Turner Seminary 4 II
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TABLE OF CONTENTS I. History of Turner Seminary 4 II. Letter from The President of ITC 6 III. President – Dean’s Quadrennial Report 8 IV. Inauguration of 10th President at the ITC and Degree Programs 28 V. Auditor’s Letter 32 VI. 2012-2016 Quadrennial Fiscal Report 33-34 Turner Theological Seminary History Turner Theological Seminary began as a department of Morris Brown College in 1894. For the first nine years, Steward, D.D., a former United States Army chaplain, served as the Dean of Theology. In the interim, the Rev. E. L. Chew was also elected, but the Rev. E. W. Lee, a former principal who was subsequently elected president of Morris Brown College, was appointed to serve officially as the first Dean of Theology. Twelve persons made up the first student body. The name Turner Theological Seminary was selected and approved for the new school in 1900 in honor of Bishop Henry McNeal Turner, the resident bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and senior bishop of the denomination at that time. The Seminary remained on the campus of Morris Brown College until 1957 when a building was acquired at 557 Mitchell Street. The Trustee Board of Morris Brown College, under the leadership of Bishop William Reid Wilkes, Sr. authorized Turner Theological Seminary to become a founding constituent of the Interdenominational Theological Center in 1958. Dr. George A. Sewell was appointed Director/Dean. A charter was obtained in 1975 and a separate Board of Trustees was appointed under the leadership of Bishop Richard Allen Hildebrand. The seminary received its own charter in 1975 and its first independent Board of Trustees was elected. Those who followed Dr. Sewell as administrators have included: Dr. Josephus R. Coan, Dr. George L. Champion, Dr. Cecil W. Cone and Dr. Clayton D. Wilkerson and Dr. Daniel W. Jacobs Sr. who served as Dean from 1985 to 2008. Within a year of the election of Dr. Daniel W. Jacobs, Sr. as Dean of Turner Theological Seminary, construction was begun on the Frederick Hilborn Talbot Hall at a cost of $2.8 million. And it was during the Jacobs tenure the Frederick Hilborn Talbot Hall was erected and the student enrollment more than doubled. Talbot Hall was the result of the tireless efforts of Bishop Talbot and Dr. Jacobs toward garnering funding for this venture that enlarged the seminary’s profile within the ITC, among other seminaries and the AME Connection with the construction of its own property. The facility houses administrative offices, a chapel, laundromat, concession area, thirty-two dormitory rooms, of which there are twenty efficiencies, and five one-bedroom apartments. The building was occupied in October 1987. Dr. John F. Green, a Turner alumnus, succeeded Dr. Jacobs upon his retirement in 2008 and brought with his administration a unique vision for continuing Turner’s pursuit of excellence as an institution for the preparation of young men and women for every department of Christion work. Under his leadership the following notable achievements have been made: Expansion of the Annual Founder’s Observance to include a calendar of activities for engaging alumni as well as clergy and laity throughout the Connection. Founding and execution of the Annual Isaac R. Clark Conference on Ministry Initiation of The Henry McNeal Turner Alumni Hall of Fame Recognition Ceremony Awarding of the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award during the Founders’ Week Activities Liquidation of indebtedness on the Frederick Hilborn Talbot Hall Expanding activities to garner financial support for the seminary Turner Theological Seminary remains committed to its motto “For a Prepared Ministry” in keeping with the aim of its’ founders to be “an institution for the preparation of young men and women for every area and specialty of service in the Christian faith community. Turner graduates can be found in all aspects of Church life – as college and seminary presidents, administrators, professors, noted scholars and theologians, authors, pastors, presiding elders and bishops, and civic and political officials. The Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC), of which Turner Seminary is one of five constituent schools, is an ecumenical graduate school of theological preparation accredited by the Association of Theological Schools of the USA and Canada and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. As such, Turner students, through the ITC, are exposed to an interdenominational, multi-racial faculty and student body and may elect courses of study leading to earning one of four degrees or two dual degree offered. The programs include: Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Christian Education (MACE), Doctor of Ministry, and Doctor of Theology in Pastoral Counseling. Turner Seminary graduates also have opportunity to engage in many areas of Christian ministry within the African Methodist Episcopal Church. While the listing of Turner’s notable alumni/alumnae now serving throughout the African Methodist Episcopal Church is impressive and continues to grow, here are the names of just a few of those who have distinguished themselves throughout the Church and the community. They include: Bishops Adam Jefferson Richardson, Jr., Preston W. Williams. II, James Levert Davis, E. Earl McCloud, Jr. Samuel L. Green, Sr., Julius H. McAllister, and John White, all serving as active Bishops throughout the Connection. Others include: The Reverends Dr. William Watley, George Moore, Gregory Eason, Deborah Grant, Jacquelyn Grant, Terence Gray, Michael Mitchell, Leslie White, Vincent Mitchell, Wesley Reid, David Green, Carolyn McCrary, Ammie Davis, and the current President/Dean John F. Green. - 4 - - 5 - - 6 - President-Dean’s Report to the 50th Quadrennial Session African Methodist Episcopal Church Greetings to Senior Bishop John R. Bryant, Bishop John Franklin White, Sr., President of the Council of Bishops, Bishop Richard Franklin Norris, President of the General Board, Bishop Samuel L. Green, Sr., Chair of the General Conference Commission, Bishop McKinley Young, Chair of the Program Committee, Bishop Preston Warren Williams, II, Chairman of Turner Theological Seminary Board of Trustees, Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram, Host Bishop, the Council of Bishops, Episcopal Supervisors, General and Connectional Officers, Presidents, Deans, Chaplains and Delegates to this historic 50th Quadrennial Session of the African Methodist Episcopal Church General Conference. It is with especial pleasure and institutional pride that I present to you my second Quadrennial Report of the work and accomplishments of the Turner Theological Seminary at the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) in Atlanta, Georgia. We take this privilege to commemorate the founding of this theological institution that one hundred and twenty–two years ago was birthed as a department of Morris Brown College in 1894, and later expanded the school academic curriculum to become a graduate degree program in 1958 as Turner Theological Seminary and one of the founding constituent seminaries of the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC). Turner Theological Seminary remains the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AMEC) Constituent School of Theological Studies of this ecumenical consortia of ITC, whose mission is to prepare servants for the ministries of the A.M.E.C., teaching students to respect church tradition and to embrace the spirit of the founders of African Methodism, as well as practice ministry in a diverse society and global community. The Turner/ITC experience intends to nurture students in their spiritual and faith formation and through the faculty of the ITC, challenge them to practice a liberating and transforming ministry of racial and gender equality, cultural diversity, social justice and peace. As President-Dean, I am appreciative to Bishop Preston Warren Williams, II, Chairman of the Turner Theological Seminary Board of Trustees, and the distinguished members of the Board of Trustees representing the expanse of the A.M.E.C. Under the leadership of Bishop Williams, they have been - 7 - avid in their support of the mission of Turner Theological Seminary and generous in their financial contributions. Let me also express my heartfelt gratitude to the following Episcopal Districts and Bishops for providing tuition scholarships to Turner students, helping to defray their theological education costs at the ITC: Bishop Gregory G.M. Ingram and the First Episcopal District, Bishop William P. DeVeaux and the Second District, Bishop Preston Warren Williams and the Sixth Episcopal District, Bishop Richard Franklin Norris and the Seventh Episcopal District, Bishop Adam Jefferson Richardson, Jr. and the Eleventh Episcopal District, and Bishop Samuel L. Green, Sr., and the Twelfth Episcopal District. In this report, I want to share with you the work and accomplishments of Turner Theological Seminary during the 2012 – 2016 Quadrennial Period. They are as follows: RECRUITMENT AND ENROLLMENT Among the primary foci of the Seminary and the reason for which it exists are the students that it attracts and for whom it provides academic preparation as prescribed by the Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Turner Theological Seminary continues to recruit students from across the length and breadth of African Methodism. Enrolling students from Episcopal Districts within the United States and from our overseas Districts. During the 2012 2016 Quadrennial Period, 308 students came to Turner Theological Seminary to enroll in the academic programs offered at the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC). While the majority of our students enrolled in pursuit of the Master of Divinity Degree, a few students pursed a Dual Degree in the Master of Divinity/Master of Christian Education Degree, as well as, the Doctor of Ministry Degree. Student Enrollment 2012 – 2013 2013 -2014 2014 - 2015 2015 - 2016 88 89 75 56 Student Enrollment by Year / Semester Our complete student enrollment is as follows: Fall 2012 NAME DEGREE DISTRICT Keith Alexander M. Div. 6 Shelia Barnes White M. Div. 6 Cherrye Bess-Branch M. Div./MACE 11 Pamela Bivins M. Div. 7 - 8 - Raymond Bowers M. Div. 6 Adella Brewster MACE 6 Crystal Brown M.