Columbia Seminary Produces Timeline Looking at Institution’s Links to Slavery and Racism
Columbia Seminary Produces Timeline Looking at Institution’s Links to Slavery and Racism
Decatur, GA—The C. Benton Kline, Jr. Special Collections is pleased to present A Window into the Breach: Theology and the Economy of Slavery at Columbia Theological Seminary, 1824-1899, a timeline consisting of 41 slides looking at racism and the institution…
Doug Oldenburg, Seventh President of Columbia Theological Seminary, Dies at 85
President emeritus remembered fondly for his passion for theological education
July 23, 2020— In witness to the resurrection, Columbia Theological Seminary gives thanks for the life and ministry of president emeritus Douglas Oldenburg. He served as the seventh…
Historic Promotion of Dr. Ralph Basui Watkins to Full Professor
The First African American Male Full Professor and Endowed Chair in Columbia Theological Seminary’s Nearly 200-Year History
On June 15, 2020, the Columbia Seminary Board of Trustees unanimously approved the promotion of Dr. Ralph Basui Watkins, MFA, DMin, PhD to full professor. Previously, Dr. Watkins was the…
Columbia Theological Seminary Commits to Repair the Breach Caused by White Supremacy
Deepening Columbia’s Commitment to Black People and Their Flourishing
June 30, 2020 — Throughout the 2019 academic year, Columbia has wrestled with its history and participation in the enslavement and oppression of Black people. On Monday, June 15, 2020, the Board of…
The Growth of James McDowell Richards and Columbia
By Brian D. Hecker, Public Services Archivist
In the summer of 1932, James McDowell Richards (1902-1986), nearing the age of thirty, accepted an offer from the Board of Directors of Columbia Theological Seminary (CTS) to become its president, a position he initially did not anticipate keeping for more than 5 years.1 Richards graduated from CTS…
The Life-giving Emptiness of This Easter
This Easter will be different. With April 12 no longer designated politically as an “American Resurrection” from the novel coronavirus, hopes are dashed for packed churches and large sunrise services. There, of course, will be a few exceptions led by…
A Message from Prof. Harkins
Among my favorite passages from the Hebrew Bible is Joshua 3: 1-5. The NRSV version reads like this:
3 Early in the morning Joshua rose and set out from Shittim with all the Israelites, and they came to the Jordan….
Dr. James McDowell Richards, Columbia Seminary’s Longest Serving President
March 7, 2020—The C. Benton Kline, Jr., Special Collections and Archives and the John Bulow Campbell Library invite you to the library’s first floor reading room to view the current exhibit, “An Appeal to Fellow Christians.” The exhibit highlights the…
Columbia Seminary Partners with Spelman College to Host Atlanta Stop of Beyoncé Mass
February 19, 2020—Spelman College, in partnership with Columbia Theological Seminary, will host the Beyoncé Mass 7:00 pm, March 2, in Sisters Chapel, 440 Westview Dr. SW, Atlanta.
Created and curated by Rev. Yolanda Norton, H. Eugene Farlough Chair of Black…
The Incarnation in Vantage Cover Art
By Michael K. Thompson, Director of Communications
“So what’s your plan for Vantage themes this year?” asked Julie Bailey, our Director of Alumni and Church Relations.
After scouring the institutional language of Columbia Theological Seminary to deliver a fresh…
Why Do We Worship God Together?
Why do we worship God together? This question, with which I begin every introductory worship class that I teach, presses my students and me not only to consider the God who is worthy of prayer and praise but also the…
Columbia Theological Seminary Recognized with Green Seminary Certification
January 29, 2020—The Green Seminary Initiative (GSI) has certified the efforts of Columbia Theological Seminary through the Seminary Environmental Certification Program (SECP), which is a 3-year process designed to provide the structure, guidance and support seminaries to further develop their…
Karl Barth and Kwame Bediako examined in new book by Dr. Tim Hartman
Tim Hartman, assistant professor of theology at Columbia Theological Seminary, has published a new book titled Theology after Colonization: Bediako, Barth, and the Future of Theological Reflection. Many Western theologies find themselves unable to respond to increasing secularization and intensifying…
Dr. Rebecca Spurrier Awarded Vital Worship Grant for 2020 by Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship (CICW) announced that it will fund 15 grants to Teacher-Scholars for 2020-2021 as part of its Vital Worship Grants Program. Among them is Columbia Theological Seminary’s Dr. Rebecca Spurrier, Associate Dean for Worship Life…
Artist Ally Markotich featured at the Center for Lifelong Learning
January 18, 2020—The Center for Lifelong Learning (CLL) at Columbia Theological Seminary announces its new art exhibit featuring North Carolina artist Ally Markotich. Layer by Layer: Unearthing She is a series of paintings on inward exploration around the theme of…
