Southern Profs To Head Both ATS and ASRS
From the Southern Accent:
Stephen Bauer, a professor in Southern’s School of Religion was called by the Adventist Theological Society (ATS) to be president-elect for the years 2009 and 2010.
Bauer was not expecting a call to this position because the society usually elects its presidents from people on the executive committee. However, they asked him to be the president-elect because the position had not been filled for the past two years. “I got the shock of my life when they asked me to be president-elect,” Bauer said.
According to their Web site, the ATS is a non-profit, international organization that provides theological resources for the Seventh-day Adventist church. Members are able to “help touch Adventist leaders, pastors, theologians and lay people with the depth and power of God’s Word.”
Bauer said he already has two projects that he would like to complete during his time in office. He is currently working with a member of the society at Oakwood University to co-sponsor a symposium (a gathering where scholastic religious papers are presented) for college students. This would give young scholars the opportunity to develop the required skills with assistance from professors.
His second goal is to provide pastoral training for elders and lay pastors within the North American Division.
After finishing his two-year term as president-elect, Bauer will be the society’s president for the next two years. Ironically, another professor in Southern’s School of Religion, Dr. Donn Leatherman, will be starting his first year of presidency for the Adventist Society for Religious Studies the same year Bauer starts his first year of presidency.
Leatherman said this occurrence is “not that shocking” because many professors in Southern’s School of Religion are members of ATS or the Adventist Society for Religious Studies.
