Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary commencement

Tue May 12, 2009, 04:25 PM EDT

Hamilton –

The Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Board of Trustees conferred 316 master’s degrees and 60 Doctor of Ministry degrees during commencement exercises on May 9, in the Bennett Center of Gordon College. The ceremonies included the 44 graduating students from the Center for Urban Ministerial Education (CUME), the Boston campus of Gordon-Conwell. An additional 50 master’s degrees and 18 doctoral degrees will be conferred May 16 during commencement exercises at the seminary’s Charlotte campus.

The commencement speaker was Dr. William E. Pannell, the Arthur DeKruyter/Christ Church Oak Brook Professor of Preaching at Fuller Theological Seminary. Before joining the faculty at Fuller, Dr. Pannell was the first African-American to serve on Fuller’s Board of Trustees. An experienced evangelist, Dr. Pannell currently serves on the boards of Taylor University and the Sojourners/Call to Renewal. He is a popular guest lecturer at Christian colleges and universities throughout the U.S. He has written several books. He holds honorary doctorates from Malone College and Geneva College.

A baccalaureate service was held May 8 in the A. J. Gordon Memorial Chapel at Gordon College. The speaker was Dr. Alice P. Mathews, Academic Dean of Gordon-Conwell-South Hamilton and Lois W. Bennett, Distinguished Emerita Professor of Educational Ministries and Women’s Ministries. She is widely known for her participation in the daily Bible-teaching radio program, Discover the Word, and ministers and lectures internationally in churches and at women’s retreats and conferences. Prior to joining Gordon-Conwell, she established a comprehensive program for women’s studies at Denver Seminary and spent 17 years ministering in Europe with her husband. She has written many books for women. She holds an M.A. from Michigan State University and a Ph.D. from Iliff School of Theology/University of Denver.

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