Lee College - Vindauga Yearbook (Cleveland, TN)

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Gim ' me That Ole Time Religion Why is Lee College so concerned about being a Christian institution? Why do all students have to take 18 hours of religion whether they want a minor in Bible or not? Dr. Bowdle, Chairman of the Department of Bible and Theology, justifies that commitment this way: Ev- ery student should be conversant in his Christian faith. A well informed Chris- tian is a better servant of the Lord. Whether students major in religion or not, they should be well in- formed Christians. Most people have finally abandoned the idea that min- istry is limited to pastors, evangelists, and missionaries. Those who pursue a major in Bible may end up in many other types of vocations, varying from seminary teach- ers to rehabilitative outreach directors. But those whom God intends to use in other fields, be it science, business, music, or any other area, also have the opportunity to equip themselves for their ministries. For those pursuing the traditional ministerial voca- tions, the preachers, the de- partment provides the neces- sary tools they need to fulfill their calling. Elmer Odom, Professor of Bible and History, says, The student gains some tools for his research, learning how to study, how to prepare his sermons. He also gains quite to preach and with little training pick up a Bible and go out and pastor a church. It ' s just not that simple any more. The pastor is called upon to be a businessman, a pscyhologist, a social work- er, and to do whatever else needs to be done in addition to his preaching. Lee College, according to Mr. Boone, pro- vides students a reservoir of informa- tion, a reservoir of experience with God, and a reservoir of theology, from which (I. to r.) Jerome A person needs to know how to live as well as how to make a living. — Elmer Odom a backlog of biblical content. He ' s able to draw on those things and use them as a beginning. It ' s much harder to be a pastor now than it was at one time. Jerome Boone, Instructor in Religion, says, I doubt seriously if a person could receive a call Faculty of the Bible and Theology Department Don Bowdle (Chm.), Don Bennett, Elmer Odom, Chris Boone they can draw. The majority of students in religion classes are non-majors preparing for oth- er vocations. Sometimes these students balk at having to take 18 hours of reli- gion classes. There ' s nothing sacred about having 18 hours in religion, Dr. Bowdle admits. But he adds, The point is that we are philosophically committed as a college to make the best informed disci- ples that we can turn out. Lee requires its students to take courses in Old and New Testament, Christian Thought, and Christian Ethics, plus six hours of religion electives. Before be- coming critical of the school ' s require- ment, Chris Thomas, Visiting Lecturer in Religion, recommends: You need to look at what ' s in the minor. The heart of the minor is excellent — it meets a need — a great need. We all need a basic acquaintance with the Bible; we all need an introduction to theology; we all need something to tell us how to integrate our Christian lives in this world; and we have a few things you can get into because you want to know more about them. Why do students need to know so much about Scripture and theology if they ' re not going to be preachers? Mr. Odom puts it succinctly — A person needs to know how to live as well as how to make a living. Too many Christians make the mis- take of separating the spiritual part of their lives from the rest of their exis- tence. When they learn that Christianity is defensible, is practical, and is relevant, then whole concepts of themselves, and the world in which they live will under- go a drastic change. My religion is not over here and the rest of my life over here, Dr. Bowdle explains, pointing in opposite directions. Through study of the Bible, theology, and ethics, he says, I can see how my total life experience relates to Jesus Christ. Christianity is defensible, declares Chris Thomas. It is important for Christians to realize that God does exist, that He has revealed Himself through His Word, and that each individual is made in the image of God and is inherently valuable. In an academic setting, Thomas continues, it is shown that these things are as defensi- ble as things you learn in other disciplines, and even more so. The Christian model for man ' s existence is a vital con- cept for a hopeless, despond- Thomas, ent world. One of Christian- ity ' s advantages is that it realizes the importance of the individual. And understanding that im- portance, Christians are able to make a difference in society. Don Bennett, Instructor in Religion, V ' There ' s nothing sacred about hav- ing 18 hours in religion. — Don Bowdle sees the department ' s obligation this way: We create an awareness. In classes such as his ethics courses, students deal with the practical, tough moral issues of the day: abortion, euthanasia, genetic engineering, women ' s rights, racism, eco- nomic injustice, government suppression, the decline of public and private morali- ty, religious involvement in politics, and other hot social issues. 28 RELIGION

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from UTC in business education. Still, they have chosen to serve at Lee for various reasons. Ann McElrath, secretary to the Direc- tor of Business and Finance, feels that God has led her to Lee College. Naomi Trimble, secre- tary to the Director of Develop- ment, came here when her pre- vious boss moved to Lee College. Martha Hughes, secretary to the Comptroller, came to Lee because of her Church of God heritage and a desire to be around Church of God people. A major rea son that Sherry Echols, secretary in Admissions and Records and Con- tinuing Education Recording Secretary, became a college em- ployee was to have time to work with Promise, which is directed by her husband. June Jones, sec- retary to the Nurse, came to Lee because God opened the way. Regardless of the reasons they are here, there is no question that Lee would be in trouble were it not for the service of these great ladies behind the scenes. In fact, some would go so far as to say that the secretaries run the school. Sherri Hartgraves, secre- tary to the Head Librarian, didn ' t It would be interesting to see how the school would be run without secretaries. go that far, but she did suggest that it would be interesting to see how the school would be run without secretaries. Kathy Bene- field, secretary of the Music and Fine Arts Department, said that in secretarial work, much depends on whom you work for. Debbie Youngblood, secretary to the Di- rector of Student Financial Aid, exemplified the loyalty and ded- ication of these ladies by stating that the employers of the secre- taries are the ones who really run the school. — Ken Robertson Secretary to the Comptroller Martha Hughes Continuing Education Recording Secretary Sherry Echols Secretary to the Head Librarian Sherri Hartgraves Music Office Secretary Kathy Benefield Secretary to the Nurse June Jones Secretary to the Director of Student Aid Debbie Youngblood THE LOVE OF KNOWLEDGE 27

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doubt seriously if a person could receive a call to preach and with little training pick up a Bible and go out and pastor a church. — Jerome Boone Christianity not only gives a better foundation for understanding man ' s prob- lems, but also the real practical solutions. A person possessing God ' s love in his heart not only has a responsibility to try to understand and empathize with peo- ple ' s problems, but also to demonstrate that love by active caring. This is an element that can ' t be taught in the class- room. You can ' t teach people to care, says Dr. Bowdle. But if people can see in what we ' re doing, a burden for teach- ing, that might help them to pray for a burden for whatever it is they ' re planning to do. To what degree should Christians in- volve themselves in social action? Should Christians be members of the silent ma- jority or the Moral Majority? Chris Thomas says, We can never allow our message to be a political message — it must be the gospel message. Then, if it hits on political issues, we have to stand. If Scripture speaks about something, then I have to speak, regardless of what opin- ions, or political organizations say. It is not that Christians are supposed to go You can ' t teach people to care. But if people can see in what we ' re doing, a burden for teaching, that might help them to pray for a burden for whatever it is they ' re planning to do. — Don Bowdle on glorified witchhunts. I want to show what Christians can do positively, de- clares Mr. Thomas. Christians have a responsibility, not to criticize the world — anyone can do that — but to change it. Not to complain about the debauchery of television pro- gramming, but rather to provide enter- taining artistic and truthful alternatives. Not to deride the alcoholics and drug abusers, but to rehabilitate them with the best knowledge available coupled with the love of Christ. Not to humiliate those with broken marriages, but to pro- vide counseling and compassion. The Christian message is to feed the hungry, take care of the poor, open the blinded eyes, heal the sick, and bind up t lie broken-hearted (Luke 4:18). Christians are able to fulfill the task where so many others have failed. Aware of man ' s origin, design, purpose, and destiny, those cleansed by Christ ' s blood The heart of the minor is excellent — it meets a need — a great need. We all need a basic acquaintance with the Bible; we all need an in- troduction to theology; we all need something to tell us how to integrate our Christian lives in this world. — Chris Thomas are able to tap into God ' s infinite re- sources of wisdom, love and power. Armed with truth, Christians are able to accomplish what godless men cannot. In denying the existence of an infinite personal God, man ' s responsibility for his present imperfection, and the possibility of restoration offered in the atonement of Christ, modern man has found him- self without meaning or purpose. In spite of technological advances raising the world ' s living standards, scientific advances increasing man ' s lifespan, great- er understanding of man ' s personal prob- lems through psychology, and years of analyses of man ' s social environment through sociology, more people suffer nervous breakdowns, more homes are ' We create an awareness. — Don Bennett split by divorce, crime runs rampant, and people fear ultimate destine lion at the hands of their own nuclear tech- nology. Religion itself has been accused of denying man his happiness. It was said to have created man ' s guilt and to have stifled man ' s economic, social and scien- tific progress. Religion has been called a crutch or as Marx said, the opiate of the masses, no longer acceptable to the vast majority of those who consider them- selves intellectuals. Yet the truth still stands: that God exists and that man was Every student should be conversant in his Christian faith. A well in- formed Christian is a better servant of the Lord. — Don Bowdle created to glorify Him. And this is the starting point from which Lee students are able to understand and assist a world full of problems and pain. Will the students who sit in Lee ' s religion classes fulfill their responsibili- ty? The religion department tries to create an understanding of man. his problems, and the God who cares about us all. Will the student ever learn to care? Dr. Bowdle answers that question. It boils down to what the student ' s individual attitude is about th e kind of Christian he wants to be. — RKO Departmental Award GUY GLASS Departmental Award: Bible and Theology Guy Glass was awarded the Depart- mental Award for Bible and Theology by the faculty members of the depart- ment. According to Dr. Don Bowdle. Guy ' s selection was based on two prem- ises other than his high G.P.A.: his thorough research and reporting skills, and his inquisitive nature and challeng- ing aggression in class and in his pur- suit of knowledge. THE LOVE OF KNOWLEDGE 29