The digital copies of this book are available for free at First Fruits website.

place.asburyseminary.edu/firstfruits

PREFACE

As part of Asbury Theological Seminary’s 90th Anniversary, First Fruits Press decided the timing was right to republish some of the past works created by the Seminary during the celebrations of its 40th and 50th Anniversaries. During the academic year of 1973-1974, the Seminary’s 50th Anniversary, President Frank B. Stanger encouraged the celebration through two different series of lectures. The first was to assign various faculty members key theological topics and have them present scholarly papers at Estes Chapel throughout the year. These papers were separately published in The Asbury Seminarian at the time, but never together as a collection, until now.

These papers are presented here in the order in which they were given. Some unnamed librarian in the B.L. Fisher Library collected the typed papers and had them bound together with a flyer about the 50th Anniversary celebration. Finding this volume was the event that encouraged us to publish this collection as a new edition. Many of the names in this volume are illustrious names from Asbury’s past that will be familiar to many alumni. I have the fortunate pleasure to know two of these men who are still present at Asbury Theological Seminary in this our 90th year. Both Dr. Kenneth C. Kinghorn and Dr. Robert E. Coleman are retired, but still active on campus and occasionally teaching. Their passion for the Kingdom of God is still evident in their lives today as a testimony of the power of the Holy Spirit to transform lives through the teaching ministry of Asbury Theological Seminary.

The second special series of lectures encouraged by Dr. Stanger occurred during the week of March 11-15, 1974. Although no written papers or sermons are available for publication, these lecture were recorded and are now available electronically on First fruits Press under the Heritage Material (LINK). Four important names in the history of the Church of the 20th Century were present on campus at the same time. Anglican theologian and scholar of the New Testament, C.F.D. Moule (1908-2007) from Cambridge University came and spoke on the topic Whither Christology? The Anglican missionary, bishop, and scholar of Church History, Stephen Neill (1900-1984) gave a presentation on Whither Mission? One of the greatest American Methodist theologians, Dr. Albert C. Outler (1908-1989), known for his scholarship of Wesley, spoke on the topic, Wither Wesleyan Theology? Bishop Roy C. Nichols (1918-2002), the first African-American bishop of the United Methodist Church, conducted preaching during the week. It must have been an inspiring week for students, faculty, staff, and alumni to hear these four influential voices of the Church.

As we enter our 90th year as a Seminary, we face a world with many new challenges, but still impacted by the same problems of sin. Asbury Theological Seminary has always held fast to the idea that our hope lies in Jesus Christ and the Good News preached through scripture. These essays are a reminder, that even in this new millennium, some truths never change. As we look to the future, let us also remember the heritage from which we come as we read these timely messages from forty year ago.

Robert Danielson, PhD.
Editor, The Asbury Journal