Seminary Synopsis

Seminary Synopsis New specialization in preaching ticularly within the history of the Church of God reformation move- ment. The School of Theology is adding a new specialization to its online Master of Arts in Christian Ministry in the area of preach- ing beginning with the fall 2012 semester. Students will study meth- ods and delivery of the preached P witnessed the house of the Apostle Peter's mother-in-law, later con- verted to a house church. Dated church artifacts found in the octag- onal-shaped structure indicated that people had been worshipping there as early as 52 A.D. The olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane were around 2,000 years old. Following Christ through the act of baptism We then made the trek to Jerusalem. Spirits were especially high because on the agenda for the day was a visit to the Jordan River — specifically the spot where it was Semin ar y Sy nop s i s | Summe r 2 0 1 2 reaching has been an impor- tant part of the church, par- setting. Courses within this mas- ter's emphasis include Finding Your Preaching Voice, Homiletics, Pastoral Preaching, and Expository Preaching. www.anderson.edu/sot/ academics/onlinemts/ The seminary is also discon- word for more effective commu- nication within the congregational SOT students experience Christ in Israel believed John the Baptist baptized Jesus. Getting there required a harsh reality check — the first of many. The spot is located in the West Bank. We passed through a military check point and were greeted by miles of razor wire. As we neared the river, we passed a church that had been bombed. Israeli soldiers, each with a machine gun around their necks, were a constant reminder of the region's instability. The soldiers' Jordanian counterparts, similarly armed, could be seen across the narrow river. Two of my classmates, Derek and Elizabeth, underwent baptism in the cold waters. "Despite the ugliness of the military presence, the area was beautiful and serene. There was a calming spiritual energy about the area," said Derek. Following Christ through the act of reconciliation On our last Sunday in Israel, we worshipped at a Lutheran church/ school in the West Bank. As I wor- shipped alongside our Palestinian brothers and sisters in Christ, I flashed back to our visit with Abuna Elias Chacour, the Archbishop of Galilee, also a Palestinian. "I am well known as an interna- tional beggar. Do not count how tinuing two of its specializations, Christian worship and church plant- ing, because of low enrollment and interest. Student presenting paper student, had his paper accepted by the Mid-west American Academy of Religion. His paper is titled "Reading Keller and Schneider on Polydoxy; Thinking a New Stance Toward the Historical Neighbor." Bennett presented the paper at Augustana College, Ill., in March. D Continued from page 1 many dollars you would give me, because I beg for something else. Something more costly. I beg for your friendship, your solidarity," he said. I realized we were living out that challenge. The experience of being in Israel did more than put a face on passages of the Bible, it put a human face on the Palestinian people. At the end of our journey, we shared the kind of bond that could only be shared by a group of peo- ple who had undergone a once-in-a- lifetime experience. We grew together. We were changed. —SCOTT REES 3 ave Bennett, a current Master of Theological Studies Thesis

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