Baptist Briefs
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Southwestern to offer music PhD. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has been approved by the National Association of Schools of Music to offer a doctor of philosophy degree in church music. The degree requires about 42 hours of seminar course work, an oral examination and a dissertation. Five students already are enrolled in the program.
___ Pastor gets Medal of Freedom. Renowned Baptist preacher and civil-rights champion Gardner Taylor was among 15 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom presented by President Bill Clinton at an Aug. 9 White House ceremony. Clinton called Taylor, longtime pastor of Brooklyn's Concord Baptist Church and a founder of the Progressive National Baptist Convention, one of America's greatest preachers.
___ Fund honors Shackleford. Associated Baptist Press has established a fund honoring the memory of veteran Baptist journalist Al Shackleford. Shackleford, 68, died July 23 from injuries sustained in an auto accident near his home in Franklin, Tenn. Shackleford's firing as head of Baptist Press in 1990 spurred the formation of ABP as an alternative news service.
___ Merritt writes "Dr. Laura." The Southern Baptist Convention has the "deepest appreciation" for radio talk show host Laura Schlessinger's stances opposing the homosexual lifestyle, SBC President James Merritt told "Dr. Laura" in an Aug. 17 letter. He wrote on behalf of messengers to the SBC annual meeting in June, who instructed the convention's president to write a letter of commendation to Schlessinger. "Though we indeed do love the sinner and do wish and pray for God's grace to fall on every homosexual (as well as every heterosexual) who needs the Lord, without question the word of God condemns homosexuality in the strongest of terms," he wrote.
___ Johnson retiring from NAMB. Jack Johnson, special assistant to the president of the North American Mission Board and president of the former Radio & Television Commission, has announced his retirement effective Sept. 15. Johnson, 65, has served with NAMB since 1997, when the agency was formed in a reorganization of the Southern Baptist Convention. As president of the RTVC at the time, Johnson was instrumental in the reorganization process as chairman of a nine-member transition team.
___ Schwall retiring from Annuity Board. Frank Schwall Jr., managing director for special services with the Annuity Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, has announced his retirement effective Oct. 1. Schwall, 63, began his service with the Annuity Board in August 1973 as a field representative. He moved to the board's Dallas headquarters in July 1976 to become assistant to the Annuity Board president. He later became senior vice president for marketing and executive officer for denominational relations and public relations.
___ Midwestern adds degrees, center. The Association of Theological Schools has approved a new doctor of educational ministry degree at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Mo. ATS also has given preliminary approval for Midwestern to offer the master of arts degree, which will allow for specialization in biblical archaeology, biblical languages and counseling. The Southern Baptist seminary also has gained authorization to begin offering extension classes in Tulsa, Okla.
___ Harding leaving Utah-Idaho post. Jim Harding, executive director of the Utah-Idaho Southern Baptist Convention, is leaving that job to become pastor of First Baptist Church of West Valley City, Utah. Harding, 52, has led the two-state convention since 1995, also serving as editor of the state paper, The Utah-Idaho Southern Baptist Witness. He was the convention's director of religious education from 1990 to 1995. Harding played a key role in coordinating the involvement of Utah-Idaho Baptists in the June 1998 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Salt Lake City.
___ CBF launches benefits program. The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is preparing to launch a ministerial retirement program. The Church Benefits Board is scheduled to incorporate in September and begin receiving retirement contributions Oct. 1. It will operate in partnership with the Ministers and Missionaries Benefits Board of the American Baptist Churches in the USA. The basic plan to be offered will be based on contributions of 10 percent of an employee's annual compensation. Seven percent will go into retirement, 1 percent will cover administrative fees, and the remaining 2 percent will provide for disability and group term-life insurance. The Southern Baptist Annuity Board has issued an advisory to its participants in response, noting differences between the proposed CBF plan and its plans. Among those differences, in the Annuity Board's Church Annuity Plan, 100 percent of the participant's contribution goes toward annuity investment, and eligible participants receive a $210 contribution into their retirement accounts provided by their state Baptist convention.
___ International Seminary robbed. A daring mid-day armed robbery on Aug. 14 stunned staff and students at International Baptist Theological Seminary in the Czech Republic. Three gunmen reportedly burst into the seminary's accounting office during the lunch hour and held a staff member at gunpoint before fleeing on foot with the U.S. equivalent of approximately $11,700 in cash and a mobile phone, IBTS officials reported. Seminary officials are cooperating with Prague police and are also conducting an immediate review of campus security.
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