News Archive for 2006

December 2006: CES Graduate doing well at Trinity International University:
From: Luke Ahrens @ trinity international university
Subject: Thank you!
Date: December 12, 2006 1:13:57 PM PST
To: Ric Walston <CES@ColumbiaSe8minary.edu>

Dr. Walston,

Merry Christmas!

I just wanted to write you briefly to thank you for your faithful work with me while I was [a ThB student] at CES, especially in the area of writing and grammar. We are in the midst of finals here at TEDS, and I just received my grade on a research paper in the NT department. Dr. Yarbrough, my prof, is in my opinion one of the tougher profs with regard to grading—he told us in class that only 5 to 6 of 40 received "A"s. That made me nervous. When I received my paper (in which I interacted with Richard Gaffin Jr. on cessationism), I got 99 of 100 possible points! As I reflected on the paper and Dr. Yarbrough's comments, I started thinking about how grateful I am to you and your "state and defend" motto. It is paying hugh dividends! The blessing you have been in my life continues to multiply. May God richly bless you in your continued ministry at CES. Thank you, Luke Ahrens

 

October 2006: CES president Ric Walston co-authors new book:

Ric Walston has co-authored a book with Rev. Clarence Buckle, the General Secretary of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Newfoundland (PAON). The title of which is A Pentecostal Assemblies of Newfoundland View of Divorce and Remarriage. The book is specifically for ministers within the PAON. Clarence Buckle has ministered for 21 years with the Pentecostal Assemblies of Newfoundland and Labrador. He is a graduate of Master’s College & Seminary, Toronto, Ontario, has done graduate studies at Canadian Theological Seminary and Briercrest Graduate School, and currently serves as the General Secretary-Treasurer of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Newfoundland and Labrador. The book is scheduled to be released in January 2007.

 

September 2006: CES Awards Honorary Doctoral Degree:

CES Faculty member Dr. David Bailey and Dr. Roger Nicole

Columbia Evangelical Seminary recently awarded an honorary Doctor of Sacred Letters (Litt.S.D.) to Dr. Roger Nicole. Dr. Nicole is a Swiss Baptist theologian, widely known for his biblical scholarship. He served as a translator for the New International Version of the Bible, a draftee for the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, and a founder of the Evangelical Theological Society. He is a recognized authority on the atonement of Jesus Christ and on the theology of John Calvin. Among other degrees, Nicole holds earned doctorates from Harvard University and Gordon Divinity School (now Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary). He and his wife, Annette, reside in Longwood, Florida. CES faculty mentor Dr. David W. Bailey has written a soon-to-be-released biography on Dr. Nicole entitled Speaking the Truth in Love: The Life and Legacy of Roger Nicole (Solid Ground Christian Books).

 

August 2006: CES Doctor of Religious Education Graduate (1995) Doug Batson Shares Milestone: I wish to share a career milestone. It is noteworthy because, as my bosses jokingly reminded me as I packed up my cubicle, I am still a rookie analyst on probation (first 24 months in the Intelligence Community). The news is that my research proposal to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on the settlement patterns of repatriating Afghan refugees has been accepted and funded! In other words I have been awarded a 12-month research fellowship at the Joint Military Intelligence College (Bolling AFB, Washington DC) to culminate in an the authoring of an unclassified, peer-reviewed, geography book. Yes, I do expect to go down-range to conduct some of this research. The respective avenues may be different, but my supportive wife, Terri, and I now both find ourselves entering totally new, inside-the-Beltway worlds. Regards, Doug Batson

June 2006: CES Graduate becomes Professor: Dr. Greg Hammer (of Iowa) is now teaching at a community college.  He reports: “I taught world religions for them during the spring 2006 semester and teaching the same class this summer.  I am scheduled to teach three classes for the college during the fall 2006 semester: two sections on world religions and one section on introduction to philosophy. It has been a tremendous experience interacting with the students on various religious issues.” When asked if his Doctor of Theological Studies (from CES in December 2005) helped him secure the teaching position, he said that the D.T.S. played a major part in him getting this teaching position.

June 2006: CES Graduate career advancement: Mike McConnell reports that after he earned his Bachelor of Religion with CES (1998), he went on to earn an M.S. in Criminal Justice from Andrew Jackson University, and he is now ABD with Northcentral University (Prescott, AZ), for the PhD in Business Administration. He says, “Besides being police chief, I also teach a criminal law class at Iowa Central Community College and two classes at Buena Vista University. I teach Intro to Criminal Justice and Organization And Management In Criminal Justice Systems.”

May 2006: Kudos to CES Graduate: Dr. Carmen DiCello (D.T.S. from CES, 2004) is a contributor to the recently released New Dictionary of Christian Apologetics (InterVarsity Press, April, 2006). Dr. DiCello, who writes on the subject of "Extra Terrestrial Life," provides a broad framework, from a Christian perspective, for understanding and responding to the possibility of life on other worlds.

April 2006: CES graduate transfers into Liberty University: Danny Pitts (of Oregon) earned the Bachelor of Religion (in Christian Counseling) from Columbia Evangelical Seminary. Danny has just informed us that Liberty University has has accepted his Columbia bachelor’s degree as the basis upon which he is allowed entrance into Liberty's M.A. in counseling. Mr. Pitts has started a counseling practice in Oregon and plans to go on for his doctoral degree with CES after completing his M.A. with Liberty University.

April 2006: Fifteen Years of CES Ministry: April 2006 marks the 15th year of CES Ministry. We wish to thank all who have dedicated their finances, time, and expertise to CES in helping found, secure, and operate it for all these years.

March 2006: Recent Graduate: Congratulations to Ronald L. Geib of Pennsylvania. He received his Bachelor of of Theology degree from CES this month. Ron transferred into CES with credits from Elim Bible Institute. His 214-page Th.B. thesis was titled, "Who Controls the Hand That Strikes The Cheek? Integrating the Anabaptist Doctrine of Nonresistance into a Cohesive Theological Framework of Divine Providence."

March 2006: CES President Rick Walston taught a grammar seminar in Brentwood (near Nashville), TN. The three-day seminar covered the CES Writing Protocols, which is a required class for all CES students. The audio lectures and the PDF lecture notes can be downloaded for free by anyone who wants them at CES-WP Introduction

Four (of the 13) students at the seminar reviewing their notes before the final exam.