Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

FALL/WINTER ’10 | VOL.38 NO.2

w w w.gordonconwell.edu/ c o nta c tma g a z i ne 1

 con te n ts
The Ministry Magazine of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
FALL/WINTER ’10 VOL.38 NO.2

3 ON THE FRONT LINES

BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Ministering to a Pre-Christian Community Mr. Joel B. Aarsvold
in Massachusetts Dr. Claude R. Alexander, Jr.
Mrs. Linda Schultz Anderson
Anne B. Doll Dr. George F. Bennett
Rev. Dr. Garth T. Bolinder
Rev. Dr. Richard P. Camp, Jr.
Mr. Thomas J. Colatosti,
Chair
6 What Is Ethics All About? Mr. Charles W. Colson
Mrs. Joyce A. Godwin
Esther Byle Bruland Dr. William F. Graham
Rev. Dr. Michael E. Haynes
Mr. Herbert P. Hess,
Treasurer
10 Wonderfully Made–Terribly Fallen Mr. Ivan C. Hinrichs
Rev. Dr. John A. Huffman, Jr.
Dennis P. Hollinger Mr. Caleb Loring III
Rev. Dr. Christopher A. Lyons
Mrs. Joanna S. Mockler
Fred L. Potter, Esq.
Shirley A. Redd, M.D.
14 Ethics in the Workplace Mr. Timothy B. Robertson
Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, Jr.
David W. Gill Mr. John Schoenherr
Mrs. Virginia M. Snoddy
Joseph W. Viola, M.D.,
Secretary
17 To Live in Justice J. Christy Wilson III, Esq.
Rev. Dr. John H. Womack
Eldin Villafañe William C. Wood, M.D.

EMERITI MEMBERS
Dr. Richard A. Armstrong
Dr. Robert E. Cooley,
22 How to Make Ethical Decisions President Emeritus
Rev. Dr. Leighton Ford
in a Complex World Mr. Roland S. Hinz
Patrick T. Smith Dr. Walter C. Kaiser, Jr.
President Emeritus
Rev. Dr. Robert J. Lamont
Mr. Richard D. Phippen
John G. Talcott, Jr.
28 FACULTY PROFILE
Garth Rosell
Rev. Dr. Paul E. Toms

President
Ruth Hawk Dr. Dennis P. Hollinger

Vice President of Advancement

Mr. Kurt W. Drescher

29 SEMINARY NEWS Director of Communications

and Marketing
Mr. Michael L. Colaneri

34 FOCUS ON ALUMNI
Senior Communications
Chris Castaldo Advisor and Editor of Contact
Mrs. Anne B. Doll

39 OPENING THE WORD Graphic Designer

Ms. Nicole S. Rim
Catherine Clark Kroeger
Assistant Editor of Contact
Mrs. Ruth Hawk

Photography
Inquiries regarding CONTACT may be addressed to: Mr. Tom Kates
Editor, CONTACT Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Ms. Nicole S. Rim
130 Essex Street, S. Hamilton, MA 01982
Tel: 978.468.7111 or email: rhawk@gordonconwell.edu
www.gordonconwell.edu

GORDON-CONWELL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF RACE, GENDER,
NATIONAL OR ETHNIC ORIGIN, AGE, HANDICAP OR VETERAN STATUS.

2 FA L L / W I N T E R ‘ 1 0

ministering to a
p r e - c h ri st i a n
in massac huse t t s
c ommunit y
an n e b . do ll
P
astor PoSan Ung often talks about “persevering” as
he describes his church’s ministry of evangelism and
discipleship in Lynn, Massachusetts. Six years ago, the
native of Cambodia and survivor of the Cambodian
holocaust planted Living Fields Church in this northern Boston
community. It is a city “trying to develop, to gentrify itself,” he
says, but a “struggling city” plagued by “gang activity, violence
and poverty.”
Lynn is also home to part of the nation’s second largest
Cambodian population, yet less than 0.5 percent are Christian.
In 2004, Pastor PoSan, who attended Gordon-Conwell and
has taught evangelism at the Boston campus, rented space in
an office building and set out to advance the gospel among a
people group he characterizes as pre-Christian.
“This means that there simply aren’t many Christians and
that they see Christ as a foreign god,” he explains. “They’re
ON THE FRONT LINES
mostly Buddhist, but Buddhism is very nominal for them.
They are more driven by materialism, instant gratification,
gambling, etc. So we need to gather as a Christian community
amongst them, trying to be salt and light.”
Today, his congregation is mostly Cambodian, with
a sprinkling of Korean American, Caucasian American,
Vietnamese and Pan Asian members. Assisted by a few volunteer
staff members, he is reaching out to children, youth and adults,
beginning with corporate worship where non-believers “can hear
the Gospel and learn from the worship of God.”
The church then connects visitors through fellowship,
relational evangelism activities, and ministry and discipleship
groups that meet nearly every evening of the week. These
opportunities can range from community dinners to outreach
music lessons, one-on-one discipleship and Bible studies in
both English and Khmer, their native language.
w w w.gordonconwell.edu/ c o nta c tma g a z i ne 3
ON THE FRONT LINES
“lynn is also home to part of the nation’s second
largest cambodian population,
yet less than 0.5percent are christian.”
Outreach also extends to children, who PoSan says “need the
blessing as well.” Each summer, the church stages a Vacation
Bible School for about 100 children—an effort he describes as
“huge…because this is a pre-Christian community. It’s not like
we have parents who sign them up…and drive them to the event
itself. We need to go door-to-door to invite them and register
them. Then we go door-to-door to pick them up, bring them to
our VBS and take them back home. It demands quite a bit.”
The annual VBS, which he views as both evangelism and
outreach, has drawn a number of children to the church on
Sunday mornings. Here, he says, “they can gather in a safe
environment to have fun” and participate in activities that help
them “learn God’s Word, praise God and pray.” But this, too, is
1 2
1. PoSan with Living Fields youth 2. Pastor PoSan evangelizes to Buddhist
monk from Lynn 3. Lynn, MA’s Buddhist temple was formerly a Baptist church
4. Morning devotions at Dormitory Ministry 5. Shop catering to the many poor
in Lynn 6. Ministering at evangelism outreach in local park
challenging “because little children require transportation.”
Their participation is sometimes determined by the number of
drivers available to pick them up. In a pre-Christian community,
it is quite a challenge since “‘the workers are few,’ yet God has
been stretching us to do what we can.”
In 2007, Pastor PoSan embarked upon yet another major
ministry, purchasing a house in which young adults who are
new believers could live and be discipled.
“I was just wracking my brain and heart before the Lord, and
wondering why I wasn’t seeing more mature disciples among the
Cambodian people,” he recalls. “I have attended to that question
through every stage of ministry that God has allowed me to do. I
wanted to preach the true gospel, helping people to see God for
who He is, and to know that our only true hope is in Christ…But
still, over the years I do not see true disciples maturing.”
The pastor says that one day, as he wrestled with this
dilemma, he was walking out of the church office and spotted a
pool of sewage water in the gutter. “I felt the Lord asking me, ‘If
you had an infant lying in that pool of sewage water, what would
4 FA L L / W I N T E R ‘ 1 0
happen to it? If it didn’t die, it would simply be unhealthy.’
“I realized that with all our effort in the community, people
spend one or two hours a week in the ministry our church is
offering. In those few hours of Sunday worship or outreaches,
about 10 minutes is spent in God’s Word. And in that 10 minutes,
how much time is spent reflecting on God’s Word and prayer?
Five minutes? Maybe not. So it’s no wonder that these babies
are actually sickly or dying because they are not getting enough
nutrients. They’re not living in a context where after they attend
church, they get to go home to find their identity as Christians in
their family. Rather, they receive discouragement and hostility
for their faith. They’re the only Christians in their family, and it’s
extremely lonesome.”
3
He points to one new believer who is often accused by his
grandfather of bringing shame to the family name by attending
a Christian church. His grandfather leads a Buddhist temple.
And when another member became a Christian and started
attending Bible study, his mother told him, “You’re being stupid.”
Given this reality, Pastor PoSan realized that Lynn’s new
Christians needed to “be nurtured and experience God’s love in
a tangible way.” He wanted to have a discipleship community
where these young adults “could live and experience what
Christian living looks like: how we pray regularly, how we
respond to life’s challenges, how we search the Scriptures for
wisdom...how we have reverent training in God’s Word—and
for more than five minutes! My prayer is that by experiencing
this learning community for two or three years, they will grow,
be equipped and ready to return to their homes to become a
different kind of neighbor, a different kind of son/daughter, or
future husband/wife. That they would, in turn, know how to
make disciples among their own friends and families.”
Since purchasing the discipleship house, Pastor PoSan has
nearly single-handedly renovated the facility, retrofitting the first
floor apartment as a men’s dormitory and the third as a dorm for
women, with the middle floor for living and ministry space. But
the renovation is still a significant work in progress, sandwiched

in among the pastor’s myriad ministry responsibilities.
In addition to the ongoing task of making the facility functional,
currently a key need is to renovate the basement as a place for
Sunday worship/gathering space. The congregation is rapidly
outgrowing its rented quarters. “This is completely a walk of faith,
because it takes a lot to do this,” he admits. “I don’t know how God
is going to provide, but I trust He will in His timing.”
Through the church’s ministries of outreach and discipleship,
he adds, “God is allowing us to persevere, and it is bearing fruit.”
He points to the response of an international student from an elite
family in Cambodia. “The young man met us as he was earning an
MBA in Boston after studying economics and law in his homeland,
and pursuing additional study in Taiwan on a fellowship.
“At first, he was just interested in getting to know us,” Pastor
PoSan recounts. “But an opportunity came for the gospel to
be presented to him, and his response was, ‘I don’t care.’ That
was quite a moment of formation for all of us…With such great
effort, how was it that the gospel seemed to fall on deaf ears? You
can imagine the dynamic in our hearts. But knowing God was
ministering in that moment, I realized that He was calling me to
trust that salvation belongs to the Lord and to find our joy in being
obedient to Him.”
4 5
The ministry team, therefore, continued to invite the young man
to church, but he didn’t show up until a month later. “I was serving
communion, and he wanted to receive it,” Pastor PoSan remembers.
“I asked him how he was doing, and he said that he needed Jesus. At
the end of worship, he told me that he had always been the master
of his own life, and he realized he couldn’t save himself from his sin
and that only Jesus could.”
As the pastor prepared the man for baptism, he expressed
the desire to grow, even asking PoSan to teach him how to better
understand the Bible and to disciple him. After the new Christian
completes his degree, he wants to attend seminary, then return to
Cambodia as a professor where he desires to make disciples.
“He told me, ‘Pastor, I’m going to have thousands of students,
and I’d like to know how to disciple,’” PoSan notes, “so God is using
this little church in this faraway place to do a work halfway around
the globe—maybe not today, not this year, but maybe in 10 or 20
years. Who would have thought that God would do that kind of
ministry…in a place like Lynn?
“Doing all this is quite a task when you don’t have many
resources,” he says, “but God has been gracious to bring us a great
harvest, and He is allowing us to persevere in this mission field
that’s located in our own backyard.”
ON THE FRONT LINES
Pastor PoSan Ung
on Discipleship
Rev. PoSan Ung grew up in Brooklyn,
NY, as a Cambodian refugee. He
earned a Bachelor of Science from
Brown University before attending
Gordon-Conwell. As a missionary
with Boston’s Emmanuel Gospel
Center (EGC), he was examined and
approved by EGC and the Christian
Cambodian American Fellowship
PoSan, left, mentors pastors (CCAF). In addition to pastoring
in Cambodia Living Fields Church in Lynn, MA,
he is the Minister-at-Large for CCAF
and is the Cambodian Resource Coordinator for Asian Access,
through which he trains and mentors pastors in his homeland of
Cambodia. (pastorposan@livingfields.org)
S
“ omething happens when you do discipleship in an
intentional and in-depth way. We can talk about
transformation superficially, something that we kind of
desire and wish for. But I think that in the path of discipleship,
transformation happens as we obey what the Lord commands.
6 We don’t normally obey what he commands, as our inclination
is towards sin. Thus, we need disciplers, people who would
teach us what we need to know and then call us to do that.
“Many times, we just leave it at people are saved. They make a
certain profession and they say ‘yes’ to a set of questions and
that’s it. I don’t think so. God has given us a greater privilege
to greater things. And that is to witness transformation...to be
disciple-makers through the power of God who works through
the Word, works through the Church, sending us out. And
that comes through calling people to obey God’s commands,
while trusting in the sufficiency of Christ’s work on the cross.
“Speaking into people’s lives is not only sharing a prayer need,
but saying, ‘How are you doing with that specific struggle, and
what do the Scriptures say regarding it?’—excavating the issue.
Learning that takes a real understanding of the reality of mercy
and righteousness. God loved us and saved us in his mercy, but
he saved us for his glory, so that’s righteousness in our lives.
He doesn’t merely save us from hell and leave us where we are. He
saves us though we were a stench to his nostrils. But his plan for us
is hope and a future that is His glory. We need to call people to this
righteousness while showing great endurance, mercy and gentleness.
“The challenge of a discipler is that when you walk with a disciple,
there is great need for wisdom and vigilance in calling them to obey.
Sometimes we miss those opportunities or we shy away from them,
afraid that it might offend. But we need to care more about them
than ourselves. The following steps are examples of what to consider
when calling a disciple towards obedience:
Make sure that you present God’s wisdom, grounded in His
1 Word, as opposed to wordly wisdom.
Once you have godly wisdom, seek the Spirit for leading and
2 discernment, whether it’s the time/place to present God’s Truth.
Refrain from correcting/rebuking if a judgmental or
3
condemning spirit is at play.
Assess their hidden depth of sickness and offer the medicine
4 of God’s Love and Truth.
w w w.gordonconwell.edu/ c o nta c tma g a z i ne 5
 Esther Byle Bruland, Ph.D., MATS (’81)

6 FA L L / W I N T E R ‘ 1 0
Unlike other professionals, pastors relate to their members in a
multitude of contexts. We are with our people in church, but also
in their homes, at barbecues or softball games, or numerous other
social settings, and our interactions with them (which are required
and expected) relate to a wide range of interests and concerns. Our
members also sometimes serve on boards or committees in the church
that have authority regarding our salary, job performance and other
matters that affect us personally and professionally. These waters
can be very difficult to negotiate at times, especially when it comes
to questions of honoring confidentiality and maintaining proper
boundaries.

A
Gordon-Conwell alumnus shared these
thoughts in response to the question,
“What seems to be the most recurrent
ethical concern that you have faced in
your ministry?” I asked several alumni
this question and, under promise of anonymity,
received a wide range of responses. Let’s hear a few
more.
“The struggle to wisely apply God’s life guidelines
versus lapsing into behavior that Jesus deems foolish
demands constant attention,” voiced one. A similar
commitment to high personal ethical standards
shone through most responses.
One alumnus focused on the intersection of
these standards with the challenges of the pastoral
role, noting, “It is so crucial for the pastor to
constantly strive to be totally honest and truthful at
all times. People almost assume, based on living in a
culture filled with people in authority who lie, from
politicians to preachers, that all authority figures
lie.” He reflected on the protection this high ethical
resolve provides:
Over 25 years ago, at my first church, I learned the
“hard way” that careless words spoken in jest could
come back to haunt you.  I found that my words
could easily be twisted and used against me out of
context.  After that ministry of five wonderful years,
I had a group of individuals, looking to take over
control of the church, attack me. They went back over
four years of ministry and brought up conversations
and comments I had supposedly made (in many cases,
I couldn’t even remember the conversation) and used
them to impugn my integrity. Since then, I have always
been ultra-vigilant to make sure I am truthful and
honest in my ministry in everything I say and write.
It is a blessing to know that I have done everything I
can to make sure I speak the truth, even though there
will always be times when others try to interpret my
comments differently or take them out of context.

w w w.gordonconwell.edu/ c o nta c tma g a z i ne 7

 O
thers echoed this theme of the need for ethical
vigilance. A 30-year senior pastor focused on
administrative vigilance:
Shepherding church staff brings its share of
ethical challenges. I have found that most are Christ-centered
and dedicated to serving others. On occasion, though, even
with agreed-upon personnel guidelines, some will stray. For
instance, my current office manager is a dedicated disciple
Ethics helps us map out this territory and pursue
the good, the right, the true, the just, the virtuous,
on paths characterized by these same qualities.
of Jesus. By contrast, the office manager who was here when
I came was discovered to have spent hours each day using
church technology to pursue her personal sales on eBay…It is
a delicate task to call for accountability when a staff member’s
attitudes or activities are in conflict with biblical directives
and with a church’s purpose and mission. Catholic, Protestant and other expressions), the operational
A
s these comments reveal, ethics has a broad
scope, ranging from personal and interpersonal
to corporate accountability and beyond. Add
denominational challenges, and the mix gets even
stickier. One pastor asked, “How do I reconcile
my sense of call to work for renewal in [my denomination]
with the apostate nature of that denomination on the
national, conference and seminary levels?”
Perhaps it surprises some Contact readers that the top
ethical concerns of these respondents have little to do with
the headlines of the day. Much of ethics is like that. Hanna
Arendt wrote strikingly of “the banality of evil.”1 A great
deal of the work of ethics lies in untangling evil and good in
everyday situations.
In fact, I would like to suggest that much of ethics, as a
discipline, involves helping us find our way through the
tension-filled territory George Eldon Ladd characterized
as the “already but not yet of the parousia.”2 More recently,
Cornelius Plantinga, Jr. has reminded us that what we
experience daily is Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be.3 Ethics
helps us map out this territory and pursue the good, the
right, the true, the just, the virtuous, on paths characterized
by these same qualities.
Some of this territory is well-mapped. Limiting ourselves
to specifically Christian ethics, we find, for example, the
history of Christian ethics describing ever more thoroughly
the topography of ethical challenges encountered by
Christians across time, culture, ecclesiology and so on. This
8 FA L L / W I N T E R ‘ 1 0
work sheds helpful light on the interplay of convictions,
settings, choices and consequences.
This descriptive mapping reveals that Christians have
taken various routes in deriving norms they would label
as Christian. In his benchmark Survey of Christian Ethics,
Edward L. Long, Jr. characterized three major routes:
the deliberative (drawing especially upon reason and
philosophy), the prescriptive (drawing especially upon
prescriptive codes, including biblical revelation), and the
relational (drawing especially upon a relationship with God
as a primary source of norms).4
Long similarly looked at how Christians have applied
norms, once derived. Again, he discerned three major
historical approaches to this task: the institutional (including
(including various applications of influence and power) and
the intentional (including separatism and special groups).5
Long updated and expanded his original survey, including
new attention given to virtue and character ethics.6
Not every route from ethical challenge to norm derivation
to norm application is equally desirable, just as not all routes
from points A to B on a map are optimal. My family learned
this the hard way some years ago, when our well-meaning
AAA agent in Michigan prescribed what looked like the best
connector route between Gettysburg and the Pennsylvania
Turnpike at Breezewood. As we drove Route 30 on a dark,
rainy November night, though, we white-knuckled and
prayed our way through twists and turns that became iced
with freezing rain in the higher elevations of the mountains
we were crossing.
No, not all ethical routes are equally sound or desirable,
and not all can deliver the destination they promise.
Christians holding to the authority of the Bible seek routes
rooted, as Dennis Hollinger puts it, “in the very nature
and actions of God and in [a biblical] worldview . . . [and
emerging] out of a personal relationship with God through
Christ . . . nurtured and sustained in the context of the body
of believers, the Church.”7
Sometimes, even given this sound basis, the way seems
uncharted. My son was given a GPS device, the kind that does
not receive automatic updates. He installed it in the family
car, and I find it intriguing that en route to the grocery store
in a newly-developed plaza, I seem to go right off the map
into a gray
g area. This device depicts what it’s like to confront
new ethical challenges, such as those presented by the latest
biotechnologies. We can traverse clearly demarcated routes
to a point, but then we have to forge our way through new
developments. Several articles in this issue of Contact model
how Christian ethicists go about this task.
As ethical agents, we rarely have to think long and hard
about the ethical decisions we make. Ideally, ethical decisions
and actions flow from characters formed by lifelong habits
of virtue—these being formed based on God’s revealed
Word, carefully interpreted and applied. But as fallen
people, even biblically-formed people, we don’t know or do
the right thing without fail. The discipline of ethics helps
us work systematically through the values, stakeholders,
responsibilities, accountability systems, sources of norms,
consequences and so on, in our ethical decision-making.
a
denominational executive alumnus spotlights
our need for this discipline:
In serving over 16 years in regional ministry,
time and time again I have watched pastors
breach a boundary that has brought untold pain and confusion
to congregations large and small.  No, it’s not the “common”
boundary and ethical issues that often seem to rise to the
surface in our thinking: sexual or financial misconduct. Those
are destructive ethical breaches for sure, but the one that came
first to my mind is the boundary breach of failing to disengage
from a congregation when God has called them away, either
to a new ministry or into ‘‘retirement.” Often, under the guise
of “pastoral concern for the flock,” these leaders confuse the
congregations where they have served and frustrate the new
shepherd...[who ends up constantly] tripping over the not-so-
distant “memory” of the previous pastor.
Ethics performs this work of clarifying and discern-
ing at every level, from personal ethical decisions...
all the way up to matters large and complex in scope...
I
t can seem good to extend pastoral presence to
former church members. However, as Dennis
Hollinger helpfully warns, the pastoral inclination
and the ethical are not always the same.8 For this
reason, professional codes of ethics guide caring
pastors to clarify and keep healthy boundaries, lest harm be
done in the intent to do good.
Ethics performs this work of clarifying and discerning
at every level, from personal ethical decisions (e.g., being
truthful) all the way up to matters large and complex in scope
(e.g., should I support my nation’s involvement in this war?).
Reinhold Niebuhr famously said, “Man’s capacity for
justice makes democracy possible; but man’s inclination
to injustice makes democracy necessary.”9 So with the
continuing work of ethics. Our capacity for justice enables us
to do it, and our inclination to injustice requires that we
do it. All the while, we anticipate the day of God’s shalom,
when this work will find its completion in “the webbing
together of God, humans, and all creation in justice,
fulfillment, and delight . . . .”10
As we traverse this tension-filled territory, not the way
it is supposed to be, may we do so with humility...but also
with conviction and hope, because in the already-but-not-
yet world in which we make our ethical deliberations and
decisions, the in-breaking of the Reign of God has begun.
1 Hannah Arendt, Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil (New York,
NY: Viking, 1963).
2 George Eldon Ladd, The Presence of the Future (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans,
1974).
3 Cornelius Plantinga, Jr., Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin (Grand
Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1995).
4 Edward L. Long, Jr., A Survey of Christian Ethics (New York, NY: Oxford University
Press, 1967).
5 Ibid.
6 Edward L. Long, Jr., A Survey of Recent Christian Ethics (New York, NY: Oxford
University Press, 1982).
7 Dennis Hollinger, Choosing the Good: Christian Ethics in a Complex World (Grand
Rapids, MI: Baker, 2002), pp. 20-21.
8 Ibid., See, for example, pp. 20ff.
9 Reinhold Niebuhr, Children of Light, Children of Darkness (New York, NY:
Scribner’s, 1972), p. xiii.
10 Plantinga, p.10.
Dr. Esther Byle Bruland earned an MATS degree from
Gordon-Conwell, and a Ph.D. from Drew University.
She is the author of two books, A Passion for Jesus,
A Passion for Justice, co-authored with Stephen C.
Mott, and Regathering: The Church from They to
We. She has also written many articles, including
the widely read “A Time to Die,” originally published
in Today’s Christian Woman, 2006, March/April,
Vol. 28, Issue 2, and still available online at http://
www.kyria.com/topics/missionallife/service/11.34.
html. Dr. Bruland teaches and writes in Pennsylvania. She can be reached
at ebruland@verizon.net
w w w.gordonconwell.edu/ c o nta c tma g a z i ne 9
 Wonderfully Made
t e r r i b ly fa l l e n
a framework for bioethics

Dennis P. Hollinger, Ph.D.

10 FA L L / W I N T E R ‘ 1 0
The contemporary world of medicine and biotechnology has brought incredible
gains to the human race. Through these advances, people who a century ago
would have died are today alive. An infertile couple can share in the biblical
mandate to “be fruitful and increase in number” (Gen. 1:28). A dying patient
can experience less pain and suffering. In a tragic accident, organs can
be transplanted to a person in need. A person with neurological and nerve
impairment can have functions restored. Thus, we can view medicine and
biotechnology as a gift of God’s common grace for which we give thanks.

A
t the very same time, these gifts raise some of
the most difficult ethical questions humanity
faces in the 21st century. Medical/technological
breakthroughs mean that we have unprecedented
potential control over life and death. Humans in the modern
(and postmodern) world have fixated on control over the
forces of nature, including one’s personal life, destiny and
offspring.
Leon Kass, a former chair of the President’s Commission
on Bioethics, notes that the new technologies tend to blind
us to the negative side of their utopian dreams. “Nearly all
are wedded to the modern technological project; all march
eagerly to the drums of progress and fly proudly the banner
of modern science; all sing loudly the Baconian anthem,
‘Conquer nature, relieve man’s estate.’”1
As a result, we now have the capacity to terminate a life
when pain becomes burdensome or one’s life is no longer
deemed “worth living.” We can control life at its beginning,
determining whether an embryo will live when it seems
inconvenient or unplanned. We can control, to some degree,
the outcome of our offspring by selecting embryos that
fit with a preconceived desire or predetermined medical
need. We can transplant an organ from a dying patient to
a needy patient, but can, in the absence of guidelines, also
hasten death to procure the organ. And invariably, we face
the challenge of who gets the organs when there are not
nearly enough available. We are on the verge of being able
to transplant a chip into the human brain that will allow a
quadriplegic some movement and bodily control. But with
the technology, we face the prospect of actually changing
human nature as we now know it.
With unprecedented control over life and death, we
need an ethical framework to guide us and bring wisdom to
these complex issues. That is a great challenge in a secular,
pluralistic culture where there are few agreements on
moral frameworks and assumptions. But as Christians, we
bring some significant paradigms, principles and virtues to
the bioethics discussion. Above all, we bring a broad basic
framework from the biblical story, namely, that we are
wonderfully made, but terribly fallen. This is not the whole
of a Christian contribution to bioethical discussions, but it is
an essential paradigm that contributes much. Moreover, it is
framework that can, in part, be understood by even a secularist.
Wonderfully Made
In the biblical story, humans are made as a special
creation, set apart from the rest of the created world. The
Genesis account of creation provides two fundamental
understandings that are essential to bioethics: the goodness
of creation, and humans formed in the image of God. The
physical and biological world is a good creation of our Maker.
After each day of creation in the Genesis narrative, God
proclaims the material creation to be good. After creating
humans in his image, there is the grand summary, “God saw
everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good”
(Gen. 1:31). Though the world is now fallen in every facet,
there is still an essential goodness to the world that God has
made and continues to sustain.
The goodness of the physical/biological world means
that Christians can work with this world to meet human

w w w.gordonconwell.edu/ c o nta c tma g a z i ne 11

 need. The cultural mandate to have dominion over the world
(Gen.1:28) and “take care of it” (Gen. 2:15) is a mandate
to work with God’s creation as trustees or stewards. Thus,
Christians need not hesitate to enter the world of medicine
and biotechnology in which we develop mechanisms of care
and healing from God’s created world. Understanding and
caring for God’s world can, of course, be misused, especially
when we venture from stewardship to self-centered control
over his creation. But the goodness of creation and the
related cultural mandate are invitations to work with
the biological world for the glory of God and the good of
humanity. As the Psalmist put it, “What are mere mortals
that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for
them? You have made them a little lower than the heavenly
beings and crowned them with glory and honor. You have
made them rulers over the works of your hands, and put
everything under their feet” (8:4-6).
A second essential understanding from creation is that
humans are made in the image of God. Biblical scholars and
theologians have long debated the meaning of the imago dei,
but clearly, in part, it means that humans are set apart in a
special way from the rest of creation, and thus are endowed
with dignity and intrinsic worth. While Christ is the ultimate
image of God (Col. 1:15; 2 Cor. 4:4), and believers are made
anew in the likeness of Christ, there is a creational image
that extends to all humanity. Thus, James could appeal to the
But as Christians we bring some significant paradigms,
principles and virtues to the bioethics discussion. Above all,
we bring a broad basic framework from the biblical story,
namely, that we are wonderfully made, but terribly fallen.
imago dei and its implied dignity in discussing the misuse
of the tongue to slander a person: “With it we bless the
Lord and Father, with it we curse those who are made in the
likeness of God” (3:9).
We understand that “human dignity… is not tied to a
claim that human beings are divine or inherently worthy
apart from God, nor is it a function of human autonomy
independent of God whereby people assume the authority to
declare their own worth. Instead, human dignity is grounded
in humanity’s unique connection with God, by God’s own
creative initiative.”2
The intrinsic dignity of human beings is a major principle
for bioethics. From conception to the grave, a human being
should be treated with a value that is not dependent on
physical or cognitive capacity. Today, there is a tendency
in our culture to replace intrinsic dignity with functional
dignity, meaning that a person’s worth depends on the
degree of functionality with which he or she can perform,
or a value that is determined by others. This easily leads to
12 FA L L / W I N T E R ‘ 1 0
treating persons as things rather than as precious beings
made in God’s image. Thus, the call for physician assisted
suicide (i.e. a form of euthanasia) is typically rooted in a
functional dignity determined by a person’s own sense
of worth, or the value others place upon her. The drive to
clone a human being overlooks the inherent dignity of the
human person in its attempt to duplicate a living being for
the value it might bring to science. The same can be said for
cloning to produce embryonic stem cells, or cloning to bring
a child into the world totally outside of the loving intimacy
of husband and wife.
While the new reproductive technologies have the potential
to address the anguishing infertility of a couple, some of these
technologies have the capacity to turn reproduction into
manufacturing. Christians can judiciously utilize many of these
technologies, but great care should be given to preserve the
dignity of our offspring in the way they are utilized. Similarly,
the gift of cadaver organs for transplants is a marvelous way
to extend the life of another, even in the midst of tragic loss.
But in deciding who gets the organs amid excessive shortages,
we must ensure fairness and justice, protecting the dignity of
every human being. Thus, organs should never be distributed
on the basis of social status.
Humans are wonderfully made. Their dignity and
worth should be preserved in every facet of medicine and
biotechnology.
Terribly Fallen
The Christian worldview not only posits a good creation
with humans made in the image of God. It also portrays
another side of human nature: We are terribly fallen. Though
God gave humans the ability and task of caring for the world,
we have frequently turned that stewardship into a pillaging
of the earth, acts of injustice for our own self-centered gain,
and, at times, even moral malice while seeking to do good.
Thus, in bioethics we must constantly be aware of the human
proclivity to distort God’s designs and misuse his good
natural resources and the artifacts and technologies made
from them.
In Genesis 3, the story of the Fall depicts distortions in
the multiple spheres of life: with God, self, others and nature.
Thus, like Adam and Eve, we attempt to take life into our
own hands on our own terms, and we deceive ourselves in
the midst of our dominion and care for God’s creation. Self-
deception is one of the major marks of fallen humanity, and
it can play a significant role in distortions in the moral life,
including bioethics.
Several years ago while teaching in Kiev, Ukraine, I
visited the Great War Museum. In one section of the museum
depicting the atrocities of the Nazi regime throughout
Europe, I noticed a glass case containing a rather strange-
looking white glove. I asked the interpreter accompanying
me to read the statement beside the case. He soberly read,
“This glove was made from human flesh.” Part of what makes
this so heinous was the involvement and even leadership of
leading scientists and doctors of that time. Men and women
trained in the top medical and science schools of Europe
acquiesced to unspeakable evil under the guise of science
and medicine.
...in bioethics we must constantly be aware of the human
proclivity to distort God’s designs and misuse his good natural
resources, and the artifacts and technologies made from them.
Being terribly fallen, humans have the capacity not only
for great acts of heroism and seeking good for the human
race, but also the capacity to do evil, even in the name of
therapy, science or alleviating human suffering. Scientists
and physicians are, of course, not alone in this tendency
to take the good world with its potential for technological
advancement and desecrate it with actions that deface
human dignity and ignore even the most obvious ethical
obligations or virtues. It is evident in all domains of society
and among all the professions.
At times, unethical practices fall prey to re-classification
that subverts even our natural moral sensibilities. As
Cornelius Plantinga, Jr. puts it, “Vices…masquerade as
virtues—lust as love, thinly veiled sadism as military
discipline, envy as righteous indignation….Deceivers learn
how to present something falsely, and they exert themselves
to make the presentation credible.”3 This is evident, for
example, in the use of autonomy as one of the cherished
principles of biomedicine.
Unfortunately, autonomy has been used to undermine
human dignity and defend the right to snuff out a human life
when it is burdensome or unwanted. Cloning is sometimes
called by its scientific procedure, somatic cell transfer, to
soften the moral blow of the act. Human enhancements
through biotechnology that threaten to change the basic
contours of human nature are at times simply labeled “acts
of compassion.”
Being terribly fallen, we must be cautious even in the
most laudable efforts to apply medicine and biotechnologies
to the human race. As good gifts of God, they are a wonderful
resource for therapy, healing and human good. But
simultaneously, because the gifts and their “masters” are
fallen, they can be used to defy God’s designs for life, and
deface the most precious of God’s creation: Humans made in
the image of God.
Conclusion
Wonderfully made, but terribly fallen. This paradigm
does not solve all the ethical quandaries we face in the world
of medicine and biotechnology. But it is a basic framework in
which to carry out the related vocations, and through which
we all will make some of the hardest decisions in life. No
other worldview paints the human self in quite the same way
as God’s Word. Nevertheless, it is a paradigm that resonates
with the way human beings universally experience life and
the world. And it is a paradigm that can guide believers into
the exciting new world of medicine and biotechnology with
both hope and realism.
1 Leon Kass, Life, Liberty, and the Defense of Dignity: The Challenge for Bioethics (San
Francisco: Encounter Books, 2002), 4.
2 C. Ben Mitchell, Edmund D. Pellegrino, Jean Bethke Elshatain, John F. Kilner and Scott
B. Rae, Biotechnology and the Human Good (Washington, DC: Georgetown University
Press, 2007), 71.
3 Cornelius Plantinga, Jr., Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin (Grand
Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995), 99.
Dr. Dennis Hollinger is President and Colman M.
Mockler Distinguished Professor of Christian Ethics
at Gordon-Conwell. He was previously President
and Professor of Christian Ethics at Evangelical
Theological Seminary, Myerstown, PA; has held
administrative and teaching positions at Messiah
College and Alliance Theological Seminary; and
served as adjunct or visiting professor at seminaries
in Russia, India and Ukraine. He has also pastored several churches,
including Washington Community Fellowship on Capitol Hill. Dr. Hollinger
has written four books, and co-edited the Eerdmans book series, Critical
Issues in Bioethics. He is a Distinguished Fellow with the Center for
Bioethics and Human Dignity and on the board of reference for the C.S.
Lewis Institute. He pursued his M.Div. at Trinity Evangelical Divinity
School, his M.Phil. and Ph.D. degrees at Drew University and postdoctoral
studies at Oxford University.
w w w.gordonconwell.edu/ c o nta c tma g a z i ne 13
 Ethics
Wo rkpla c e
in the

D a v i d W. G i l l , P h . D .

I t doesn’t take an academic survey or blue ribbon government commission to

prove the point that we have an ethics problem in the workplace and business world.
Every day, the media run stories of executive misbehavior, improperly-tested products,
worker mistreatment, dreadful customer service, employee theft, environmental
pollution and so on. Think about the recent subprime lending debacle, the Bernie
Madoff scandal, the BP oil spill, and Toyota’s cover-up. It often feels like an epidemic
from top to bottom of the business world. Most of us have been negatively affected one
way or another by these problems; these are not just news stories about others.
14 FA L L / W I N T E R ‘ 1 0
 “We are being trained to react to rare
circumstances in our rearview mirror.
We become experts in allocating blame
but not much else.”
Before we get hysterical, though, this perception needs
to be balanced a bit. The reality is that most business
managers and employees actually do spend their days
trying to do the right thing by each other and by their
customers. The bad apples and big scandals are the
exceptions, not the rule. It is almost certainly the case also
that today’s media and communications environment
has given much wider exposure to problems that in the
past went unreported. It is just harder to hide today.
Still, we do have serious ethical problems in business and
the workplace. One of the ironies of this situation is that
over the past 30 years, business ethics—both as a field of
study in business school and as a management practice and
concern—has received greater and greater emphasis, but
with no apparent impact on the way people and organizations
actually behave. Over the past 30 years, almost all Fortune
1000 companies have adopted codes of ethics and training
programs, and the majority of business schools now have
required courses in business ethics and social responsibility.
But how effective have all of these been? Maybe we’re not
doing it the right way.
Damage Control or Mission Control?
One problem with “business ethics as usual” is that it
is too often an affair of crisis management and “damage
control.” The ethics program (or ethics course) focuses
almost exclusively on discussion of serious problem
cases: the wreck of the Exxon Valdez, the Union Carbide
plant explosion in Bhopal, exploited workers in Kathy Lee
Gifford’s clothing supply chain, Ford’s Pinto safety scandal.
No doubt we can learn something by analyzing these cases.
But let’s face it: These are rare and extreme circumstances
for most of us. Even more important, we are reacting to
situations after they occur. Result? We are being trained
to react to rare circumstances in our rearview mirror. We
become experts in allocating blame but not much else.
Consider sexual harassment training, often the most
significant ethics training program in an organization.
It takes place primarily out of fear of lawsuits and brand
scandals. It focuses on what not to do, what not to say.
The tone is threatening. The style is legalistic. Why don’t
we work positively and constructively on how to build
respectful relationships and communication on our team?
A much more effective approach is what I call “mission
control” ethics. In this approach, we start by clarifying
the purpose of our organization. What is our mission and
vision? If our mission is simply and narrowly to “move
money from your pockets to mine,” we are going to have
trouble. The love of money or the mission to tear down our
barns and build bigger ones—by itself—isn’t going to get
it done, ethically speaking. Creating and delivering good
and beautiful products and services, fixing the brokenness
of our world, healing the hurting and wounded…those
are themes that get people out of bed in the morning
eager to bring their best, most ethical self to work.
In this mission control approach, “ethics” becomes
something positive: a description of “how we need to
treat one another (and all of our stakeholders) in order to
excel and succeed in our mission.” This is where Christians
can contribute a great deal of insight and truly “salt” the
marketplace. Those uplifting mission and vision themes
come straight out of the Bible. Our God is Creator and
Redeemer. We, and all people, have been made in the image
and likeness of a Creator and Redeemer, and we flourish
when given a chance to express those aspects of our
humanity.
Rules or Character?
A second problem with much of the business and
workplace ethics out there is its overemphasis on getting
the rules straight—to the neglect of individual character
and corporate culture. Much of today’s ethics training reacts
to crisis cases and ethical dilemmas by appeal to a set of
rules and some kind of decision-making formula (borrowed
from the secular moral philosophy rooted in the European
Enlightenment) for analysis and response.
Christians, of course, can share the best set of moral
rules on earth: the Ten Commandments. The Decalogue is a
powerful template for ethical guidance that leads to justice,
fairness, freedom and care for others. But, by contrast,
Christians emphasize that the transformation of character
is more fundamental and important than possessing even
w w w.gordonconwell.edu/ c o nta c tma g a z i ne 15
 the best set of rules. The Law, by itself, fails to result in
consistently righteous and ethical behavior. This means that
we must be born again by God’s Spirit as new people with a
new nature before the Law can be fulfilled in us (Romans 8:3-
4). In a modest but significant way that echoes this cosmic
truth, a person’s character is always more important than
the rules or principles they espouse. Hence, even in business,
it is more crucial to hire for character and work at building
healthy, value-embedded organizational cultures than it is to
get our code of ethics written and distributed.
As Christians, our agenda is to cooperate with God’s
work of sanctification in us so that we personally have a
strong, ethical, God-honoring character that we take to our
workplace. And as Christians, we can promote an emphasis
“As Christians, our agenda is to cooperate with God’s work of
sanctification in us so that we personally have a strong, ethical,
God-honoring character that we take to our workplace.”
on ethical character and culture in our organizations (over
against a narrow focus on ethical rules and codes). One step
deeper, we can immerse ourselves in the Beatitudes and
other biblical accounts of character so that we can promote
the specific virtues and values most likely to empower and
reward ethical decisions and actions.
Individualism or Collaboration?
A final weakness of contemporary business and
workplace ethics is its individualism. In health care and
many other arenas, “autonomy” is king of all ethical values.
“Self-determination” and our personal “informed consent”
trump everything else. In the ethics training typical of
today’s corporations, workers are required to go sit alone in
front of computer screens to work their way through a series
of cases and multiple choice responses.
In this case, the “medium is the message.” “It’s ethics
time, people. Go sit alone in front of your computer!”
But that is exactly the wrong message. Ethics is a “team
sport” not a “solo sport.” The Enlightenment ethics tradition
of Kant and others is radically wrong. Dispassionate, rational
individuals reasoning their way to and from abstract universal
maxims is an approach that leads directly to the postmodern
despair and nihilism we often see in today’s culture. More
and more business and thought leaders have woken up to
the “wisdom of teams” and the essential role and power of
collaboration. Nowhere is this team and collaboration more
important than in ethics. Wisdom comes in the process of
listening, conversation, debate and the search for consensus.
Christians know this! They know from the Bible that it is
“not good for man to dwell alone.” Jesus sent his followers
out “two by two,” not one by one. The Ten Commandments,
Sermon on the Mount and indeed, all biblical ethical guidance,
is given to a people, a community, not to an isolated pilgrim.
What two or three bind on earth is bound in heaven. The
16 FA L L / W I N T E R ‘ 1 0
partnership and community context for ethics is a constant,
inescapable theme throughout Scripture. In our organizations
and workplaces, and in our personal wrestling with difficult
issues, we Christians should exemplify and promote this focus
on team and collaboration.
Salting and Lighting the Workplace
To be sure, the Bible has a great deal to say about
workplace topics like leadership, service, money, property,
wealth and poverty, honesty, fairness, integrity, care of
creation, diligence and justice. There is a great deal in
Scripture about law and justice as well as how to relate to
Caesar, how to do business in Babylon and how to treat
migrant labor—all very current topics. Jesus had more to say
about money, property and wealth than he did about heaven
and hell, homosexuality or praise music. We Christians are
vastly undereducated on these work and business themes in
Scripture, and that prevents us from being the kind of salt of
the earth and light of the world Jesus intended. Are we going
to wake up and get serious about it?
And as we have seen, it is not just that Christians hold and
advocate particular ethical positions on specific business
topics. Rather, it is the whole, overall structure, the shape and
process of ethics that needs some Christian salt and light. Get
the mission and vision straight and in a central place. Hire
for character, not just skills and credentials. Build a value-
embedded culture and team—don’t just write a nice code of
ethics. And emphasize team and collaboration in the quest
for wise ethics. Don’t yield to the individualism of our era.
Working for better business and workplace ethics is not
an option in the Christian life. It is a mandate for a 24/7
discipleship. And attached to the call to biblical discipleship
and ethics is the promise that we ourselves will be “blessed,”
our neighbors and colleagues will be loved, salted and
illuminated, and God will be glorified.
Dr. David Gill joined the Gordon-Conwell faculty
in 2010 as its first Mockler-Phillips Professor of
Workplace Theology and Business Ethics. He is
also Director of the Mockler Center for Faith and
Ethics in the Workplace. David has been a professor
in the fields of Christian ethics and business ethics
for more than 30 years, teaching at New College
Berkeley, North Park University, St. Mary’s College
of California, Fuller Seminary, Regent College and
elsewhere. Among his seven books are It’s About Excellence: Building
Ethically Healthy Organizations (2008), and Doing Right: Practicing Ethical
Principles (2004). He earned an MA from San Francisco State University
and a Ph.D. from the University of Southern California and has served as a
corporate consultant. He can be reached at dgill@gordonconwell.edu
 “But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream.”
Amos 5: 24

tolivein
justice
the message of
amos
for today
A Sermonic Essay
on Social Ethics and Justice

eldin villafañe, ph.d.

w w w.gordonconwell.edu/ c o nta c tma g a z i ne 17


I
f there is a word that describes our times, it is the word
“crisis.” A crisis describes a situation that is unstable,
decisive or crucial in the personal or social life of a
nation. It is interesting to note that the word “crisis”
has its linguistic roots in the Greek word Krisis (and the
verb Krino), and can mean “to select,” “decide” or “judge”—
and can also mean “justice!”1 All crises are, in essence,
moments of judgment—moments of searching for justice.
The Concept of Justice
J
ustice is a complex concept easier to sense than
to define. It has multiple definitions according
to the many existing schools of thought. Justice,
as Karen Lebacqz reminds us, is “a bit like the
proverbial elephant examined by blindfolded
explorers. Each feels a different part—the foot, the ears,
the tusks—and consequently each describes the beast
differently—gnarled and tough, thin and supple, smooth
and hard. The elephant itself [in this case justice] is not
encompassed by any of the individual descriptions.”2
According to my “touch of the elephant,” beyond
Aristotle’s definition of justice as the virtue of giving and
receiving what one is due or what one has a right to—and
beyond the valuable contributions of John Rawls or Robert
Nozick, among others,3 there stands the richness of the
biblical concept of justice.4 The Scriptures use various words
to speak of justice, but mainly the words tsedek and mishpat
in Hebrew and dikaiosyne in Greek. We can translate these
words as “righteousness,” “judgment” or “justice.” Justice
as tsedek speaks about a general living in right relationship
with someone, while justice as mishpat is somewhat more
particular. We can speak of mishpat as deciding what is “just”
when two people differ or disagree or when one has injured
the other.5 Dikaiosyne can have both of these meanings.
18 FA L L / W I N T E R ‘ 1 0
EDITOR’S NOTE
Dr. Villafañe’s article is based on a chapter
from his book, Beyond Cheap Grace:
A Call to Radical Discipleship, Incarnation,
and Justice (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2006).
Furthermore, Scripture presents us a rich and nuanced
understanding of justice. At heart, it speaks of a concept of
justice that I want to underline—that is, justice as “fidelity to
the demands of a relationship.”6
The picture that Scripture paints is that of the human
person created in and for communion—created to live in
community. In the Old Testament, above all, one sees the
importance of living in relationship with God and with each
other. Individuals were in relationship with God through
the covenant that existed between God and his people. “As
a member of this covenant community, each person was in
relationship with every other person, including the poor and
needy, one’s family and even with strangers and aliens. Out
of these relationships arose responsibilities and demands.
The just person was faithful to these responsibilities and
demands.”7 As Gerhard Von Rad wrote, “There is absolutely
no concept in the Old Testament with so central a significance
for all relationships of human life as that of tsedek [justice].”8
The Word of God presents justice ultimately as rooted in
the righteousness of God.9 It is grounded in God’s holiness
and moral character—in God’s very being. Our God is just
and righteous in God’s self and therefore faithful to God’s
self (as a triune God), and faithful to the demands of God’s
relationship with all creation. As the psalmist reminds
us, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your
throne” (Ps. 89: 14), and “For the Lord is righteous, he loves
justice” (Ps. 11: 7). Our God is a just God, a faithful God who
keeps God’s promises. Our God is a God who loves justice—a
God who demands justice of all!

Justice in the Book of Amos
I
f there is one book in the Bible that speaks
insightfully and relevantly to the issue of justice
for our time, it is the book of Amos.10 At the heart
of Amos’ message is the call to live in justice. Amos
had a passion for justice. He was a prophet “par
excellence” of social justice.
The message of the book of Amos can be presented under
three basic themes or theological motifs defined by justice,
namely: (1) justice among the nations; (2) justice in the
nation; and (3) justice and piety of a nation. We will look at
each in turn.
1. Justice among the Nations. Amos begins by indicting
various nations for their wickedness and injustice,
beginning with the nation to the north of Israel (Syria),
then moving on to the nations to the west (Philistia and
Phoenicia), the south (Edom and Ammon), and the east
(Moab), and finally indicting the sister nations, Judah
and Israel.
In these early chapters and throughout the book of Amos,
we are confronted by the fact that God calls all people, all
nations to account for their behavior. God’s standards
of justice are universal, for they are rooted in God’s
righteousness, God’s holiness, yes, God’s character. Walter
C. Kaiser, Jr. puts it this way: “There was no monopoly held
by any people, race or religion on righteousness; justice,
goodness and truth were the standards for all mortals on
planet earth or they would have to explain any deviations to
Yahweh himself!”11
The Word of God presents
justice ultimately as rooted in the
righteousness of God. It is grounded in
God’s holiness and moral character—
in God’s very being.
It is important to note that the injustices committed by
these nations are similar to the injustices that we tragically
see today among the nations. Let me underline a few:
5 Damascus (Syria) is accused of cruelty, violence,
and atrocities because she has “threshed Gilead
with threshing sledges of iron” (1:3).
5 Gaza (Philistia) is accused of slave trading “because
she took captive whole communities and sold them”
(1: 6).
5 Tyre (Phoenicia) is accused of breaking a covenant
or treaty “because she…disregarded a treaty of
brotherhood” (1:9).
5 Ammon is accused of imperialism and atrocities
“because he ripped open the pregnant women of
Gilead in order to extend his borders” (1:13).
Lamentably, each one of these injustices can be seen in
our day and contributes to the reason why we live in times
of global crisis:
5 Cruelty and violence among nations have been
institutionalized and commercialized by the modern
“threshing sledges of iron” that represent the
lucrative market of weapons or armaments of war.
5 The slave trade is the cruel experience of the Sudan
in Africa, where entire ethnic groups are sold in the
market. In other cases, just as cruel, young girls and
boys are sold into slavery and prostitution by the
Asiatic market and others.
w w w.gordonconwell.edu/ c o nta c tma g a z i ne 19
 5 The breaking of treaties is seen clearly in many
nations whose loyalty is dictated, not by covenant
or treaty among sovereigns, but by the sovereign
and universal globalization of the market. Modern
treaties are not worth the paper on which they are
written if the “god” Mammon reigns!
Sooner or later, what the nations sow, that they shall reap.
God is still sovereign—over creation (5:8), over history (9:7),
over the nations (1:3 – 2:6). God demands justice among the
nations!
2. Justice in the Nation. As often happens in the history
of nations, political stability and economic prosperity
brought about self-sufficiency and indifference among
the Israelites. But God placed a “plumb line” in Israel,
with equal implications for Judah and for the nations.
The “plumb line” revealed a society inclined toward
idolatry, oppression, exploitation and violence—indeed,
to injustice. Judgment would come on Israel, for
They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair
of sandals. They trample on the heads of the poor as upon
the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed.
Amos 2:6-7
It is critically important for us today to understand
that the standard of justice placed before the king and the
dominant class (the governor, landowners, business people,
judges and military), as well as all the people, is that of justice
toward the poor. We will all be judged by how we treat the
weakest members—this is the heart of Amos’s message. Why
is this so? I believe that the teaching of Scripture is clear (in
Amos as in the other prophets) that beyond God’s intrinsic
love and championing for the stranger, widow, poor and
needy lies also the reality of idolatry. As the commandments
teach us: “I am the Lord your God…You shall have no other
gods before me… for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God”
(Exod. 20: 1-5).
While many of the Israelites may not have worshiped
idols of wood or rock (as many may not today), yet they
rendered “worship” to the god of wealth (Mammon). The
desire and anxiety for riches (greed), an obsessive note in
the lives of the dominant class, led to their oppression of the
poor and needy and the corruption of the courts, the market,
the religious system and the society at large. Washington
Padilla reminds us that a central note of Amos was of “social
injustice as the specific form that the sin of idolatry assumes
in society.12 The lesson is clear: idolatry is at the heart of
social injustice and the eventual downfall of a nation.
But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-
falling stream. Amos 5: 24
A central concern in the book of Amos, and in all the
biblical teaching about society, is that God has a passionate
concern for justice for all—especially the poor, the weak and
20 FA L L / W I N T E R ‘ 1 0
the oppressed members of society. God demands justice in
the nation!
3. Justice and Piety of a Nation. The Israelites had
forsaken the needy and oppressed. They pretended to
worship the true God by the multitude of their offerings
and gifts. They even excelled in the composing of music
for temple worship (6: 5). There was a form of revival—
yes, the temples were crowded yet it was an abomination
to God. Listen to God’s words:
I hate, I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your
assemblies. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and
grain offerings I will not accept them. Though you bring choice
fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with
the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your
harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a
never-failing stream. Amos 5:21-24
Throughout Scripture we can find important truths
about worship that relate authentic worship to our behavior
toward the poor and oppressed. The words of Amos are
echoed by the prophet Isaiah when he says:
Is such the fast that I choose a day to humble oneself? Is it to
bow down the head like a bulrush, and to lie in sackcloth and
ashes? Will you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord? Is
not this the fast I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice…to let
the oppressed go free…? Is it not to share your bread with the
hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; When
you see the naked, to cover them and not to hide yourself from
your own kin? Isa. 58: 5-7
The fast or worship that pleases our God is accompanied
by acts of mercy and justice toward the poor, the broken and
the oppressed. Furthermore, such true worship has the great
promises of God’s blessings. The prophet Isaiah continues:
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your
healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before
you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you
shall call, and the Lord will answer…The Lord will guide you
continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make
your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like
a spring of water, whose waters never fail. Isa. 58: 8-9, 11
There is a seamless relationship between ethical behavior
and true worship, between justice and piety. Who we are and
how we behave are intimately related in our giving worth to
our God. For true worship, whether expressed in our daily
walk or in a building called a temple or church, must be
“in spirit and truth” (John 4:23). In the New Testament, for
example, we find these profound and disturbing words in
Matthew 25:42-45:
For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty
and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did
 There is a seamless
relationship between ethical behavior
and true worship, between justice and piety.
Who we are and how we behave are intimately
related in our giving worth to our God.
not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me,
I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.” They
will also answer, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty
or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did
not help you?” He will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you
did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.”
There is a great mystery here, for as we serve with justice
the poor and needy in our midst, we are in a deep yet spiritually
profound sense doing it to the Lord. We are ascribing worth to
our Lord. We are worshiping him. May our worship be in spirit
and in truth. May we in our worship live in justice!
1 F. Büchsel, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Abridged in One Volume,
by Geoffrey W. Bromiley (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1985), p. 469.
2 Karen Lebacqz, Six Theories of Justice: Perspectives from Philosophical and
Theological Ethics (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1986), p. 9.
3 John Rawls, A Theory of Justice (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1971);
Robert Nozick, Anarchy, State, and Utopia (New York: Basic Books, 1974).
4 Among the many excellent texts on Biblical justice see, Chris Marshall, The
Little Book of Biblical Justice: A Fresh Approach to the Bible’s Teaching on Justice
(Intercourse, PA: Good Books, 2005); Enrique Nardoni, Rise Up, O Judge: A Study
of Justice in the Biblical World (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2004); and
Nicholas Wolterstorff, Justice: Rights and Wrongs (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University
Press, 2008).
5 Lois Barrett, Doing What is Right: What the Bible Says About Covenant and Justice
(Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1989), p. 21; see also, Bruce C. Birch, Let Justice
Roll Down: The Old Testament, Ethics, and Christian Life (Louisville, Kentucky:
Westminster/John Knox Press, 1991), pp. 153-156.
6 John R. Donahue, S.J., “Biblical Perspective on Justice” in John Haughey, ed. The
Faith That Does Justice (New York: Paulist Press, 1977), p. 68.
7 Bread for the World Educational Fund, “Biblical Basics on Justice,” pamphlet (New
York: Bread for the World, n.d.), p.2.
8 Gerhard Von Rad, Old Testament Theology (New York: Harper and Bros., 1962),
Part I, p. 370; see also, Stephen C. Mott, Biblical Ethics and Social Change (New York:
Oxford University Press, 1982), pp. 59-81.
9 E. Clinton Gardner, “The Righteousness of God and Human Justice,” Justice and
Christian Ethics (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1995), pp. 29 – 53.
10 Among the many and excellent texts on the book of Amos, see Mark Daniel
Carroll, Contexts for Amos: Prophetic Poetics in Latin American Perspective (Sheffield:
Sheffield Academic Press, 1992); James L. Mays, Amos: A Commentary (Philadelphia:
Westminster, 1969); and Douglas Stuart, Hosea-Jonah, Word Biblical Commentary 31
(Waco: Word, 1987).
11 Walter C. Kaiser Jr. Toward Old Testament Ethics (Grand Rapids, Michigan:
Zondervan Publishing House, 1983), pp. 12-13.
12 Washington Padilla, Amós-Abdías, Comentario Biblico Hispanoamericano (Miami:
Editorial Caribe, 1989), p. 14; see also, Brian S. Rosner, Greed as Idolatry: The Origin
and Meaning of a Pauline Metaphor (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2007).
Eldin Villafañe, Ph.D., Professor of Christian Social
Ethics, was Founding Director of Gordon-Conwell’s
Boston campus, the Center for Urban Ministerial
Education (CUME) and also Associate Dean for
Urban and Multicultural Affairs. He has served as
a visiting professor at Harvard Divinity School, held
leadership positions with his denomination and in
Hispanic theological associations, and ministered in
the urban setting as Minister of Education at the Iglesia Cristiano Juan
3:16 in the Bronx in New York City, then the nation’s largest Hispanic
church. He holds an M.A. from Wheaton Graduate School of Theology and
a Ph.D. from Boston University.
w w w.gordonconwell.edu/ c o nta c tma g a z i ne 21
 HOW TO MA KE
ETH I CA L
D EC I S I ONS I N A
COM P LEX
WO RLD PATR IC K T. SM ITH ,
P h . D . ( can d . )

22 FA L L / W I N T E R ‘ 1 0
 A WE LL - K N OWN AN D WEL L -WORN JOKE
shared regularly when I was in grade school goes: “How do you clean
Dracula’s teeth?” The response: “Very carefully.” When I think about
the question, “How do we make ethical decisions in a complex world?”
the response of the childhood joke somehow seems appropriate.

T
o be sure, there are many moral questions whose
answers are very clear. For instance, we must not
torture innocent people just for the fun of it. The
immorality of this activity ought to be beyond dispute.
Yet, we face many pressing ethical questions in our
contemporary context that are difficult, and defy simple
and unreflective responses. Unfortunately, we live in an age
where many important ethical discussions are not thought
through carefully and too often are reduced to clichés. When
this happens in the Christian community, we are woefully
unprepared to help ourselves and equip others to make good
ethical decisions in a complex world.
THE B I B LE I N C H R ISTIA N ETH ICS
Many orthodox Christians correctly affirm the Bible, first
and foremost, as the inspired narrative of God’s loving plan
of redemption for His creation. Does the Bible also help
with ethical decision-making? Certainly. Divine revelation
through Scripture has a primary role in Christian ethics. We
must, however, take care not to misunderstand the nature of
Scripture, nor to misuse the Bible in ethical decision-making.
We must not think of the Bible as simply a book of moral
precepts to be mined for making ethical decisions. If we do
so, I think we miss its point.
Further, this approach increases the likelihood that we
will err or misuse the Bible in ethics. The moral prescriptions
of the Bible are authoritative for the Christian community
when they are properly interpreted and appropriately
applied in our contemporary setting.
Even with the high view of Scripture held by most evangelical
Christians, many matters are not nearly so straightforward that
one can find a verse or passage containing direct instruction on
what to do in a given situation. Take, for example, the medical
treatment of terminally ill or imminently dying patients. On
one hand, Christian theology recognizes that human life is
valuable and a tremendous good of which we are to be faithful
stewards. On the other hand, it also recognizes that our human
existence this side of the new heavens and new earth is not the
highest good and that there is a time to die. Hence, it is often
complicated to determine on purely biblical or theological
grounds exactly when someone should forego various kinds of
therapeutic treatment at the end of life.

w w w.gordonconwell.edu/ c o nta c tma g a z i ne 23

“ THE MO R AL PR ES CR IPTIONS O F THE B I B LE A R E AU THO R ITATI VE
F OR THE CHR ISTIA N COMMUNITY WHE N TH EY A R E P R O P ER LY I NTERP RETED
A N D APPR OPRIATE LY APPLIE D I N O U R C O NTE M P O R A RY S ET TI N G .”
Further, “there are no direct discussions about war,
genetic engineering, environmental pollution” and a number
of other contemporary issues.1 So there is a deliberative
process that must take place to discern how prescriptive
biblical principles may be applied in complex situations.
This is why the discipline of hermeneutics is so important in
all facets of Christian discipleship. Regardless, Scripture has
a prime place in Christian ethical reflection.
C OMP LEX ITY O F D O IN G ETH ICS
Ethics is complex for several reasons. First, we are fallen
creatures living in a fallen world (Gen. 3). As Cornelius
Plantinga, Jr. notes, “sin distorts our character, a central
feature of our very humanity. Sin corrupts powerful human
capacities—thought, emotion, speech and act—so that
they become centers of attack on others or of defection or
neglect.”2 This certainly in no small way affects how we live
and the ethical decisions we make.
A second factor is that “we sometimes encounter
competing ethical claims”3 (more on this below). Third,
our individual decisions are often affected by a “plurality
of publics.”4 In other words, a number of people or groups
have a legitimate stake in ethical decisions. To whom is
one primarily responsible in making decisions? Last, the
empirical facts may not be easy to discern or ascertain. It
is widely recognized that in applied ethics many moral
judgments hinge on non-moral facts.
To illustrate this last point, consider the ethics of organ
transplantation. Of course, many take it to be morally
unacceptable to harvest the vital organs of people who
are not yet dead for the sake of saving others’ lives. Since
“successful transplantation requires that organs be removed
from cadavers shortly after death to avoid organ damage due
to loss of oxygen, there has been keen interest in knowing
precisely when people are dead so that organs can be
removed.”5 And determining this is an empirical matter once
the theoretical criteria have been established. Therefore, the
24 FA L L / W I N T E R ‘ 1 0
empirical facts are crucial in assessing the morality of organ
donation in a particular case.
C RITERI A FOR MAKI N G ETH I CAL DECIS IONS
In the midst of such complexity, the real, perhaps
inevitable, possibility exists that ethical dilemmas will arise.
An ethical dilemma can be understood as “a conflict between
two or more value- or virtue-driven interests.” 6 In such
circumstances, it is important to have some tools that can
assist us in making sound ethical decisions. The following
model represents just one such framework.7
1. GATHER THE FACTS. In many cases, issues are
resolved by becoming clear on the details of the
case. We need to ask, “What is the context of the
ethical deliberation?” Given that we make ethical
decisions in specific circumstances, if we don’t
have the facts, moral assessment is not possible.
2 . D ETERMI NE THE ETHI CA L I SSU ES . Sometimes
we face situations that present personal and
professional difficulty, but may not constitute an
ethical dilemma. Here, it is important to identify
as specifically as possible what are the competing
moral interests that stand in need of resolution.
3 . D ETERMI NE WHAT V I RT U ES A ND P R IN C IP LES
HAVE A BEA RI NG ON THE CASE . If the conflict we
are addressing actually is an ethical dilemma, then,
of course, there are competing values or principles
that underlie it. After identifying these principles,
the task is to determine which ought to be afforded
more weight in the context where unavoidable
moral conflicts emerge.
 This approach, sometimes known as graded
absolutism or ethical hierarchialism, sees moral rules
and principles as prima facie. This simply means that
at first glance or all things being equal, these rules
carry moral obligations in most situations, but may
be overridden by other ethical considerations in
situations where there are genuine moral dilemmas.
“Clearly,” for a Christian ethic “biblical principles are
to be weighted more heavily.” 8
4 . LIST TH E ALTERNATIVES. A very important part
of this model is to ask: “What are the courses of
action that may be taken?” When this is done, we’ll
see that some decisions eliminate themselves. We
should always strive to be as creative as possible to
get around a moral dilemma. The more alternatives
that can be generated, the better likelihood we
have of discovering an option that minimizes the
potential negative consequences of our decisions.
5 . C O M PAR E THE ALTERNATIVES WITH THE
VIRTUES AND P RINCIP LES EMP LOYED. It may
well be the case that most, if not all but one or
two alternatives, can be ruled out when we apply
the relevant principles and values to them. “In
order to make a clear decision, [we] must weight
one or more virtues/values more heavily than
others.”9 One worry with the graded absolutist
approach or ethical hierarchialism is that some
may simply “use the notion of prima facie rules
as a smokescreen for picking and choosing which
rules [they] wish to adhere to in any situation.”10
In order to avoid this scenario, certain conditions
must be met when overriding a prima facie rule: (1)
Justifiable public reasons must be offered in favor
of the overriding principle; (2) It should be done
as a last resort; (3) “We should seek the action that
least violates the principle being overridden;” and
(4) The overridden principle should leave “moral
traces,” which is an awareness of the moral weight
concerning the decision being made.11
6 . C O NS ID ER THE CONSEQUENCES. If one has not
been able to completely rule out possible alternatives
when applying the rules, then the positive and
negative consequences of the decision should be
determined and assessed as well as can be done.
7. MAKE A DECISION CONSISTENT W ITH A
C H RISTIAN ETHIC. We must avoid the “paralysis
of analysis” and make a decision. Sometimes this
means choosing the best available alternative even if
not ideal. Whatever decision is to be made, it should
be as consistent with a Christian ethic as humanly
possible given the unique features of the scenario.
To consider how these steps can be applied in a concrete
situation, take the example of a man hiding Jews during World
War II. The facts are that soldiers are tracking down people
of Jewish background and unjustifiably executing them.
The man is asked in a very forthright manner if he knows
their whereabouts. That individual has the opportunity to
protect human lives by concealing the location of Jews on
his property. The ethical issue here is that there is a moral
conflict between telling the truth and saving a life when it is
in one’s power and ability to do so.
In determining what virtues and principles bear on this
case, it is important to reflect on the biblical teaching that
God is a God of truth. He expects His people to be truthful
and lying lips are an abomination to God (Proverbs 12:22).
Also, God places a high value on human life and expects
us to do the same (Matthew 22:37-39). When we have an
opportunity to save the life of another or to prevent evil from
coming upon others, we have a responsibility to do so.
What are the alternatives for a person in this situation?
To tell the truth or deceive in order to protect human life, it
would seem. (For the example employed here to illustrate
how the criteria may be used, let’s assume no other
alternatives are available.) When comparing the alternatives,
it seems that there is an unavoidable conflict. The
question now becomes, “Which of the moral principles, both
deeply ingrained in Christian ethics, ought to be afforded
more weight?”
When one considers the consequences, it is almost certain
that human life will be lost unjustifiably by revealing the
location of the Jews. Some may decide that while lying is
not ideal, the principle of saving a life through some form
of deception is morally permissible, given the situation.
However, these same individuals should also stress that it
is morally imperative not to make this a common practice
for the sake of mere convenience. Deception should only
be chosen when there is an unavoidable conflict with grave
consequences in the balance.
C H ARACTER AN D C OM M UN ITY C OUNT
It is important to know that ethical decision-making
cannot be reduced simply to identifying and applying
rules and principles. A crucial part of Christian ethics
is about determining what we ought to do in this way.
Applying guidelines, while important, is only part of a
proper Christian response. Just as important is reflection
on, and development of, the kind of persons we are to
be. Christians must strike a balance between what some
have labeled decisionist ethics and virtue ethics.12 The
former category provides answers to the question, “What
ought I to do?” whereas the latter addresses the question,
“What kind of person should I be?” Most certainly, character
counts.
Moreover, ethics is a profoundly communal exercise.
We are created as social beings. Certain shared moral
responsibilities and moral bonds are moral requisites of
w w w.gordonconwell.edu/ c o nta c tma g a z i ne 25
 “ TO BE A C HR I STI A N I S TO B E S HA P E D
BY TH E VA LU ES , C O M M IT M E NTS , A N D
WOR LDV I EW O F THE C O M M U N ITY O F FA ITH
TO S UC H A D EG R E E TH AT O N E B EG I N S
TO INTER NA L IZE C ERTA I N V I RT U ES A N D
DIS POS ITI O N S … ”

genuine community. It is difficult, indeed, to overstate our
interdependence with one another. Therefore, we most
often do not make ethical decisions in isolation. Nor do we
grow in character apart from the community that helps
form and shape it. Kyle Fedler describes these points nicely
when he writes:
“[T]he development of Christian character is absolutely
central to the Christian life. To be a Christian is to be shaped
1 Dennis P. Hollinger, Choosing the Good: Christian Ethics in a Complex World (Grand
Rapids: Baker Books, 2002) 18.
2 Cornelius Plantinga, Jr., Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin (Grand
Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995) 2.
3 Hollinger, Choosing the Good, 18.
4 Richard A. McCormick, “Ethics Committees: Promise or Peril?” Law, Medicine, and
Healthcare, September 1984, 150-155.
5 Ana Smith Iltis and Mark J. Cherry, “Death Revisited: Rethinking Death and the Dead
Donor Rule,” Journal of Medicine and Philosophy, Volume 35, Issue 3, June 2010: 223.

by the values, commitments, and worldview of the community 6 Scott B. Rae, Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics, Third Edition (Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 2009) 107.
of faith to such a degree that one begins to internalize certain
virtues and dispositions….While belief and action are vital to 7 Ibid., 106-108.

being a Christian, one must also allow oneself to be shaped 8 Ibid., 107.
and molded into a particular kind of person, to develop a set 9 Rae, Moral Choices, 107.
of virtues that reflect what we as Christians claim to believe 10 Kyle D. Fedler, Exploring Christian Ethics: Biblical Foundations for Morality
about the world.”13 (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2006), 25.

This is why being a member of a local church body is so 11 Ibid.

important for followers of Christ. In the context of the Christian
community, we can see the transforming power of the Holy
Spirit at work in the lives of God’s people. Making ethical
decisions in a complex world is not merely a deliberative
process, though it is certainly no less. We make ethical decisions
in the midst of complexity in a holistic way that includes with
our mental deliberation the appropriate kind of character that
is developed by reflecting on God’s Word and His world amidst
the community of believers (Romans 12:1-2).
12 Ibid., 6-7.
13 Ibid., 41.
Prof. Patrick T. Smith, Assistant Professor of
Theology and Philosophy, has served on the faculty
of Michigan Theological Seminary and the adjunct
faculties of William Tyndale College and Gordon-
Conwell’s Boston campus. He held academic and
administrative positions at Wayne State University
and provided theological education to pastors and
leaders in Africa. He is Ethics Coordinator for a
hospice center in Michigan, and a member of the state Board of Directors
for the Michigan Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. He often
speaks at professional meetings; at conferences, health care organizations
and churches; on radio; and on college and university campuses. He is
on the steering committee for the Bioethics Consultation Group of the
Evangelical Theological Society. He holds an M.A. from Trinity Evangelical
Divinity School, and is a Ph.D. candidate at Wayne State University.

26 FA L L / W I N T E R ‘ 1 0
 For Further Reading:
A Select Bibliography of Books on Christian Ethics
Davis, John Jefferson.
Evangelical Ethics: Issues
Facing the Church Today.
Revised and Expanded. New
Jersey: P & R Publishing, 2004.
_________________________
Fedler, Kyle. Exploring
Christian Ethics: Biblical
Foundations for Morality.
Louisville, KY: Westminster
John Knox Press, 2006.
_________________________
Gill, David W. Becoming
Good: Building Moral
Character. Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity Press, 2000.
_________________________
________. Doing Right:
Practicing Ethical Principles.
Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity Press, 2004.
_________________________
Hays, Richard B. The Moral
Vision of the New Testament:
A Contemporary Introduction
to New Testament Ethics. New
York: HarperCollins Publishers,
1996.
_________________________
Hollinger, Dennis P. Choosing
the Good: Christian Ethics in a
Complex World. Grand Rapids:
Baker Books, 2002.
_________________________
________. The Meaning of Sex:
Christian Ethics and the Moral
Life. Grand Rapids: Baker
Academic Books, 2009.
_________________________
Kaiser, Walter C. Toward
Old Testament Ethics. Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 1983.
_________________________
Meilaender, Gilbert. Bioethics:
A Primer for Christians,
Revised Edition. Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 2004.
_________________________
Mott, Stephen C. Biblical
Ethics and Social Change. New
York: Oxford Univ. Press, 1982.
_________________________
Plantinga, Jr., Cornelius. Not
the Way It’s Supposed to Be; A
Breviary of Sin. Grand Rapids,
MI: Eerdmans, 1995.
_________________________
Rae, Scott and Paul M. Cox.
Bioethics: A Christian Approach
in a Pluralistic Age. Grand
Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1999.
_________________________
Rae, Scott B. Moral Choices:
An Introduction to Ethics,
Third Edition. Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 2009.
_________________________
Stassen, Glen H. and
David P. Gushee. Kingdom
Ethics: Following Jesus in
Contemporary Context.
Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity Press, 2003.
_________________________
Villafañe, Eldin. Beyond
Cheap Grace: A Call to Radical
Discipleship, Incarnation,
and Justice. Grand Rapids,
Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans
Publishing Company, 2006.
_________________________
Witherington, Ben. The
Indelible Image: The
Theological and Ethical Thought
World of the New Testament,
Volume 1: The Individual
Witnesses. Downers Grove:
InterVarsity Press, 2009.
_________________________
________. The Indelible
Image: The Theological and
Ethical Thought World of the
New Testament, Volume 2: The
Collective Witness. Downers
Grove: InterVarsity Press,
2009.
_________________________
Wright, Christopher J. H. Old
Testament Ethics for the People
of God. Downers Grove:
InterVarsity Press, 2004.
_________________________
Wolterstorff, Nicholas. Justice:
Rights and Wrongs. Princeton,
NJ: Princeton University
Press, 2008.
w w w.gordonconwell.edu/ c o nta c tma g a z i ne 27
FACULTY PROFILE
Garth Rosell, Ph.D.
Professor of Church History
Ruth E. Hawk
Dr. Garth Rosell, Professor of
Church History at Gordon-
Conwell, is passionate about
God’s work. The son of
Mervin (“Merv”) Rosell, one
of the well-known evangelists
of the 1940s and ‘50s, he
learned early the truth by
which those men lived: That
it was God’s power that made
their ministries possible.
“We need to be reminded of a
spiritual truth that these mid-
20th-century evangelists
knew very well,” Dr. Rosell explains, “namely, that our
ministry is actually God’s gracious work through us, and it
is enabled entirely and solely through the power of the Holy
Spirit.”
Dr. Rosell sees God at work not only in his own life but also
in the lives of his students and at Gordon-Conwell, where
he has served for more than 30 years. As a child, he grew
up witnessing the faith of his parents and their famous
evangelist friends, such as Billy Graham. Their influence,
he says, made it easy for him to accept Christ at the age of
seven, after one of his father’s evangelistic services.
“It built something into me that made it natural to fall in
love with Christ,” he says. “It was a winsome, loving wooing
into the family of faith.”
He went on to earn an M.Div. and a Th.M. from Princeton
Theological Seminary, where he became interested in 19th
century American religious history and earned a Ph.D. on
that topic from the University of Minnesota.
His long and fruitful career at Gordon-Conwell began in
1978. After teaching for eight years at Bethel Theological
Seminary, he was called to serve as Gordon-Conwell’s
Professor of Church History and Chief Academic Officer by
the seminary’s first president, Dr. Harold John Ockenga. Dr.
Rosell responded because he was drawn by the seminary’s
vision of equipping men and women through whom God
could work to renew the church and society.
28 FA L L / W I N T E R ‘ 1 0
“They [the founders of Gordon-Conwell] had a deep
commitment to educate a whole new generation of men
and women who were theologically grounded, biblically
centered, passionate for the spread of the gospel, deeply
committed to the church and the renewal of the church,” he
says. “That’s what’s kept me here all these years.”
Since then, he has served under all six of Gordon-Conwell’s
presidents, taught at all four campuses and served in a
variety of administrative and faculty positions, including
helping to found and direct the school’s Ockenga Institute
and chairing the faculty’s Division of Christian Thought for
17 years.
Despite his administrative accomplishments, however, his
real passion is his students. In recent years, he has gradually
stepped down from all his administrative roles, in order to
focus on his teaching and writing. His greatest satisfaction
comes from seeing the work God does through his students.
“To watch students who have sat in my classrooms go out
and serve God faithfully, that is the greatest joy,” he says.
“This is just a little part of God’s working out of that vision
[of Gordon-Conwell].”
In addition to teaching, Dr.
Rosell has recently published
The Surprising Work of God, a
study of America’s 20th century
spiritual awakening, and he is
currently working on a history
of Gordon-Conwell for its 50th
anniversary celebration in 2019.
He also loves spending time with
Jane, his wife of 45 years, and his
son and daughter and two small
grandchildren. His desire for the
seminary remains steadfast: to
see God continue His work in and through the school and
its students.
“My prayer for the future,” he says, “is that God’s hand of
blessing would remain on our beloved seminary, and that
the mission and vision of our founders would remain vital
and alive throughout the coming years.”

Gordon-Conwell Introduces New Degree in Ethics and Society
Gordon-Conwell students can soon pursue a new Master of Arts
degree in ethics and society.
This 60-credit degree program, to be launched in the Fall 2011
semester, will provide graduate level training in Christian ethics
across the ethics spectrum, including theological, philosophical,
social, sexual and workplace ethics, and bioethics. The degree is
especially suitable for those who plan to deal with the subjects
of peace, justice, poverty, the environment, the marketplace,
Board Names Two New Trustees
The Gordon-Conwell Board of Trustees has welcomed two
new members in the past 18 months.
Dr. Claude R. Alexander, Jr. is Senior
Pastor of The Park Ministries in Charlotte,
NC.
The Park Ministries (previously University
Park Baptist Church) has grown from fewer
than 500 members to more than 8,000 since
Dr. Alexander became pastor in 1990. The church has also
expanded to three campuses and more than 80 ministries and
developed a television and a radio ministry during his tenure.
Dr. Alexander is a frequent speaker and has served on a
number of boards, including the Board of Directors of the
United Way. Charlotte Magazine has ranked him among the
75 most influential persons in Charlotte, and the Charlotte
Business Journal named him as one of Charlotte’s top 40
leaders under 40. He holds an M.Div. from Pittsburgh
Theological Seminary and a D.Min. from Gordon-Conwell.
He and his wife, Kimberly, have two daughters.
SEMINARY NEWS
health care or biomedical technology and research in their
postgraduate studies and vocations.
The MAET program will train students to understand the
Christian’s ethical responsibilities in family, church and society,
and will equip them to think and live ethically. The program
is also designed to foster spiritual maturity and provide
participants with a sound grasp of Scripture and theology.
The degree will consist of eight core courses in ethics along with
12 other courses, including biblical studies, theology, language
and electives. Students will have the opportunity to take up
to four courses of their concentration at member schools of
the Boston Theological Institute (BTI), a consortium of nine
theological schools in the Boston area.
“We are excited to give our students the opportunity to wrestle
with the important ethical and social issues of our day,” says
Provost Frank James. “Our highly experienced faculty, along
with the resources of the BTI, will equip students to approach
ethics, and social and justice issues, from a thoughtful Christian
perspective. We anticipate that students will leave this degree
program ethically competent and spiritually mature.”
For more information, contact Admissions at 1.800.428.7329 or
admrep@gcts.edu.
Tim Robertson is Chairman of Bay Shore
Enterprises, LLC, an investment holding
company.
Mr. Robertson previously served as
President and CEO of International Family
Entertainment, best known for The Family
Channel. He is also a founder and owner of Major League
Lacrosse, a professional, six-team outdoor lacrosse league
launched in 2001.
He has served on many cable, educational and nonprofit
boards, such as the board of Regent University of Virginia
Beach and the board of the Children’s Health Foundation
of Norfolk, VA. He has also been a member of the Council
for Virginia’s Future and the Governor’s Blue Ribbon
Commission for Higher Education for Virginia.
Mr. Robertson holds an M.Div. from Gordon-Conwell
and completed the Executive Program in Business
Administration at the Graduate School of Business,
Columbia University. He is an active member and leader at
Galilee Episcopal Church of Virginia Beach, VA, and lives in
Virginia Beach with his wife, Lisa, and their five children.
w w w.gordonconwell.edu/ c o nta c tma g a z i ne 29
SEMINARY NEWS
Patristics Scholar Appointed to New Cooley
Chair in Early Christianity
Donald M. Fairbairn, Ph.D., has been
appointed the Robert E. Cooley Professor
of Early Christianity at Gordon-Conwell.
Dr. Fairbairn previously taught at
Erskine Theological Seminary in Due
West, SC, as Professor of Historical
Theology. He has also taught at several
North American and European seminaries
and Bible schools. He has authored books in Russian and
English, most recently, Life in the Trinity: An Introduction to
Theology with the Help of the Church Fathers. He has written
articles on patristics, Eastern Orthodoxy and Christology.
He holds an M.Div. from Denver Seminary and a Ph.D. from
the University of Cambridge.
The Cooley Chair, an endowed faculty chair based at
the seminary’s Charlotte, NC, campus, provides Gordon-
Conwell and the wider Southeast community with a senior
scholar in patristics and historical theology. This chair
allows the seminary to contribute careful scholarship to the
growing interest in the early church.
Gordon College and Gordon-Conwell to
Celebrate 175th Birthday of A. J. Gordon
Gordon-Conwell
is partnering with
Gordon College
in a yearlong
celebration of the
175th birthday of
A. J. Gordon.
Rev. Gordon, who pastored Clarendon Street Baptist
Church in Boston for more than 25 years, founded the Boston
Missionary Training Institute in 1889 to prepare men and
women for Christian service. This institute would later
become Gordon College and the Gordon Divinity School.
In 1969, the divinity school merged with the Conwell
School of Theology to become Gordon-Conwell Theological
Seminary. Rev. Gordon died in 1895.
The 175th birthday celebration will consist of a series of
events held at the college and at the seminary, culminating
in a celebration on April 19, 2011. Events include a chapel
led by Gordon-Conwell professors Dr. Haddon Robinson,
Harold John Ockenga Distinguished Professor of Preaching;
and Dr. Scott Gibson, Haddon W. Robinson Professor
of Preaching; and student and leadership symposiums
involving the seminary community.
For more information, visit www.gordonconwell.edu/
Gordon175.
30 FA L L / W I N T E R ‘ 1 0
Jacksonville Campus Names New Assistant
to the Dean
Ryan M. Reeves, Ph.D. (cand.), has been
named Assistant to the Dean of the
Jacksonville campus of Gordon-Conwell
Theological Seminary and Instructor
in Historical Theology. He replaces the
previous Assistant to the Dean, Kent
Gilbert, who accepted a position at First
Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville.
From 2003 to 2006, Prof. Reeves served as Research
Fellow and Editor at Teleios Research Institute, a non-profit
organization in Orlando, FL, where he created numerous
teaching curricula for use in churches and seminaries
worldwide. From 2007-2009, he participated in course
planning and department management as the graduate
representative to the Church History Subject Committee at
Cambridge University.
He has guest lectured at Cambridge University and
Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) and has presented
papers at overseas conferences.
Prof. Reeves is completing a Ph.D. from the University of
Cambridge. He received M.A. and M.Div. degrees from RTS.
Dr. Davis Wins Biblical Exposition Award
Dr. John Jefferson Davis, Professor of
Systematic Theology and Christian Ethics,
recently won a first place Evangelical Press
Association (EPA) Higher Goals Award in
the category of biblical exposition for his
article, “2 Timothy 2:12, the Ordination
of Women, and Paul’s Use of Creation
Narratives.”
Dr. Davis’ article argues that Paul’s use of creation
texts indicates that 1 Tim. 2:11-15 does not prohibit the
ordination of women. It appeared in the Spring 2009 issue
of the Priscilla Papers, the Christians for Biblical Equality’s
scholarly journal. His article is the 9th in that journal to win
an award from the EPA, and the first by a Gordon-Conwell
professor to win first place.
The journal, which discusses biblical equality, was
founded in 1987 by Gordon-Conwell Ranked Adjunct
Associate Professor of Classical and Ministry Studies,
Dr. Catherine Clark Kroeger, and her husband, Richard.
Gordon-Conwell Ranked Adjunct Professor of Theology and
the Arts, William David Spencer, is Editor. Dr. Aida Besançon
Spencer, Gordon-Conwell Professor of New Testament, is its
editorial consultant.
The Papers have an international subscription of more
than 2,000 individuals and college and seminary libraries.

Mentored Ministry in a Kayak
April Seipp
When Matt Drayton began
his Mentored Ministry
position with Pastor Bob
Leroe, his new mentor
considered Matt’s previous
experience as a kayaking
instructor and gave him two
options: “We can talk in my
office, or we can talk on the
Ipswich River.”
Matt chose the river.
Over the course of the next two and a half years, as part of
Gordon-Conwell’s Mentored Ministry Program, they kayaked
a dozen rivers around the North Shore as they discussed life in
ministry and how to prepare for it.
Bob is the pastor of Cliftondale Congregational Church in
Saugus, MA, but served as a chaplain in the U.S. Army for 25 years.
Matt was pursuing his M.Div. degree at Gordon-Conwell in order
to become a chaplain with the Navy.
“I was so blessed to find Bob Leroe,” Matt says. “He had the
perfect mix of pastoral and chaplain expertise.”
The experience was so beneficial for Matt that he nominated
Bob for Gordon-Conwell’s new Outstanding Mentor Award, which
was presented at Matt’s ordination in May 2010.
Bob has mentored seven GCTS students over the past 10 years,
and asks the Mentored Ministry office to refer possible chaplain
candidates to him. Not all of his former students have gone into
the chaplaincy, but he still keeps in touch with each one.
The Saugus pastor was motivated to get involved with the
program because of a disappointing experience when he was a
brand-new chaplain on active duty for the first time. He asked
another chaplain to mentor him, and the man turned him down.
“I went to a seminary (not GCTS) that trained me to be a
theologian, not a minister,” Bob recalls. “So often practical skills
are left out in seminary.” The first funeral he ever attended was
one he conducted as a chaplain. No one told him how to do it.
As he gained experience in the Army, he made sure to pass
on his knowledge to other chaplains he supervised. He found
it difficult to retire from the chaplaincy, but his involvement
with the Mentored Ministry program helps. “I feel like I am still
influencing the military indirectly,” he says.
Bob emphasizes practical skills in his mentoring approach.
His students participate in a variety of ministry settings including
funerals, board meetings and pre-marital counseling sessions.
They meet together afterward to discuss the experience.
The hands-on training gives students the opportunity to test
their leadership under the supervision of a seasoned minister,
sometimes with humorous results. Matt’s favorite story from
Mentored Ministry happened while he was assisting Bob in
leading a Sunday service. When the choir came up to the front,
Matt stepped aside to make room and his shirt caught fire from
an altar candle. A woman in the choir began hitting him with a
Bible in an attempt to put it out.
“It took a little while for the congregation to realize what was
happening,” Matt laughs. The woman succeeded, but not before a
four-inch hole was burned in his shirt.
SEMINARY NEWS
Matt says Cliftondale will always be his home church, even
after he goes on active duty in January. Bob explains that the
church will continue to pray for him, as they would a missionary
overseas. As he transitions from seminary life to full-time
ministry, Matt sees his time spent with Bob as invaluable.
“I would not be getting a job as a Navy chaplain without this
Mentored Ministry experience,” he asserts. “It set my course for
the next 20 years.”
Mentored Ministry is required for all students receiving an
M.Div. or M.A. in Educational Ministries, though the program
design differs among campuses. In Boston, most students at
CUME are already engaged in a ministry context, so the program
primarily seeks to bring mentors alongside them. The mentors
can then help students be more intentional about setting specific
growth objectives.
Similarly, Charlotte focuses on finding long-term mentors
who will invest in the students for two or three years within a
particular ministry context.
“To get the most out of your seminary experience, you have
to do ministry,” Matt says. “You can think theory all you want,
but you’re not going to be a better minister until you get in
there. Everyone should have the opportunity to be mentored
by someone like Bob, who is willing to invest in the ministers of
tomorrow.”
Mentored Ministry Fast Facts
• More than 200 students participated in Hamilton’s Mentored
Ministry during the past year, with nearly 150 mentors
volunteering their time to the program.
• The total number of students and mentors at the three other
seminary campuses included 29 at CUME, 70 in Charlotte
and 12 in Jacksonville.
• Students have the opportunity to learn in various contexts
including overseas missions, inner city ministries and local
church parishes. Mentors must have at least five years of full-
time ministry experience and be approved by the seminary.
• The mentor application is available online and the seminary
offers a mentor orientation for those new to the program.
Students can find a position on their own and then complete
the approval process.
• Ministers can also apply and post an available ministry
position through the Mentored Ministry office in order to
connect with a student.
For more information, please contact the following:
HAMILTON
Katherine Horvath khorvath@gordonconwell.edu
BOSTON CUME
Frank Tully ftully@gordonconwell.edu
CHARLOTTE/JACKSONVILLE
Dr. Steve Klipowicz sklipowicz@gordonconwell.edu
w w w.gordonconwell.edu/ c o nta c tma g a z i ne 31
DEVELOPMENT NEWS
What If?
Kurt W. Drescher
Vice President for Advancement
O n a recent Saturday, I spent the evening
watching the current popular movie,
Letters to Juliet, with our younger daughter.
This is not an endorsement, but the movie
raised an important question—“What if?”—
that got me thinking.
I have asked myself this question a number of times, but I’m
not sure I’ve ever made a list of “What if’s” until now.
What if #1. Some weeks ago, one of our partners at Gordon-
Conwell described the joy she experiences by giving from
what God has given her. Her extended family owns a vaca-
tion home, and during the summer they divide up weeks
when various members will use it. My friend confided that
some in her family do not want to share their home with
people outside the family. I saw the grief on her face, be-
cause I know she receives significant joy not from owning
and controlling this gift from God, but rather, from sharing
it liberally with others. What if more people were like my
friend, sharing openly and generously the gifts that God has
entrusted to them?
32 FA L L / W I N T E R ‘ 1 0
What if #2. Recently, one of our preaching professors spoke
at a local church involved in a capital campaign. Dr. Jeff Ar-
thurs preached one of the best sermons I have ever heard
on stewardship. Jeff challenged this church to consider se-
rious questions like: “Who is God?” “Who are we?” “What
character qualities make for a good steward?” “What are the
implications for everyday life?” It got me thinking. What if
our churches taught sounds biblical principles of steward-
ship regularly, not just when they had emergency budget
needs or were in the midst of a capital campaign?
What if #3. As I was making my “What if” list, one of my fa-
vorite passages of Scripture came to mind: Ephesians 3:20-
23. “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than
all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work
within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (NIV).
I hear in this Scripture the freedom to ask and dream big,
to plan beyond our abilities, to trust God for the outcomes
and to give our Heavenly Father all the glory. I have prob-
ably read these verses dozens of times. How is it that every
time I read it, I get a little more fired up? What if the big
“C” Church really took profound promises like this to heart?
Would the spiritual landscape change?
This is just a handful of the “What ifs” that have been run-
ning through my mind lately. The exercise has prompted all
kinds of other questions for me personally and profession-
ally, such as: “What if our family watched less TV?” “What
if we prayed more or read the Bible more or gave more or
invited more people over to our home?” “What if” is a great
question. I challenge you to make a list of your own. Once
you have started this list, you’ll find that other questions
rise to the surface: “Then what?” or “Now what?” It is sim-
ply not enough to make the list. We are called to act on what
we have learned. We are reminded in James 1:22, --- “Do not
merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do
what it says.” There is not a lot of wiggle room in that verse.
At Gordon-Conwell we are blessed to have many partners
who have dared to asked the “What if” question and won-
dered what God might do if they invested in the ministry
of the seminary. We are immensely grateful that they have
wrestled with this question and have trusted God to multi-
ply their Kingdom investment. We absolutely could not do
what we are called to do without these many partnerships.
We take no credit for the way the seminary has been used
for these many years. It all goes to our great God.
What if more of us asked the “What if” question? Then what?
I will leave you to wonder what God might do through you.
Kurt W. Drescher is the Vice President for Advancement
at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He is an
active member of Grace Chapel, and lives with his
wife and two daughters in Reading, Massachusetts.

Generous Donation Funds Major
Book Collection
Gordon-Conwell has acquired a substantial book collection
through a generous gift by Randall and Alice Mathews in
memory of their son, R. Kent Mathews. Kent was a world
traveler, a lover of books and a compassionate follower of
Jesus Christ. He was killed by a drunk driver in France while
working with profoundly disabled adults at the L’Arche
ministry in Trosly-Breuil north of Paris.
The collection, which has been housed at the seminary’s
Center for the Study of Global Christianity, includes more
than 10,000 books and over a million documents on topics
such as Christianity and other world religions, church history,
missions, linguistics, Christianity in different countries and
Seminary Offers Financial
Aid to Military Veterans
Gordon-Conwell Seminary
has increased the financial
aid available to military
veterans by joining the
Yellow Ribbon Program,
a government initiative to
assist veterans pursuing
higher education.
The program, open to qualified veterans who receive the
maximum benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, provides
payment for tuition not covered by those benefits. Gordon-
Conwell will pay up to 50 percent of the eligible remaining
tuition, which will then be matched by the Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA).
Funds are available to all students at the South Hamilton
campus who meet VA requirements, including individuals
who have served at least 36 months on active duty or have
been honorably discharged from active duty for a service-
connected disability. Dependents may also be eligible.
Interested students should contact the Department of
Veterans Affairs to determine their eligibility and then notify
Gordon-Conwell Student Financial Services at finaid@gcts.edu
if they qualify.
More information is also available at http://www.gibill.
va.gov/school_info/yellow_ribbon.
SEMINARY NEWS
much more. The books, which will remain at the Center, will
be incorporated into the Gordon-Conwell library collection
for eventual check-out.
According to Dr. Todd Johnson, Director of the Center for the
Study of Global Christianity, “The books complement well
the library’s existing collection and will significantly benefit
students and the entire seminary community, as well as
scholars from other academic institutions.”
Randall Mathews served in stateside pastoral ministries,
and with his wife and family in overseas ministries in France
and Austria. Alice Mathews, the Lois W. Bennett Professor
Emerita of Educational Ministries and Women’s Ministries,
served as Academic Dean of the Hamilton Campus from 2007
to 2009.  She is widely known for her participation with Dr.
Haddon Robinson and Mart DeHaan in the daily Bible-teaching
radio program, Discover the Word.
Charlotte Counseling Students
Earn High Marks on
National Exam
Students earning degrees in Counseling at the Charlotte
campus recently scored 26 percent higher than the national
average on the National Counselor Exam and 10 percent
higher than students at schools accredited by the Council
for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational
Programs (CACREP).
Officials of the Charlotte counseling program were notified
of the students’ favorable performance by the National
Board for Certified Counselors.
The Charlotte campus’ counseling program this year also
became an official testing site for the National Counselor
Exam. According to Dr. Maria L. Boccia, Director of Graduate
Programs in Counseling at Charlotte and Professor of
Pastoral Counseling and Psychology, “This allows our
students to take the exam in their last semester, and
therefore accelerates their ability to secure their Licensed
Professional Counselor Associate license and begin their
post-graduate practice sooner.”
Commending students on their test results, she noted,
“They have worked very hard and have reaped the rewards
of their efforts.”
w w w.gordonconwell.edu/ c o nta c tma g a z i ne 33
FOCUS ON ALUMNI
Equipping Former Catholics
Chris Castaldo, M.Div.’99
W
e have free floating guilt, can identify the Ave Maria
within three notes and likely have rosary beads
somewhere in the attic. We also own at least one
study Bible, listen to sermons in the car, and know that a “quiet
time” is different from a nap.
We are followers of Christ who grew up Catholic and are
now Evangelical Protestants.
According to The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life,
more than 15 million of us former Catholics in America now
attend Protestant churches.1 We are among your elders, and
nursery workers, and often comprise a sizable portion of your
congregation.
Some of us have walked with Jesus as Catholics before
moving in a Protestant direction. Others of us were converted
as we made the move. Either way, our ambition is simple—to
know Christ more deeply and share him with Catholic friends.
And this is precisely where the challenge begins.
If we were to describe our experience of discussing religion
with Catholic family, it would be with words like “contention,”
“fear” and “exasperation.” We pray like mad for weeks leading
up to the family reunion, and apply everything you’ve taught us
in our personal evangelism class. But, for some reason, it still
results in a train wreck. In using the word “evangelism,” I don’t
Gordon-Conwell Alumnus to
Speak at Spring Pastors’ Forum
Pastor and author Chris Castaldo will be speaking at the
Hamilton campus on February 15, 2011, as part of the Spring
Pastors’ Forum. During this one-day seminar, Chris will discuss
his book, Holy Ground: Walking with Jesus as a Former Catholic.
Rev. Castaldo received his M.Div. from Gordon-Conwell and
is now Pastor of Outreach and Church Planting at College
Church in Wheaton, IL.
The forum is open to anyone. For more information,
please contact the Ockenga Institute either by phone at
1.800.294.2774 or by email at ockenga@gcts.edu.
34 FA L L / W I N T E R ‘ 1 0
mean to suggest that Catholics are categorically outside the pale
of faith. Some appear to know Jesus, others don’t and there are
many about whom we’re not sure (just as in Protestantism).
Regardless, as a matter of our evangelical identity—called to
pursue God’s mission of making disciples of all nations, indeed,
needing to preach the good news to ourselves each day—we are
committed to evangelism and discipleship.
The challenge we face in relating to Catholics is threefold:
theological, sociological and rhetorical.
In terms of theology, several questions are in need of
attention: Where do the lines of continuity and disagreement
fall between Catholics and Protestants? How do we give an
answer for our canonical hope? What constitutes our authority?
Because the borders of our religious past and our evangelical
present are often blurry, we need you to walk beside us with
personalized insight and direction.
Another skill that we often lack is the ability to navigate
through complex cultural differences. For instance, Catholics
often define their religious identity by the catena of traditions
that emerge from one’s ethnic, institutional and liturgical
experience. These are activities such as feasts, crossing oneself,
ashes on the forehead, eating certain foods (or abstaining from
them), genuflecting, lighting votive candles or having Mass said
in the name of a deceased relative. We need help navigating
through such traditions, in ways that serve the gospel instead
of subverting it.
The rhetorical challenge concerns common terminology that
has a different meaning for Catholics and Protestants. Consider,
for instance, the phrase “faith alone.” When we Protestants
use these words, our hearts rejoice in the fact that justification
is a gift from God. We no longer have to observe Holy Days of
Obligation, clerical confession, or abstain from eating meat on
Fridays during Lent to remain in good stead with God.2
But how do Catholics typically hear these words? To them,
“faith alone” is more likely to mean cheap grace, walking an
aisle, saying a sinner’s prayer without concern for obedience.
Instead of being a glorious truth of salvation in which one’s
heart rejoices, it is, from a Catholic point of view, a travesty, a
compromise, an affront to the holy character of God.
The opportunity for fruitful ministry among Catholics is
enormous. Our communities are rife with Catholic families, and,
given our relationships to these friends and loves ones, we former
Catholics are especially poised to serve them. What we need
from you, our beloved pastors, is a compelling vision for gospel
outreach which is theologically attentive, contextually informed
and winsomely communicated. Would you please help us?
1 The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, “Faith in Flux: Changes in Religious Affilia-
tion in the U.S. (Executive Summary, April 2009),” Pew Research Center, http://pewforum.
org/Faith-in-Flux.aspx.
2 Catechism of the Catholic Church, Par. 2041-43, Ed. 2 (Citta del Vatticano: Libreria Edi-
trice Vaticana, 1997).
Rev. Chris Castaldo serves as Pastor of Outreach
and Church Planting at College Church in Wheaton,
Illinois, and is the author of Holy Ground: Walking
with Jesus as a Former Catholic (Zondervan, 2009).
He received an M.Div. from Gordon-Conwell in
1999. He is married to Angela and they have four
children.

Rhonda Gibson Named Director of
Alumni Relations
Rhonda Gibson (‘10, MAR) is the seminary’s
new Director of Alumni Relations. Rhonda
previously served as the Doctor of Ministry
Student Accounts Assistant. Her husband,
Scott Gibson (‘83, M.Div.), is the Haddon
Robinson Professor of Preaching.
In reflecting on her new role, Rhonda had the following to say:
“Recently an electrician came to our home to install a light
over the kitchen sink. For the past eight years, I’ve wondered
(and complained) how the builder and we overlooked such
a standard convenience. When the electrician checked the
ceiling area before cutting a hole, he discovered a canister light
that had been there all along, but it was never exposed.  In a
similar way, our graduates have been there all along, but we’ve
only recently put more resources toward uncovering how
they’ve been serving the Church.
“The alumni office wants to uncover Gordon-Conwell, too. We
hope not only to discover more about what our alumni do,
but also to communicate how Gordon-Conwell continues to
prepare men and women to serve in vocations ranging from
missionaries and ministers to professions in the marketplace.
“It’s been a pleasure for me to be part of the Gordon-Conwell
community for the past 10 years. From the perspective of being
married to a faculty member, I’ve been able to get to know
students, participate in events and study for a degree. Now it’s
my privilege to be involved at a new level. I’m looking forward
to helping uncover what’s been there all along.”
The seminary appreciates the vision and energy Rhonda brings
to her position. She replaces Daryl Olson (‘05, M.Div.), who has
served in a similar capacity since 2007. Daryl continues to
work for Gordon-Conwell as an IT Business Analyst.
Alumni Gathered in Pittsburgh This Fall
Gordon-Conwell continued its efforts to host
alumni events in major metropolitan areas
with a gathering of alumni in the Pittsburgh
area. The event took place on November
12th, at Mt. Lebanon United Presbyterian
Church in Pittsburgh. We were delighteded
that alumnus Rev. Tim Janiszewski (’86,
M.Div.) opened his church for this event, which was hosted by
President Hollinger.
If you would like to keep updated on upcoming alumni events,
subscribe to the e-newsletter InCommunity by emailing
alums@gcts.edu.
FOCUS ON ALUMNI
Alumni Participate in the 2010
Lausanne Congress in Cape Town
During the week of October 16-
25, 4,000 Christian leaders from
around the world converged in
Cape Town, South Africa for the
Third Lausanne Congress on World
Evangelization, Cape Town 2010.
These delegates, hand chosen by
national committees, gathered to
Rev. Doug Birdsall, engage and pray for some of the
Executive Chair
most challenging issues facing
of the Lausanne
Committee the global Church today—issues
like HIV/AIDS, seismic shifts in
global Christianity, the reality of Islam, poverty, the
brokenness of the world, reconciliation and others.
Gordon-Conwell alumni participated in this historic
event on a variety of levels.
Many were onsite at the Congress, including Doug
Birdsall (’79, M.Div.), Executive Chair of the Lausanne
Committee for World Evangelization, the organization
responsible for the Congress, and plenary speakers
Tim Keller (’75, M.Div.) and Ramez Atallah (’72,
M.Div.). Keller is the founding pastor of New York’s
Redeemer Presbyterian Church, while Atallah is
the General Secretary of the Bible Society of Egypt.
A special alumni gathering for Gordon-Conwell
alumni was also held during the Congress, hosted by
President Hollinger.
Back on the Hamilton campus, many alumni came
with members of their congregations to participate
remotely in the Congress through a GlobaLink
Conference on October 22-23. During this two-
day event, attendees were able to listen to plenary
speakers at Cape Town, as well as participate in small
group discussions with other local pastors, church
leaders and missions representatives.
Gordon-Conwell continues the conversations that
began at Lausanne’s Cape Town 2010 Congress,
meeting one Friday evening per month throughout
the remainder of the academic year at the Hamilton
campus. This continuing conversation, to further
explore the six major themes addressed in Cape Town,
is open to alumni. Learn more at www.gordonconwell.
edu/missions.
w w w.gordonconwell.edu/ c o nta c tma g a z i ne 35
ALUMNI NOTES
In Memoriam
Harry Boehmke, M.Div., ‘53, passed away peacefully July 20, 2010, surrounded
by family. Rev. Boehmke was an ordained minister for more than 40 years.
Elwood Bannister, B.D., ’54, passed away January 2009 after more than
50 years of active ministry. His ministry included four pastorates in eastern
Canada, service on the faculty and in administration at Atlantic Baptist
University (now Crandall University) and serving with Canadian Baptist
Ministries.
James Arthur Clark, M.Div., ‘56, passed away May 29, 2010, in Sebring, FL.
Allen Guenther, M.Div., ‘69, passed away December 23, 2009. He is
survived by his wife, Anne, and sons, Ron, Barry and Michael.
Jeffrey Woodyard, MATS, ‘83, passed away June 3, 2010, in his hometown
of York, PA.
Kenny Ye, M.Div., ‘01, passed away July 3, 2010, as a result of a serious
bus accident in South Korea.  He served as an associate pastor at Highrock
Covenant Church in Arlington, MA.
Leon Jeanty, MAUM, ‘07, passed away unexpectedly May 31, 2010. He is
survived by his wife, Mariana, and his three children, Verola, Lee and Nathan.
He pastored two local congregations in Boston: Bethesda Baptist Church in
Hyde Park and Ebenezer Baptist Church.
1950s
Gordon Danielson, M.Div., ‘59, and his wife, Martha Lee Danielson, of
Penney Retirement Community in Florida, celebrated their 55th wedding
anniversary in June 2010. To celebrate, they traveled to Austria and
Switzerland, and attended a performance of the Passion in Oberamagau,
Germany. They also welcomed their first grandchild, Weston Champe Slack,
son of their daughter, Molly, and her husband, Matthew. Gordon observed
the 50th anniversary of his ordination in September 2009.
1960s
Reg Dunlap, B.D., ‘60, after being Senior Pastor for 17 years at the
historic Second Baptist Church in North Stonington, CT, is returning to
the evangelism and Bible conference ministry in which he was previously
involved for 30 years. He will travel with Bob Thompson, internationally
known gospel singer, throughout the country. This church-centered
ministry will specialize in meeting the needs of churches in the areas of
Bible teaching, deeper-life conferences and teaching seminars. Reg may be
reached through sermonseeker.com and preachtheword.net.
Frederick Gregory, B.D., ‘68, has lectures available at The Teaching
Company website for courses on the Darwinian Revolution and the History
of Science. Visit www.teach12.com.
1970s
Arthur Gerald, MTS, ‘72, is featured in an article in the Boston Herald. Rev.
Gerald was recently named the 13th pastor of Twelfth Baptist Church in
Roxbury, MA.  Eric Bennett, M.Div., ‘96, continues to serve with Jews for Jesus. He did
Ronald E. Peters, M.Div., ‘70, has been named the eighth president of the
Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) in Atlanta, GA.  He began in
September.
36 FA L L / W I N T E R ‘ 1 0
Charles Sutton, MTS, ‘76, retired from active ministry in the Episcopal
Church in October 2009, and was received into the Anglican Church in North
America a few days later.
John Currid, MTS, ‘77, is featured in a Times-Herald article for his work on
the excavation of Bethsaida near the Sea of Galilee.
Jack Wald, M.Div., ‘77, is quoted in WORLD Magazine in an article on the
expulsion of Christian workers from Morocco.
1980s
G. Thomas Hobson, M.Div., ‘83, received a Doctor of Philosophy degree
in Biblical Exegesis from Concordia Seminary, St Louis, MO, on May 21. Rev
Hobson’s dissertation is entitled “Cut Off From (One’s) People: Punitive
Expulsion in the Torah.” He has also published “Aselgeia in Mark 7:22”
(Filologia Neotestamentaria 21:65–74) and “Historicity: Does It Matter?”
(Presbyterian Outlook, 7/6, 7/13, 8/3/2009).
Bard-Alan Finlan, MATS, ‘84, completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree
in Sacred Music this past spring at the University of Southern California.
James Proctor, M.Div., ‘87, has been appointed Pastor of the Corinth United
Methodist Church in Corinth, Maine.
Lee Spitzer, D.Min., ‘89, M.Div., ‘81, has published his new book, Making
Friends, Making Disciples (Judson Press, 2010).
1990s
Elsie Mokoban, MATS, ‘90, is grateful for her education at Gordon-Conwell
and the scholarship that helped fund that education, because it helped
prepare her for her ministry. She has been working for Intervarsity Christian
Fellowship for the past 20 years and is featured on the InterVarsity website
for her ministry at Indian River State College.
Bruce Fawcett, M.Div., ‘91, has been appointed Academic Dean at Acadia
Divinity College in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada, where he also serves as
Director of Doctoral Studies and Associate Professor of Leadership.
Lewis Klatt, M.Div., ‘91, won the 2010 Iowa Poetry Prize, awarded by the
University of Iowa Press for his manuscript, Cloud of Ink. The annual Iowa
Poetry Prize is one of the leading national poetry awards.
Rachel Stahle, MA, ‘94, published her first book, The Great Work of
Providence: Jonathan Edwards for Life Today (Wipf & Stock, 2009).
Lorne Bean, M.Div., ‘95, and his wife, Rochelle, along with their daughters
Brianna and Tionae, were assigned to Bethel A.M.E. Church, in Bermuda,
after nine years at their previous church.
David Colburn, MACO, ‘95, has had the first five of his 12 week-long
studies through the Gospels published on Bible.org. The studies are daily,
chronological and devotional. He hopes to publish studies on the entire New
Testament and Old Testament by December 2011.
Catherine Beckerleg, MAOT, ‘96, MAR, ‘97, completed her Ph.D. in Near
Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Harvard in 2009 and is now Assistant
Professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College (IL).
several Christ in the Passover presentations in Memphis last March. This
summer, he traveled to Israel with the ministry for an evangelistic campaign
for 2 ½ weeks. He and his wife, Kathy, have one small daughter, Erica.

Jo Ann Deasy, M.Div., ‘97, graduated in May 2010 with her Ph.D. in
Congregational Studies from Garrett Theological Seminary. She is currently
serving as interim pastor at Sojourner Covenant Church in Evanston, IL.
Alan Keiran, D.Min., ‘97, is featured in an article on ThePilot.com. Dr. Keiran
is chief of staff for the Office of the U.S. Senate Chaplain.
Peter Sprigg, M.Div., ‘97, is a public policy analyst for the Family Research
Council and often appears on television, especially to discuss issues of human
sexuality. His most recent interview was on CNN.
David Swanson, D.Min., ‘98, published his first book, Vital Signs: Discovering
the Keys to Abundant Christian Living (Conversant Life, 2010). It can be
purchased at drinkfromthewell.com and Amazon.
Susan Gleason, M.Div., ‘99, has accepted a call to pastor the First
Presbyterian Church in Haverhill, MA. She is grateful to those who have
prayed for her daughter, Rachel, as she recovers from brain surgery to correct
a seizure disorder. Rachel has been seizure-free for 13 weeks.
Prosperly Lyngdoh, MAME, ‘99, has been appointed Associate Professor
of Missions at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. He has served as a
missions professor at Barclay College and as a missionary pastor in
Mumbai, India.
2000s
Gary Rodriguez, D.Min., ‘00, recently wrote a book entitled, Purpose Driven
Public Speaking, which is  designed to help aspiring and active speakers
“develop and deliver purposeful talks with less fear and more confidence.”
James Skillen, MATH, ‘00, is highlighted in a faculty profile article on the
Calvin College website. Dr. Skillen teaches in the geology, geography and
environmental studies department there.
Julena Doudt, MAME, ‘02, has recently been hired as a Charlotte, NC, region
Area Director for CARES by Apartment Life (www.caresteam.org), a faith-
based non-profit based out of Dallas, TX, that ministers among apartment
communities.
Dean Abbott, MATH, ‘03, and his wife, Rebecca Abbott, MAR, ‘03, recently
welcomed their second child, Lucy Rose. She joins older sister, Daisy. Dean
has accepted a position as Professor of Communication at Mt. Vernon
Nazarene University in Mt. Vernon, OH. Rebecca received her doctorate in
Worship Studies from the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies.
Jim McConnell, M.Div., ‘04, completed his Ph.D. in New Testament from
Baylor University in December 2009. Since fall 2009, he has been a member
of the faculty of the School of Divinity at Gardner-Webb University in Boiling
Springs, NC.
Felix Orji, D.Min., ‘04, has been appointed a Canon by St. Francis on the Hill
Anglican Church in El Paso, TX, where he began in 2005 as an associate rector.
Rob Rienow, D.Min., ‘04, and his wife, Amy, have published a new book,
Visionary Marriage (Randall House, 2010). It is a companion to their
earlier book, Visionary Parenting, and seeks to equip married couples
with a compelling, Bible-driven mission for their life together. There
is also a corresponding DVD series. More information is available at
VisionaryMarriage.com.
Mark Debowski, Th.M., M.Div., ‘05, and Kendra Debowski, MACO, ‘04,
along with their son, Thatcher (4 years old), welcomed Adele Amadea
(meaning “noble, serene; loves God”) into their family February 7, 2010. Mark
is Lead Pastor at Bella Vista Church in Rockford, MI.
John Lin, Th.M., ‘05, M.Div., ‘98 has been appointed Lead Pastor of a
Redeemer congregation in the southern part of Manhattan.
ALUMNI NOTES
Neal Pearson, D.Min., ‘05, MAUM, ‘96, was inducted into the Warren High
School Hall of Fame (Warren, OH) on May 1, 2010. He was one of 10 to be
inducted this year.
Patrick Ware, M.Div., ‘05, is highlighted in a Frederick County Observer
article on the Winchester Anglican Church where he serves as pastor.
Karl Dahlfred, M.Div., ‘06, and his wife, Sun, are serving as church planting
missionaries in Thailand.  You can read Karl’s blog at dahlfred.com.
Misty Mowrey, M.Div., ‘06, has recently completed eight years as Pastor of
Rocky Fork Christian Church in Sanford, NC. She is teaching Language Arts
at a public middle school while she waits for God’s leading to a full time
pastorate.
Stephen Nyakairu, Th.M., M.Div., ‘06, is featured in an article on
NashobaPublishing.com about baptisms at United Church of Shirley, MA,
where he serves as pastor.
Charles Tieszen, Th.M., ‘06, M.Div., ‘05, completed his Ph.D. in Islam and
Christian-Muslim relations at the University of Birmingham, U.K.
Brian Barry, M.Div., ‘09, is quoted in a WBUR.org article on the New England
Diocese of the Anglican Church in North America. Rev. Barry serves as rector
at Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church in Danvers, MA.
Chris Blackey, M.Div., ‘09, and Kathleen Blackey, M.Div., ‘09, request
prayer for First Baptist Church of South Londonderry, VT, where they serve as
co-pastors. The church was completely destroyed by fire. They are thankful
that no one was injured in the fire and that no other buildings were involved.
They ask for prayer as the community mourns this building that has stood
on the hill for almost 180 years, and they ask for prayers as they seek God’s
guidance. An article about First Baptist appeared in the Brattleboro Reformer.
Bimini Cohen, MAUM, ‘09, and her Israeli husband, Oded, moved from
Newton, MA, to serve the Lord with the Jews for Jesus Israel branch in Tel
Aviv in April 2010. “The Lord is our Helper every moment of every day. We
are finding a great curiosity here about Jesus and His claims of being the
Messiah. Please pray for me to learn Hebrew so I can be more effective and
fruitful. My years at GCTS are very precious to me—I was deeply impacted for
God and His Kingdom. We will be returning to New England in the spring of
2011 for a three-week Christ in the Passover tour/teaching.”
Cristina Richie, M.Div., ‘09, is completing her first semester as Adjunct
Instructor of World Religions and Ethics at Newbury College in Brookline,
MA. In April 2010, her first published article was printed in Black Theology:
An Intentional Journal, entitled “The Racial and Economic Theories of James
Cone and Martin Luther King Jr., Illuminated by the Sermon on the Mount.” In
May 2010, she traveled to Victoria, BC, to present a paper for the AAR/ SBL/
ASOR entitled “Symbolism of Buddha Statues in Asian Art.”
John Bryson, D.Min., ‘10, has co-authored a video series called College
Ready, which is designed to empower high school seniors or first semester
college freshmen with a clear direction for starting college right and finishing
it well.
Nathan Creitz, M.Div., ‘10, is starting a church in Swampscott, MA, called
Red Rock Community Church. For more information, visit redrockcc.org, and
ChurchETHOS.com.
Danny Roman-Gloro, D.Min., ‘10, has begun the Ph.D. in Communications
program at Regent University in Virginia Beach, VA. He was also recently
awarded a Graduate Homiletics Scholarship from the Center for Excellence in
Preaching at Calvin Theological Seminary in Michigan.
w w w.gordonconwell.edu/ c o nta c tma g a z i ne 37
IN MEMORIAM
In Memoriam
Gordon-Conwell mourns the recent deaths of four very special individuals whose lives were spent in service to God.
Dr. Allan C. Emery, Jr.
T
rustee Emeritus Dr. Allan Comstock Emery,
Jr., an esteemed leader, longstanding board
member and great friend of Gordon- Conwell,
died at his home in Weymouth Heights, MA,
September 26.
Dr. Emery served the board from 1969 until
2001, was Vice Chairman from 1975 to 1993,
succeeded Rev. Billy Graham as Chairman and
served in that capacity until 1995.
President Emeritus Dr. Robert E. Cooley, who worked closely
with Dr. Emery, remembers him as “passionate about Gordon-
Conwell and about his service on the board, a man who dedicated
a great deal of personal time to the seminary and supported it
generously…Allan was very strong in his commitment to Christ and
maintained the highest integrity in his leadership.”
One of Dr. Emery’s greatest joys was the Weymouth (MA) Bible
Club for high school students that he and his late wife, Marian, held
in their home weekly for 33 years. He was also instrumental in
bringing Billy Graham crusades to Boston in 1950 and 1964.
Dr. Emery worked in the woolen industry, and was President of
Boston Wool Trade and National Wool Trade Association. He was
subsequently President of ServiceMaster Hospital Corp. of Boston,
and President and Chief Operating Officer of the Billy Graham
Evangelistic Association.
A trustee of Gordon and Wheaton Colleges, he also served as
President of the Evangelistic Association of New England (now
Vision New England) and Boston Industrial Home-Union Rescue
Mission, and was a Life Deacon at Park Street Church, Boston. He
was awarded an LL.D degree from Wheaton.
Dr. Emery is survived by two sons and their spouses, Allan
Comstock Emery III and Lynn; Arthur Hancock Emery and Karen;
daughter Annetta Emery Thurber and Richard; six grandchildren
and six great-grandchildren.
David M. Rogers, Esq.
T
rustee and Alumnus David Rogers (MTS
’96) passed away suddenly on July 25
while vacationing with his family at the beach
in Isle of Palms, SC.
“All of us at Gordon-Conwell Theological
Seminary are shocked and grieving,”
President Dennis P. Hollinger commented at
the time. “David, an attorney, was in the first
graduating class of our Charlotte Campus and has served on our
board since 2001. He was also the chair of the Strategic Planning
Task Force, the vice chair of our board, and until recently the chair
of the Charlotte Board of Advisors. He gave sacrificially of his time,
his energy and his considerable wisdom to our seminary, and he
will be greatly missed.”
David practiced law for more than 20 years in the area of
civil litigation, serving with the South Carolina firm Carter, Smith,
Merriam, Rogers and Traxler. He was a member of the South
Carolina Bar Association and chair of its Torts and Insurance
38 FA L L / W I N T E R ‘ 1 0
Practices section, as well as an organizer and Chairman of the
Board for Greer (SC) State Bank, and an adjunct professor at North
Greenville (SC) College.
Since 2000, David had served as president of Joshua’s Way, a
Christian, non-profit organization that partners with churches to
provide foundational Christian teaching. The organization also
does significant work in Ethiopia where David typically spent part
of each year. He and his wife, Louise, started the organization in
memory of their son, Joshua, who died in 1982.
David Rogers is survived by Louise and their two children,
Caleb and Kate.
Dr. Tom Little
A lumnus Dr. Tom Little (MTS, ‘77), and nine
other members of a medical team were
attacked and killed in Afghanistan in August
in a suspected ambush by non-local fighters.
An optometrist, Tom was leading the
Nuristan Eye Camp Team from International
Assistance Mission (IAM), an organization he
had served for more than 30 years.
According to IAM, “the team had just trekked 100 miles through
the Hindu Kush Mountains, giving eye care to some of the poorest
and most remote communities in Afghanistan.”
Mission officials described Dr. Little as “a driving force behind
much of what has been achieved in eye care in Afghanistan. He is
irreplaceable.” As a manager of the organization’s Noor eye care
services, he provided optometry care, established clinics and
ophthalmic workshops, and had led eye camps for many years.
In addition to these camps, Noor’s eye care includes hospitals, clinics,
a training center for ophthalmology and ophthalmic professionals, and
numerous outreach services. The work of the organization has benefited
an estimated 5 million Afghans since 1966.
“As a seminary community, our hearts go out to the families
and friends of the 10 victims killed in Afghanistan,” says President
Dennis Hollinger. “We particularly grieve the loss of Dr. Tom Little,
who, as a Gordon-Conwell alumnus, had been inspired by the
work and passion of Dr. J Christy Wilson, Jr. Before becoming a
professor at Gordon-Conwell, Dr. Wilson spent 22 years serving in
Afghanistan. Dr. Little was carrying on a great legacy.”
Tom is survived by his wife, Libby, and three adult daughters,
Molly, Nelly and Kattie. Their first grandchild will be born this fall.
Jean Kalland
M rs. Jean Kallan, wife of the late Dr. Lloyd
Kalland, a long-time professor and
administrator at the seminary, passed away
April 8, 2010, after a three-week battle with
cancer. Mrs. Kalland will be remembered for
a life of service to Christ, gracious hospitality
to others and considerable work with the
Women’s Council at Gordon-Conwell. She is
survived by her daughter, DJ; son-in-law, Paul; two grandchildren
and three great-grandchildren.
Opening Isaiah 42-44
the
Word CATHERINE CLARK KROEGER, Ph.D.
Ranked Adjunct Associate Professor of
Classical and Ministry Studies
The Potential of the New
W
hen I was a little girl, I would watch from the
window for the horse-drawn wagons that
delivered our milk and groceries and ice for
the old-fashioned ice box. Our favorite beast toured
the neighborhood pulling the organ grinder’s magical
instrument on a cart. How sad to see such wonderful
horses replaced by trucks!
How many changes have engulfed our world, and
how swiftly they have come! When I belatedly entered
graduate school some years after studying Greek in
high school and college, I discovered that the ancient
Greek language had not changed much. Then I received
a distress call: the graduate student who was to teach
biblical Greek with the use of a computer had fled.
Would I attempt the innovation on such short notice?
I had never touched a computer in my life, but I saw that
it might be a way to help students stay afloat. At 8 a.m.,
I was introduced to the computer, and at noon I met
the class. There were many bugs in the new program,
but also great potential. Students who would otherwise
have dropped the course after the first two weeks
were learning. How many times that old dinosaur of a
computer has been replaced since then!
Increasingly, the familiar is swept away, and so many
bewildering changes swirl around us in every aspect of
our lives. To paraphrase the Psalmist, how do we sing the
Lord’s song in the strange new world of technological
contraptions, communications and circumstances? The
mainline denominations that seemed so very solid are
eroding more rapidly than our receding shore lines.
Radically altered are the financial institutions on which
we have depended for our security, while moral and
ethical issues draw us into uncharted waters.
Frequently, I find myself turning to ancient
considerations of whole worlds that fell apart, as they
were addressed by the prophets. The temple had fallen,
polluted by idolatrous and obscene practices, ridden
with actual idol shrines. Jerusalem, the Lord’s delight,
lay in ruins, its inhabitants deported to a far-off land.
They struggled to find meaning under the successive
Babylonian, Median and Persian empires.
Into the confusion of crumbling cultures came the
voices of the prophets. The people of God had failed
wretchedly, and yet there was a promise of a meaningful
future. Indeed, Isaiah had declared that Israel’s very
mishaps would be used to declare God’s faithfulness, that
they would indeed be His witnesses.
Have no fear, do not be afraid
Have I not told you and revealed it long ago?
You are my witnesses, is there any other
God beside me?
There is no Rock, I know of none. (Isa. 44:8)
Out of the old, God was bringing something new.
Though the Lord’s people were blind and deaf, “Who so
blind as my servant, so deaf as the messenger I send?”
(Isa. 42:19: 43:8), yet they were His witnesses (43:10,
12). Throughout all the bewildering upheaval—military,
political, ideological, cultural and spiritual—there was a
divine guidance to further the purposes of God.
No need to recall the past,
No need to think about what was done before
See, I am doing a new deed
Even now it comes to light, can you not see it?
Yes, I am making a road in the wilderness
Paths in the wilds (Isa. 43:18-19, Jerusalem).
Though often fumbling and stumbling as we traverse
the wilderness, God’s witnesses can be sure that the road
is there, lighted by the One who makes all things new.
Catherine Clark Kroeger earned an M.A. and a
Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. She is
President of Peace and Safety in the Christian
Home, a coalition of Christians providing
resources and education to eliminate domestic
violence in the Christian home. She is also
founding president of Christians for Biblical
Equality, a coalition of Christians united around
the belief that Scripture supports the equality of
men and women.
w w w.gordonconwell.edu/ c o nta c tma g a z i ne 39
Gordon-Conwell Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage

Theological Seminary PAID

S. Hamilton, MA 01982
Permit No. 16
130 Essex Street
South Hamilton, MA 01982

Address Service Requested

“You will learn moral

reasoning, not just
moralizing.”
Professor Patrick T. Smith

“We live in an era of bumper-sticker morality. It’s unfortunate

Gordon-Conwell that many important ethical questions are reduced to sound-
plans to offer a new bites and clichés,” states Patrick T. Smith, Assistant Professor of
degree, the Master Philosophy and Theology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Semi-
of Arts in Ethics nary. “When this is the case, we can really miss the serious-
and Society for the ness and difficulty of ethical questions, and how we should be
Fall of 2011.* discussing them. It is the aim of this program to equip God’s
people to engage in moral reasoning about many of the complex
ethical issues that affect all of us, Christian or not.”

We want to train students, pastors, chaplains, business and

*Pending ATS approval
40 FA L L / W I N T E R ‘ 1 0
Find out more about the
new Master of Arts in Ethics
and Society by calling
1.800.428.7329 or visit us at
www.gordonconwell.edu/ethics
medical professionals, parachurch workers, and others who
are interested in the intersection of ethics, Christian faith, and
society. Gordon-Conwell’s new Master of Arts in Ethics and
Society brings together Biblical studies, theology, ethical theo-
ry, philosophy and our cultural context to help students think
clearly about difficult ethical issues and apply what they’ve
learned in the real world.