Seminary Serves the Church as 'Think Tank'

LEXINGTON, Ky., Dec. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In many regions of the church family, and more recently in popular culture, the phrase "left behind" harkens images from apocalyptic scripture. But what about the "left behind" in the book of Matthew?

Or what about diversity in the dawn of Christianity? Or suffering and salvation in the letters of Paul?

These are among the questions explored in writings by Lexington Theological Seminary professors who presented their work this winter at national theological conferences. Dr. Jerry Sumney presented "Salvific Suffering in Paul: Eschatological, Vicarious, and Mimetic," at the annual meetings of the Society of Biblical Literature and the American Academy of Religion, which met simultaneously in San Francisco. Dr. Wes Allen presented his paper, "Matthew's 'Left Behind'" at the Academy of Homiletics in Austin, Tex.

"One of the many ways that Lexington Theological Seminary serves the church is as a theological think tank," said LTS Vice President for Academic Affairs Richard Weis.

"Faculty members such as Professors Sumney and Allen serve the church by continuing to probe the Scriptures for fresh and relevant answers to the old questions of the meaning of suffering and the nature of the Christian hope.  When they read papers on these subjects at national meetings of scholars, this gives them a chance to sharpen, and test the value of, their ideas.  What they learn from reading Paul and Matthew with other experts at these meetings comes back to the future pastors who study at LTS in the courses Professors Allen and Sumney teach here."

Weis noted that these experiences also enrich classes LTS faculty offer in the Lay School of Theology, a series of Saturday courses offered to the public.

"Every time a member of the LTS faculty presents a paper or presides at a panel in a national meeting of other theologians, the intellectual vitality of Lexington Theological Seminary as a school of the church is on display for the world to see and contributes to learning far beyond even our virtual 'walls,'"said Weis.

CONTACT: Beth Goins  (502) 316-4575, [email protected], www.lextheo.edu 

SOURCE Lexington Theological Seminary