“Itwasanaltogethersplendidtimetostartaschooloftheology.”
FromthefirsttheologyclassesheldatWesleyMemorialChurchindowntownAtlantatothecompletionofthe
PhaseIIbuildingatEmory100yearslater,twelvedetailedchapterstrackCandleranditspeoplethroughdecades
ofgrowthandchange.SpecificsectionshighlightCandlerandtheCivilRightsMovement,PittsTheology
Library,womenatCandler,andtheschool’sdynamicroleinthecontextofEmoryUniversity.
Inthemidstofthebook’swidescope,HaukzoomsintoshowhowasmallSouthernseminaryrespondedtothe
shiftingsocietyaroundit—andhowtheseresponses,offeredinfaith,forgedidentityandpurposeonapersonal,
communal,andinstitutionalscale.
ForDeanJanLove,thenewhistoryofCandlerisacelebrationoflegacyandpossibility.“Thisbookisanincred-
iblyinsightful,remarkablepieceofworkthatsuperblytellsthegreatCandlerstoryofthelast100years.Aswe
recallourroots,wearealsoguidedtoenvisionthenextchapterofCandler’sstory,andourplacewithinthe
academyandthechurch.”
Candler Connection | Summer 2015 32
Weird John Brown: Divine Violence and the Limits of Ethics
Ted A. Smith, Associate Professor of Preaching and Ethics.
Smithexplorestherelationshipbetweenreligion,
politics,andviolencethroughaseriesofreflections
onfamousabolitionistJohnBrown,upending
thenotionthatthecombinationofreligionand
politicsfuelsunavoidableviolence.[Stanford
UniversityPress,2014]
From Whom No Secrets Are Hid: Introducing the Psalms
Brent A. Strawn, Professor of Old Testament, editor; Walter Brueggemann. Highlyrespectedauthor-
theologianWalterBrueggemannencouragesus
totakeanewlookatanolduseforthePsalms—
performingthemasscriptedprayerstohelpus
revealourselvestoGod,astheIsraelitesoncedid.
[WestminsterJohnKnox,2014]
The Class Meeting: Reclaiming a Forgotten (and Essential) Small Group Experience
Kevin M. Watson, Assistant Professor of Wesleyan and Methodist Studies. WatsonsharesaWesleyanvisionand
practicalstrategyforreclaimingthein-depthsmall
groupsbegunbyearlyMethodists,structuredasan
eight-weekstudyresource.[Seedbed,2014]
Pursuing Social Holiness: The Band Meeting in Wesley’s Thought and Popular Methodist Practice
Kevin M. Watson. Athoroughexaminationofearly
Methodism’s“bandmeeting”anditscriticalrolein
thedevelopmentofthedenominationandshift-
ingconceptsofcommunityin18thcenturyBritain.
[OxfordUniversityPress,2014]
African American History Month 2015: Daily Devotions
Woodie W. White, Bishop-in-Residence. White’s28
devotionsfosterawarenessofandprideinAfrican
Americanhistory,whilestrengtheningpersonaland
communalfaith,hope,andcommitmenttoarich
heritageandfuture.[AbingdonPress,2014]
Healing in the Gospel of Matthew: Reflections on Method and Ministry
Walter T. Wilson, Professor of New Testament. Wilsontakes
aninterdisciplinaryapproachtotheGospelofMat-
thew’shealingnarratives,withinsightsfrommedi-
calanthropology,feministtheory,disabilitystudies,
andancientarchaeology.[Fortress,2014]
David, King of Israel, and Caleb in Biblical Memory
Jacob L. Wright, Associate Professor of Hebrew Bible.
Wrightcomparesthefunctionofthebiblicalac-
countsofKingDavidtotherolewarmemorialsplay
overtime,examiningnationalidentity,statehood,
power,andthehumancondition.[Cambridge
UniversityPress,2014]
New Books by Faculty 33
ing,demonstratingitsintrinsicconnectiontoChristian
thoughtandaction.[WestminsterJohnKnox,2014]
Daniel: A Commentary
Carol A. Newsom, Charles Howard Candler Professor of Old Testament, with Brennan W. Breed.
PartoftheOldTestamentLibrarySeries,Newsom’s
commentaryisafreshstudyofDanielinitshistori-
calcontext,offeringanalysisfrombothliteraryand
theologicalangles.[WestminsterJohnKnox,2014]
Formation for Ministry in American Methodism: Twenty-First Century Challenges and Two Centuries of Problem-Solving
Russell E. Richey, Professor Emeritus of Church History.
Amust-readforthoseinvolvedinshaping
UnitedMethodistministers.Richeyexamines
thedenomination’sministryformationtrends
fromthe18thcenturyandintothefuture.
[UnitedMethodistGeneralBoardofHigher
EducationandMinistry,2014]
Readings in African American Church Music and Worship, Vol. 2
James Abbington, Associate Professor of Church Music
and Worship. Offersthelatestscholarshipon21stcen-
turydevelopmentsinAfricanAmericanmusicand
worshipfromtheperspectiveofmusicians,
authors,andtheologians.[GIA,2014]
Singing Our Savior’s Story: A Congrega-tional Song Supplement for the Christian Year— Hymn Texts Since 1990
James Abbington. Anewworshipresourcehighlighting
morethan100hymns,completewithculturaland
theologicalbackgroundinfoforeach.[GIA,2014]
Wild Things: Poems of Grief and Love, Loss and Gratitude
Roberta C. Bondi, Professor Emerita of Church History.
Meantformournerandcomforteralike,Bondi
exploreshermother’sdeaththroughpoetryand
reflection,writingthroughtheconflictingemotions
ofgriefandgratitude.[UpperRoomBooks,2014]
Plantation Church: How African American Religion Was Born in Caribbean Slavery
Noel Leo Erskine, Professor of Theology and Ethics.
Erskineinvestigatestwostrandsoftheblackchurch,
intheU.S.andtheCaribbean,andtheirparallel
histories,theologies,politics,andpractices.
[OxfordUniversityPress,2014]
Political Agape: Christian Love and Liberal Democracy
Timothy P. Jackson, Professor of Christian Ethics. Isagape,
loveofGodandneighbor,themissingingredient
intoday’scivilsociety?Jacksonconsiderspolitical
agapeappliedtoissuessuchasthedeathpenalty
andsame-sexmarriage.[Alban,2015]
From Nothing: A Theology of Creation
Ian A. McFarland, Associate Dean of Faculty and Academic Affairs, Bishop Mack B. and Rose Y. Stokes Professor of Theology.
DrawingontheBible,classicalsources,andcontem-
porarythought,McFarlandconstructsaninnovative
defenseoftheclassicaldoctrineofcreationfromnoth-
The Candler faculty contributed an impressive 10 percent of the total number of books published by Emory
faculty in 2014. Their work fosters a vibrant intellectual community of scholarship and learning that serves
the church, the academy, and the human spirit. Here are the latest publications by Candler’s own.
New Books By Faculty
15556 Emory_magazine.indd 32-33 7/16/15 10:18 AM
dreamonenight,throughwhichIbelievedGodwas
callingmetoequipthisemerginggeneration.ButI
hadnoideawhereorhowIwasgoingtodothat.”
Withinayear,aUGAWesleyboardmembertoldhim
thatthepositionofdirectorwasopenandurgedhimto
apply.Inthatmoment,BeckwithknewGod’sanswer.
Hetookthepostin1999andhasn’tleft,facilitating
thegrowthandvibrancyofacampusministrycom-
mittedtonurturingstudents.Whilemanystudents
detachfromorganizedreligionandintentional
spiritualformationduringtheircollegeyears,UGA
Wesleyaddsahopefulfootnotetothatstory:Dur-
ingUGA’s2014-2015academicyear,about1,100
studentsandstaffregularlyattendedWesley’stwo
weeklyworshipservices.
“Thisgenerationisoneofgreatsignificance,”
Beckwithsays.“Thefutureofthechurchisintheir
hands,andyet,theyarethemostspirituallyunin-
formedgenerationournationhaseverproduced.
ButwhentheydoencounterGod,theyoftengrow
andcomealiveinwaysthatmygenerationstruggles
tounderstand.”
BeckwithworksalongsideUGAWesley’sfour
long-termleaddirectors,tenassociatedirectors,
and67full-timeministryinterns.ChrisFisher15T,
whoservedasafull-timeinternbeforehecameto
Candler,saysBeckwithpossessesthemixofsturdi-
nessandflexibility,humilityandjoyrequiredto
workwithyoungadultswhosefaithjourneysarestill
evolving.“BobbridgesthestabilityoftheBiblewith
grounding,”Repoleysays.“Engaginginservice
fromaplaceofunderstandingthatwe’reallbroken
andseekingwholeness.”
Afteradecadeofconversationandconsultationwith
Quakersfromaroundthecountry,Repoleylaunched
QuakerVoluntaryService(QVS)in2012withseven
youngadultfellowslivingandservinginAtlanta.
QVShousesinPhiladelphiaandPortland,Oregon,
openedin2013,andthisAugust,anotherwillopen
inBoston.Byitsfourthanniversary,QVSwillhave
28fellowsandclosetofiftyalumni,manyofwhom
arestillactivelyengagedwiththecommunitiesand
congregationswheretheyserved.
MuchofRepoley’spreparationforwhatwould
becomeQVSblossomedatCandler.Shewroteher
MDivthesisonthehistoryofQuakerservice,and
creditsprofessorsLutherSmithandEllenOttMar-
shallasintegraltoherwork.Candleralsonurtured
Repoley’sneedfortheintegrationofinwardand
outwardinherownlife.At28,shewasalready
beginningtofeelburnedoutbyactivism.“Ifsocial
justiceworkwasgoingtobesomethingIcoulddo
sustainablyfortherestofmylife,Ineededadeeper
theologicalandspiritualgrounding,”shesays.
“Tospeakachallengingwordtosociety,youhave
todoitinaninvitational,hopefulway,ratherthan
comingfromaplaceofangerandfrustration.When
wecomefromagroundinginrelationshipwith
Godandwitheachother,we’reabletolivemore
propheticallyandmoreboldly.”
Molding the Next Generation It’snotjustOldTestamentprophetswhohearthe
voiceofGodindreams. Bob Beckwith’s 88Tfruitful
ministryattheUniversityofGeorgiaWesleyFoundation
owesitsstartandthesuccessofitshallmarkdisciple-
shipprogramtothepropheticpowerofdreams.
Nearlytwentyyearsago,Beckwith,anordainedelder
inTheUnitedMethodistChurch,feltanudgetoward
collegeministry.“Ihadaveryclearandunusual
Inward Spirit, Outward Service In2014,Christina Repoley 11Tgavethecommence-
mentaddressatheralmamater,GuilfordCollege.
ThishonormightsuggestthatRepoleyisretired
afterdecadesofexperienceinafieldwheresheex-
celled.Inreality,onlythelastpartofthatstatement
istrue.At34,Repoleyisfarfromretired,withhardly
adecadeofexperienceunderherbelt.Yetthereisno
doubtthatsheexcelsinwhatisnotsimplyherfield,
buthercalling.
WhenshegraduatedfromGuilfordin2002,she
hopedtoworkwithaQuakerserviceorganiza-
tion,buthersearchcameupempty.Gonewerethe
Quakerworkcampsoftheearly20thcentury,where
youngadultstookpartindomesticandinternational
serviceprograms.“OlderQuakerswhohavelived
theirlivescommittedtopeaceandjusticepointback
toanexperienceofQuakerserviceasyoungadults,”
Repoleysays.“Thereweren’tthoseopportunitiesfor
mygeneration.”Butinsteadoflookingelsewhere,
Repoleyhadavision.
Hervisionwastobuildanetworkofintentional
communitieswhereyoungadults,Quakerand
otherwise,couldworshipwithlocalQuakercongre-
gationsandservewithlocalnonprofitsforayear.
Repoleyreferstothispairingastheintegrationof
theinwardandtheoutward,twoelementsessential
toQuakerism.Shewasinspiredbylate19thcentury
QuakerRufusJones,whocoinedthetermprophetic
service.“Propheticservicemeansbeingengagedin
theworldinawaythatcomesoutofyourspiritual
Everyday Prophets 35
EVERYDAYProphets In a sense, you could say that all Candler graduates are prophets. After all, as a seminary,
we’re in the business of training our students to discern where God is working and
to join that work with hearts, minds, hands, and voices. So in keeping with the
centennial themeof“storyandprophecy,”herearea fewstoriesabout theeverydayprophets
amongusandtheincrediblyvariedwitnesstheyoffer.
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CombsappliedhisCandlerexperiencestoachap-
laincyatAtlanta’sGradyMemorialHospital,the
nation’sfifthlargestpublichospitalandoneofits
busiestLevelItraumacenters.Hisworktherewith
peoplefromvariousmarginalizedpopulationsled
himtoAsheville,NorthCarolina,wherehewas
inspiredtostarttheHaywoodStreetCongregation,a
UnitedMethodistmissionchurchlaunchedin2009
asaplaceofwelcomeandministryforpeoplewho
arehomelessorotherwiselivingonthemargins.
Combsfocusesonreframingroleswhenministering
tothehomelesspersonortheindividualstruggling
withaddictionormentalillness.First,hehelpsdis-
peltheperceptionthatifthey’rehomeless,theymust
beinastateofdeficitintheirrelationshipwithGod.
“IfJesuswasgoingtoincarnateastheschizophren-
ic,thehomelessperson,thecrackaddict,thepros-
titute,thenwehavetobeginbysaying,‘I’mactually
theone—eventhoughIhavehousing,education,
privilege—whohasaspiritualpoverty,whoneedsto
encounterthatJesus,andIcan’tdothatifItreathim
asaspiritualproject,’”hesays.
Thismessageresonateswiththepeople—homelessor
not—whocometoHaywood.Combstalksenthusi-
asticallyaboutthedramaticconversionhe’sseenin
thechurch,peoplewhoseassumptionsaboutpoverty
andthemselveshavebeencompletelyobliterated.
“Whattheysaytomeis,‘formostofmylifeIas-
sumedfollowingthegospelandbelievinginJesus
meantwritingmychecktothesocialserviceagency
sotheycoulddothediscipleshipthatIdidn’twant
todo.MyliberationisboundupinthepeopleI’ve
dismissedformostofmyChristianlife.I’mhere,
I’mbroken,andIneedtobetobefilledbackupin
anewway,’”hesays.
Combsencouragesthissortoftransformation.“If
there’sonethingIhopepeoplearetransformedinto
doing,insteadofdismissingtheguyonthecorner
withthesign,theywillinsteadextendahand,aska
name,offerahug…becausetheyhaverealizedthat
theirhumanityisboundupinthatperson,”hesays.
“Tobeabletowatchsomeoneastheyrealizethat
maybeGoddoeslovethemthatmuch—theybegin
totakeseriouslythatthey’reachildofGod.That’s
kingdomworkasfarasI’mconcerned.”
From Brokenness, A New Creation DuringherfinalsemesteratCandler, Jan Richard-
son 92Tbeganputtingtousewhatshecalls“those
skillsIlearnedinkindergarten”:cutting,tearing,
andpastingpaperontopofpapertocreateworks
ofart.“Collagebecameapowerfulpracticeforme,”
shesays.“Aformofprayerandametaphorforthe
continualworkofpiecingtogetherthatGod,the
consummaterecycler,doesinourlives.”
ItisthatsacredpiecingtogetherthatRichardson,an
ordainedUnitedMethodistminister,hasfeltcalled
toexploreintheyearssinceseminary.Asdirector
ofTheWellspringStudio,LLC,sheleadsretreats,
speaksatconferences,andhaspublishedbooksof
herwritingandvisualart.Twoofherworksadorn
thismagazine,oneinthetableofcontentsandthe
otheronthetitlepageofthisarticle.
AssociateDeanofMethodistStudiesAnneBurk-
holder77T92Gisalongtimefriendandcolleague
ofRichardson’s.Toher,Richardson’svisualart
andwritingcallpeopletoalifeofencounterwith
theHoly.“Onecannothelpbutencounterthe
realityofGod’spresencethroughthem,”shesays.
“Theybeckonustodivedeeplyintothewavesof
liturgicalandprayerpractices,emotion,and
spiritualencounterthatremindushowgenuinely
wearelovedbyGod.”
Richardson’sarthasservedasthatreminderof
God’sloveforothersandforherself.InDecember
2013,herhusband,singer/songwriterGarrison
Doles,passedawayunexpectedlyfollowingcompli-
cationsfromsurgery.Afteronlythreeyearsof
marriage—duringwhichthecouplefrequently
collaboratedinretreats,conferences,andworship—
hisdeathwas,shesays,an“absoluteshattering.”
Inhergrief,shehasturnedconstantlytotheartist’s
actofpiecingtogether.“Becauseofthepracticeof
collage,Iknowinmyhands,mybones,mysoul,
whatitmeanstoputthepiecestogether,andtoal-
lowGodtodothisinmylife.Iknowwhatitmeans
tositwithwhatistorn,whatisinfragmentsand
scraps,andinvitetheSpirittobroodoverthechaos
andpainandtoconnectoneshardtothenext,and
thenext.Iamlearning—slowly,slowly—howitis
possibletocreateanew.”
Herpracticeoffaithandart,andthetwointer-
twined,hasprovidedspaceforanguish,questions,
andarenewedsenseofcall.“Theworkoftheartist,
andmyownsenseofcall,isaboutrefusingtoturn
awayfromwhatisbroken,”shesays.“Myjobisto
say,‘Look,hereisgracethatflowsintothebroken
placesandinspiresustofindtheconnections,tosee
newvisions,todreamnewdreams.’”
Everyday Prophets 37
thechallengeandmovementoftheinspirationofthe
Spirit.Hisvoiceisonesaying,‘TesttheSpiritagainst
theWord,thenjumpallin.’”
ApillarofBeckwith’stenurehasbeenthedevelop-
mentoftheLead/Growdiscipleshipprogram.Again,
hewasguidedbyadream.“OnenightIdreamed
thatIwasabouttospeakandneededaBible,soI
borrowedonefromastudent.Thepageswerefull
ofholes,likeSwisscheese.Iborrowedanother
student’sBibleanditspageswerefallingout.Athird
hadpagesthatweresmearedandblotted.Ibelieve
theLordwastellingmethatinspiteoftheirpassion,
ourstudentswereyoungandneededtobeinvestedin.”
InLead/Grow,“Grow”studentsarementored,or
discipled,byanolder“Lead”studentorWesley
intern.Thisyear,600studentsparticipated,meet-
ingweeklyinpairstoconnect.“Wetrytocreatean
atmospherewherestudentstalktransparentlyabout
lifeissuesinacontextofgrace,biblicaltruth,and
prayer.Whenthathappens,freedomandgrowth
usuallyfollow,”Beckwithsays.
“Seeingstudentsbecomepassionatetoknowand
followJesus,experienceHislove,healing,andfree-
dom,andstepintothesignificantpurposesGodhas
forthem—that’swhatstillmotivatesandexcitesme
afteralltheseyears.”
Nothing Happens without the WordWhenMaria Dixon Hall 98T 99TwasaCandler
student,ProfessorTeresaFryBrownnicknamedher
“Pearl.”Pearlsarecreatedbyanirritationofdirt,Fry
Browntoldher,andthatirritationultimatelyforms
somethingprecious.“So,”DixonHallsaidwryly,
addressingstudentsatthestartofarecentlectureat
Candler,“Myintenttodayistoirritateyousomewhat.”
DixonHalllivesuptohernickname,andshe
wouldn’thaveitanyotherway.“Let’sthinkabout
theword‘irritate,’”shesays,whenaskedtoelabo-
rate.“Sooftenwethinkofitaspejorative,butreally
itmeans‘touncomfortablydislocate.’Irritation
requiresintentionalmovement.Irritationrequires
strategy.Thegospelcallsustoirritatepowersand
principalitiesthatarecomfortableinthewaythings
are,ratherthaninthewaytheycouldbe.”
AnordainedUnitedMethodistdeaconandassoci-
ateprofessorofcommunicationstudiesatSouthern
MethodistUniversity,DixonHallhasdoneherfair
shareofirritating—intheclassroom,atspeaking
engagements,onthepage,andontheInternet.
Herblog,“TheViewfromDixonHall,”hostedon
Patheos.com,tacklescommunicationissueswithin
Christianity,TheUnitedMethodistChurch,and
theologicaleducation,alongwithissuesofrace,
gender,andpoliticsinAmerica;entrieshavebeen
pickedupbysuchnewsoutletsastheHuffington
Post,theAtlanta Journal-Constitution,andtheHouston
Chronicle,tonameafew.Shechallengestheboundaries
oflanguage,culture,andfaith,oftenturningissues
upside-downinunexpectedways,asshedidinher
March2015blogpostdisputingtheUniversityof
Oklahoma’sswiftdecisiontoexpelstudentsinvolved
inaraciallyoffensivevideoratherthanrecognizing
thesituationasa“teachablemoment”forboththe
perpetratorsandthecommunity.
ThechurchisnotexcludedfromDixonHall’sexami-
nation.Shereferences1Corinthians14:9:Unless you
speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone
know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into
the air(NIV).“Godiscallingthechurchtofinda
waytocommunicatethegospelthatresonateswith
people.AndIbelieveGodiscallingmetobethat
irritatingtranslatorthatholdsourleadersaccount-
ableforlearninghowtospeakinwaysthatare
authentic.”
CurrentMasterofReligiousLifestudentMichael
GravescametoCandlerbecauseofDixonHall,and
callshisformerSMUprofessoraspiritualguide.
“Dr.DixonHall’sworkinbothcommunication
studiesandthechurchcanbesummarizedbythe
word‘grace,’”Gravessays.“Shewritesaboutour
world’smostpressingandcomplexissues.Instead
oflosingpatienceandpushingopposingvoices
away,shewelcomesthosewhocritiqueher,and
constantlyseekstoengagethosewhorejectherin
holyconversation.”
Thatdesireforholyconversationconstantlyrenews
DixonHall’scalling.“EverysemesterwhenIteach
CommunicationTheory,Iopenwiththesame
phrasefromJohn1:In the beginning was the Word.
Iamtransfixedandtransformedbythatverse.Itis
thefoundationofmyministryandmyscholarship.
Communicationshapesidentityandpossibility.
NothinghappenswithouttheWord.”
Widening the CircleBrian Combs 06Treachesouttorestorerespectto
membersofsocietymostpeopletrytoavoid—pros-
titutes,drugaddicts,peoplewithmentalillness,and
thoselivingwithAIDS.
RaisedinCharlotte,NorthCarolina,Combsat-
tendedasuburbanchurchthathesaysheldChrist
“aloftintheskyandsofarawaythatnotonlycan
younotseehim,butyoucan’tfollowhim.”Candler
broughtJesusdowntoEarthforCombs,andhehas
beenbuildingintentionalcommunitywithpeople
wholiveonthestreetssincehegraduated.
“AtCandlerIwasintroducedtoaJesusinthegut-
ters,thisSaviorwhochosetotakeonfleshand
blood,boneandbreathasaderelictamongus.That
wascompletelyrevolutionaryforme,”hesays.
Candler Connection | Summer 2015 36
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tionlessthanayearlater“profoundlyimpacted”
Bacon,spurringhimtodelvemoredeeplyintothe
civilrightsleader’steachingsonpropheticChristi-
anityandnonviolence.AstheVietnamWarbegan,
BaconwasatlawschoolatVanderbilt,buthecontin-
uedtostudyKing,aswellasThomasMerton,calling
them“my20thcenturypropheticnorthstars.”The
writingsandtheologyofbothmeninspiredBaconto
makethemostradicaldecisionofhislife:becomea
conscientiousobjector,leavelawschool,andpursue
ordainedministry.
Baconhasservedasrectorofthe4,000-member
AllSaintsEpiscopalChurchinPasadena,Califor-
nia,since1995.Duringhistwenty-yeartenure,the
effectsofhisbriefinteractionwithDr.Kinghave
reverberatedwithinhiscongregationandthe
widercommunity.
CandlerprofessorEllenOttMarshallattendedAll
SaintswhenshelivedinPasadena.“Withevery
featureofhislifeandministry,Edreachesout
topersonswoundedbywrathfulandexclusivist
religiouslanguageandbringsthembackintoGod’s
lovingembrace,”shesays.“Whatis,perhaps,most
remarkableabouthisministryisthatheproclaims
thisradicallyinclusivelovenotonlyforthoseonthe
margins,butalsotothosewhomarginalizethem.”
In2009,OprahWinfreyinvitedBacontoappear
inthespiritualitysegmentofher“BestLife”series.
Everyday Prophets 39
liketheearlydisciples,drivenforwardbytheSpirit,
constantlyamazedbywhatGodisdoingtoresurrect
theseindividualsandfamilies.”
BryanhasalsofacilitatedFUMC’stransformation
intoa“teachingchurch”forstudentsatHunting-
don,aUnitedMethodistcollegejustupthestreet.
“WethinkofourrelationshiptoHuntingdonlikea
teachinghospitalconnectedtoamedicalschool,”he
says.“Wefeltacalltoactivelyhelpcollegestudents
discernGod’scalltoordainedministry.”Sothey
developedaninternshipprogramforcollegestu-
dentswithpaidpositionsinministryareasincluding
children,youth,music,andmissions.Internsmeet
twiceamonthwithanFUMCpastortoreflecton
theirgrowthastheyintegratetheirclassroomstud-
ieswithministryexperienceinthechurch.Similar
toCandler’sgroundbreakingContextualEducation
curriculum,FUMC’sapproachappearstobework-
ing:inthefallof2015,sixformerinternswillenter
seminary—fouratCandler.
Atanearlierpointinhisvocation,Bryanrecalls
askingGod,Whatisitthatholdsministrytogether?
Whydowedowhatwedo?“Ihappenedtoberead-
ingEphesians1:9-10intheNewEnglishVersion:
God has made known to us his hidden purpose, to be
put into effect when the time was ripe; namely, that the
universe, all in heaven and on earth, might be brought
into a unity in Christ.”
“ThatwaswhatIreallyneededtoknow.Godhasa
purpose:toaddressthebrokennessoftheuniverse
andbringitintounitythroughJesusChrist.Iwantto
makethatavailabletoall.That’swhatdrivesme.”
From the Human Race to the Human Family In1967,collegestudentEd Bacon 79Tshookhands
withDr.MartinLutherKing,Jr.attheAtlantaairport
baggageclaim.Thischanceencounter“shiftedthe
tectonicplatesofmylife,”hesays.King’sassassina-
Duringthesegment,Baconaddressedacallerwho
identifiedasgay,tellinghim,“Beinggayisagift
fromGod.”
ThecommentwassocontroversialthatWinfrey
askedBaconbacktoexplainhimself,whichhe
gladlydid.“Itissoimportantforeveryhumanbe-
ingtounderstandthatheorsheisagiftfromGod,
andparticularlypeoplewhoaremarginalizedand
victimizedinourculture,”hesaid.“Gayandlesbian
peopleareclearlyoutcastsinmanyareasofourlife,
anditissoimportantforthemtounderstandthat
whenGodmadethem,Godsaid,‘Youaregood.’”
Baconputsthosewordsintoaction.Heisafounder
ofthegroupsBeyondInclusionandClaimingthe
Blessing,anorganizationofgayandstraightEpis-
copaliansworkingforLGBTequalityatlocaland
nationallevels,includingwithinthechurch.
AnotherexpressionofBacon’scallto“articulatethe
Christianfaithinnon-bigotedways”ishisdedica-
tiontointerfaithwork.BaconhasledAllSaintsto
createNewVisionPartners,anon-profitresource
centerthatformsministrypartnershipswithinter-
faithcolleagues;TransformationalJourneys,trips
thattransformparticipantsthroughchallenging
encounterswithotherlocalandglobalcommunities;
andtheAbrahamicInterfaithPeacemakingInitiative.
Baconreliesonadailyhour-longpracticeofprayer
andcontemplationtokeephim“inspired,empow-
ered,andenergized.”Duringthattime,hesaysthat
God’sSpirittakeshimdeepbelowthechoppywaters
ofhissurfacelifeandequipshimtolove.
ThatloveisboththecallandtheresponseforBacon.
“MyheartbreakswhenIseesystemsdestroyingthe
livesofthosewhoaremarginalized,”Baconsays.“I
feelcalledtogivemylifetoturningthehumanrace
intothehumanfamily.”n
standsout:“Asimportantasitistorememberand
celebratehowGodhasledFUMCfor185years,
itisequallyimportanttoaskforGod’svisionfor
thefuture.”
FUMCisacongregationdedicatedtoservice.As
SeniorPastorR. Lawson Bryan 75T 85T puts
it,missionworkisingrainedinitsDNA.The
church’s4,000membersareactivelocally,every-
wherefromFamilyPromise,helpinghomeless
familiesfindpermanenthousing,totheSamaritan
CounselingCenter,oneofthearea’slargestmental
healthproviders.ButsinceBryan’sarrivalin2007,
thechurchhasfoundacallingintwoparticular
ministriesthatemergedastheyconsideredGod’s
visionforthefuture.
“Forseveralyears,wesoughttodiscernananswer
tothequestion:Whatneedstohappeninourcom-
munitythatisnotlikelytohappenunlesschurches
doit?”Bryansays.“AsIwrestledwiththis,Ikept
gettingoneresponseoverandoveragain.”
Thatresponsewastocreateaprogramtoserve
dementiapatients,theirfamilies,andcaretakers.
FUMC’sAdultRespiteMinistrybeganin2012.Forty
participantswithdementiameetfourdaysaweek
forart,music,exercise,andworship,nurturedby
95volunteersfromsevenchurchesandtwosyna-
gogues.Asupportgroupforfamiliesmeetstwice
amonth.“Ourmemberswhoworkintheprogram
feelspirituallyaliveastheydiscoverChrist’spres-
enceinthisministry,”Bryansays.“Weoftenfeel
“Itisacallthatbelongstoeachofus:tositamidthe
shattering,tonotturnaway,tobearwitnesstothe
wildworkingsofgrace,andtoseehowGodwants
toactthroughustocreateanew.”
Narrowing the DistanceWhenyouspotCarlton Mackey 05Taroundthe
Emorycampus,thereisnodoubtthathiscamera
willbeslungoveroneshoulder.Withaphotogra-
pher’seyeandatheologian’sheart,Mackey,the
directorofEmory’sEthicsandtheArtsProgram,has
foundhiscalling:creatingarttobreakdownbarri-
ers.Hismulti-mediaprojects—includingBeautiful
in Every Shade,Fifty Shades of Black,Black Men Smile,
andTypical American Families—usephotographyand
videotoremoveculturallabelsandrevealauthentic
humanity,creating,asMackeyputsit,“possibilities
forpeopletobeunderstood.”
“Christianityis,blacknessis,theAmericanfamily
is…Mostofthetimewehaveawayoffillinginthe
blank,”hesays.“Thoughtheysoundlikecontrast-
ingwords,theworkIseektodoisbothabout
narrowingandbroadening:narrowingdistanceand
broadeningthought.”
Mackey’sCandlerexperiencehelpedshapehisthink-
ing.“Candlerchallengedmetothinkmorebroadly
thanIeverhadbefore.”ItwasherethatMackeymet
agayclergypersonforthefirsttime.“Iformeda
genuinefriendshipwiththisyoungmanwhohelped
metoseethattherewasn’tanoceanbetweenus.That
thethingswehungeredfor,thepeoplewewereseek-
ingtobecome,theGodthatwelovedandwantedto
serve,werethesame.Hewasabletohelpmebroad-
enmythinkingbynarrowingthedistance.Byliving
fullyintowhoweare,wecandothatforothers.”
Hecitesasanexamplehismostrecentproject,Typi-
cal American Families,aphotoexhibitthatshowsthe
diversityofAmericanfamilylife.“Whenwethink
aboutthephrase‘typicalAmericanfamilies,’weoften
thinkofheteronormative,Judeo-Christian,child-
bearing,matchedracepeoplewholoveeachother,”
hesays.Butthevarietyoffamilytypesinthese
portraits,featuredalongsideawrittencommentary
byeachfamily,narrowsthedistancebetweenviewer
andsubject.“Ifwebroadenourunderstandingof
whatafamilyis,wecangrowtounderstandthat
there’sroomforpossibilityoutsideourlimitedways
ofthinking,”Mackeysays.“Itleadstodifferences
inouractions.Itimpactsourengagement.Itworks
tobreakdownthewaysinwhichwemarginalize
individuals.”
“OnceweseethepresenceofGodinthosespec-
trumsofidentity,wethengrowtoappreciatethat
therearepeopleseekingtoliveintothefullness
oftheirbeinginwaysthatwemayneverevenhave
considered.”
Mackey’sfour-year-oldson,Isaiah,alsoinspires
hiswork.“Iwanttocreateanenvironmentforhim
wherepossibilityisgreaterthanlimitation.Thenhe
cancreatehisownreality,comeintohisownunder-
standing.Iwanthimtoexperiencethat.”
Forhisson,forhimself,fortheworldthatMackey
reachesthroughthelensofhiscamera,itisallabout
narrowingdistanceandbroadeningthought.“Those
aretraitsIthinkarecommonamongpeoplewholive
aresurrectedlife.That’sthelifeIwant.”
Asking the Right Questions OnthewebsiteforFirstUnitedMethodistChurch
(FUMC)inMontgomery,Alabama,onesentence
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Mentorview 41
Mentorview :
WESTON:Whatis“propheticpreaching,”andhow
doesitdifferfromotherpreaching?
LONG:Inasense,theterm“propheticpreaching”
isredundant.Allpreachingisprophetic.Weusedto
tellstudentsthatthereweretwokindsofsermons—
propheticsermonsandpastoralsermons.Pastoral
sermonswereaimedatindividualkindsofconcerns,
concernsoftheheart,andpropheticsermonswere
socialjusticesermons,sermonsaboutpublicissues.
We’dtellstudentsnottoletthatgetoutofbalance,
knowingthatmoststudentswoulddofivepastoral
sermonsforeverypropheticsermon,iftheyeverdid
apropheticsermonatall.
ButIdon’tthinkthatholdsanymore.Itseemstome
thegospelissocounterculturalnowthatregardless
ofwhetherwe’redealingwithpastoralconcerns
orwhetherwe’redealingwithpublicissues,all
sermonsarecontroversialandallsermonsare
propheticinasense.
Onecaution,though.Ithinksometimesthose
preacherswhofancythemselvesasmoreprophetic
imaginethemselvesasAmoschargingintothe
shrineofBethelwiththepropheticandsocially
justWord.Wehavetorememberwearethepriests
ofthoseshrinesandwetakecareofthosepeople.
Thatmeanswemustdoourpropheticteachingin
waysthatleavepastoralwindowsopentopeople.
Actually,wethepreachersarenottheprophetsin
thatsense.Itisthecongregationthatissupposed
tobetheprophetintheworld,andourpreaching
isdesignedtoequipcongregationstoengagein
propheticwitnessandaction.
WESTON:Whatyoujustsaiddovetailswithwhat
you’vesaidinclass,thatweshouldnevergive“hit
andrun”sermons.
LONG:Ithinkifwe’regoingtopreachonahot
buttonissuewhereweknowthecongregationis
Prophecy from the Pulpit Jane Mitchell Weston 14T was an attorney for more than 20 years before she came to Candler. She’s
now traded speaking in courtrooms for speaking from the pulpit as priest-in-charge at St. Simon’s
Episcopal Church in Conyers, Georgia. Following Candler’s “Prophetic Voices” conference, she sat
down for a conversation with her mentor, Thomas G. Long. A renowned scholar-preacher-teacher,
Long has served as Candler’s Bandy Professor of Preaching since 2000. He retired from the position
at the end of the 2014-2015 academic year.
dividedoncultural,political,ortheologicalgrounds,
weoweittothemtogotothecoffeepotafterwe
preachsotheycantalktousandletusknowhow
whatwesaidaffectedthem.
WESTON:Thosehardsermons—doyouthinkmost
preacherscanactuallypreachthem,ordoyouthink
somepreachersarealwaysgoingtobebetteratgiv-
ingapropheticword?
LONG:Somepreachersarebetteratitforavariety
ofreasons.IthinkofReinholdNiebuhrwhenhe
wasayoungpastor.Hewroteinhisjournalthathe
usedtothinkthepreacherswhoavoidedthehard
sermonsdidsooutofcowardice,butthelonger
hewasapastorherealizedthatitwassometimes
doneoutoflove.Thatthemoreyouknowabout
peopleinthecongregation,themoreyouknow
abouthowfragiletheyalreadyare,howmanythings
areoverwhelmingthem.
WESTON:Somecongregationsmaybereallyaverse
tohearingadifficultword,sowhenyoutalkedabout
beingpastorallysensitive—Ithinkthat’sprobably
thewayyougetintotalkingaboutthosethings,by
beingpastorallysensitive.
LONG:Itisanundervaluedskillnotonlytopreach
thegospel,buttohelppeoplegetreadytohearthe
gospel.Ithinkwereadatextorwegotoaconfer-
enceandwegetabsolutelyconvincedthatthechurch
needstohearthisurgentwordnow,sowechargein
onSundayandannouncethiswordandit’ssoout
ofcharactertowhatelsetheyunderstandaboutthe
Christianfaiththatitstrikesthemasdiscordant.But
ifconstantlyinourprayers,ifconstantlyinourBible
studies,ifconstantlyinourpastoralconversation
thefullnessofthegospelanditsreachacrossevery
issueandconditionandcircumstanceisalways
there,thenthepropheticsermonmaybedemand-
ing,butitwon’tbeunprecedentedintheirhearing.
WESTON:Weheardattheconferenceaboutthe
increasingsecularizationinourcommunitiesand
thatwecan’tassumeallthepeoplesittinginour
pewswillknowtheChristianstoriesthatwetake
forgranted.Howdoweaspreachersadjustandface
thatnewreality?
LONG:Justyesterday,thepastorofthechurch
wheremyfamilyattendswassayingthataperson
toldhim,“YoucankeepyourChristianstories;Ihave
nointerestinthemwhatsoever.”Weareinatime
whennotonlydopeoplenotknowthestory,they’re
increasinglyemboldenedtosay,“Idon’tbelongto
thestoryandIdon’twantthestory.”Ononelevel
thisisverydiscouragingtome.I’vespentmywhole
lifepreparingtopreachtoacongregationwho’s
readytohearthegospelandnowtheyaren’tthere,
orthey’recertainlynotthereinthesameintensity
andnumbersthattheyusedtobe.
Butonanotherlevel,Ifindthisveryexcitingbecause
Ithinkwe’renowinapositionofhavingtorenegoti-
atethehearingofthegospeleverywherewego.In
onesensethecongregationsdon’tknowthestory;
inanothersense,Godhaserasedtheharddriveand
wecanrecreateit.Wecanannounceahearingin
astartlingnewway.Weareincreasinglyhavingto
makeuseofthoseoccasionswhereweareoutinthe
publicsquaretobebolderandspeakthegospel.I’m
thinkingoffunerals,weddings,civicoccasionswhen
weareintheroleofpreacher-pastor.Everybody’s
gatheredthere—peoplewhoareclosetothegospel,
peoplewhoarenot.Andatthatpoint,tobeableto
givenotjustaconventionalpreachertalk,buttospeak
authenticallyoutofthegospelhasarivetingeffect.
I’mlearningalotaboutthisbyreadingaboutAugus-
tine.Whenhe’spreachinginHippoinNorthAfrica,
heisinaplacethesizeofabasketballgym,andit’s
jammedwithpeoplestandingshouldertoshoulder,
mostofthemnotatallinterestedintheChristian
faith—they’reinterestedinthisdazzlingorator.
Hestopsinthemiddleofthesermon,andsays,“I
wanttotalknowtothosewhoareherefromthe
paganfestival.You’rehereforthespectacle,aren’t
you?Well,we’vegotonecalledtheEucharist,”and
thenhewouldunfoldthestoryoftheLord’sSupper.
That’snimblepreaching,andI’mtryingtoinstruct
myselfaboutthatnow.WhatwoulditlooklikeifI
interruptedmyselfduringasermonandsaid,“Iwant
totalktotheyouthwhoaretextinginthebalcony”?
WESTON:Ithinkcertaingenerationsreallyvalued
publicspeakingandIthinknow,asyousay,people
aretextingandsurfingtheInternetduringasermon
orspeech.Couldyouspeakabouttheimportanceof
goodpublicspeakingforthepreacher?
LONG:Idothinkfashionschange,andoneofmy
predecessorsintheBandyChairatCandler,Fred
Craddock,wasaperfectexampleofachangingstyle
ofpublicspeaking.Fredhadnothingofthevirtues
thata1950spreachershouldhavehad.Hewasshort
andhadahighsqueakyvoice.Buthenotonlytook
those“weaknesses”andturnedthemintostrengths,
healsocameatatimewhenthedeep-voiced,pulpit
princewasdistrusted,andhemanagedtoridethe
crestofthatwaveofdistrust.
I’mwonderingifpreachingismovinginthatsame
directionagain.Thatinsteadofstandinginthe
pulpitanddroppingthelightsdownanddoingthe
NPRpiecewiththatgoldentone,ifpreachinginthe
futureisgoingtobeinthemiddleofalivingroomat
atable,withtheEucharistonit,andthepreacherin
achairspeakinghonestlytoagroupofpeoplegath-
eredaroundthetable.Sayinginessence,“Before
weeatthere’sonethingIreallyneedtosay”—and
speakingoutofthegospelinthatsortofway.It’s
notdramaticoratory,butmaybeit’smorematched
tothetime.
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Thenagain,it’spuzzlingtomethatforthefirst
timein250years,theaverageAmericansermon
isgettinglongerratherthanshorter.Theaverage
isbeingskewedbecausemegachurchesaredoing
teaching-stylesermonsthataregoing40to45
minutes.Andthey’renotonlygoinglonger,they’re
changinggenre.Weinthemainlinechurcheshave
beensoinfluencedbythenarrativestylethatwehave
beenconstructingsermonsonashort-storymodel
thatintroducessuspenseinthebeginning,develops
suspenseinthemiddle,andhasaresolutionatthe
end.Itrequiresthelistenertostayontrackwithus
allthewaythrough.Butwhatifpeopledon’tlisten
thatwaynow?
Andsowhattheseotherpreachersaredoingis
buildingonaninstructionalmodel,withbullet
pointsaboutformationintheChristianfaith.It’s
almostatawisdomlevel—theologyforkeepingyour
marriagealive,theologyforraisingyourchildren,
theologyforpersonalorvocationalfocus.Some
peoplewillsitforarelativelylongtimetolistento
someoneunpacktheologicallyinformedlifeskills.
Theyfeellikethey’regettingsomeGod-knowledge
that’sgenerallyusefulforeverydayliving.It’snotmy
cupoftea,butit’soutthereinthecommunicational
mix,alongwiththatconversationalmodelinaliving
room,andthe18-minuteTEDtalk.Thingsareina
swirlinaway.
WESTON:Areyouhopefulaboutthefutureof
preaching?
LONG:Oh,Iam,absolutely.Ithinktherewillalways
beaneedforsomeonewholovesotherpeopletotell
thosepeoplethetruth.Therewillalwaysbeahunger
forthegospelifitcancomewrappedintheauthen-
ticityof“thisisthetruth,theGod’struthaboutus
thatIwanttospeaktoyoutoday.”
WESTON:I’malwayscuriousaboutpitfallsof
preaching.Yourthoughts?
LONG:Ithinkoneofthepitfallsisnotwatchingthe
amountofautobiographicaldisclosurethatgoeson
inpreaching.Therearesometeachersofpreaching
whoforbidit,whothinkthereisnoreasontoever
mentionyourselfinasermon.Idisagreewiththat,
butIdothinkthatautobiographicalinformationis
verypotentinsmalldosesandbeginstobediluted
themorewetalkaboutourselves.Everynowand
thenIdothislittledisciplineformyself:Ilookback
atthelastfourorfivesermonsI’vewrittentosee
howmanyofthemstartwiththeword“I.”
It’ssuchaneasywaytostartasermon.“Ihate
realityshows,”westartout,or“Ihadtroublewith
thistextthisweek,”or“Myfavoriteseasonofthe
yearisLent.”
WESTON:Ifinditinterestingthatyougobackover
youroldsermons.
LONG:Oh,yes.MarilynneRobinson’snovelGilead
isaboutanoldministerwritingalonglettertohis
youngson.Oneofthethingshementionsishis
oldsermonsintheattic,andhowthosesermons
areuptherejudginghim!Iknowthatfeeling.You
thinkaboutthemissedopportunities,misstated
things,misunderstoodthingsthatyou’vedonein
oldsermons.
IthinkthisfinallythrowsusonthegraceofGod
aboutpreaching—thatwehavebeenfoolsforChrist
andwehavebeendamnedfoolsatthesametime!
Oursermonsarefullofthebrokennessthatisapart
ofallofus.Andyetweareconfidentthattheyhave
beentakenupintotheprovidenceofGodandused
toshapethegospel’shearing.
WESTON:Howhavestudentschangedoveryour
career?
LONG:ThebigchangeformeisthatwhenIfirst
startedteachingIcouldlookoutattheclassand
knowthateverypersontherefeltcalledtobea
preacher.Andsothetaskoftheclasswas,howdo
wedoit?Wewanttodoit.We’recalledtodoit.But
howdowedoit?NowIamlookingoutatamuch
moretentativegroup.Manyaretherebecauseit’s
arequiredcourse,andtheyhavenoinclinationat
allthattheyshouldbeapreacher.Ortheymayfeel
liketheywanttobeaminister,butpreachingis
notsomethingtheycanseethemselvesdoing.So
Ihavetostartinadifferentplacenow.Istartina
wayofcallingthemtopreach,notjustinstructing
themabouthowtopreach.Lettingthemknowhow
importantthisministryis,andhownoneofus,from
biblicalcharactersforward,haveevercometothis
momentwiththekindofdeepconfidencethatwe
aresupposedtobehere.ThatfromJeremiahtoPaul,
therehavebeenthosewhoask,“AmItodothis,why
amIhere,whatisthisthathasfallentomylot?”
WESTON:Havingdonethisforquiteawhile,what
wouldyousayisthemostimportantthingyoudoin
preparingasermon?
LONG:Whenwe’dgoovertheprocessofpreparing
asermoninclass,Iusedtohavestudentscomplain
thatInevermentionedtheplacewhereyoupray.Ial-
waysresistedtalkingaboutitasifprayerwereastep
intheprocess—pickyourtext,pray,thendothis—
becauseIthinkthewholethingisanactofprayer.I
realizenowIprobablyshouldhavearticulatedthat
morestronglyforthestudentstoaccentuatetheir
abilitytosensetheformsofprayerthatarefound
intheprocessofpreparingasermon.ButasIage,
thatdimensionofitissoimportanttomenow.It’s
almostlikeAugustine’sConfessions—thewholebook
isanactofprayerandthewholeactofpreparinga
sermonisanactofprayer,andtokeepthatinmy
consciousnessthewholetimeisthemostimportant
thingIdo.
WESTON:Whathasbeenthehighlightofbeinga
preachingprofessor?
LONG:Somepeopledon’tlastlongatthisjob.They
doitforafewyearsanddecidethey’dratherbea
pastorthemselves.Oftentheyburnoutinhearing
studentsermons.Thereisacertainrepetitiveness.
ButIamnotinthegroupthatburnsoutonthis.I
amtouchedwhenastudentpreachesforthefirst
timeinmyclass.Nomatterthelevelofaccomplish-
ment,it’sstillabravethingtodo,andthestudent
bringsahugegifttothemoment.That’sbeenthe
bestpartaboutthis.Isometimestalkaboutitasif
Iwereaninstructorinskydiving,andthere’sthat
momentwhenthepersonisstandinginthebayof
theairplane.Theylookdownandsensethedepths
andtheireyeswiden,andthenyou,theinstructor,
say,“GO!”n
Mentorview 43Candler Connection | Summer 201542
“Increasingsecularization
meanswecan’tassume
thatpeoplewillknowthe
Christianstorieswetake
forgranted.”
“Makeuseofthose
occasionsinthepublic
squaretobebolder
andspeakthegospel.
Speakingauthentically
outofthegospelhasa
rivetingeffect.”
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15556 Emory_magazine.indd 42-43 7/16/15 10:19 AM
fessorofPastoralCareandPastoralTheologyKaren
Scheib,whohasservedasfacultyadvisortoEmory’s
KoreanGraduateStudentAssociationfor15years.
ThegiftgivenbyDr.Lee89Tisinhonorofthelate
FredCraddock,BandyProfessorofPreachingand
NewTestament,Emeritus,inthanksgivingforCrad-
dock’slegacyofteachinghomileticsatCandler.
AsthefirstawardsdesignatedforSouthKorean
students,theKwonandLeescholarshipssymbol-
izebothCandler’sroleinpreparingleadersforthe
church’sministriesthroughouttheworldandits
commitmenttointernationalengagement.Candler
ishonoredtoreceivethesegiftsasasignofthedeep
andenduringbondsoffriendship.
Encouraging Community Ministry Sincetheschool’sfounding,communityengage-
mentandsocialtransformationhavebeenwoven
intoCandler’scultureandpedagogicalcommit-
ments.Nowthesevalueshaveinspiredthecreation
ofanewscholarship,madepossiblebya$75,000
grantfromtheE.RhodesandLeonaB.Carpenter
Foundation.
Beginninginfall2015,theCarpenterScholarship
forCommunityEngagementwillbeawardedtofive
incomingMDivstudentswhohavereceivedanother
Candlerscholarship,demonstrateacademicexcel-
lence,andpossessawell-articulatedcommitment
tocommunityengagementandsocialtransforma-
tion.Recipientswillreceive$5,000annuallyforthe
durationofthethree-yearMDivprogram,aswellas
priorityinselectingtheirContextualEducationsites.
TheCarpenterScholarshipsaffirmCandler’s
commitmenttosupportindividualswhohavethe
passionandcouragetopursueChristianministryin
communitycontexts,andtoequipthemtomakea
realdifferenceintherealworld.
Fostering Future Leaders
Formorethan20years,Candler’sYouthTheological
Initiative(YTI)hasofferedyoungpeopletheoppor-
tunitytowrestlewithdeeptheologicalquestions
inasupportivecommunityofpeers,facilitatedby
Candlerstudentsandfaculty.Tohelpfurtherthis
importantwork,YTIhasreceiveda$100,000grant
fromtheUnitedMethodistGeneralBoardofHigher
EducationandMinistry’sYoungClergyInitiative,a
programdesignedtoincreasethenumberofyoung
clergyinthedenomination.
Candler Connection | Summer 2015 44
ThefundswillsupportCandler’sYTISummer
Academy,anannualeventthatbrings40high
schoolstudentsfromacrossthenationandworldto
EmoryUniversity’sAtlantacampusforathree-week,
intensivestudyofChristiantheologyandministry.
BethCorrie,directorofYTIandassociateprofessor
inthepracticeofyoutheducationandpeacebuilding,
saysthegrantwillenableintentionalpartnerships
betweenYTIandUnitedMethodistcongregations.
“OurhopeisthatyouthwhocometotheSummer
Academywillbeabletoexploretheirsenseofcall,
whilealsobecomingbetterequippedasleadersin
thedenomination.”
Responding to the Call
Candleristhebeneficiaryofagenerousgiftfromthe
Amosfamilythatwillcreatetwonewendowments
tofundstudentscholarshipsforyearstocome.Both
honorimportantfiguresinthelifeofKathelenVan
BlarcumAmos79C,amemberofEmoryUniversity’s
boardoftrustees.TheKathrinTrammelandJesse
WinfordMartinScholarshipisnamedinhonorof
hermaternalgrandparents.TheWilliamB.Turner
ScholarshiphonorsAmos’sfriend,mentor,and
formerSundayschoolteacherBillTurner,anemeri-
tusEmorytrusteewhotaughthighschoolSunday
schoolformorethansixtyyearsatSt.LukeUnited
MethodistChurchinColumbus,Georgia.
“Quitesimply,whenIthinkofmyownfaithjourney,
KathrinTrammelandJesseWinfordMartin,along
withWilliamB.Turner,havebeenthegreatestinflu-
encesonmyseekingapersonalrelationshipwith
JesusChrist,andinmodelingalifeofsurrender,
grace,andlove,”Amossays.
DeanJanLovenotesthattheMartinandTurner
scholarshipswillhelpmakeitpossibleforstudents
torespondtoGod’scalltoChristianministry.“Iam
gratefultoKathelenandDanAmosforinvestingin
Candler’smissiontoeducatefaithfulandcreative
leadersforthechurch’sministriesthroughoutthe
world.”
Paying it Forward OnMay11,Candlerconferreddegreeson138new
graduates.Wecelebratethehardworkandfaith-
fulnessthatwentintotheiryearshere,aswellas
thededicationtheyhavealreadyshowntofuture
generationsofCandlerstudents.ThroughtheSenior
ClassGiftcampaign,78percentoftheclassof2015
madeagifttoCandler,with100percentoftheMTS
classmakingagiftforthesecondyearinarow.This
isthehighestparticipationrateinrecordedhistory,
trumpingbytwopointstherecordpreviouslyheldby
theclassof2014.Thecampaignraisedjustover
$9,000,withthemajoritygoingtostudentscholar-
shipsviatheTheologySchoolFundforExcellence,
theErskineSmithMoseleyScholarship,andtheMTS
ScholarshipsFund.
Ournewestalumniarealreadymakingtheirmark
toensurethatthosewhowillwalkCandler’shallsin
theyearstocomecontinuetohaveaccesstoexcel-
lentfaculty,first-ratefacilities,profoundcontextual
education,andenrichinginternationalengagement.
MaytheirsupportofCandler’sfutureinspireusallto
actionaswebeginthissecondcenturywithrenewed
commitmenttothestudentsoftomorrow.
—Mathew A. Pinson, Assistant Dean of Development and Alumni Relations
Giving 45
Donors Dr. haesuk Lee and Bishop Youngkag Kwon
CIN
DY
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OW
N 0
9T
LIS
A S
TON
E
YTI gives young people permission and space to explore theological questions
CIN
DY
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OW
N 0
9T
GivingGivingAsCandlerSchoolofTheology
salutesitscentennialclassof2015
andmovesforwardintoanew
century,studentscholarships
remainatoppriority.During
the2014-2015academicyear,
83percentofallstudentsand
93percentofMDivstudents
receivedascholarshipfrom
Candler.Yourongoinggenerosity
enablesustoofferscholarships
toanever-growingnumberof
studentswhowillshapethefuture
ofCandler,thechurch,andthe
world.Thankyou!
Strengthening International Ties Internationalstudentsfrom13countriescurrently
makeup8percentofCandler’senrollment,and
morethanthree-quartersofthesestudentsarefrom
SouthKorea.Thisfall,Candlerreceivedtwogifts
thatwillestablishthefirstscholarshipendowments
createdspecificallyforSouthKoreanstudentsatthe
school.TheBishopYoungkagKwonScholarship
andtheDr.HaesukLeeScholarshipwillbeawarded
beginninginthe2015-2016academicyear.
Thegiftsrecognizeabidingpersonalrelationships
betweenthebenefactorsandtwokeyfiguresat
Candler.ThegiftgivenbyBishopKwon,fatherof
CandlerAlumniBoardmemberGuhyunKwon06T,
honorsthefamily’srelationshipwithAssociatePro-
15556 Emory_magazine.indd 44-45 7/16/15 10:19 AM
Class Notes 47
50s
Richard C. Looney 57T was named the 2014 Distinguished Evangelist of The United Meth-odist Church. The Foundation for Evangelism presents the award annually to an individual whose personal ministry in evangelism has been recognized throughout the denomina-tion. As a member of the Holston Annual Conference, Looney served in appointments in Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee, pulpit exchanges in England and Australia, and mis-sion work in Peru, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. In July of 1988, he was elected the first bishop of the newly created South Georgia Episcopal Area, where he served 12 years before retiring. He then served as president and episcopal director of The Foundation for Evangelism in Lake Junaluska, North Carolina, where he is now episcopal director emeritus.Charles E. Cox 56C 59T was a semifinalist in the Best First Novel category at the 50th An-nual Georgia Author of the Year Awards for his book The Ravenwood Trade.
70s
Jeffrey Jones 76T was appointed senior pastor at North Bethesda United Methodist Church in Bethesda, Maryland on July 1, 2014.George Hovaness Donigian, Sr. 77T has recently released his book, Three Prayers You’ll Want to Pray, which reintroduces familiar prayers in new and fresh ways.Gary R. Gunderson 78T recently married Dr. Teresa Cutts, an assistant research professor at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.Cecil Ernest Nivens 79T has recently released Baker’s Dozen: 13 Insights from Highly Successful Financial Advisors, a book that gives financial advice from a biblical perspective.
80s
[01] Gina Gilland Campbell 81T, canon precentor at the National Cathedral, on Janu-ary 25 became the first United Methodist to preside over Eucharist at the Cathedral, an act made possible by the recent Interim Eucha-ristic Sharing Agreement between The United Methodist Church and the Episcopal Church.
Tim Trent 81T has been appointed the new district superintendent for the Pensacola District of the Alabama-West Florida Confer-ence of the UMC. He has served a number of churches in the district, most recently as senior pastor of Andalusia First UMC. [02] Stephen M. Dodson 87T received the 2014 Malone Dodson Award from Wesley Woods Senior Living. This award is given annually to the clergy member of the North Georgia Conference who best exemplifies visionary and committed leadership with respect to older adults. Dodson is pastor of Peachtree City UMC and led the church to increase by 146% its giving to the annual Mother’s Day Offering that supports Wesley Woods. Sam Halverson 87T recently published One Body: Integrating Teenagers into the Life of Your Church, a resource for churches, church lead-ers, and youth ministry leaders. Halverson has served as a youth minister in churches for over 30 years and currently serves in the North Georgia Conference as an associate director of Connectional Ministries. This is his eighth book.John Thomas Maddox III 88T married Glen-dine Maddox on September 7, 2013. He has recently published the book Follow the Mist (Tate Publishing), about life-after-death experiences.Bonnie Joan Civitts 89T has released her new book, There’s a Little Mud Left on My Skirt, a book about healing and recovering from abuse and violence.Ezekiel Umo Ette 89T has been promoted to department chair and program director in the department of social work at Delaware State University. He also recently released a novel, Refuge in the Battlefield. Miles Herbert Flanders 89T recently pub-lished The Perfect Gift, a collection of his favorite Christmas articles.
90s
Danny Andre Horne 91T has been appointed as the new director of chaplaincy services for the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice. Lake Lambert III 91T will become the 16th president of Hanover College in Hanover,
Indiana, on July 1, 2015. Hanover College is a nationally ranked liberal arts institution that has core strengths in business, education and the sciences. Lambert currently serves as dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Mercer University in Macon.Ann Brookshire Sherer 91T was recently named as Mars Hill University’s 2014 Alumna of the Year. SooChul Ko 92T is now president of Knock-ing Central Co., an organization focused on suicide prevention.Edward Lee Boye 94T recently released Musings: A Reflection on Being, a book of thoughts, poetry, and short stories.Susan Laraine DeHoff 95T was ordained to pastoral counseling ministry as a minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) on November 30, 2014.Cory Smith 95T, district superintendent of the Baypines District of the Alabama-West Florida Conference, will become the confer-ence’s director of Connectional Ministries following the retirement of Neil McDavid. Smith has served as the Baypines district superintendent since 2011 and previously served Woodland UMC in Montgomery and Epworth UMC in Phenix City, Alabama.Sue Haupert-Johnson 95T, district superin-tendent of the North Central District of the Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church, was the featured preacher on “Day 1,” the nationally broadcast ecumenical ra-dio program, on November 23 and 30, 2014.Deborah E. Lewis 96T and Stacey Simpson Duke 96T both have essays featured in the book There’s a Woman in the Pulpit: Christian Clergywomen Share Their Hard Days, Holy Moments, and the Healing Power of Humor (Skylight Paths, 2015). Lewis is the director and campus minister for the Wesley Foundation at the University of Virginia. Duke is co-pastor of First Baptist Church in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and also serves as campus minis-ter for the University of Michigan’s American Baptist Campus Foundation.Stephen Elderbrock 97T became pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Burnsville, North Carolina, in January 2013.Scott D. Landes 97T is now an assistant pro-fessor at the University of North Florida.
John Robert Moeller, Jr. 97T was recently named to the inaugural board of directors of Georgia Balance of State Continuum of Care. The organization works to improve housing and service options that can lead families and individuals from homelessness to hous-ing stability in the 152 counties served by the Continuum.J. Dean Phelps 97T is now serving as the interim executive regional minister for the Central Rocky Mountain Region of the Chris-tian Church (Disciples of Christ).Anna Nicole Davis-Hutto 99T was appointed as the deputy director for the Southeast Re-gion of the United States Fund for UNICEF.Gordon David Van Namee 99T released Discovering Your True Worth: Awakening New Possibilities, on November 18, 2014. His book takes readers on a journey towards finding true worth, an enhanced personal identity, growth, and healing.
00s
Aimée Eyer-Delevett 01T is the priest at All Saints By-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Mon-tecito, California.Beth Sanders 02T, pastor of Second Avenue United Methodist Church in Rome, Georgia, was the featured preacher on “Day 1” on November 9, 2014. [03] William E. Flippin, Jr. 03T, pastor of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Atlanta, was the featured preacher for “Day 1” on All Saints’ Sunday, November 2, 2014. Brita Reed 03T has worked for the Veteran’s Administration for several years, and credits her Candler education with preparing her to be effective with veterans who have experi-enced moral injury during deployment.Ki Jun Lee 04T is now a professor of theology at Berkeley Christian College & Seminary.Juan Huertas 05T was the featured preacher on “Day 1” on May 3, 2015.
Katharine Meacham Nintcheu 05T is now the director of children and family ministries at Old South Church in Boston, a United Church of Christ congregation that dates from 1669.Young Won Kim 07T is now a professor of theology at Berkeley Christian College & Seminary.Seung Woo Woo Lee 07T is now an adjunct professor in Christian ethics at Fuller Theo-logical Seminary. Linda Elizabeth Otero 07T and Michael D. Otero announce the birth of a baby girl, Magdalena Sophia, born on September 15, 2014.Cindy Brown 09T was ordained on April 25, 2015, at Oakhurst Baptist Church in Decatur, Georgia.George C. Payne 09T recently founded Gandhi Earth Keepers International, an en-vironmental justice organization devoted to
active nonviolence, including opportunities for blogging, photojournalism, and social media-based activism.Theodore Thomas Turman 09T was ap-pointed as the senior pastor at First Baptist Church of Detroit on October 19, 2014.
10s
Jay Daniel Cooper 12T was recently appoint-ed to serve as pastor of Bay Minette First United Methodist Church, effective February 1, 2015.[04] Susanna Haynes 12T has served as a missionary in South Korea and the Philippines.Mathew Hotho 14T is now the director of adult discipleship at Hyde Park United Meth-odist Church, Tampa, Florida.Dora Lynn Thomas 14T recently became associate pastor of First UMC of Oviedo, Florida.
Class Notes Submit Your Class Notes!Sharewhat’snewandnotableinyourlifewiththerestoftheCandlercommunity.WereportclassnotesinConnectionandinourmonthlye-newsletters.Sendusyourclassnotesandassociatedphotographsviaouronlineform: http://candler.emory.edu/alumni/stay-connected/update-information.cfm.
In MemoriamS. Allen Balch, Jr. 46T C. Douglas Mayo 47T A. Ray Adams 48T Edward Laney Davidson 48T Charles W. Hancock 48T Allen D. Montgomery 48T Donald G. Chandler 50T Virginia E. Proctor 50TCharles O. Butler 52T Omar R. Fink, Jr. 52T Jamie G. Houston, Jr. 52T Beth J. Conerly 53T Joseph Joel Jones 53T John Millsaps, Jr. 53T Ashland D. Shaw 53T Charles Hillis 51C 54T 67M William Hubert Hurdle, Sr. 54T George V. Puster 54T Roger L. Branan, Jr. 55T
Eddie F. Roberts 55T Chester Bolton, Jr. 56T Morris C. Gaskins 56T M. Gene Kirk 56T Max E. Barlow 57T Leo Burgess 57T Rudolph McKinley 57T M. Beecher Dunsmore 58T Sam E. Yearby, Jr. 59T David A. Lawrence 63T James W. Thurman, Jr. 63T 84TR. C. Warren 63T Dewey W. Griffin 64T James A. Starnes 64T W. James Cowell 65T Calvin Wayne Maas 66T Billy A. Glover 67T Joe E. Luther, Jr. 69T Thomas Leon Precise 69T C. Robert Allred 70T 73T
Kyle V. Overton 70T Harvey H. Walters 70T Julian Walton 70T James L. Britton 71TCharles J. Davis 73T Bill H. Lassiter 73T Guss J. Shelly 73T Wallace B. Draper 74T William Richard Burke 75T George E. Shehee 77T Jay R. Rogers 79T Marcus Dawson Antley 80T Robert W. Bresler 81T Hazel C. Hetzel 87T Jerry E. Sims 87T Ernest Richard Babel 89T Raymond C. Deese 90T R. Clinton Pittman 95T Christopher Edward Carlton 99T
01 03
02
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“Listeningfor,treasuring,andproclaiming
God’smessage—thesearetheprophetictasks
ofthefaithful.”
BenedictionAccordingto1Samuel10,shortlyafterSaulis
anointedkingofIsrael,thespiritofGodovercomes
himandheiscaughtupinapropheticfrenzy.Justa
fewchapterslaterin1Samuel19,despitehissteady
declineinthefaceofDavid’ssteadyascent,Saul
againfallsintoapropheticfrenzy.Thistwice-told
eventledtothecoiningofaproverb:“IsSaul,too,
amongtheprophets?”
Theproverbappearstoregistersurpriseatanun-
usualphenomenon:Thepersoninquestion,Saul,
isnotaprophetbutisneverthelessactinglikeone.
Howcanthisbe?Isheotherthanwhatwethought
himtobe?Isheaprophet,too?
Theproverbialnatureofthequestionalsosuggests
thatitcouldbeappliedtoothers,notjustSaul.If
so,andinlightofCandler’scentennialtheme,“The
CentennialinStoryandProphecy,”perhapswe
mightaskifCandler,too,isamongtheprophets.
Itistemptingtorespondquicklywitharesounding
“yes!”LikeSaul,Candlermaynotbeaprophetinthe
moldofAmosorIsaiah,butsurelyCandlerhasacted
propheticallyatmanytimesandinvariousways
duringitsfirst100years.AndcertainlyCandlercon-
tinuestoaspiretotheprophetictasksofspeaking
God’struthtothoseinpowerandseekingGod’sjustice
andrighteousnessinaworlddeadsetagainstboth.
Butbeforeweansweraffirmatively,itpaystore-
memberthatbeingaprophetinancientIsraelwasa
dangerousoccupation.Accordingtothefirst-century
pseudepigraphicaltextThe Lives of the Prophets,most
oftheprophetssufferedcruelanduntimelydeaths
withnoonetocollectthelifeinsurance.Thedanger
involvedintheprophetictaskledmanyprophets
toobjecttotheircallings—totrytofindanescape
clauseevenbeforetheirmissionsbegan,àlaMoses.
SpeakingGod’struthtothoseinpower,orproclaim-
ingGod’sjusticeandrighteousnessinaworlddead
setagainstboth,isnolightaffair.Thoseinpower
oftenhavepoweroverlifeanddeath:Theycantake
awaylifeanddealoutdeath.Andiftheworldtruly
isdeadsetagainstGod’sjusticeandrighteousness,
thenitmayverywellmeteoutdeathbeforetaking
thoseotheroptions.
Theseharshrealitiesoftheprophets’liveswarrant
cautionwhenconsideringCandler’sprophetic
status.Foronething,thepropheticcallisnot
somethingtoruntoward,buttorunfrom!For
another,prophetstypicallydon’tlastlongenough
tocelebratecentennials!
Evenso,theproverb’ssurpriseoverSaul,whoisn’t
aprophet,suddenlyfittingthebillsuggeststhat
Candler,too,mightalsobeprophetic.No,Candler
doesn’trunawayfromitsvocation—quitetothecon-
trary,Candlerresolutelycontinuesinitsmission“to
educatefaithfulandcreativeleadersforthechurch’s
ministriesthroughouttheworld.”And,yes,Candler
hasenjoyedaverylonglife(atleastinprophet-years).
ButCandler,likeSaul,attimeshasbeenovercome
byGod’sSpiritsoastoactinpropheticways.
Thatlastdetailisfundamental.Accordingto1
Samuel,itisGod’s Spirit thatenablesSaultojoin
thepropheticranks,evenifonlyforabriefstint.It
isonlyGodandGod’spowerthatpermitthosewho
aren’tprophetspersetoactthepart.Soatthose
timesandinthoseplacesthatCandlerhasbeen
prophetic,itisnodoubtduetoGod’sempowering
Spirit.ItisGod,then,whodeservesthecreditfor
Candler’spropheticmoments.AnditisGodwho
deservesthecreditforsustainingCandlerandits
momentsofpropheticfrenzyformorethan100years.
Onefinalremark:Therewerebigprophetsinan-
cientIsrael,likeAmosandIsaiah,butalsocountless
lesser-knownones,suchasthosewhomadeupthe
“bandofprophets”alongsidewhomSaulproph-
esied.Thesepropheticguilds—“groupies”or“road-
ies”asitwere—accompaniedthesuperstarprophets
andpreservedtheirwordsforposterity.Andthey
playedacrucialrole.IttookgutstosaywhatAmos
said,butitalsotookgutsforagroupofpeopleto
hearwhathesaid,preserveitcarefully,andpassit
alongfaithfullyformillennia.Thisisonemoreway
thatCandlerhasbeenandcontinuestobecounted
amongtheprophets:bylisteningtotheprophetic
wordofGodinScriptureandtheworld,preserv-
ingitcarefully,andpassingitalongfaithfully.That
maynotbethesameasbeingAmosorIsaiah,but
itisnosmallmatter,becausewithoutthiskindof
faithfulreceptionandtransmissionthereisnoAmos
orIsaiahatall—theirwordswouldhavebeenlost
forever.Listeningfor,treasuring,andproclaiming
God’smessage—thesearetheprophetictasksofthe
faithful.ThesearethetasksCandlerfaceseveryday.
MayGodcontinuetosustainandenlivenCandler
SchoolofTheologywithGod’sSpiritforanother
century!ThenCandler,too,willcontinuetobe
countedamongGod’sservants,theprophets.
Is Candler, Too, Among the Prophets? Brent A. Strawn, Professor of Old Testament and Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program
Candler Connection | Summer 2015 48
WORSHIP: CINDY BROWN 09T; KALEIDOSCOPE: H. PELLIKKA/CREATIVE COMMONS; ALL OTHERS: ISTOCK.
15556 Emory_magazine.indd 48-3 7/16/15 10:20 AM
Candler Empowers Real International Engagement.
Emory University
Candler School of Theology
1531 Dickey Drive
Atlanta, GA 30322
Candler School of Theology’s internationalized curriculum prepares students
to meet the global challenges of the 21st century. This spring, students
traveled to South America to observe pastoral care in the Brazilian context
at the Universidade Metodista de São Paulo. One of the group’s first stops:
the Tree of Wonder in the middle of campus, where they offered up thanks
to God for bringing them together in that moment. The tree’s roots are as
deep and wide as the branches above, reflective of the deeply rooted bonds
the students formed with each other and the people of São Paulo.
CA
RLT
ON
MA
CK
EY
05T
NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE
PAIDATLANTA, GA
PERMIT No. 3604
15556 Emory_magazine.indd 4 7/16/15 10:08 AM
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