Professor Carl R. Holladay Addresses Fall Convocation
September 3, 2002With pomp and ceremony the Candler faculty in their full academic regalia processed to officially open the school year at the annual Fall Convocation on Tuesday, September 3, 2002. Dean Russell Richey welcomed the student body and included a special greeting to the 231 first year students. There are 160 new students in the Master of Divinity program, 32 in the Master of Theological Studies program, 20 in the Master of Theology program, 1 in the Doctor of Theology program, and 18 special students. The talent contained in the new class was noted and Dean Richey encouraged all to make maximum use of the resources available at Candler for ministerial preparation.
William M. Chace, President of Emory University; Howard O. Hunter, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs; and Luke T. Johnson, R. W. Woodruff Professor of New Testament, participated in the installation of professor Carl R. Holladay as the Charles Howard Candler Professor of New Testament.
Professor Holladay, who has been at Candler since 1980, teaches New Testament and serves in various administrative roles, most recently as Dean of the Faculty and Academic Affairs in 1992-94. He was a Fulbright Senior Scholar in 1994-95 in Tubingen, Germany where he pursued his research on Hellenistic Judaism. In 1999-2000 he received a Henry T. Luce, III Fellowship in Theology through The Association of Theological Schools for writing a theological introduction to the New Testament that is used as a text in his New Testament class this semester.
Professor Holladay expressed his honor and delight at being selected by his peers to fill the Charles Howard Candler chair. "In its dedication to scholarship in service to the church, Candler’s faculty is second to none," he said.
After his installation, Professor Holladay delivered the convocation address, "A Reason for the Hope within Us" based on a text from I Peter 3:13-18. After discussing a world of terror and violence, he described the epistle’s message as one of hope in the midst of chaos and pain. "We must harness our fears even as we give direction and definition to our hopes," he said. "Every academic convocation such as this is a powerful declaration of hope," he concluded.
The September 3 worship service included prayers offered by Barbara Day Miller, assistant dean of worship and lecturer in liturgical practices and Gail R. O’Day, A. H. Shatford Professor of Preaching and New Testament. Luther E. Smith, professor of church and community and associate dean of faculty development, read scripture. The convocation choir directed by Marian E. Dolan, assistant professor of church music, sang the anthem, "God of Peace." Timothy E. Albrecht, university organist, and Jeremy Wirths, assistant chapel organist and Master of Sacred Music student, provided music for the worship service.
Faculty marshals for the procession were Teresa Fry Brown, assistant professor of homiletics, David S. Pacini, associate professor of historical theology, and Charles D. Hackett, assistant professor of church ministries. Andrew Johnston, president of the Candler Coordinating Council, carried the gonfalon.