Baptist Briefs
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Virginians propose university change. Virginia Baptists will change their 169-year-old relationship with the University of Richmond if a proposal is approved in November. Under the plan, adopted by the Virginia Baptist Mission Board Oct. 13, the Baptist General Association of Virginia no longer would nominate trustees for the university and would phase out financial contributions to the school. Instead the BGAV would fund a new Center for Baptist Heritage and Studies, to be housed on the university's campus. Ties between the convention and the university were strained last March, when the school added language on sexual orientation to its non-discrimination policy.
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___ Oates dies. Wayne Oates, a pioneer in the field of pastoral care and counseling, died Oct. 21 in Louisville, Ky. Oates, 82, taught at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary from 1948 to 1974 and then at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. He wrote nearly 60 books in a 50-year career as an author and professor. He was one of the first scholars to advocate using principles of psychiatry and psychology in ministry, opening the door for what became an established field known as pastoral care.
___ Indiana church quits convention. A proposed disciplining of University Baptist Church in Bloomington, Ind., by the State Convention of Baptists in Indiana will not happen, because the church has withdrawn its affiliation with the state convention and the Southern Baptist Convention. Because the church called a woman as pastor, state convention leaders were recommending several sanctions.
___ Piland recovering. After undergoing surgery Oct. 20 for a massive brain tumor, Harry Piland is recovering at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn., with a positive prognosis. Piland, director of the Sunday school division of the Southern Baptist Convention's Sunday School Board for 16 years until his retirement in 1994, later served as associate pastor/minister of education at First Baptist Church of Dallas for two years.
___ Southeastern revival brings 70 decisions. Seventy professions of faith in Christ were recorded during Oct. 12-14 revival services on the campus of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C. Most of those decisions, including decisions by 10 seminary students and two church deacons, were made on the first night of the revival when evangelist Bailey Smith preached on the biblical parable of the wheat and the tares.
___ Scottish Baptists to ordain women. Scottish Baptists have voted to admit women to the ordained ministry. By 247 votes to 113, the assembly of the Baptist Union of Scotland recently agreed that member churches were free to ordain women. They also said member churches would be free to refuse to ordain women.
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