Newspaper Page Text
Black clergy launches program
designed for black pastors
PRy Maria Panaritis
Associated Press Writer
PHILADELPHIA
As a black minister looking to
further his theological education
in 1986, the Rev. William Moore
had few choices, unless he was
Pwilling to attend a predominant
fly white seminary.
9 A decade later, the nearest
black divinity school is still 120
Umiles from Philadelphia, the na-
Otion’s fifth-largest city and home
tomore than 2,000 black church
es. Blacks are the majority at
énly a handful of Christian sem
naries in the country.
I “A white professor could not
itell me how to evangelize black
olks in the inner city any more
han I could tell them how to
Edevelop an evangelism strategy
bfor white Christians in the sub
tirbs,” said Moore, 52, now work
ng on his doctorate.
Earlier this month, a group of
300 local black ministers, Black
Clergy Inc., launched a program
vith four mostly white Protes
¥ant seminaries in the Philadel
‘Wphia area to offer classes tailored
for black pastors.
| Black professors will teach 12
hew elective courses emphasiz
ing the role of blacks in Christian
istory. Topics will include the
istory of the black church in
etropolitan areas, feminist the
blogy and black church theology.
Theinitiative, sponsored by the
“Pew Charitable Trusts of Phila
“Bldelphia , aims to provide black
ninisters with knowledge to let
hurchgoers know “that every-
Bne in the Bible is not ... white,
hat we were there from the be
ginning, that we were not God’s
afterthought,” said Audrey
Bronson, dean of the Philadel-
New elderly facility to offer
housing and daycare services
Estella Stafford Memorial Per
sonal Care Home, a new, 12-bed
housing facility for the elderly,
theambulatory and veterans, has
been opened in Augusta. In addi
tion to housing, the facility will
offer daycare services for the eld
erly.
The home is newly renovated
with an addition of approximate
ly 1,200 square feet. It contains
spacious bedrooms, a recreation
room and a lovely dining area.
Theentire location is fenced, with
2 security system and sprinklers.
_ The Augusta Minority Busi
ness Development Center was
[instrumental inpreparing abusi
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1518 Laney-Walker Blvd.
(706):724-9691
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(706) 650-0468
Earlier this month, a group of 400 local
black ministers, Black Clergy Inc., launched
a program with four mostly white Protes
tant seminaries in the Philadelphia area to
offer classes tailored for black pastors.
Black professors will teach 12 new elective
courses emphasizing the role of blacks in
Christian history. Topics will include the
history of the black church in metropolitan
areas, feminist theology and black church
theology.
phia Urban Education Institute,
which is administering the plan.
Participating schools are
Lutheran, Westminster and
Eastern Baptist seminaries and
the Center for Urban Theologi
cal Training.
Moore, a memberof Black Cler
gy Inc., calls the program the
only grass-roots initiative in the
nation.
Black church members com
prise about 9 percent of the coun
try’s adult population, yet only
five of 168 accredited Christian
seminaries in the country are
predominantly black, according
to the Association of Theological
Schools in the United States and
Canada.
Howard University’s divinity
school in Washington, D.C., is
one of the few.
As a result, black pastors are
forced to attend white institu
tions, not always getting the
training they need to communi
cate effectively with their urban
religious communities.
Organizers hope the
Afrocentric classes offered at the
ness plan and financial proposal,
which included financial assis
tance from the City of Augusta’s
Community Development De
partment, First Union National
Bank and the CSRA Resource
Former Paine College
Upward Bounders wanted
All 1975 and 1985 Paine Col
lege Upward Bound Bridge Class
members are asked to call the
Upward Bound office at (706)
821-8210, between the hours of 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday - Fri
day, before April 15. This infor
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3623 J. Dewey Gray Circle
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(706) 860-4567
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Philadelphia seminaries will
make expanding their formal ed
ucation less threatening for black
pastors.
Roughly 49.1 percent of all
black clergy hold at least a bach
elor’sdegree, said Wardell Payne
of the Howard divinity school’s
research center. Another 18.3
percent have taken some college
courses, he said, citing a study
published in the 1990 book “The
Black Church in the African-
American Experience.”
“I'think that the black commu
nity itself is becoming a better
trained community, and as edu
cation levels rise in the commu
nity they may expect higher ed
ucation of pastors,” said
George S. Worcester, secretary
treasurer for the Association for
Practical Theology in St. Louis.
Many ministers juggle full
time jobs with church duties,
making attending classes diffi
cult, said Joel Carpenter, direc
tor of the religion program for
the Pew Charitable Trusts.
Another obstacle is what Car
penter calls the “intimidation
Development Agency.
Owners Jeanette and Charles
Julyhave planned an open house
and ribbon-cutting ceremony for
4 p.m., April 1. The community is
invited.
mation is vital for updating files
for annual 10- and 20-year class
reunions.
For further information, please
contact Mrs. Earnestine Bell at
821-8210.
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3515 Wheeler Rd.
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523 15th St.
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767 Broad St.
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1355 Independence Dr.
(706) 724-7746
For information on this listing,
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30901 or phone (706) 724-7855.
factor.” Sorne black ministers are
afraid to return to school if they
lack a bachelor’s degree.
Their reticence is further fu
eled by a perception among some
black clergy that white-based
courses offered at nearby semi
naries are irrelevant to their
needs.
“We've been a center of the
community,” said Bronson. “We
have day care centers, most of
our activities have been in our
churches, many of our black col
leges came out of our denomina
tions. Our churches have served
as a hope for our black people.”
For that reason, black minis
ters must know not only how to
deliver a sermon and plan Eas
ter services. They must fill the
additional roles of social and po
litical advocate and family coun
selor.
Eric Ohlmann, vice president
and academic dean of Eastern
Baptist, hopes Black Clergy’s
initiative will help bolster the
seminary’s already strong re
cruitment of black students.
“They will at least have the
opportunity of taking ... courses
taught from an African-Ameri
can perspective within the course
of three years,” Ohlmann said.
And churches with better-edu
cated pastors are more likely to
dothings to help the community,
said Carpenter.
Since 1993, Pew has pledged
$400,000 to plan and implement
the education institute.
“There aren’t very many strong
opportunities like this around
the country,” Carpenter said.
“Our sense is that the way to get
rid of the obstacles that make it
hard for inner-city pastors tocon
tinue their education is the way
to go.”
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Mutual team up to end
teen traffic death
Each hour of every weekend, a
young American dies in a traffic
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suming alcohol, neglecting to use
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Safe behavior, such as using
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The vast majority of teens who
die in car crashes are not wear
ing them. “If we want to make a
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McCabe, Lead Coordinator for
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as zero tolerance for teen drink
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People who could use these
educational tapes should contact’
Safe Kids of East Central Geor
gia at (706) 826-5803.
Safe Kids of East Central Geor
gia is part of the National Safe
Kids Campaign, a long-term ef
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children ages 14 and younger.
15