RICHMOND, Va. — Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond granted its first honorary doctorates May 26 during an annual commencement ceremony in which 22 graduates also received degrees.
BTSR president Ron Crawford (left) congratulates Elmer West, recipient of the honorary doctor of divinity degree. (Photo by Kristen Koger)
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The doctorates were awarded to three Virginians who were instrumental in the seminary’s development during its first two decades. J. Harwood and Louise Cochrane, widely-known for their philanthropy in Baptist life and missions causes, have given of their time, expertise, and financial resources since the early days of BTSR’s existence in the early 1990s. Both received the doctor of humane letters degree. Dr. Elmer West, one of the seminary’s founding trustees and longtime Baptist leader, has served over the years in a number of different capacities to provide leadership and guidance to BTSR. West received the honorary doctor of divinity degree.
Daniel G. Bagby, Theodore F. Adams Professor Emeritus of Pastoral Care, gave the keynote address during the ceremony at First Baptist Church in Richmond.
“The God who goes ahead of you has done the same with Jacob, and Moses, and Samuel,” said Bagby. “You will come to the edge of the light and you will come into the dark, but the dark has one who loves you. And you will travel by faith, not by certainty.
“There will be times when you will become so discouraged that you will want to quit,” he added. “Let the sustenance of God and the presence of the community of faith sustain you in the places that you need it most. In the places of your deepest discouragement, you will also find your greater faith.”
Ministry requires patience, said Bagby. “It takes time to significantly affect or change the world in which you and I live. We’ve been called to do that, but you will need to be patient. Don’t be in a hurry. Be patient, because the God who has called you has not called you to a 100-yard sprint but to a marathon—and it will take time.”
Master of divinity degrees were granted to David Clark, Ryan Clore, Lissa Eaton, Eric Fulcher, Christopher Gourley, Kathryn Hall, Skye Hallman, Ilena Hatton, Michael Khol, Anita Laffoon, Kendall Ratliffe, Dan Schumacher, Tiffany Slaughter, Susan Snellings, Cathy Stribling, Nathan Varnier, Nathan White and Hanna Zhu.
Lindsey McClintock and Kelly Stuart received the master of theological studies degree, while Carol Ann Horton and Greg Randall received the doctor of ministry degree.
Jennifer Law (jlaw@btsr.edu) is director of communications at BTSR.