COVINGTON, La. (ABP) — A group of Baptist scholars who started meeting together to discuss theology in 1990 reflect on faith and friendship in a collection of essays dedicated to a member of the group who died in 2009.
"For Faith and Friendship" is published by Insight Press in Covington, La.
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Fisher Humphreys, who retired in 2008 after teaching Christian theology for a combined 38 years at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Samford University; T. J. Mashburn, a professor at the University of Mobile for the past 25 years; and Philip Wise, a pastor of Baptist churches in Alabama and Texas and active in leadership of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the Baptist World Alliance initially formed what came to be called "the Trinity Group" because of their interest in pondering the doctrine of God.
Over time the group grew to 12 members. As they spread out across the country, meetings became less frequent and took the form of weekend retreats. As friendships deepened, conversations moved beyond purely academic interests to personal matters including families, churches and the places where they worked.
For Faith and Friendship, published by Insight Press in Covington, La., is the outcome of those conversations. After Wise's death on March 30, 2009, at age 60 from cancer, the group decided to dedicate the book to one of its founders.
"Philip Wise was the heart of this group, as he was every cause that was his," said Gary Furr, pastor of Vestavia Hills Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., and a contributor to the book. "He was the truest and most loyal friend anyone could ask for. It was a natural idea to dedicate this volume to him."
When the Trinity Group began to discuss the theme for the book, Wise suggested the members write about how their minds have changed over the years. Wise finished his chapter, titled "How My Mind Has Changed about the Pastorate," about a year before he died — making the book unusual in that it contains a chapter by the person to whom it is dedicated. Humphreys said that seemed preferable to either alternative — not dedicating the book to Wise or omitting his chapter.
Philip Wise completed his chapter about a year before his death in 2009.
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In addition to Wise, Humphreys, Mashburn and Furr, the contributors are: Paul Basden, founding co-pastor of Preston Trail Community Church in Frisco, Texas; LaMon Brown, pastor of First Baptist Church of Bunkie, La.; Brad Creed, provost of Samford University in Birmingham, Ala.; Dwight Moody, director of the Academy for Preachers in Lexington, Ky.; Paul Robertson, director of clinical pastoral education and chaplaincy with Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston; Rick Wilson, chairman of the Department of Christianity at Mercer University in Macon, Ga.; Ralph Wood, professor of literature and theology at Baylor University in Waco, Texas; and Gerald Wright, chair of the Department of Cross-Cultural Studies at Palm Beach Atlantic University in Florida.
The authors say they hope the book will be both a reflection of their own faith and friendship and a resource for others. Bo Prosser, CBF's coordinator for congregational formation, called it "a fabulous resource for pastoral leaders."
Proceeds from the book, which sells for $20 plus shipping, will be donated to a scholarship fund named after Wise at Samford.
"Philip was a perfect friend," Humphreys wrote in his chapter. "For him the default setting was that he was your friend. You didn't have to earn his friendship; he gave it to you. He was completely loyal; he never betrayed his friends or let them down. They could count on him. He was, to use biblical language, faithful, one in whom you could place full faith."
"I am glad that we can dedicate this book to Philip," Humphreys said. "It is a small tribute to a great man who also was my dear friend."
The book is available from Insight Press, a small privately owned publisher specializing in books about the Christian faith formed in 1973. It may be ordered online at www.insightpress.net or by calling toll-free 1-877-214-7927.
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Bob Allen is senior writer for Associated Baptist Press.