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Inauguration Address p4
At Trinity p 18
FOR THE TRINITY COMMUNITY WORLDWIDE | WINTER 2014
The inauguration of the fifteenth president of Trinity International University
David Samuel Dockery October 23, 2014
Trinity International University Trinity College | Trinity Graduate School | Trinity Evangelical Divinity School | Trinity Law School
Annual Report p 21
university committees
PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH COMMITTEE
INAUGURATION PLANNING COMMITTEE
CO-CHAIRS Judy Bradish Paul Y. Mang Board of Regents
CO-CHAIRS Jeanette L. Hsieh Co-Provost Special Assistant to the President for Academic Administration Dean, Trinity College and Graduate School Susan Stover Professor of Education
EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH OF AMERICA LEADERS William Hamel (MDiv ’72) Bill Jones (MDiv ’84, DMin ’01) Ex-Officio Board of Regents
BOARD OF REGENTS LEADERS Robert Kleinschmidt Former Board Chair (’76–’79) Howard Dahl (MA ’77) Vice Chair
BOARD OF REGENTS MEMBERS Peter Etienne (BA ’85) Maureen Girkins (MDiv ’13) Jim Tahmisian
TEDS FACULTY REPRESENTATIVE Douglas A. Sweeney (MA ’89) Chair and Professor of the Church History & History of Christian Thought Department Director, Jonathan Edwards Center
TRINITY COLLEGE FACULTY REPRESENTATIVE Bradley J. Gundlach (MA ’89) Professor of History
Richard A. Grimm Senior Vice President for University Services and Strategic Initiatives Chris Donato Assistant Vice President for University Communication Mark Kahler Vice President for University Communication Jean Myers Executive Assistant to the President and the Provost Academic Events Coordinator Felix Theonugraha (MDiv ’06) Vice President for Spiritual Life and University Ministries Dean of Graduate Students Mindy Wilkerson (BA ’07) Director, Office of the President
HONORARY CHAIRS Robert Kleinschmidt (’76–’79) Neil Nyberg (BA ’74)
BOARD OF REGENTS REPRESENTATIVES Judy Bradish Peter Etienne (BA ’85) Maureen Girkins (MDiv ’13) Paul Y. Mang
UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP TEAM David S. Dockery President Jeanette L. Hsieh Co-Provost Special Assistant to the President for Academic Administration Dean, Trinity College & Graduate School Tite Tiénou Co-Provost Senior Vice President for Education Dean, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School Myron Steeves Dean, Trinity Law School Richard A. Grimm Senior Vice President for University Services and Strategic Initiatives J. Michael Picha Senior Vice President for Operations and Administration William O. Washington (BA ’88, MAR ’98) Senior Vice President for Student Life Dean of Students, Trinity College David A. Hoag Senior Vice President for Advancement and University Relations Steven Geggie Senior Vice President for Information Technology and Planning Paul Eisenmenger Vice President for Finance and Institutional Research Mark Kahler Vice President for University Communication Felix Theonugraha Vice President for Spiritual Life and University Ministries Dean of Students, Trinity Graduate School and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School TRINITY MAGAZINE Chris Donato Editor, Assistant Vice President for University Communication Joshua Stoiber (BA ’15) Communication Assistant Rory Tyer (MDiv ’15) Writer Megan Menke (BA ’14) Bryan Schneider (MA ’15) Photography Wayne Kijanowski (MDiv ’91) Director of Design Julia A. Wright (MA ’07) Design, Visiting Assistant Professor of Graphic Design Trinity Magazine exists to tell Trinity’s stories, to serve Trinity alumni and friends, and to connect the Trinity community. Opinions expressed are those of contributors and not necessarily the official position of Trinity. To contact the editor, email editor@tiu.edu or call 847.945.8800. To send alumni news items or to change your mailing address, email alumni@tiu.edu or call 877.339.1416. Trinity International University is a private, Christian university composed of four schools: Trinity College, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Trinity Graduate School, and Trinity Law School. Trinity is committed to biblical authority, Christ centeredness, comprehensive education, community, church connectedness, and cultural engagement.
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in this issue | winter 2014
Heritage & Hope
4
The Inauguration of President David S. Dockery
Forging the Future
At Trinity Inauguration Concerts, Dedications, and Celebrations
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Noted Evangelical Voices During Inauguration Week
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Annual Report
21
Highlights and Stories from 2014
Theologians of the Round Table
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Dialogue on the State of Evangelical Christianity
The inauguration of the fifteenth president of Trinity International University
David Samuel Dockery Inaugural Address October 23, 2014
What a fascinating and
blessed heritage is ours…
A BLESSED HERITAGE
evangelical heritage, while seeking to be ever more in touch with the reformulations of the world in which we now find ourselves.
What a fascinating and blessed heritage is ours, one that can be traced to a ten-week class on the Bible, a class meeting in a Chicago church basement in 1897. This class grew into the Swedish Bible Institute of Chicago. Together with the Norwegian-Danish Bible Institute and the Evangelical Free Church Bible Institute and Seminary, the unified merger of these Scandinavian schools became known as the Trinity Seminary and Bible College. We now refer to this multi-faceted place as Trinity International University, which includes Trinity College, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Trinity Graduate School, Trinity Law School, with campuses here and in South Chicago, South Florida, and Southern California. The Carl F. H. Henry Center for Theological Understanding, the Jonathan Edwards Center, and the Center for Bioethics & Human Dignity now flourish as aspects of this institution. What started as a small school with Scandinavian roots now evidences a global reach.
We determine today that Trinity College, Trinity Graduate School, Trinity Law School, and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School will offer educational programs that will be characterized by intellectual seriousness and academic rigor, while being evangelically faithful and unapologetically Christian—we will do so as we seek to strengthen the church, serve society, and renew the culture, providing resources for serious Christian thinking and scholarship in all disciplines, enabling our students to think and live Christianly for the coming decades of the twenty-first century.
A CONFESSIONAL FRAMEWORK TO GUIDE OUR JOURNEY
ADDRESSING TODAY’S CHALLENGES
Standing on the shoulders of those who have gone before us and learning from their decisions and actions in previous days, we will seek, with God’s help, to be prepared for the seemingly ubiquitous challenges that can be seen all around us. The changes in higher education seem to be ever shifting in terms of philosophy, methodology, and delivery system possibilities. Frankly, it is impossible to keep up with these never-ending changes, but we must continue to monitor these trends in order to help us provide Christcentered, church-connected, and culturally engaged education that is faithful to our institutional and
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In so many ways, all of us at Trinity also have a sense of hope to face the future because of our wonderful heritage. In 1897, the first course offered during the founding year of this institution was a ten-week course on the Bible. For the past 117 years, men and women associated with Trinity have been characterized as “a people of the Book,” who, without apology, have viewed scripture as a special form of revelation, a unique mode of divine disclosure. An affirmation of scriptural authority, a commitment to the good news of the gospel, leadership in global missions, the pace-setting efforts in the area of serious evangelical scholarship, and the undergirding emphasis on cooperative collaboration with other believers who proclaim “one faith, one hope, one Lord” have been the hallmarks of the best of Trinity’s heritage through the years. Today we dedicate ourselves afresh to claim or reclaim those markers for our forthcoming journey.
“one faith,
one hope,
one Lord” have been the hallmarks of the best of
Trinity’s heritage through the years. Trinity, I believe, has a strategic opportunity to help lead the way in these areas for the larger evangelical community. We must model these virtues in ways that will extend the best of the Kenneth Kantzer-Carl Henry trajectory from the previous generation. It is important to recognize as we do so that we do not seek to relive that period of time, but to learn from it and build upon it. A renewed appreciation for unity on our campus, within the evangelical community, and across the Christian movement will not only strengthen our shared commitment to Trinity’s distinctive mission, but will help us work together toward a fresh commitment to biblical orthodoxy, a historical Christianity shaped by “the pattern of Christian truth,” a faithful intercultural, multi-generational, multi-ethnic, and transcontinental evangelicalism that stands or falls on first-order issues.
demonstrating both conviction and civility. We will choose to stand in the faithful path that has been prepared and charted for us by those who have gone before us. In doing so, we are aware that we will be swimming upstream in our secularized culture. Yet, in order to be faithful to our heritage, we can do no other. Thus, a confession of the total truthfulness of the Bible is an important safeguard, a necessary commitment for the Trinity community to remain tethered to a faithful Christian orthodoxy. The challenge that is ours, one which we gladly accept on this day, is to preserve and pass on the Christian tradition while encouraging honest intellectual inquiry, holding together intellectual seriousness and evangelical faithfulness. I am confident that this can be done by the brilliant faculty members at Trinity as they guide the intellectually curious students represented in each and every academic program at this institution. We will find the best ways to confess our evangelical convictions while encouraging genuine intellectual seriousness and engagement in the areas of teaching, research, service, and scholarship.
Today, in that regard, we, the Trinity community, recommit ourselves to a belief in and confession of the truthfulness and authority of God’s written Word, the deity and humanity of Jesus Christ, the Holy Trinity, the uniqueness of the gospel message, the enabling work of God’s Spirit, salvation by grace through faith, the importance of the church and the people of God who are both gathered and scattered, the hope of Christ’s return, the sacredness of life and family, and a concern for the least, the last, and the lost.
We long to see Trinity function each and every day as a grace-filled community, a community that rejects the gossip and cynicism that often plagues academic communities. We will instead choose to emphasize love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control as the virtues needed to create a caring Christ-centered community where undergraduate offerings, as well as master’s and doctoral level programs, can flourish grounded in the conviction that all knowledge, all truth, and all wisdom find their source in God.
CONVICTION AND
COOPERATION
We will seek to serve the church and engage the cultural issues of our day without falling into the traps on the left or right sides of the road. We will seek to do so courageously, sensitively, boldly, and lovingly,
Pictured left to right, from top: President David S. Dockery delivers his inaugural address; Douglas A. Sweeney (MA ’89) bears the university mace during the inauguration procession; custom napkins commemorating the inauguration; Dockery receives the mace, a symbol of the authority of the presidential office; EFCA President William Hamel (MDiv ’72) gives an inaugural charge; prior to the inauguration service, President Dockery receives encouragement from four of his grandchildren, all dressed in “Trinity Blue”
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We will...encourage students...so that they are equipped for their
God-called place in this world. STUDENTS, STAFF, AND SCHOLARS
We want to remind ourselves on this day of the primary purpose of what we do on a daily basis, which is to educate students. All programs, activities, and efforts must exist to serve the long-term interests of students in the spirit of Christian servanthood. We will, at Trinity, seek to guide students in the development of priorities and practices that will contribute to their spiritual formation, their overall well-being and effectiveness in all areas of life, intellectually, emotionally, physically, socially, and spiritually. We will seek to encourage students to think about issues of truth, values, worldview, and the bearing of subject matter on people’s lives so that they are equipped for their God-called place in this world. Even as we seek to integrate the gospel with an education for life, we will need to be open to new delivery methods and systems, particularly in graduate and professional programs. These things may take on a new importance in light of technological advances, global opportunities, as well as the economic challenges that have seemingly all merged together in these times in which we live. We recognize that a commitment to academic excellence is best demonstrated by our faculty. While classroom teaching will always be prioritized and emphasized, while we will always want to provide education for both church and society, research, publication, and presentation will be encouraged in all fields. We also invite the Trinity staff responsible for what is often called the “hidden curriculum,” to mirror these commitments.
We acknowledge that all of these things require a foundational belief that this world was created by a wise and purposeful designer, and in that sense is a unified framework. We thus affirm that our belief of God as Creator is as important for our work as our confession of God as Redeemer, even as we have together confessed during this inauguration ceremony: “We believe in God, the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.” In so doing, we want to explore the implications of serious Christian thinking for all of learning and for all of living. We will seek to bring a contribution to the important conversations about faith and science in a way that is faithful to the Trinity Statement of Faith, which declares that we believe that God created Adam and Eve in his image. We want to explore the best of the Christian tradition regarding our understanding not only of science, but subject matter across the campus, including the humanities, social sciences, international and intercultural competencies, technology, sexuality and marriage, the arts and athletics, as well as important matters such as work, economics, law, government, health care, media studies, and issues related to religious liberty.
FAITHFUL, EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT OVERSIGHT
We believe that as we carry out our holistic mission in a faithful manner, semester after semester, that it will help strengthen the church and advance the gospel mission. We recognize the significant implications of these things for the work of administration, the Board of Regents,
Pictured left to right, from top: Board of Regents member and co-chair of the presidential search committee Judy Bradish introduces David S. Dockery; Paul Y. Mang, regent and co-chair of the presidential search committee, offers a Board Response to Dockery’s inaugural address; view of the inauguration ceremony from the balcony; H. Wilbert Norton, Trinity’s ninth president, addresses the congregation; President Dockery and former presidents H. Wilbert Norton (1957–63), Kenneth M. Meyer (MDiv ’56; 1974–95), and Gregory L. Waybright (MDiv ’80; 1995–2007); President Dockery receives the laying on of hands while Greg Waybright offers a prayer of investiture
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We work and serve
faithfully and patiently, trusting that
God’s blessings …will rest abundantly upon the work of our hands… and oversight of the institution. In doing so we will seek to prioritize mission faithfulness, while seeking to ensure administrative effectiveness and efficiency. Even as we call for renewed commitments to quality and excellence, we recognize that the day-to-day oversight of this University must be carried out within the interrelationship of a focus on the priority of our overall mission and the practical and managerial concern for effectiveness and efficiency. We thus call on this day for our institutional oversight to reflect both theological foundations and practical manifestations in a mutually constructed relationship.
TOWARD A HOPEFUL AND HOPE-FILLED FUTURE
We are extremely excited about the prospects for our “Trinity 2023” strategic plan and its overarching vision for strengthening our identity and mission, the recruitment and retention of students, as well as service for them, for facilities and development opportunities, for institutional operations, including finances, the work of the board and the administration, and ways to enhance and strengthen both faculty and staff. It is certainly encouraging to think about these things not only for Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Trinity College, and Trinity Graduate School, but for opportunities at the Law School, the South Florida and South Chicago campuses, the Henry and Edwards Centers, and the distinctive possibilities for the Center of Bioethics & Human Dignity. We are hopeful regarding new academic leaders and the exploration of new academic programs that will enable us to strengthen and expand the vision for a Christ-centered, church-connected, culturally engaged, comprehensive learning community.
Understanding our heritage and our confessional commitments will enable us to frame that vision in a way that is not merely pragmatic or merely a response to the tyranny of the latest fads or most urgent challenges. We recognize today that envisioning and shaping that future with a shared understanding, vision, identity, and educational philosophy takes precedence and priority. Our next steps must continue to be grounded in and shaped by the very gospel itself, with which we have been entrusted. This is our heritage; this is our hope, a hope that shapes our desire for a preferred institutional future. But it is even more than that. It is an eager, confident expectation that sustains us while we wait, while we watch, and while we work and serve faithfully and patiently, trusting that God’s blessings, grace, and favor and will rest abundantly upon the work of our hands in the days, months, and years to come. In the words of a famous poet, the opposite of the past is not the future, but the lack of a future. We look to the future with hope because of the past, because of the strength of our heritage. Hope summons the future. Thus, today, we invite you to join us on this hopeful and hope-filled journey to Trinity’s future. We celebrate this new chapter in the life of the Trinity community by giving thanks for the wonderful heritage that is ours. Please join with us, learn with us, pray with us, and walk with us in confident hope as we serve together in this place for the mutual good of Trinity students, staff, faculty, administration, board members, alumni, and friends ... doing so ultimately for the glory of God.
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at trinity from inauguration the newsroom news
Keith Getty: On Modern Hymns and Worship
Trinity welcomed world-renowned hymn writers Keith and Kristyn Getty during Inauguration Week for an afternoon symposium on the place and importance of musical worship in today’s churches, as well as an evening concert of worship and celebration. During the symposium, Keith gave three convictions he and his wife take into modern hymn writing. 1.
2.
God’s people learn their faith in large part through song. Even as early as the book of Exodus, songs have provided a way to organize, preserve, and acknowledge theological truth. Hymns effect every aspect of the Christian life as they instill and reinforce the most cherished beliefs of the faith. Getty went on to suggest that the new trends towards shortened songs underestimate a congregation’s abilities to process deeply theological lyrics and thus end up working against the goal of discipling Christians. The holy act of congregational singing is exactly that—holy. The Bible speaks of a time when all nations will sing the praises of the Lord, and congregational worship allows us a glimpse into that glory. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, singing was both a “duty and a delight,” something both required by God as well as joyously sought out by people. All aspects of congregational worship (instruments, leaders, etc.) are
to be designed to encourage the congregation to engage in the holy act of worship together, as well as to help them to perform it the best they can. 3.
Songs need to stick with people. There was a time when people found hope and truth in songs that stayed with them and encouraged them in various seasons for their entire lives. A growing problem in church worship today is the adoption the legitimate tool of using popular worship songs to get people in the doors of the church who might not otherwise attend, neglecting the creation of a rich, theological tradition of songs that will aid the believer for life.
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Top to bottom: Keith and Kristyn Getty leading the community in worship, backed up by the Trinity College Choir; Kristyn Getty singing one of the many modern hymns composed by the musical duo
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Clockwise, this page: John and Susan Woodbridge, along with Board Chair Neil Nyberg, officially open the reading room that will bear their name; President David S. Dockery and the Woodbridges; President Dockery offers words of dedication for the reading room; Neil Nyberg, Athletic Directory Tony Ladd, and former athletic director and basketball coach Henry and Ruth Ann Van Dixhorn cut the ribbon to the new arena
Faculty Works Tell Trinity’s Story
John and Susan Woodbridge cut the ribbon to the new reading room that will bear their name in the Rolfing Library Tuesday, Oct. 21, celebrating the heritage of the school’s prolific professors and academic excellence. Around 225 books written by Trinity faculty now sit against the wall of the John and Susan Woodbridge Reading Room, along with new lounge chairs and a fireplace. Not all the books were present during the dedication, as the project had just been finished the previous night, but the library’s goal is to have over 500 works from Trinity faculty available in the space.
The name of the space honors the story of John Woodbridge, who has served at Trinity for 44 years, making him the longest-serving faculty member in the university’s history. Woodbridge also served as the grand marshal for the inauguration processional. “We’re very grateful to our colleges who have served the Lord so faithfully, as is represented in this space. We’re honored to be associated with it,” Woodbridge said. Both President Dockery and University Librarian Robert Krapohl described Woodbridge as a “treasure” of the university. Woodbridge has served as a research professor of church history and the history of Christian thought at TEDS, and his wife has served through Trinity’s Clothes Horse ministry.
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Clockwise, this page, from top left: Senior Vice President for Student Life William Washington (BA ’88, MAR ’98) offers a word of thanks at the tailgate party; the Trinity community gathers for a tailgate party before the Getty concert; Travis Cottrell, along with Bryan Loritts, leads the Wednesday night Prayer & Praise Service; Associate Professor of Education Paul Worfel joins in on a few jazz standards during the tailgate party
Van Dixhorn Arena Officially Open
The newly refurbished Van Dixhorn Arena, made possible by the generous gifts from several friends across the Trinity family, including board member Henry Van Dixhorn and his family, was officially opened Friday morning, Oct. 24, in the Meyer Sports Complex. The ribbon cutting represented the final event of a packed Inauguration Week. “The arena is a game changer for Trinity basketball and volleyball programs. It provides a venue that will enhance recruiting and serve as an exciting space to play in,” Trinity’s Athletic Director Tony Ladd said. The arena is the largest gathering space on Trinity’s campus, with a
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capacity of over 1,700 in the stands that now surround the new court on all sides, and many more with chairs placed on the court itself. Plans for its use stretch far beyond traditional athletics, such as holding convocation and commencement ceremonies. President Dockery delivered the words of dedication, thanking all those who made the space possible, and praising Henry Van Dixhorn’s contribution to Trinity throughout the years. “Since Henry Van Dixhorn served for two decades as the athletic director and basketball coach, his life imprint rests on Trinity. For so many years he has brought wise, thoughtful leadership to our Board of Regents. It gives us great joy to recognize his legacy that will be carried on through this arena for years and years to come.”
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Forging the Future Trinity Welcomes Noted Evangelical Voices for Inauguration Week Chapels
Trinity International University welcomed several notable evangelical figures to campus during the weeklong celebration of President David S. Dockery’s inauguration. Among these were three chapel speakers—Cherie Harder, Timothy George, and John Perkins—who represent different, but complementary, points along the spectrum of evangelical cultural engagement. Each of them offered reflections that illuminate Trinity’s legacy and illustrate Dockery’s vision for continuing Trinity’s global influence.
Calling, Service, and Excellence
CHERIE HARDER
Cherie Harder is president of the Trinity Forum, a Washington, DC-based organization that connects leaders from across the country to think together about culturally significant issues from the perspective of the Christian faith. Their goal is ultimately to discover “how we can promote cultural renewal and human flourishing,” Dockery noted in his introduction. He went on to praise Harder as “a recognized voice and leader across the evangelical world.” Harder’s chapel reflection focused on calling. She noted that Trinity students have a unique advantage when it comes to discerning and living out their calling because “you study at a school that takes the great questions, spiritual reality, God’s truth, character, and purposes very seriously.” Ultimately, Harder suggested, “calling” is less about specific vocational gifting and more about one’s identity in Christ. She noted two important implications: first, this means that all of life matters, and it means that even those not entering “fulltime Christian service” have important calls on their lives. There is no “two-tiered” model of Christian calling within which some vocations are inherently more kingdom-valuable than others. Second, this means that “calling, while personal, is not merely individual.” Our communities are inextricably bound up with our individual callings. To illustrate this latter point, Harder focused on the story of William Wilberforce, the English politician and abolitionist whose tireless anti-slavery
campaigning resulted in the outlawing of slavery in England and the near extinction of it in Europe by the time of his death. His story is well known—it has recently been retold in the movie Amazing Grace—but what is less well known is that he might not have accomplished all he did if it hadn’t been for the support of a community of friends and fellow activists that came to be known as the Clapham Sect. This included Josiah Wedgewood, a potter who commissioned an anti-slavery plate that was widely distributed, and Lady Margaret Middleton, of whom Dr. Samuel Johnson wrote that she was one of the wisest people he’d ever met (and who was, according to some accounts, one of the writers or editors of many anti-slavery Parliament speeches). Harder ended her reflection by talking about a reading group she helped start during her time as a member of Senate staff. Out of that time of prayer and study, several Senators were influenced and were in turn involved with culturally influential legislation, including an anti-abortion bill and FCC regulations scrutinizing the way rated-R films were marketed to teens and pre-teens. Her encouragement to the Trinity community was that God has promised to never leave nor forsake them, and that they should take advantage of the community within which they find themselves to better get to know God and his call on their lives.
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Theological Community, Virtues, and the Global Church
TIMOTHY GEORGE
Timothy George is founding dean of Samford University's Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama, executive editor of Christianity Today, and author of numerous books, including several titles on Baptist history that he and President Dockery published together. Dockery called him “a great gift to the evangelical community” and “a scholar’s scholar, a gentleman’s gentleman” in his introduction, and noted that they had been friends since 1987. Before beginning his lecture, George reflected on his friendship with Dockery and his new role at Trinity and compared it to that of an abbot, the monk uniquely responsible for the leadership and pastoral care of the other monks in a monastery. He presented Dockery with a framed reading from the Rule of St. Benedict: ”The abbot must always remember what he is and remember what he is called. Aware that more will be expected of a man to whom more has been entrusted. He must know what a difficult and demanding burden he has undertaken: directing souls, and serving a variety of temperaments, coaxing, reproving, and encouraging them as appropriate. He must so accommodate and adapt himself to each one’s character and intelligence that he will not only keep the flock entrusted to his care from dwindling but will rejoice in the increase of a good flock. And he should keep in mind that he has undertaken something really important: the care of souls, for which he must give an account. That he may not plead lack of resources as an excuse. He is to remember what is written: ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all these other things will be added to you.’” For the remainder of his lecture, George focused on the last verse of 1 Corinthians 13: “And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” After noting that St. Augustine enshrined these as the “theological virtues” in contrast to the “cardinal virtues” of the classical tradition, he asked: “What do the theological virtues mean for a theological school?”
The love of God was supremely displayed in the cross of Jesus Christ. “You want to see the love of God? Look at the cross.”
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expressed, for instance, in some “name it-and-claim it” theologies. There’s “something insidious” about those theologies, he claimed, because they implicitly deny the necessity of hope, of the realization that “we’re not there yet.” Finally, he emphasized that the love of God was supremely displayed in the cross of Jesus Christ. “You want to see the love of God? Look at the cross.” He cautioned that God’s love cannot be separated from his holiness and sovereignty, and he suggested that the reason Paul casts love as “the greatest of these” is that love “is the irreducible mark of a Christian.” He ended by noting that the opposite of love is not hate but indifference and apathy, and he exhorted Trinity to be marked by faith, hope, and love. Only in so doing, he noted, would Trinity continue to have a global impact for the cause of Christ.
He answered this question by expounding on each of the virtues and connecting them to the work of an institution such as Trinity. Biblically, faith is used to describe both the act of believing and the content of that belief; he exhorted his listeners that they should guard the faith: “You as a theological community are trustees of the truth.” Hope is always particularly closely linked with faith; he warned against the danger of an over-realized eschatology, as
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Cultural Renewal and Racial Reconciliation
JOHN M. PERKINS
President Dockery introduced John M. Perkins as “a giant” in the cause of racial reconciliation. He is the founder and president of the John Perkins Foundation, the founder of the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA), and an author of numerous books, many of which have been highly influential on Christians working towards justice and reconciliation. “He is a person that many of us have looked and continue to look up to,” Dockery said. “We are pleased to have with us this leader among leaders in the work of racial reconciliation, both in the church and in the community.”
reflections on the importance of racial reconciliation and the gospel, offering exhortation and realistic assessment alongside his optimism. He said that racial reconciliation needs to be “brought back into” the gospel, in the sense that much of the church had previously accepted a state of affairs in which concern for the gospel didn’t necessitate concern for racial reconciliation. To talk about what it means to be a Christian, he said, is necessarily to talk about reconciliation. “Justice is a stewardship issue,” Perkins noted. “One problem I’ve seen with Christianity is that we’ve reduced God—he’s too small. We’ve over-individualized him.” He ended his time by reminding the Trinity community that it is God who is at work on behalf of reconciliation, and that we need to be mindful of what kind of life we’re inviting people to live when they take on the label “Christian.”
Perkins began his reflection by talking about how it feels for him to see the things he’s worked for his whole life coming true. “I want to look at this as an old man,” he said. “I’m 83 years old, I’ve been married 63 years, and I’ve been in full-time ministry for 54 years.” Speaking about racial reconciliation, he said: “God is fighting this battle. I want to encourage people: it’s going to happen!”
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Perkins has been very influential to many members of the Trinity community, including Daniel Hartman, who serves as director of Mosaic Ministries at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. As people entrusted with the gospel, Mosaic Ministries aims to advance the ministry of reconciliation and renewal by equipping students, developing resources, and creating new networks.
For the rest of his address, he alternated between speaking about Psalm 23 and its vision of the Christian life, and
“One problem I’ve seen with Christianity is that we’ve reduced God— he’s too small. We’ve over-individualized him.”
“Perkins and his living legacy of CCDA have profoundly influenced my life and way of ministry, along with thousands and thousands of others,” Hartman said. “His passion for the gospel and to see all things reconciled in Christ, combined with a deep love for people and fervent desire for unity, helped shape Mosaic Ministries in northern Lake County. He truly is an incredible example of what he calls ‘the outliving of the inliving Christ.’”
Forging the Future “Trinity’s mission is to educate women and men to engage in God’s redemptive work in the world,” says Jared Alcántara, who joined TEDS faculty as assistant professor of pastoral theology this year. “The Inauguration Week speakers reminded our community of the value of this mission and, more importantly, they called on us to renew our commitment to it. As a new faculty member here, I am excited to participate in the life of this community and challenged to partner in its mission in the world.”
Early on in his meetings with Trinity faculty and staff, Dockery spoke of Psalm 127:1 as a theme for the beginning of his presidential tenure: “Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain.” Each of the inauguration chapel speakers, in different ways, encouraged the Trinity community to remain faithful to those ways and practices that ensure it is the Lord who is always recognized as the builder, for the glory of his kingdom.
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Theologians of the Roundtable Ed Stetzer President of LifeWay Research
D. A. Carson Research Professor of New Testament at TEDS Peter Cha Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology at TEDS Paige Comstock Cunningham Executive Director of The Center for Bioethics & Human Dignity Timothy George Founding Dean of Beeson Divinity School Bryan Crawford Loritts Lead Pastor of Fellowship Memphis Tom Nelson Senior Pastor of Christ Community Church Board of Regents, Trinity International University
As part of Trinity’s weeklong inauguration celebration, several evangelical pastors, scholars, and authors were invited to participate in a roundtable discussion on the state of evangelical Christianity and its future prospects, both in the US and abroad.
While
the discussion ranged over a broad spectrum of issues, it tended to focus on North American evangelicalism and the role local churches ought to play in the face of various cultural shifts and challenges. A consensus emerged that it was more important than ever before for Christ-centered church communities to function as communities within which non-believers can see and feel the truths of the gospel at work in the life of Christians.
The discussion was moderated by Ed Stetzer, president of LifeWay Research and affiliate faculty at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. His blog, “The Exchange,” is widely read, and he is considered an expert in missiology, church planting, evangelism, missions, and issues at the intersection of church and culture. “There are some questions about where trends might go,” Stetzer began, but “there’s actually no serious researcher who believes that the church in America is dying.” Rather than death, the real question about Christianity’s future is that of transformation: what will the church look like, and what positive signs today might point us in this direction? Timothy George responded by highlighting gospel-centered renewal movements within various declining mainline Protestant denominations, and spoke of the obligation to pray for believers working within those structures. Peter Cha then noted that at a recent InterVarsity Christian Fellowship USA Board of Trustees meeting, they were informed that the number of college students becoming Christians through InterVarsity has risen 100 percent over the past decade. Furthermore, students of color now account for about 50 percent of the InterVarsity movement, which means that many of these conversions were driven by people of color— something that tracks with demographic shifts in global evangelicalism.
today’s evangelical “sees not an either-or but a both-and” when it comes to the gospel and justice
The conversation then turned to evangelicalism, social justice, and the gospel. Today’s evangelical “sees not an either-or but a both-and” when it comes to the gospel and justice, noted Pastor Loritts. Stetzer then asked how today’s evangelicals can embrace this necessary development without succumbing to theological shipwreck, and Prof. Carson responded with two things: “It’s very important to distinguish the gospel from its entailments,” and, “Preach hell. Because if you are concerned for people but are not concerned for their eternal well-being, you don’t really love them.” Loritts agreed: “Self-righteousness is so multi-faceted. When we elevate issues like adoption and diversity, and we’re louder on those than on what God has accomplished for us [in the gospel], then we are in great danger.” At this point, Paige Cunningham spoke up and described the area of bioethics as a “bellwether.” There are many Christians who are simply unable to offer theologically and biblically sound wisdom in our day. “Just knowing the Word is not enough,” she suggested, “because it doesn’t help us live theologically in a biotech century. You can’t find a verse
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about human cloning or uterus transplants.” She went on to emphasize that she was not downplaying the importance of Scripture; rather, she was championing the cause of Christian leaders helping the church think theologically about pressing cultural issues in ways that honor the complex and changing nature of these issues. Carson added that, in addition to a theological anthropology and thorough knowledge of cultural shifts, the church needs a fresh focus on “the sovereignty, beauty, and glory of God,” suggesting that chastity (for example) seems impossible when it’s considered apart from giving equal consideration to spending an eternity in perfect intimacy with God.
time for fear, or self pity, or narcissism, but a focus on the fundamentals.” Cha emphasized the increasing interconnectedness of a globalized world, and suggested that more established churches needed to learn to partner with (quickly growing) immigrant churches “so that we can offer as well as receive from the new churches God is sending our way.” Cunningham mentioned a recent talk she heard by Christian Smith on emerging adults. Two things in particular struck her: first, this age group (roughly 18–29) believes God’s main function is as their problem-solver; second, this age group believes everyone’s narrative is equally legitimate. In the face
Tom Nelson then brought up the increasing pluralization of society. “The marginal are becoming the nones,” he said, meaning that the percentage of nominal Christians is decreasing as they increasingly become non-religiously affiliated. “How do I get [nonbelievers] to the local church? Primarily through preaching the gospel and helping our congregations connect Sunday to Monday through a robust theology of vocation and work.” He explained that in a pluralistic society, the workplace is the primary place within which the “nones “and “non-nones” come together, and he pleaded with leaders to help equip Christians in their workplaces.
the church needs a fresh focus on “the sovereignty, beauty, and glory of God”
today’s evangelicals can embrace this necessary development without succumbing to theological shipwreck Cha echoed this call for churches to put the gospel on display, and suggested that acts of justice performed by Christians “can help non-Christians deconstruct their own distorted views of Christianity fed to them by the media.” Loritts concurred, and spoke about a series he preached in early 2014 called “Our Gay Neighbor.” It brought the highest church attendance he’d seen, as well as a series of meetings and conversations with nonbelievers in the gay community that were non-hostile because of the way Christian truth was presented. As Stetzer brought the conversation to a close, he asked each panelist to offer a brief takeaway for the church: Carson noted that Charles Taylor has pointed out how atheism has culturally displaced religiosity in the West as the “default” position. In light of this, while evangelical numbers may decline, “out of the ashes arises a confessionalism that is strong on the transformed life and the gospel . . . . It’s not a
of this, Christians “have to tell a better story and live out a better story. It’s our embodied life together.”
Nelson quoted from John 1 and prayed that the church would be filled with grace and truth. “If we focus there, we will be faithful unto God and he will build his church.”
Loritts expressed great hope: “Someone once asked me, if you could live at any time, when would you live? And I said, as a black man? Right now. These are some of the most hopeful times . . . there is a hunger and longing for diverse voices all centered around the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” George kept it very simple. “Two words: Christology and courage,” he said. Christology, because Jesus Christ is the center and the reason for it all; courage, because “in the context of what many brothers and sisters in Christ are experiencing and suffering around the world, our own suffering pales into insignificance. I want us to build those ties of solidarity and pray for those who belong to us as they belong to Christ.”
trinity magazine
2014 financials
With Deep Gratitude to God
Psalm 103 encourages us to “praise the Lord” and “forget not all his benefits.” The blessings and kindnesses of God to the Trinity community during the 2014 year have been many, for which we are truly grateful. The stories and photos in this issue of the Trinity Magazine are merely representative of many other important markers that point to God’s goodness to the Trinity community in recent days. Beyond what you’ll see elsewhere in this issue, we are genuinely grateful for: David S. Dockery President
§§ The blessed heritage that is ours and the sense of hopefulness that is present across the Trinity community. §§ The gifted members of the Trinity faculty, staff, student body, and Board of Regents. §§ The significant and generous gifts to advance the Trinity mission through the work of the various entities. §§ The financial report indicating the careful management and oversight of Mike Picha and Paul Eisenmenger, which resulted in a positive bottom line for the 2014 fiscal year.
§§ The development of the new Norton Welcome Center, which will be completed by the end of the 2014 calendar year. §§ The numerous quality publications from the Trinity faculty, including the 2014 Christianity Today Book of the Year Paul and Union with Christ, authored by Prof. Con Campbell. §§ The supportive presence of former presidents Wilbert Norton, Ken Meyer, and Greg Waybright during the inauguration events. §§ The encouraging presentations from Keith and Kristyn Getty, Timothy George, John Perkins, Cherie Harder, Bryan Loritts, Travis Cottrell and many others who have made this a special year. For each of these things, and so many more, we are truly grateful to God. We ask the extended Trinity family to join with us in asking the Lord to continue to bless the work of those who are invested in the life of the Trinity community. Even as we entreat the Lord for his ongoing favor to rest upon the advancement of the Trinity mission, we do so with heartfelt thanksgiving and deep gratitude to God, forgetting not his many benefits and blessings to Trinity International University.
2014 HIGHLIGHTS
Pre-Seminary Honors Program Update
At the start of its third year, the Trinity Pre-Seminary Honors Program is attracting freshman students who want to combine two years of honors-level learning at the undergraduate level with a three-year TEDS MDiv degree path. Recognizing the unique nature of the program, the curriculum was built to give students opportunities to come together and support each other academically and spiritually.
Strong support also comes from faculty members, who serve as mentors throughout the rigorous program. “The subject matter they have us studying in college is well chosen,” says student Andrew Sparks. “The program equips us well for a life of ministry.”
winter 2014
Trinity Central
Trinity Central, which opened in August of this year, has become the one-stop service center for the Deerfield campus. It is located in the Petersen Wing of the McLennan Academic Building, where students can find help with registration issues and student financial services. Trinity Central staff members provide practical help with matters such as cashing checks, obtaining quarters for laundry, and changing meal plan options.
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financials
$2.7M $1.9M
$6.2M
INSTRUCTION
$14.3M
ACADEMIC SUPPORT
NET TUITION AND FEES
STUDENT SERVICES
$9.4M
$6.2M
OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
CONTRIBUTIONS AUXILIARY
INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT
INVESTMENT INCOME
AUXILIARY
OTHER ($.7M)
DEPRECIATION & AMORTIZATION
$2.6M
$3.5M
$6.2M
$25.7M
$7.3M
Expenses ’14 ’13 Revenues ’14 ’13 Instruction $1,427,0883 $13,830,271 Tuition and Fees $37,592,599 $37,560,912 Academic Support $2,607,590 $2,676,883 Less Institutional Scholarships $(11,888,610) $(11,498,952) Student Services $7,331,521 $7,736,440 Net Tuition and Fees $25,703,989 $26,061,960 Operation and Maintenance $3,517,082 $3,498,107 Contributions $6,244,020 $7,013,745 Institutional Support $9,364,140 $9,135,748 Auxiliary $6,181,733 $6,092,868 Auxiliary $1,917,622 $1,847,861 Investment Income $7,354,515 $4,881,710 Other $2,256 — Other $754,687 $1,012,064 Depreciation and Amortization $2,695,858 $2,523,794 TOTAL EXPENSES $41,706,952 $41,249,104
TOTAL REVENUES $46,238,944 $45,062,347 CHANGE IN NET ASSETS $4,531,992 $24,269,579
2014 HIGHLIGHTS
Trinity Receives Ancient Torah Scroll
EFCA Challenge
Trinity International University now owns a 500-year-old Ashkenazi German Torah scroll that will be used to enhance the education of students. The scroll is a gift from Kenneth and Barbara Larson of Little Canada, Minn. Scott Carroll, a Michigan-based specialist in rare written texts, scrolls, and books, says this 100-foot scroll is among the oldest and best-preserved of its kind in existence. The donation
Trinity College students played a significant role in the Evangelical Free Church of America’s national youth gathering, known as the Challenge Conference. The five-day event is billed as a “dynamic and catalytic experience for EFCA junior high and senior high students that will challenge and equip them to cooperate with God and His work in the world.” Kansas City hosted the 2014 conference. Trinity students
already has attracted the attention of Greater Chicago’s Jewish community. Dennis Magary, chair of the Old Testament and Semitic Languages Department at TEDS, told the Chicago Tribune that “our hope is to dialogue with Jewish leaders and scholars and also to have an annual conference about the scroll.”
trinity magazine
financials
Key Financial Indicators ’14
Student Enrollment Deerfield
’13
TC
795
TEDS
TLS
$42,746,361
198
Chicago TC
78
TEDS
57
Florida
$22,166,537
TC
Endowment
(includes board-designated endowment)
$51,159,956
93
California
Long-Term Debt
$21,303,000
1,010
TGS
Property, Plant & Equipment
$41,927,803
2014
226
TEDS
15
TGS
44
Extension TEDS
$45,637,730
170
TOTAL ENROLLED
2,686
Contributions Breakdown While fundraising numbers may seem abstract, their impact is anything but. The contribution totals in this graph represent an investment of $6.2 million in the future of Trinity and its students. These contributions provided scholarship support for students (over $2.5 million), enhanced campus facilities (over $1.5 million), bolstered Trinity’s endowment (over $800k),
strengthened existing programs, and helped add new ones (over $1.4 million). This investment by Trinity’s alumni, parents, and friends not only aids in the provision of an academically excellent and Christ-centered education, but does so ultimately to the glory of God and the spread of his kingdom.
Spring Break Missions Trips
staffed a 12,000-square-foot “Revamp” space that was available to attendees during breaks. Some Trinity students acted as bus captains to transport attendees to mission projects in the area. There was also a “TIU Courtyard” that provided opportunities for fun and relaxation after the conclusion of each daily session.
Student mission teams departed the Trinity campus on spring break, bound for Uganda, France, Costa Rica, Zambia, and Los Angeles. The Uganda team worked with street children and participated in hospital care. Students who went to France had the opportunity to live in a monastery. That trip focused on the students’ spiritual formation rather than traditional mission activities. In Costa Rica,
winter 2014
Trinity students worked with an agency which provides services to children and teens in at-risk homes. The Zambia group visited clinics, schools and orphanages that are active in fighting against AIDS. The Los Angeles team stayed in PicoUnion, a predominantly immigrant neighborhood in the city. Students learned urban ministry in a crosscultural context.
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Whether as alumni, parents, or friends—you’ve helped shape a heritage that spans a century in the making. As we look with hope toward a God-honoring future, we would be grateful for your ongoing investment in our students as they carry the gospel into all the world.
Investing in students through the Trinity Fund TIU.EDU/GIVEONLINE