BDRAWN BY 'See BEAUTY | ENGAGING ARTSO WITH THE n2016 Dean Designer Photography Timothy George Scott Camp Caroline Summers

Editor Creative Services Kristen R. Padilla Julie Beckwith

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2 Remembering Hans Friedrich Grohs 22 Reflecting on Finkenwalde Day This Attributions In Issue Cover and page 10 art: 4 Drawn by God's Beauty 24 Long in the Making This issue of magazine focuses on Photos by Charity Ponter art and beauty — what they tell us about God, (charityponterphotography.com) 10 Thinking Creatively about Engaging 26 Global Center News the Great Artist and Source of all Beauty, and how they can be used to spread the gospel Pages 4-7 art: Art with the Gospel 27 New Faculty and Staff story. Photos by Meredith Teasley, Beeson alumna The above painting entitled, "The Long (meredithteasley.com) 19 The Sandy Brinson Room 28 Beeson Portrait: Sherri Brown Road Home," is the work of artist Naomi Page 4-5: Mountain range in Alaska Gignilliat, wife of Beeson Divinity Associate Page 7: Meredith’s daughter, Rachel 20 Finkenwalde Day 29 Alumni News Professor Mark Gignilliat. "The Long Road Page 6-7: Bear in the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center Home" illustrates the winding, complex and beautiful journey of faith toward God's light. Pages 6, 8 art: Our prayer is that this issue will encour- Page 6: “Mavora Stars” taken by Tom Hall (Flickr.com) Beeson Divinity School Beeson Divinity School is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in age, equip and enlighten you in your journey Page 8: Petal cell picture taken by Umberto Salvagnin the United States and Canada. of faith as you seek to follow our Lord and Samford University (Flickr.com) 800 Lakeshore Drive Samford University is an Equal Opportunity Institution that complies with Savior . Birmingham, AL 35229 applicable laws prohibiting discrimination in its educational and employment Pages 15-16 art: 205-726-2991 policies and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, www.beesondivinity.com age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or national or ethnic origin. Photos by Emily Kicklighter (emilykicklighter.zenfolio.com) © 2016 Beeson Divinity School, Samford University Produced by Samford Marketing and Communication 2 1 REMEMBERING (1892–1981) poor health, he was drafted in the the Almighty. Though much of his Hodges Chapel in 1995 featured an army and sent as a foot soldier to the art had been destroyed, and his own exhibition of his religious art made Russian front. life deeply scarred by the brutality possible through the generosity of his Some of Grohs’ greatest religious of what has been called “the worst daughter, Frauken Grohs Collinson, art reflects the suffering of his own century since Jesus Christ,” Grohs and the Frauken Grohs Collinson- Hans Friedrich Grohs life and that of his country during himself maintained his integrity, Grohs Collection Trust. Through by Timothy George this time of devastation. “I am alone, both as an artist and a Christian. He many troubles, Grohs was sustained my need is great!” he prayed. “My never lost the sense of mystery and by his vision of the Christian faith. Holstein. The son of a fisherman, God, mediated through the classical The life and legacy of German soul seeks you, Eternal God. Let your wonder in God’s creation, seen in his His paintings reflect the hard-won Grohs was apprenticed as a painter Protestant tradition of Lutheran artist Hans Friedrich Grohs is a eyes be always upon mine, and when many landscapes, nor the love and Reformation faith of Martin Luther at age 16 and later studied art at and piety. His faith was remarkable commentary of creativity, all men leave me, oh, leave me not, gratitude evoked by God’s gracious reflected in the first article of the the University of Königsberg and tested in 1924 when his first wife, courage and faith in an apocalyptic Eternal God!” In his own depression salvation in Jesus Christ. Both his 1934 Barmen Declaration: “Jesus what later became the Bauhaus in Ellie, died from childbirth after two world of violence, death and moral and distress, Martin Luther found life and art are finely expressed in Christ, as he is attested to us in Holy Weimar. During World War I, he years of marriage. His faith was again collapse. He was born four years great solace by looking to “the this prayer first written in Scripture, is the one Word of God was stationed near Bruges, Belgium, sorely put to the test during the after Kaiser Wilhelm II ascended the wounds of Jesus.” Just so, Grohs 1923: “Oh, give this light again to us! whom we have to hear, and whom we where he studied the Flemish 1930s and 1940s when the culture German imperial throne; he died depicts the events of Jesus’ life, And guide our souls to your eternal have to trust and obey in life and in masters. Returning to Germany, he of the Weimar Republic was eclipsed nearly a century later in the same death and resurrection as the great home! Carry them in your hands, for death.” D became a member of the influential by a ruthless totalitarian regime. decade that witnessed the fall of the turning point in the cosmic drama of without You our being ends.” Bauhaus art and design school in In 1934 he became a professor at You can learn more about Grohs and his artwork Berlin Wall and the reunification of redemption. Thirty-five years after his in these two books: Hans Friedrich Grohs: A Weimar, although he later broke the Nordische Kunsthochschule Memento Mori and A Trunk of Memories Germany. He was drafted as a soldier Following World War II, Grohs death in 1981, Hans Friedrich in both world wars and experienced with this tradition to develop his in Bremen. For several years he I: North German Short Stories by Hans returned to his art with newfound Grohs continues to inspire those Friedrich Grohs both written by Frauken Grohs own distinctive artistic voice. Grohs flourished as an artist and teacher. firsthand the Nazi reign of terror in joy and hope. He saw his painting as who know his art and study his Collinson and Rose Mary McKinney. Find them between. Few artists have lived so represents the best of the German However, in 1937, Grohs’ career directly from The Hanselma Gallery of Art a form of meditation, a prayer to God life. The dedication festivities for ([email protected]). Facebook: fully, or recorded so faithfully, such a Expressionist school and belongs was shattered and his artworks Hans.Friedrich.Grohs.1892.1981. vast sweep of human history. to the tradition of German art and were declared “degenerate” by Josef Left: “From the Life of Christ: The Annunciation,” 1922. Grohs depicts the scene in which an angel tells Mary that she will be Grohs was born in 1892 in the spirituality that reaches back to Goebbels and the Nazi censors. As a impregnated by the Holy Spirit with God’s Son. small village of Pahlen, near the Eider Albrecht Dürer. member of the German Confessing Center: “From the Life of Christ: The Good Samaritan,” 1955. In this depiction of the Good Samaritan, Grohs depicts himself River, in the north German province Pulsating through all Grohs’ , Grohs came under grave as the Good Samaritan lifting his long dead father back into his life. Right: “The Translation,” 1923. German Reformer Martin Luther (center) is surrounded by translators as they pour over of Dithmarschen in Schleswig works is his passionate faith in suspicion. In 1943, at age 50 and in Scripture in the original Hebrew and Greek texts.

2 3 Drawn by The Surprising Jonathan Edwards God’s beauty: by Gerald R. McDermott

Most Americans know Jonathan Edwards (1703–1758), This is the beauty, he insisted, that makes the person of Jesus so ravishingly beautiful, that has drawn the hearts if they know him at all, as the preacher of “Sinners in of billions to Himself for thousands of years. The devil and the damned, he added, see the holiness the Hands of an Angry God.” Many conclude that he is of God, but they do not see the beauty of that holiness. We might wonder how this could be so. Let me try not only intimidating but also repulsive because of the to illustrate. When I was in high school in New York City a teacher took me to an art museum. While my wrathful God he depicts in painful detail. teacher gazed with love and delight at one painting after another, I looked at my watch. I saw the same paintings This perception of Edwards is not new. Harriet which contains 73 volumes, most between 400 and my teacher saw, but I did not see their beauty. I could not Beecher Stowe complained that Edwards’ on 800 pages. Another token of Edward’s importance is see because my heart and mind did not have the capacity sin and suffering were “refined poetry of torture.” the three-volume Encyclopedia of the American Religious to see and enjoy the beauty of this art. I had eyes to see After staying up one night reading Edwards’ treatise Experience, which contains more references to Edwards Edwards on beauty but could not see. on the will, Mark Twain reported that “Edwards’ God than to any other single figure. Edwards taught that the essence of true religious Helen Keller was struck deaf and blind at the age of shines red and hideous in the glow from the fires of These are some of the reasons that Edwards is widely experience is to be overwhelmed by a glimpse of the two, yet she could see and hear beauty all around her. hell, their only right and proper adornment. By God, I recognized as America’s greatest theologian. More beauty of God, to be drawn to the glory of his perfections She said, “I, who cannot see, find hundreds of things was ashamed to be in such company.” than 25 years ago Lutheran theologian Robert Jenson and to sense his irresistible love. He argued that the to interest me through mere touch. I feel the delicate Few Americans have known that Edwards was actually published a monograph with Oxford University Press Scriptures often describe the knowing of the regenerate symmetry of a leaf. I pass my hands lovingly about the obsessed not by God’s wrath but by God’s beauty. entitled America’s Theologian. The nearest competitor as a kind of seeing. smooth skin of a silver birch or the rough shaggy bark In fact, historian of theological aesthetics Patrick to Edwards for that moniker, H. Richard Niebuhr, He quoted the statement in 1 John, “No one who of a pine. I feel the delightful, velvety texture of a flower Sherry has shown that Edwards made beauty more confessed he was greatly indebted to Edwards and saw abides in him sins; no one who sins has seen him or and discover its remarkable convolutions and something central to theology than anyone else in the history of himself as extending the Edwardsean vision. knows him,” and “the one who does evil has not seen of the miracle of nature is revealed to me. Occasionally, Christian thought, including Augustine and (20th- God” (1 John 3:6; 3 John 11). He reminded his readers if I am very fortunate, I can place my hand gently on a century Swiss ) Hans Urs von Balthasar. that Jesus said, “I have come into this world so that small tree and feel the happy quiver of a bird in full song. Most Americans would also be surprised to learn those who do not see may see” (John 9:39). “At times, my heart cries out, longing to see these that Edwards was America’s greatest philosopher before But what is it that the saints see? The answer, according things. But if I can get so much pleasure in mere touch, the twentieth century. One measure of his stature is to Edwards, is the glory or beauty of divine things, which how much more beauty must be revealed by sight? Yale University Press’s critical edition of his works, the calls “the beauty of holiness” (Ps 29:2; 96:9). “Yet those who have eyes apparently see little. The

4 5 When I first saw Edwards' depiction of God's beauty, it changed my view of God.

panorama of color and action Notre Dame historian George creation is but the reflection of that sounds dissonant when then to the Trinity’s design for which fill the world are taken for Marsden says that what draws so the diffused beams of the Being Beauty as played alone but fits well within a the creation. This design required granted. It is a great pity that in many to Edwards is the beauty who hath an infinite fullness of consent to progression of chords. infinite suffering by a human being the world of light the gift of sight of Edwards’ religious vision: for brightness and glory.” The most beautiful pattern of to redeem lost humans. is used only as a mere convenience, Edwards “all created reality is For Edwards, then, all earthly Being-in-general all and therefore the pattern of Yet only a God could suffer rather than as a means of adding like a quintessential explosion beauty flows from God, and more Let’s look a bit more closely at all consent and harmony is God’s infinitely, as Anselm once argued fullness.” of light from the sun of God’s specifically, from the beauty of the what beauty meant for Edwards: love among the three Persons. By and Edwards echoed. And the Edwards would say that seeing intertrinitarian love.” Trinity, in which three different consent to Being-in-general (his this Edwards meant each Person’s suffering had to be by a human the beauty of Jesus Christ and the I would add that for Edwards Persons give themselves in love to term for all of reality, which both loving consent to the glory and being because it was punishment glory of redemption is analogous the world is full of beauty because one another, creating a glorious lies in God and is separate from that will of the other two Persons, and for human sins. This is why the to the capacity to see that Helen beauty and light constitute the harmony among differences. same God). Think of this consent Mediator had to be a God-man, Keller possessed. People without essence of its Creator. Listen to Whether or not Helen Keller as each part of the creation saying and why this second Person of the the Spirit don’t see the glory of Edwards’ lyrical words: knew the beauty of the Trinity, “Yes” to the whole of reality. Even Trinity consented to the design. God and Christ because they are God is the foundation and she saw its “type” in nature. This the inanimate creation does this. The consent, noted Edwards, not able to. Their eyes have not fountain of all being and is what every human being sees A falling rock “obeys” the law of involved astounding paradoxes. It been opened to divine beauty, so all beauty, from whom all when she sees the power of the gravity, saying “Yes.” combined divine infinity with care they cannot see it or enjoy it. Just is perfectly derived, and on ocean crashing on the beach during A deer running with elegance for finite humanity. It was a joining as many cannot see the beauty that whom all is most absolutely a storm, or the stunning stars across a field is saying “Yes” to its of infinite greatness with infinite is all around them. and perfectly dependent; of and nebulae of distant galaxies Creator, doing what the Creator care. Infinite justice somehow Edwards described our side of whom and through whom and on a clear night, or the marvelous created it to do. became infinite mercy. Infinite this experience as like being given to whom is all being and all intricacies of a cell under a Edwards uses another image majesty displayed itself as stunning a sixth sense: a sense of the beauty, perfection; and whose being microscope. to depict beauty. He said that it meekness. Think of it, Edwards glory and love of God. and beauty is as it were the There was once a young man manifests the “proportion” that is suggested: The infinite God of the This is what has made Edwards sum and comprehension of desperately seeking God. He a “harmony” among things that are cosmos, the King of kings and so attractive in the last sixty all existence and excellence: sought out an old man who lived different. This harmony is a pattern Lord of lords, permitted Himself years of what has been called an much more than the sun is in a nearby beach house and posed that is usually pleasing to those who to be born in a barn and to be spat “Edwards renaissance.” It is part of the fountain and summary the question, “Old man, how can I perceive it. By harmony he suggests on, mocked and nailed to a cross the reason why historian Joseph comprehension of all the light see God?” The old man who knew not only the symmetrical harmony between two thieves. Conforti calls Edwards the “white and brightness of the day (The God at a depth few ever experience, we see in a French garden at whale” of American religious Nature of True Virtue). paused for a long time. Finally, he Versailles but also the asymmetrical history—the dazzling mystery that Edwards goes further to link the told the young man quietly, “Young harmony we enjoy in a Japanese has attracted even atheists such as beauty of this world to the beauty man, I don’t think I can help you. garden—or even the disproportion Harvard historian Perry Miller and of the Creator: “All the beauty to For you see, I have a very different that is part of a higher proportion Berkeley historian Henry May. be found throughout the whole problem. I cannot not see him.” or harmony, like a jazz chord

6 7 appropriating a vision of the beauty Implications of the divine Trinitarian community. This vision of God’s beauty has In a community reflecting the implications for every dimension divine community, each person of the Christian life. It means that gives herself wholly for the good of conversion, for example, is not the others, and therefore reflects, simply doing our duty of submitting knowingly or unknowingly, the to the Creator but seeing the beauty purposes of Being-in-general. of his infinite love in Jesus Christ. Thank you for your continued support of So the pursuit of justice in our It means that grace is not just fallen and broken world is, among Beeson Divinity School. We are indebted to your supernatural help to do the right other things, allowing the beams thing but seeing more and more of of the beautiful divine light to be faithfulness and generosity, which allows us to train ministers that beauty of truth and goodness in displayed in human communities. God. And it is not a one-time seeing, As we seek justice for others and our of the gospel of Jesus Christ. but a growing vision of the beauty own communities, we open space for of the depths of God—like going MAGNOLIA PETAL CELLS reflections of the Trinitarian beauty deeper and deeper into a cell with an to be seen and enjoyed. increasingly powerful microscope, I will close with two statements. seeing more and more of its Not fear but The first is by Edwards. It illustrates astoundingly ordered complexities. why his vision of beauty was so attraction Seeing God’s beauty also means central to his theology. In answer to When I first saw Edwards’ depiction of God’s that community takes on new the question of what it is about God beauty, it changed my view of God. perspective. If the source of all that most makes God God, he wrote, I realized afresh that He does not drive us beauty is the Trinity, then God’s God is God, and distinguished by duty, but draws us by beauty, not by fear beauty is relationship. In fact, God from all other beings, and exalted but by irresistible attraction. is relationship. To experience God above [th]em, chiefly by his divine It is like the way the most beautiful music is to participate in the inner life beauty, which is infinitely diverse and works of art draw us closer and closer. of the Trinity. And if God displays from all other beauty. . . .This Once we hear and see their beauty, we His beauty most vividly in His own is the beauty of the Godhead, want more and more. When it is great art community of Persons, then we and the divinity of the Divinity or music, and we have eyes and ears to see can experience and display God’s (if I may so speak), the good of and hear, we feel overtaken and absorbed beauty only in the community of the the infinite Fountain of Good; by the beauty—so much so that sometimes Church, which itself is participation without which God himself (if we forget ourselves and are drawn to that in the Trinitarian community that were possible to be) would beauty outside of ourselves. because it is the . be an infinite evil. That is how Edwards described true This gives special meaning to the The second statement is by the religious experience. It is what compels us to arts. All cultural gifts—music and Princeton theologian Sang Lee, abandon love for self as the central principle literature and drama and the fine in which he tried to put into one of our lives and turn to the beauty of God. arts—can be seen as reflections of sentence Edwards’ understanding We feel compelled, and yet we are not the beams of the divine beauty. So, of what it means to live in God. coerced. We are drawn ineluctably. for example, we can say that despite “To know and love God, therefore, his moral failures and theological is to know and love the beauty of myopia, Mozart gave us something God, and to know the ultimate of a taste of the music of heaven. nature of the world is to know and Beautiful music conveys something of love the world as an image of God’s God’s beauty, even if the composers beauty.”D do not know the full beauty of the Triune God. Gerald R. McDermott, Edwards’ vision also sheds light Anglican Chair of Divinity at Beeson, is the author or on the way we think of justice. We editor of six books on can think of it as not simply fidelity Jonathan Edwards. His latest is The Other Jonathan to a set of abstract principles, but as Edwards (University of Massachusetts Press). To learn more about giving opportunities, visit beessondivinity.com/giving. 8 9 Inter Thinking by Kristen R. Padilla If we are to understand beauty and art as purposefully integrating art with the gospel. They offer something that points beyond itself to its source—the useful examples of holistic, Christian approaches to Trinitarian God—then how do we approach the arts in incorporating art with evangelism and discipleship. a holistic, gospel-centered way? These people represent a Birmingham church, a non- How do we take Jonathan Edwards’ theology of profit, a pastoral and leadership training institute, and ab o ut beauty, as interpreted by Gerald R. McDermott (see a graphic design ministry. pages 4-8), and put that theology into practice in our My hope is that their stories provide a framework Creatively churches, lives and vocations? for ways to think creatively about engaging art with the In an attempt to begin answering these questions, gospel. Art I interviewed five people who are intentionally and Interviews have been edited for length. E ngaging Leslie Ann Jones Leslie Ann Jones is owner and founder with of leslieannjones.com, a website that sells paper goods and gifts designed to encourage and inspire people toward a Gospel deeper relationship with God and a hunger the for his word. A Beeson alumna, she is married to Dennis and mother of their two daughters. She and her family live in Brandon, Mississippi.

K How did the idea come about of integrating your theological degree and ministry calling with graphic design?

LA It’s been a long and winding road that has led me to the place I’m at now, but looking back, I can see that this I started up a little stationery business to keep me busy is where I was headed all along. When I graduated from while my girls were little. I always intended to return Beeson, I didn’t know exactly what I would be doing, to writing, but as my business grew and grew, so did but I knew that it would involve writing and teaching. I my love for what I was doing, and I found myself in a wrote curriculum for various Christian publishers, but quandary. I loved designing pretty paper goods, and I after the birth of our children, I was simply unable to didn’t want to walk away from it, but I knew that the devote the many hours of study necessary for that kind Lord had created me to do more. I began to feel as if I had of work. I put writing on hold and returned to my other a split personality. I was both a designer and a writer, love—graphic design. and I started looking for ways to bring the two together.

10 11 I had a meeting with a printer the other day, and special to consumers who are accustomed to buying he tried to convince me that it would be alright to use quality products. a lower-quality paper for the Dwell Journal than I had At the end of the day, I want to create products that are originally picked out. Another printer I consulted with functional and beautiful. I’m not willing to sacrifice one for suggested that we skip the gold foil imprint on the cover the other because I know that when we create beautiful to cut costs. And maybe they were right. I mean, yes, the things, we’re reflecting the ways of the Creator himself. He journal would still function as intended if it was printed held nothing back in creation. Why should we? on lower weight paper and didn’t have the shine of foil Learn more about Leslie Ann Jones and her products by visiting on the cover. But would I be happy? No. Because the leslieannjones.com. Use discount code BDSALUM to receive 20% off quality of the finished product is important to me. The on any of Leslie Ann's products. Discount expires April 15, 2016. things they wanted to cut out are what sets the Dwell If a church wants to order journals for a Bible study group, contact Journal apart from all the other Christian journals on Leslie Ann for a special discount. Follow Leslie Ann on Twitter: the market. They are the very things that make it feel @leslieannjones; Instagram: @leslieannjones; and Facebook: snippetsbyleslieann. Matt Schneider and Brandon Bennett The Rev. Canon Matt Schneider is the gospel rather than a direct and canon for parish life and evangelism at impatient approach that often alienates. I’m not doing this the Cathedral Church of the in just to have fun and talk about Birmingham. Brandon Bennett, a Beeson Last spring, I felt the Lord calling me to close my custom LA We’re living in an age when many are pop culture. But if there’s one stationery shop and develop a line of paper goods functionally biblically illiterate. How are we to know Divinity School alumnus, is the young adult truth in the world all those specifically designed to draw people closer to him and what Scripture says about a given topic if we never read and college minister at the Advent. things out there get at that truth somehow. Rather than deeper into his word. I started working on a series of it? The answer to this is more Bible. I believe that most In this role Brandon also assists Matt with mini art prints highlighting various verses from , Christians want to study Scripture, but many don't talking about and I began dreaming up designs of guided journals that know where to start. Instead of reading Scripture and arts and culture ministries and the 5 p.m. directly, we try to get at it lead people through personal Bible study. striving to understand it for ourselves, we rely on what Sunday service. Advent is one of the Beeson indirectly because people we heard that famous speaker say that one time we went league of churches. sometimes need warming K What is your purpose and mission in bringing to a conference. The Dwell Journal is my rebuttal to that up. together faith and art? mindset. It’s the heart and soul of my new collection. The K How do you approach evangelism? journal is a 30-day notebook with sections devoted to B It’s not a bait and switch technique. Christianity addresses all of life. It’s not so much that I’m using the arts LA I finally feel as if I’m doing exactly what God created guide the user through a quiet time. Sometimes people M It’s not to be confused with outreach. For me it is me to do. People come to my website to buy my products, just need a little direction, and the Dwell Journal does about finding access points to meet new people, develop as a means to an end to get to the gospel, but I think the but they stick around and read the blog, which is filled just that. It helps, I think, that the journal is also pretty. trustworthy relationships and eventually discuss the gospel addresses all of life in such a way that it addresses with Bible study tools and reflections on the Christian gospel. Access points take different shapes, but mostly, I the arts too. life. I used to think that I had to work at a church or write K How important is it for you to create pretty things? try to meet people where they are. Where can we go rather books to have an influential ministry. Now I know that the Why should Christians strive to create quality, beautiful than expecting people to always come to us? M If it’s a bait and switch, most people will smell it Lord uses all sorts of avenues to reach people’s hearts. In art? out. Some Christian leaders actually aren’t interested in this case, it’s beautifully designed paper goods and gifts. K How is art and culture an access point? Is this artistic and cultural subject matters, so it starts to come My hope and prayer is that the things I create help LA When it comes down to it, people like pretty something new Advent is doing? through as disingenuous. I’m actually interested in art. people put the word of God in a place of importance in things. They’re drawn to them. I’m tapping into that I’m interested in artists. I consider myself an artist. I’m a writer. their hearts and homes. I long to see Scripture take root in desire and using it to draw people into God’s story. M What’s new is perhaps a concentrated effort in the people’s hearts and flourish. And that can happen through Maybe someone ends up at leslieannjones.com because arts—not just visual arts, not just fine arts, but cinema, an art print. I believe that the things we see day in and day they’re looking for a gift for a friend. But then maybe literature and culinary arts. How is that an access K What constitutes art? out have a way of seeping into our souls. What we put in they click on the link to the blog and see that we’re point? The term I like to use is “conversation pieces.” front of our eyes matters, and my work puts God's word reading through a book of the Bible together and Conversation is big for me. People are watching movies. M Art is not only creative and aesthetic expression front and center. There's no greater work than that. discussing it in the comments. In this case, pretty People are eating good food. These become the topics of through different media, but it also confronts our things are a gateway to a deeper, closer relationship discussion for getting at the need for the gospel. It’s a common understandings of reality. Good art expands K What is the Dwell Journal and why did you create it? with God and a better understanding of his word. sort of roundabout, oblique way to eventually get at the the imaginations of those who have eyes to see and ears

12 13 to hear by uncovering hidden truths. But it’s not the they are fascinated that a church would take such time NANCY CARROLL same thing as propaganda or a jingle, which typically and care to create something like our magazine. I think it’s have obvious agendas. Unfortunately, what I see, unique in the Christian community. widely speaking in American Christianity, especially in evangelicalism but in other places too, is art that’s safe M It has the shape and feel of an arts and literary and derivative of something that came before it. You see journal, which tends to be on matte instead of gloss this in music. You see this with the kind of kitschy stuff paper and on thick instead of thin paper. These are all in Christian bookstores. You see this on T-shirts that things we thought about, just as an artist thinks about people produce. Good examples of Christian kitsch are her canvas. For that reason, it is perfect bound instead those statutes of Jesus as a skiing coach or a baseball of saddle-stitched. Perfect binding has a greater sense of coach. It’s bad art, and it’s a disservice to the gospel. permanence because you want it to go on your bookshelf. Jesus is not my swim coach; he’s my lifeguard. I think It can go on your bookshelf, and you can read on the spine the reason Christians are consuming that kind of art is what it is. It is thick, 100 pages. It’s colorful. You have the it’s safe. But Christianity is not a safe religion. People are beauty in color like something in National Geographic on being beheaded in the Middle East for their trust in Jesus the canvas of something that’s like the Paris Review. Christ, so let’s stop pretending it’s a romantic, sentimental spirituality. K What is the Arts + Culture series? How is this an access point?

M We are trying to get at the arts and at culture as thoughtful Christians. We bring in someone who has something creative and interesting to talk about. We try Nancy Carroll to avoid a lecture format. Usually it’s me and/or another Beeson alumna Nancy Carroll is co-director person who has a conversation with a guest on stage. I find this format puts the guest at ease. It also puts the and co-founder of InSpero, a nonprofit arts audience at ease, lowering their barriers and defenses. and education organization in Birmingham. We open it up to audience Q&A at the end for broader conversation. After the event, we create an environment K Tell me about InSpero. How did it come to be? What is it? where they’ll want to stick around by having good food, music and ambiance, so that people will begin to have N My friend, painter Gina Hurry, longed to cultivate conversations with the artist who was on stage or with artists in the Birmingham area who are taking risks and each other about the artwork. Through conversation shaping culture—those people the Church often doesn’t from inspire (God breathed). That’s our foundation: hope K This was the first year for Advent to publish a hopefully people come to new places about our deepest know what to do with. She kept asking herself, “How can and inspiration. We believe that the creative community magazine. How is the magazine both art and an access concerns in life. beauty help restore our city?” has power to bring hope and beauty to our city. We long point or conversation piece? So far, our guests have included musicians, visual Gina and I both attend Oak Mountain Presbyterian for the Church to embrace the arts in a meaningful, artists, authors and community leaders. Coming soon, Church, and we began dreaming and praying together. I’m powerful way. We’re starting conversations between the M The Advent magazine not only displays art, but is a we will be hosting a two-day event with art historian a writer, teacher and provider of soul care. I love thinking Church and the creative community so that the Church piece of artwork on its own. We figured if it were beautiful, Dan Siedell, who does a lot of work with modern and creatively about how we as the Church can connect with has the courage to invite artists and artisans to be part of people would actually spend time with it. They would want contemporary art’s relationship to theology. this lovely, eclectic (and often unreached) group of people. better expressing the full beauty of Christ in the Church. to read it; they would want to look at it; and they would Admittedly, to be just a little hip, we gave the program We began with a few events at our church. We invited want to keep it. And if they keep it, not only will they read a plus sign instead of an “&” so it’s the Arts + Culture artists, songwriters, poets, writers and dancers to create K Tell me more about the dreams and desires you have it, but they’ll also pass it on to others. series. For me, though, I think about that as the cross after participating in a Lectio Divina. The results were for InSpero. The concept comes from Creative Writing 101. The being at the center, which is helpful to look and see that powerful and beautiful. first thing they teach you is to “show not tell.” Great we are not just doing this to talk about art and culture, In 2013, we decided to involve many denominations N Our dreams are bigger than the two of us. A question literature or nonfiction does a lot of showing. It creates but that the gospel is at the center. The program is a and have more freedom to engage creatively with those haunts us: “What would Birmingham look like if creative pictures with words. That’s why the first issue was a gift for artists and the community that flows out of an who often steer clear of churches. In 2015, InSpero souls in this city stepped out in courage, knowing their storytelling issue. How do we tell the story of what Advent understanding of God’s creativity and gratuitous love. became its own nonprofit 501(c)(3) arts and education heart and their gift mattered, and had life-giving, hope- is about? Very few people want to read a wordy brochure organization. stirring impact?” That kind of impact could transform about the church. That’s what the website is for; we To learn more about Advent’s Arts + Culture series, visit InSpero comes from spero, for “hope,” and “in” Birmingham from the “City Broken” to the “City wanted the magazine to be a piece of evangelism. adventbirmingham.org/arts-culture-series. Follow the Cathedral Church of the Advent on Twitter: @CathedralAdvent; Bottom right and page 16: Pastors gather for an InSpero sponsored prayer breakfast on Feb. 19, 2015. Instagram: @CathedralAdvent; and Facebook: cathedraladvent. B Bottom left: Artist Marty Balencie gazes at a fellow artist’s artwork at InSpero’s Steel City Makers, 5 Man Gallery Show on It’s interesting to me that I see people not interested Oct. 23, 2015. in church who might be interested in the magazine. I think

14 15 can transfigure the world from glory to glory. Bible and Peter Leithart liturgy are at the heart of our work because we believe that the Bible and the liturgy are the catalysts of culture Peter Leithart is the president of Theopolis and the arts. Much of the great art of Christendom Institute, a pastoral and leadership training took its shape in the liturgy. Western music grew out institute in Birmingham. of liturgical music. European architecture reached its pinnacle in church architecture. Take a look at the stained K What is the Theopolis Institute? What is its mission glass windows of a cathedral, and you’ll see the Bible and purpose? translated into colored glass, typology in living color. Cultural renewal flows out of the renewal of the study P Our name comes from the Greek words for “God” and teaching of Scripture and liturgical practice. As we (theo) and “city” (polis). We're devoted to training leaders like to say, the world is renewed by the waters that flow for the church, God’s new Jerusalem, who will serve and from the sanctuary, the place of worship. witness so that the world’s cities are transformed into an image of God’s own city. We focus on teaching Bible K On your website it says, “We equip our students and liturgical studies, and both of these have a cultural for imaginative ministry and foster the development of dimension. their particular talents.” Why is imaginative ministry important for the church? K What is your/Theopolis’ vision and theology of Beautiful.” Our churches can be part of this transformation florists and filmmakers, dancers and dramatists. One of beauty and art? P Imagination gets a bad rap in some Christian circles. and revival and become the Church Beautiful. the foundational arts is hospitality. Hospitality sets the Imagination can be perverted, of course, but imagination Several Scriptures compelled Gina and me in shaping table for beauty and allows people to come in, drop their P We believe that God is beautiful and, as Creator, is one of the glories of being made in the image of God. InSpero, especially as we grappled with the reality of the defenses and have good conversations. There’s an art to is the source of all created beauty. Human beings are We have imaginations because we are created as images. brokenness of our world and longing for the restoration providing the environment for this. One of the groups made in His image as makers. We are created to be And imagination doesn't just kick in when we start of all things. One is Jeremiah 29:7: “Seek the welfare of artists we pursue and convince that they’re artists are artisans and poets, transforming the beautiful things talking about the fine arts. Our imaginations are always (shalom) of the city for in its welfare (shalom) you will find those who provide hospitality. of creation to make them more beautiful. Adam sinned, at work, even in the most mundane activities of life—a your welfare (shalom).” Shalom is that beautiful Hebrew and set the human cultural project askew, but in Christ mother looking for new ways to entertain her child, word for wholeness, peace, well-being, a sense that all will K How have artists in Birmingham responded to we’re restored. By the Spirit, we are made new so we a businessman looking to break into a new market, a be made right. It’s the battle cry against brokenness. We InSpero’s work? pastor praying about how to minister in an inner-city believe that when the creative community flourishes our N community. city will flourish. Artists and artisans often feel isolated and Our imaginations are renewed by Scripture. As my We disciple a group of about 20 female creatives marginalized and need to know their work matters. We colleague, James Jordan, says, Scripture gives us “new from about ten different churches. We provide counsel, affirm that not only their work matters, but also that they eyes” so we see the world differently. That's where it community, an annual retreat and opportunities for matter. We’ve seen them flourish as we provide venues and starts—the Bible and, once again, the liturgy, which collaborative events, such as the Magic City Storytellers. opportunities for them to be with other artists. enables us to imagine fresh ways of living as the body of We also do events highlighting the liturgical calendar. Christ. When we talk about “imaginative” ministry, we're Creation Waits is our Advent offering. Jenny Pruitt sings K What would be lost if InSpero didn’t exist? not talking about making things up as we go along. We’re original Advent songs while Gina Hurry paints live. It’s N I believe two things would be lost: a passion for talking about opening ourselves to the transforming held at a different church each year. We host a Lenten identifying and giving opportunities to creatives to share power of the Spirit who speaks through the word. retreat for those who want to quiet themselves and prepare their gifts for the greater good of Birmingham, and to create through . We do an Easter People blog, a significant conversations and connections between the K forty-day Lenten devotion featuring 40 different artists In October 2015, Theopolis hosted its first creative community, the city and churches. through Instagram and Facebook. Birmingham Life and Culture Series. What is this? InSpero is in Birmingham because we believe beauty We provide pastor/artist dinners where, in a more and creativity are powerful agents to enrich lives and P intimate setting, we connect eight pastors and eight October’s lecture was our first, but we hope to transform our city and revive our churches. The creative artists so they can learn to communicate with one another. make it an annual event. At one level, the series is community has a unique ability to bring healing, hope and Creatives often think in story and process slowly, whereas an expression of local catholicity. The lecture was co- restoration to a broken world. One of the mottos we live by those trained as pastors or theologians think more sponsored by Beeson, Covenant Presbyterian Church, is that beauty matters and so do those who create it. systematically. Cathedral Church of the Advent, Trinity Presbyterian Church and Theopolis. We’re excited that churches from K What kind of art/artists are represented? For more information, visit www.inspero.org. Follow InSpero on various denominations are working together on this. Twitter: @InSpero_Bham; Instagram: @inspero.birmingham; and It’s also an effort to help Christians engage with Facebook: insperoBirmingham. PETER LEITHART N We have poets and potters, singers and sculptors, cultural and aesthetic issues. Each year, we hope to bring

16 17 news 'Completely Overwhelming' New Reading Room Named for Longtime Receptionist

Beeson Divinity School and very humbling,” Brinson said. honored former longtime “Can you imagine having your name receptionist Sandy Brinson on a room in a seminary?” on Sept. 29, 2015, by naming its She said that she could not have new reading room, located in the had a better place to work, especially newly renovated student commons, as she experienced the death of after her. “Sandy Brinson is one her son, parents and grandparents of the most beloved members of during her time at Beeson. our Beeson community, and I am “I really didn’t think I had a place delighted for us to name this special for ministry,” Brinson added. “But I space in our renovated commons, know the Lord put me here, and it is JOHN HODGES The Sandy Brinson Room,” said wonderful to love and to be loved.” Dean Timothy George. “Sandy has The announcement of The Sandy an artist, musician, poet, critic or scholar to Birmingham K How do you understand the arts from a Christian had an indelible influence on several Brinson Room came at the end of to explain how Christian faith impacts the arts. We'll perspective? generations of Beeson students, a special service of blessing of the have some working artists who can talk from the inside, faculty and staff. We call her our newly renovated student commons but also some theorists who can talk more generally ‘sunshine’ because she has always led by George and Samford President P I’d start with trying to demystify the arts. Many about faith and art. think of art as something for elites. In the Middle been so encouraging and joyful, Andrew Westmoreland. Ages, every human activity was seen to be an “art.” The even in the midst of adversity. The student commons renovation K How did John Hodges make the connection restriction of “art” to a handful of “fine arts” is recent. I Sandy will always be in our hearts, began in mid-May and was Kasey Brinson (left) surprised her mom, between theology and art/music in his talk at the think the medieval view is right: every human activity and seeing her name here will completed in August. It was made Sandy Brinson (right), for the naming of Birmingham Life and Culture Series in October? remind us of the enduring value of possible by the generous gifts of The Sandy Brinson Room on Sept. 29, can be done well, every human activity has a craft to it. 2015. We’re made in the image of a Creator God, and creativity true Christian service.” faculty, alumni and friends. grateful for the vision and for the P John Hodges is a conductor currently working in and craftsmanship is inherent in who we are. So, my first Brinson, who worked at Beeson “I do want to join my colleague gifts, for all of those who made this Memphis. In his lecture he brilliantly developed this task would be to encourage husbands and wives, children for 22 years before her retirement [Dean George] in thanking those possible.” D point: form matters. Whether we’re talking about how and college students, businessmen and professionals and in February, was shocked by the who made this possible for us,” I walk into a room, or how a speech of Shakespeare is factory workers to think about how their work is a form announcement. Westmoreland said during the written, or how a piece of music develops, the form of making and a kind of craftsmanship. Look for the “It was completely overwhelming service. “We are extraordinarily communicates. Form isn’t just a container for content; everyday opportunities for artistry. form is itself full of content. Hodges illustrated with We can apply the same sort of thinking to the THE SANDY BRINSON ROOM a section of the Brahms’ German . The text is Christian life in general. “You are his workmanship,” Paul from : “All flesh is grass, and its glory as the flower writes, and uses the word poiema. You are his “making” of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades.” Brahms even his “poem.” God is molding and shaping the life takes us through that rather depressing text several of every Christian into a beautifully crafted thing, a times before adding the joyous punchline, “But the Word narrative full of tragic and comic possibilities. We’re all of the Lord stands forever.” In the last go-round, the made from the dust, but God is making us into beautiful music becomes joyous, almost rollicking. Hodges’ point vessels, polishing us into jewels and gemstones. D was that without the first few unfinished rounds through the text, we’d lose the overwhelming impact of the final To learn more about Theopolis, visit theopolisinstitute.com. Follow round. The music is joyous because we’ve been reminded Theopolis on Twitter: @_Theopolis and Facebook: theopolisinstitute. again and again of our mortality. Again, the shape of the music is the message.

Photo above: Conductor John Hodges lectures at the Birmingham Life and Culture Series hosted by Theopolis on Oct. 21, 2015, at Covenant Presbyterian Church.

18 19 Finkenwalde Day came a month The day was designed around Benediction (Num. 6:22–26) sung in into Beeson’s fall semester theme, themes, such as silence, meditation Hebrew by Rob Willis, divinity media “Finkenwalde: In the School of and recreation, which Bonhoeffer and technology manager. A catered Bonhoeffer,” a focus on German thought were essential for the building community lunch followed the chapel theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s vision of Christian community, and ones that service with faculty members serving of theological education. Finkenwalde he outlined in his book, Life Together, students and staff. was a town in Nazi Germany that is most which he wrote during his time as a The majority of the afternoon was associated with Bonhoeffer’s seminary. seminary director. spent doing recreational activities. It was home to the seminary longer than The day began with morning prayer The Beeson community came together any other location (1935–37). and worship based on Psalm 119:1–24, by playing board games and outdoor “From the beginning of Beeson followed by two lectures from divinity games, walking, singing, making music Divinity School Bonhoeffer and his faculty, Piotr Malysz (“Being the Church or watching a film. experiment in theological education, in God’s World”) and Frank Thielman The day concluded with a worship centered at Finkenwalde, has been (“Justification and Ministry”). The service led by Professor of Divinity DAY an important paradigm for us,” said traditional time of student mentoring Robert Smith Jr. and the congregational Timothy George, founding dean. groups provided an opportunity for singing of the well-known spiritual, FINKENWALDE “So we [gave] a whole semester to more personal reflection and prayer. “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.” D looking at aspects of Bonhoeffer and The 11 a.m. weekly chapel service To watch a video explaining the Finkenwalde More than 140 Beeson Divinity School faculty, staff and his vision of theological education. included a message on Hebrews emphasis, day and seal on page 20, visit … To my knowledge this was the first 4:1–4 by Professor of Divinity Doug beesondivinity.com/media. For more pictures from this day, visit our photo album on our Facebook page: students gathered in Andrew Gerow Hodges Chapel on time any theological school tried to Webster (“Vision Over Visibility”), BeesonDivinity. live out a whole day modeled after the Holy Communion, the singing of Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2015, for the first Finkenwalde Day. Finkenwalde seminary that Bonhoeffer African-American spirituals (a favorite was leading.” of Bonhoeffer) and the Aaronic

20 21 A STUDENT'S REFLECTION ON

DAY

FINKENWALDEby David W. Dockery In collaboration with The Bonhoeffer Center website, Beeson hosted a writing contest for students to reflect on what Finkenwalde Day meant to them. The following is the winning piece written by first-year student David W. Dockery. It is also published on thebonhoeffercenter.org.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer saw the value dream” of men, as Bonhoeffer calls on a walk of the campus and explore There is a need to pause from solitude and of taking time to pause. In ministry, it, which demands an expression of our school’s history and surroundings. share time with others. Even for a master just as in study, a pause allows one community fitted to ideals belonging It was a chance to explore the life and of the art of solitude, too much time alone time to process, to appreciate and to to men. In such cases “God’s grace theology of Bonhoeffer in our lecture led to depression for Bonhoeffer in prison. I be still. Finkenwalde Day was such a speedily shatters such dreams.”1 The time. It was an opportunity to explore am learning a similar lesson, though in far pause for me. In the midst of a busy, root of the community Bonhoeffer the depths of silent meditation on different circumstances. Too much time alone difficult semester, it was good to pause has in mind “is the clear, manifest God’s Word. studying is not helpful. Of course, neither is and rest. It was good to pause and Word of God in Jesus Christ,” and its The value of a pause is evident in too much time socializing. But I need both. consider community. It was good to expression is selfless submission and Bonhoeffer’s life in the priority he gave Finkenwalde Day taught me to pause be a community at worship, sharing service to one another.2 to meditation and solitude—pausing in my studies and ministry in order to in praise of our God and Savior. As a It was good to pause and converse. to be alone with God and to enjoy pursue balance, seek community, listen to community, we paused to share and It was good to learn to converse in his Word—and recreation and table God’s Word and explore silence. I think that celebrate communion, remembering silence with our Lord, listening to fellowship—pausing to be actively was Bonhoeffer’s goal for the seminary at how Christ shared himself with his Word without distraction. Taking nourished by company, conversation Finkenwalde. I think that is a major part humanity. We took time to consider time to stop and converse with one and food. In his discussion of of the goal of theological education. Like not just our own community here at another—students, staff and faculty— Bonhoeffer’s daily routine, Dr. Paul Bonhoeffer’s students, we learn how to study Beeson but also the larger community around the table, during recreation House writes that Bonhoeffer himself the biblical languages and how to meditate on of faith—the community of witnesses and in mentor groups, allowed an “took time for recreation and asked his the same Word of God in order to be formed D that have lived the life of faith before opportunity to get to know one students to do the same.” 3 spiritually as good ministers of Christ. us. It was a time to pause and consider another better and view ourselves The day taught me the value of the community as Christ. For me, as brothers and sisters in Christ. taking time to pause—not pausing 1. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together, trans. by that consideration meant that just as Pausing afforded us the opportunity for the sake of just any pursuit, but John W. Doberstein (San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1954), 26–27. I need Christ, I also need community. to talk together about the example pausing in the pursuit of balance. The beauty of Bonhoeffer’s vision for of Bonhoeffer and his experiment at We were seeking balance between 2. Ibid., 31–32. community is the community as the Finkenwalde. diligence and overwork, relaxation and 3. Paul R. House, Bonhoeffer’s Seminary visible body of Christ. This concept It was good to pause and explore. laziness, reliance on God and reliance Vision (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2015), 51–52. of community is not the “wish- For some, it was an opportunity to go on self, time alone and time together.

22 23 “And what a gift to the world he is.”

—Andrew Westmoreland

The Carter chair is the first dedication and laying on of hands of people, do not warrant or deserve endowed Baptist chair at Smith and his wife, Wanda. this.” Beeson and is named for “To God be the glory for the Turning to Smith, he said, “Of longtime Samford trustee things he has done,” said Smith as he all the preachers I know in America and Baptist pastor Charles addressed the community after the today there is absolutely no one I’d T. Carter. Smith, who has taught installation. “I really do feel like the rather see be the first occupant of Christian preaching at Beeson since janitor of Michelangelo, who painted this chair.” 1997, was appointed as the recipient the Sistine Chapel.” Friend of Smith and Carter and of this chair in 2015 by Samford’s “To sit in a chair, figuratively Beeson advisory board member board of trustees. speaking, [which bears your name], Ralph D. West, senior pastor of The “The installation of Robert Smith lets me know that I stand on your Church Without Walls in Houston, Jr. as the inaugural incumbent in shoulders,” Smith said to Carter. Texas, preached on Romans 1:14– the Charles T. Carter Baptist Chair “I’ve been doing it ever since I’ve 17, “Long-Term Debt with High of Divinity recognizes two beloved been here. You’ve been my pastor; Interest.” West’s church is one of members of our Beeson faculty,” you’ve been my friend. You’ve been the largest Baptist churches in the said Dean Timothy George. “Robert my brother. It’s an honor to be able United States. Smith and Charles Carter are two of to be installed as the first recipient of Samford President Andrew the premiere preachers of our age. the Charles T. Carter Baptist Chair of Westmoreland, who offered They embody the best of the Baptist Divinity.” greetings and remarks about the tradition: faithful proclaimers of Smith, who was joined by friends installation, said that this day “has by Kristen R. Padilla God’s Word, pastors par excellence and family members, paid special been long in the making.” and shapers of God-called ministers tribute to his 91-year-old mother, “Today, friends, we come to of the gospel. My prayer is that Ozella, who was recognized by a install in a new place of service a Beeson Divinity School this chair will serve the work of standing ovation. dear friend, a tower of strength, a Professor Robert Smith Jr. Christ at Beeson Divinity School for Carter, who also was joined by Christ follower with a complex mind generations to come.” friends and family, gave remarks and pure heart, a gifted teacher, was installed as the first Longtime friend of Beeson James about this historic event in the life of an expositor of Scripture, a human Earl Massey, dean emeritus and Beeson. being born, shaped, and inspired and recipient of the Charles distinguished professor-at-large “Over two years ago the dean called to preach,” Westmoreland said. of Anderson University School of called me to his office,” said Carter. “And what a gift to the world he is.” D T. Carter Baptist Chair of Theology in Anderson, Indiana, and “He wanted to talk to me about the Beeson advisory board member, embryonic idea of naming this chair To give to the Carter chair, contact Carolyn Divinity during community presided over the installation and led for me. I felt completely surprised, Lankford at [email protected]. worship Sept. 22. the Beeson community in a prayer of overwhelmed and humbled. I, of all

24 25 news news

Global Faculty In 2015, Beeson Divinity School welcomed two new Center Forum on Human Trafficking Staff faculty and one new staff member. On Feb. 12, 2015, the Global Center and the Woman’s Missionary Union Foundation Grant D. Taylor Gerald R. McDermott Kristen R. Padilla co-sponsored “Emancipation Forum: A In July, Grant D. In July, Gerald Kristen Padilla Christian Response to Human Trafficking.” Taylor (M.Div., R. McDermott (M.Div.) joined The goal was to shed light on the dark world Ph.D.) became (M.R.E., Ph.D.) the Beeson of human trafficking and to explore how associate dean for joined the faculty staff as the Christians can respond individually and academic affairs as the Anglican marketing and collectively. at Beeson. Before Chair of Divinity. communications Beeson alumnus Dr. Oleg Turlac (left) coming to Beeson, Before coming coordinator in shared details of the trafficking problem in Taylor taught to Beeson, he May. Following Moldova as well as ways Turlac Ministries New Testament was the Jordan- graduation from is helping victims. Turlac was joined for and served as Trexler Professor Beeson in 2008, a panel discussion by Tajuan McCarty the assistant to of Religion at Padilla was a (center), trafficking survivor and founder Provost Bruce R. Ashford at Southeastern Roanoke College since 2008 and on reporter for The Alabama Baptist, where of the Birmingham-based ministry The Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake faculty since 1989. His academic research she earned an award of excellence and WellHouse, and by Cumberland School of Law Forest, North Carolina. From 2008–10, he focus has been twofold: Jonathan an award of merit from The Associated professor and Beeson alumnus David Smolin served in the Office of the Associate Dean Edwards, of whom he is a renowned Church Press, and later worked for (right). A recording of the event is posted at at Beeson. Taylor is an ordained minister scholar, and Christian understandings of Woman's Missionary Union (WMU). She beesondivinity.com/mediaD in the Southern Baptist Convention. He other religions. He is an Anglican is married to Dr. Osvaldo Padilla, and is married to Rebecca, and they have one and is married to Jean. Together they they have one son. D daughter. have three sons and nine grandchildren. Global Center Cultural Conversations On Friday afternoons the Global Center hums with conversations in various Introducing the new accents and levels of English proficiency. These lunchtime meetings of Chat Club Timothy George (now called International Lunch Club) Scholarship for provide opportunities for Beeson students to meet the need of international students Excellence to practice conversational English. It We are pleased to announce a new way Beeson also allows space for friendships to begin. Over time, Beeson students have friends and alumni can honor our founding dean had opportunities to share the gospel and help us recruit top students. This month, we with students who have had little or no are launching the Timothy George Scholarship for exposure to Christianity before coming to Excellence. Samford. Cultural exchange is another valuable Dr. George was financially supported by a part of these meetings. One highlight generous scholarship during his days in graduate from the fall semester was the day Beeson school. This new scholarship in his name students shared college football culture Beeson students for a fair celebrating exchanges learn and communicate love will allow Beeson to offer the same financial with international students, complete with their cultures. There was food, dancing, and respect for others, essential elements support to the next generation of pastors and tailgating food, a coach’s pep-talk, a tunnel music and sharing of traditions from of understanding and sharing the theologians. run-through and games of football on the more than seven countries. In addition to gospel. D quad. In another favorite meeting of the gaining a better understanding of other For more information, or to make a donation, semester, international students hosted cultures, participants in these cultural contact Carolyn Lankford at 205-726-4480 or [email protected] or visit beesondivinity.com. 26 27 alumni Beeson Portrait Distinguished Sherri Brown Alumni “If you relish interdenominational dialogue and truly want to engage the en- Ron Sterling (M.Div. 2007, D.Min. Cole Huffman(D.Min. 2010) is the tirety of Christian orthodox history and theology, then I really don’t know of 2014) is the pastor of Saint Paul African pastor of First Evangelical Church in a place better or with richer conversation.” Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Memphis, Tennessee, where he has served Smithville, Alabama, where he has been for the last 12 years. Before earning the Sherri Brown calls Birmingham home. favorite thing about her job. since 2010. He has served over 18 years Doctor of Ministry from Beeson Divinity It is where she was born, spent much of In her role, Brown also has conversa- as a pastor in the AME denomination. School, he graduated from the University her childhood and all of her adult life. tions almost daily with prospective stu- Sterling also serves as a contract chaplain of North Alabama and Dallas Theological Brown is a graduate of Samford University dents from all over the world about what at the UAB Health System, Department Seminary (Th.M.). He blogs at colehuff- and Beeson Divinity School. She now makes Beeson unique. Her office manages of Pastoral Care; as a member of the 9th man.com and occasionally writes opinion serves Beeson as director of admissions. all student scholarships and provides Episcopal District of the AME Church's pieces for The Commercial Appeal. He is an Brown is married to local radio personality, what she calls a “safe haven” for current Board of Examiners as a second-year adjunct professor at the Memphis Center Justin, and they have one daughter, Abbey. students to come and share any prob- studies instructor; and as a ministry for Urban Theological Studies, where he Brown always knew of God’s love for lems they may have. Along with Sharon reflection group leader for current Beeson teaches an annual course on apologetics. her in Jesus Christ. She was raised in a Head, assistant to admissions, Brown is a Divinity School students. Sterling has a He has a heart for connecting with other Christian home and spent much time spiritual mentor to many Beeson students, desire not only to faithfully preach and pastors in the Memphis area in order at the church building where her mom praying with and ministering to them teach but also to disciple his congregation to reach the city. Huffman and his wife, and future church leaders. He and his wife, Lynn, have five children. RON STERLING served as secretary. At the age of six she when needed. ALUMNUS DISTINGUISHED M. DIV. responded to the message of salvation in a The mission of her office, as Brown sees Kim, have been married for 40 years, and Dr. Mark Searby, director of D.Min. Sunday morning . it, is to honor the Lord by trusting him to they have three adult children and seven Studies, said Huffman is not only a In high school and college Brown’s bring the students he has called to Beeson grandchildren. pastor, a preacher and a scholar, but childlike faith was replaced with doubt and while at the same time ministering to the Dr. Thomas Fuller, director of ministry also a friend. “Cole was a committed questions. What had never been a struggle seminary. But as she visited other current students. leadership development, placement and student in our D. Min. program who before—her faith—became a stumbling seminaries she did not feel a peace about Brown says that she doesn’t have just assessment, said that the fruit of the implemented a meaningful project and block. By her senior year in college, she no any of them. As a Samford employee, one answer when someone asks her, “Why Holy Spirit is clearly evident in Sterling. wrote a dissertation that will be beneficial longer knew what she believed. She cried she was able to study at Beeson while Beeson?” “His humble spirit, his warm smile and to other pastors for years to come. Cole’s out to God, asking him to make his truth continuing to work as an undergraduate “If you want an academically rigorous his genuine expressions of concern and thoughtful contributions to seminar sure to her. It was during that “dark night admission counselor. At first she thought school that still stays true to biblical encouragement bear witness to God's discussions were invaluable to his peers. of the soul” that God answered her prayer, she would complete a couple of seminary authority, then there are few other abundant grace poured out on him. Best He is a leader in his church and for other replacing doubt with faith, and calling her courses before moving to another school. schools, if any, like Beeson. If you want to of all, Ron knows this, and joyfully serves Christian leaders. I am convinced that he into ministry. But from the first day of classes at Beeson, learn in a community where you actually others for Jesus' sake. He is a wonderful will be a mentor to many young Christian Much like her conversion experience, it was clear that this was where she was know your professors and meet with them ambassador for Christ, for his church and leaders in the years to come.” D Brown describes her call to ministry as an meant to be. weekly, then Beeson is the place for you. If denomination, and for Beeson Divinity D almost audible experience of God’s voice. In 2011, while Brown was serving you relish interdenominational dialogue School.” Cole Huffman is the 2016 D.Min. But, because she was still wrestling with as academic adviser at Samford's Brock and truly want to engage the entirety of Distinguished Alumnus award winner. He belief, she did not respond to the call right School of Business, she was asked to come Christian orthodox history and theology, Ron Sterling is the 2016 M.Div. will be presented his award on April 5 during away. Upon graduation from Samford, serve as Beeson’s director of admissions. then I really don’t know of a place better Distinguished Alumnus award winner. He community worship in Hodges Chapel. she began working as an undergraduate Looking back, Brown sees how the or with richer conversation. And, if you was presented his award on Feb. 23 during admission counselor, and while she Lord was preparing her for this role at want to learn to preach and teach in a way community worship in Hodges Chapel. enjoyed the work, the Lord’s conviction Beeson. The director of admissions role is that illuminates the whole text, is faithful

COLE HUFFMAN D.MIN. DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS and call continued to weigh heavy on her a perfect combination of two of her loves: to the original language, and includes the heart. She finally surrendered to this call admissions and Beeson. Not only does whole gospel message for the whole world, and began applying to seminaries. she enjoy telling prospective students then Beeson is the only place for you.” D Brown assumed she would go about Beeson but she also loves to hear somewhere other than Samford for the stories of each applicant. This is her Follow Admissions on Twitter: @BDSAdmissions and Facebook: beesondivinityadmissions.

28 29 alumni alumni Anthony Chute Daven Watkins (M.Div. 1999) is Tim Corbin (M.Div. 2003) is serving as Jacob (M.Div. 2007) and Suzanne (M.Div. 1996), associate senior pastor of First Baptist Church in a church planting catalyst with the North (M.Div. 2011) Simmons returned to dean of the School of Pelham, Alabama. He previously served American Mission Board in Vancouver, Birmingham after serving at a church Christian Ministries as pastor of First Baptist Church Pleasant British Columbia. Corbin previously was plant in Chicago, Illinois. Jacob is and professor of church Grove, Alabama. Watkins and his wife, involved in ministry throughout Seattle, minister to single adults at Shades history at California Jane Ellen, are the proud parents of two Washington. He is married to Amy, and Mountain Baptist Church, and Suzanne SPOTLIGHT Baptist University, has children, Molly Grace and Nathan. they have three children. is completing her Clinical Pastoral co-authored The Baptist Education (CPE) residency. J. David Hall Story: From English Sect (M.Div. 2003) is executive Clayton Speed to Global Movement (B&H, 2015) with director of Kerygma Ventures, a ministry (M.Div. 2007) accepted fellow Baptist historians, Nathan Finn focused on discipleship and equipping the call to pastor First Baptist Church of (Union University) and Michael Haykin believers to apply the transforming power Hartselle, Alabama. He previously served (Southern Seminary). The Baptist Story of the gospel to their everyday lives. He at First Baptist Church of Trussville, is designed to be used as a textbook for and his wife, Mary Claire, are parents to Alabama. Clayton is enrolled in the Baptist history courses in colleges and Samuel and Benjamin, and are actively Doctor of Ministry program at Beeson seminaries. serving at The Village Church in Fort Divinity School and is married to Mary. Worth, Texas. David Faulkner Scott Carter Ryan Hankins (M.Div. 2003) is (M.Div. 2008) was (M.Div. 1997) executive director of Public Affairs called to Trinity published Popping Pop Research Council of Alabama (PARCA). Episcopal Church Christianity in January Steven Echols (D.Min. 2000) is PARCA is housed on the campus of of Pass Christian, 2015. It is available as president of Brewton Parker College Samford University. Prior to this new Mississippi, as an e-book on Amazon. in Georgia. He previously served as role, Hankins served as executive director parish priest. Carter is married to president of Tennessee Temple University of MPower Ministries in Birmingham. He is married to Janica, and they have Beeson alumna Riley Green (M.T.S. 1999) began is helping churches across the state with in Chattanooga. Charlie McFarlin (M.Div. 2003) retired two children. Laura (M.T.S. 2007), who is a music working at the Alabama Baptist their orphan care ministries.” as pastor of Spring Hill Presbyterian Mike Watson (M.Div. 2000, D.Min. teacher and private piano instructor. Children’s Homes and Family Ministries In his role, Green oversees ABCH’s in- Russ Quinn (M.Div. 1997) is senior 2015) and his wife, Stephanie, live in Church in Virginia July 2015. He was (ABCH) almost 20 years ago. Around the formation technology, communications, pastor at Enon Baptist Church in Morris, Knoxville, Tennessee, with their two sons, Springhill’s second longest serving pastor, Kristen (Lindsey) Padilla (M.Div. same time he began theological studies human resources, accounting, payroll/ Alabama. He served churches in Alabama, Ethan and Will (“Tuggy”). Mike serves and he led the congregation into the ECO 2008) joined the staff of Beeson Divinity at Beeson Divinity School. benefits and risk management programs. Kentucky and Tennessee before coming to as pastor of adult discipleship at First (Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyte- School this May as marketing and Although balancing work, family and He also supports the president/CEO, Enon. Quinn and his wife, Laura, are the Baptist Church Concord. rians) before his retirement. McFarlin and communications coordinator. She is his wife, Trish, now reside in Knoxville, married to Osvaldo Padilla, associate being a full-time student was difficult, Rod Marshall, with ABCH initiatives and parents of five daughters. Josh Dear (M.Div. 2001) is associate Tennessee. professor of New Testament at Beeson. the experience was rewarding. Green’s provides counsel on a broad array of min- pastor of Dalton Baptist Church in They have one son, Phillip. studies at Beeson helped him to minister istry operations and planning. Muskegon, Michigan. Dear and his wife, Jonathan Bundon (M.Div. 2005) better at ABCH. In addition to his work at ABCH, Karen, are parents to Luther Martin and received his Doctor of Ministry Grant Taylor (M.Div. 2008) earned his ABCH, which began in 1891, serves Green has served for the past six years Nora Grace. He recently co-authored a from Gardner Webb University’s M. Ph.D. in biblical theology at Southeastern to protect, nurture, and restore children as an adjunct professor at Southeastern chapter on evangelism in The Beauty and Christopher Wright School of Divinity Baptist Theological Seminary. He is and families in Alabama through Bible College in Birmingham, teaching Glory of Christian Living. May 2015. He currently serves as worship associate dean for academic affairs at pastor at First Baptist Church of Kings Beeson Divinity School. Taylor and his Christ-centered services. These services courses in leadership and ethics, Joby Tricquet (D.Min. 2001) is senior Mountain in North Carolina. wife, Rebecca, are the proud parents of include providing safe and loving homes discipleship and ministry, and small pastor of Fairfax Baptist Church in Vir- one daughter. for children (campus care, emergency group leadership. He also serves as a ginia. He previously served as pastor of Seth Tarrer care, foster care, and family care) and ministry reflection group leader for McElwain Baptist Church in Birmingham. (M.Div. 2005) is exceptional counseling services. current students at Beeson. Green and Tricquet and his wife, Cathy, have three visiting assistant “In the reality of such a broken world, his wife of 25 years, Yvonne, have three sons, Austin, Tyler and Jordan. professor of Old Ed Stetzer (D.Min. 1998) and Philip we work to see hope and wholeness for sons. D Testament at Nation (M.Div. 1994) edited The Mission David Wilhite (M.Div. 2002) published Knox Seminary. children and families through knowing For more information about ABCH, visit of God, an e-book comprised of letters and the book The Gospel According to Heretics: He previously God,” said Green, who has served as vice alabamachild.org. essays from pastors and church leaders Discovering Orthodoxy through Early taught Old Tes- president of administration of ABCH throughout the past decades. The e-book Christological Conflicts (Baker Academic, tament at Fun- since 1998. “I’ve seen an awakening over is available for free download from The 2015). He is assistant professor of dación Universitaria Seminario Bíblico de the last six years of the local church tend- Gospel Project. theology at George W. Truett Theological Colombia in Medellín, Colombia. ing to the plight of the orphan. ABCH is Seminary in Waco, Texas. on the forefront of this awakening and

30 31 alumni alumni Chase Kuhn (M.Div. 2010) is on faculty Kyle Bailey (M.Div. 2013) assumed Nathan Daniels (M.Div. 2014) has Trey Johnson (M.Div. 2014) is student Jonathan Samuel Hays (M.Div. 2015) was called at Moore Theological College in Sydney, the role of study abroad coordinator at served as senior pastor at Westmont Bap- ministry coordinator at Redstone Church Goode (M.A.T.S. as youth pastor by Wright Baptist Church Australia. He served as a member of the Samford University. Prior to his new role, tist Church in Birmingham since 2014. in Birmingham. Prior to Redstone, John- 2015) is deputy in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Prior to ministry staff at St Thomas’ North Sydney Bailey worked closely with international He and his wife, Jessica, have two boys, son served in youth ministry at Trinity director of Atlanta this ministry position, Sam and his wife, for several years and completed his Ph.D. students through Samford’s Campus Life Micah and Luke. United Methodist Church. In May 2015, Community Minis- Lauren, actively served at Raleigh Avenue in systematic theology from Moore. Kuhn office. He and his wife, Ali, have two chil- he married the love of his life, Shantel. tries, an organiza- Baptist Church in Birmingham. is married to Amy, and they have two dren, Thomas and Claire. Tyshawn Gardner (M.Div. 2014) tion that networks children. began a Ph.D. program in Christian volunteers wishing Eric Parker (M.Div. 2015) is a ministry Josh Hausen (M.Div. 2013) is associate preaching at Southern Baptist Theological to serve in all associate for young marrieds and families pastor of administration at Redeemer Seminary. He is pastor of Plum Grove socio-economic at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Community Church in Birmingham. He Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. sectors of the At- Marietta, Georgia. He and his wife, Katie, joins fellow Beeson alumni Joel Brooks lanta-metro area. welcomed the birth of their first child, and Jeff Heine in offering pastoral Goode is married Hudson, June 2015. leadership at Redeemer. Hausen and his to Ashley. wife, Laura, recently celebrated the birth of their first child, Elliot. Betsy (Childs) Howard (M.A.T.S. 2015) is an editor for The Gospel Coalition and resides with her husband, Taylor (M.Div. 2014) and Lydia (M.Div. Bernard, in Manhattan. Betsy served on 2014) Whitley moved from Birmingham staff at Beeson for many years as web and to Stuttgart, Germany. Taylor is student publications editor. pastor at International Baptist Church. Jonathan Hicks He and Lydia are passionate about serving (M.Div. 2011) published their church community and reaching the book Trinity, others in the city with the gospel. Economy, and Scripture Clayton Hornback (Eisenbrauns, 2015). (M.Div. 2014) is Hicks, his wife, Tess, and college minister of University Christian Michael Novotny (M.Div. 2013) was their four children moved Fellowship (UCF) at Mountain Brook ordained to the diaconate at Christ the to the Solomon Islands in Community Church in Birmingham. Prior King Anglican Church (PEARUSA) in 2015, where he teaches at Trinity School to this new role, Hornback served as Birmingham February 2015. He is a for Theology and Ministry. worship coordinator for UCF. Please submit your faculty member at Shades Mountain alumni updates at Christian School. Novotny and his wife, Dillon Thornton Kevin Johnson (M.Div. 2014) and www.beesondivinity.com/alumni. Jen, are the proud parents of Levi. (M.Div. 2011) his wife, Janie, moved to Nolensville, completed his Tennessee, August 2015. Johnson serves Peter Smith (M.Div. 2013) and his as associate pastor at Life Community Ph.D. from the wife, Kristie, welcomed the birth of their University of Ota- Church under fellow Beeson alumnus daughter, Hannah Jane, August 2015. Jay Watson. Prior to serving at Life go, New Zealand. They have one son, Cohen, and continue He is currently Community Church, he worked as to serve at St. Peter’s Anglican Church student minister at Shades Mountain serving as pastor where Smith is assistant pastor. of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Birmingham. Community Church in Greeley, Colorado. Thornton is married to Jamie, and they Subscribe to the are the parents of Aiden and Cullen. Beeson Podcast Mark Allison (D.Min. Join Dean Timothy George 2012) published Spiritual every week as he hosts a Blindness: Find Your Spir- wide range of scholars, pastors itual Eyes and Open Them and artists for a time of (WestBow Press, 2015). conversation and contemplation. He and his wife, Susan, have seven children and Listen to the Beeson podcast directly from beesondivinity.com/podcast or subscribe for free two grandchildren, and through iTunes. currently live in Meridian, Mississippi.

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Faculty Bookshelf

Augustine and the Evangelicals and Catholics The Acts of the Apostles: Christian Life: Transformed Together at Twenty: Vital Interpretation, History by the Power of God Statements on Contested and Theology Gerald Bray Topics Osvaldo Padilla (Crossway, 2015) Timothy George (InterVarsity Press, 2016) (Brazos Press, 2015)

Psalms 1-72 The Resilient Pastor: Ten The Books of Homilies: (Reformation Commentary Principles for Developing A Critical Edition on Scripture Series: Old Pastoral Resilience Gerald Bray (Lutterworth Press, 2016) Testament, Vol. 7) Mark A. Searby Timothy George (Wipf & Stock, 2015) (InterVarsity Press, 2015)

The Church: A Theological Luther Refracted: The The God Who Kneels: and Historical Account Reformer's Ecumenical A Forty-Day Meditation Gerald Bray Legacy, edited with Derek R. on John 13 (Baker Academic, 2016) Nelson Douglas Webster Piotr J. Malysz (Cascade Books, 2015) (Fortress Press, 2015)

Fulfilling the Great The Other Jonathan Commission in the Twenty- Edwards: Selected Writings First Century: Essays on on Society, Love, and Justice, Revival, Evangelism, and edited with Ronald Story Discipleship in Honor of Gerald R. McDermott Dr. Robert E. Coleman, (University of Massachusetts edited with Ajith Fernando Press, 2015) Lyle W. Dorsett (Seedbed Publishing, 2015)