News

WILSON, N.C. - The 2009 E.G. Purcell, Jr., Bible Conference and the Thedford G. and Woodrow W. Sprinkle Lectures are scheduled for March 1-3 at Barton College.

Dr. Warren Carter. Professor of New Testament at Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University, will be the guest lecturer for the Purcell Bible Conference on Sunday, March 1 in Hardy Alumni Hall.  Dr. Kay Lynn Northcutt, Fred B. Craddock Associate Professor of Preaching and Worship at Phillips Theological Seminary, will be the featured speaker for the Sprinkle Lectures scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, March 2-3, also in Hardy Alumni Hall.

All lecture sessions are open to the public free of charge, and the community is invited to attend. A buffet luncheon and discussion with Dr. Northcutt will follow at Noon on Tuesday.  Those planning to attend the luncheon may pay at the door. The programs are sponsored by the Department of Religion and Philosophy.

The Purcell Bible Conference

The Purcell Bible Conference was established in 1984 with an endowment given by family, colleagues, friends, students and parishioners to honor the life and ministry of Eugene G. Purcell Jr. The purpose of these lectures has been to provide the public with the finest in recent biblical scholarship each year.  From its inception, these lectures have been planned with the laity of the church in mind.

Registration for the Purcell Bible Conference will begin at 3 p.m. in Hardy Alumni Hall.  At 3:30 p.m., Dr. Carter will present the lecture, "Cross Purposes: Jesus' Crucifixion and the Roman Empire." Following the lecture, there will be a brief reception, and he will speak again at the 5 p.m. vesper service.  Dr. Carter's sermon is titled "The Pit."

Prior to joining the Brite Divinity School faculty in 2007, Dr. Carter was Pherigo Professor of New Testament at Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, Mo., where he taught from 1990-2007.

A native of New Zealand, Dr. Carter earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Victoria University of Wellington, a Bachelor of Divinity degree and a Master of Theology degree from the Melbourne College of Divinity, and a Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary.

He has published 11 books, most recent of which are "John and Empire: Initial Explorations" (T&T Clark/Continuum, 2008) and "John: Storyteller, Interpreter, Evangelist" (Hendrickson, 2006). Also among his most important contributions to New Testament studies is a commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, titled "Matthew and the Margins: A Religious and Socio-Political Reading" (Orbis, 2000).  In addition, he has authored numerous articles that have appeared in various scholarly journals such as "Journal of Biblical Literature," "Journal for the Study of the New Testament," and "Catholic Biblical Quarterly."

An ordained minister, Dr. Carter is a frequent speaker/preacher in churches, adult Sunday school classes, and retreats. He also writes regularly for various church publications and Christian education resources.

The Sprinkle Lectures

The Thedford G. and Woodrow W. Sprinkle Lectures were established in 1981 by Dr. Stephen V. Sprinkle in honor of his father, Thedford G. Sprinkle, and his uncle, Woodrow W. Sprinkle.

The Sprinkle Lectures will begin with Lecture I: "Nobody Ever Left Worship Humming The Sermon," on Monday evening at 7:30 p.m. in Hardy Alumni Hall.  "Preaching in a New Key: For God's Sake" will be the topic of Lecture II and will begin at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, March 3.

Dr. Northcutt earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Northwestern University, a Master of Music degree in Piano from University of Oklahoma, a Master of Divinity degree from the University of Chicago, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from the Aquinas Institute of Theology, St. Louis, Mo.  In addition to these degrees, she also holds a Certificate in Spiritual Direction from the Sojourn Training Center.

An ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), she has served in local church ministries, and is a popular speaker at churches and retreats.  Dr. Northcutt has been recognized as one of the "favorite living preachers" among Disciples.

Dr. Northcutt has taught at Phillips Theological Seminary since 1995 where her focus in on courses in preaching and worship. Her writing has earned her three Associated Church Press writing awards. And, her most recent work, "Kindling Desire for God: Preaching as Spiritual Direction," is available from Fortress Press this spring. Also an accomplished pianist, Dr. Northcutt served as Visiting Artist in Residence at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, from 1983-1985.

For additional information about these events, please contact Dr. Rodney Werline, Department of Religion and Philosophy, at 399-6447 or email: rawerline@barton.edu.

2010 Lecture Dates

Mark your calendars now for next year. The 2010 E.G. Purcell Jr., Bible Conference and the Thedford G. and Woodrow W. Sprinkle Lectures are scheduled for March 7-9.  This will mark the 30th anniversary for the Sprinkle Lectures.  The Purcell Conference lecturer will be Dr. Samuel E. Balentine, Professor of Old Testament, at Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Va., and the speaker for the Sprinkle Lectures will be Dr. Stephanie A. Paulsell, Houghton Professor of the Practice of Ministry Studies at Harvard Divinity School.

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Questions?  Please contact Kathy Daughety, director of public relations, at 252-399-6529 or email: kdaughety@barton.edu.

(Wilson, N.C.) Barton College's two-day Honors Competition kicks off on February 8, 2008, offering prospective students the chance to win a $10,000 scholarship and the opportunity to join Barton’s Honors Program.

The Honors Competition, the first step into the exclusive Honors Program, awards five $10,000 Trustee Scholarships and four $1000 Travel Scholarships. In addition, participating students receive a $500 tuition credit simply for taking part in the event.

To qualify to participate, a student must have a minimum GPA of 3.25, have a SAT score of 1100 or higher, and be admitted to Barton by February 1, 2008.

The weekend competition begins with a reception for all invited students on the evening of February 8. The following day, all competing students and their families are invited for a unique opportunity to have breakfast with President and Mrs. Kneten at the Barton-Graves House.

After breakfast, students will participate in an essay-writing exercise and small group discussions to introduce the participants to Barton’s Engaged Learning concept. Faculty will use these exercises to help them choose the winners of the scholarships. The competition concludes with lunch and a brief program for all participants and their families.

During planned events, participants will get to meet current Honors students, like Kay Vines, who will share their personal experiences in the Honors Program and explain what makes Barton unique.

Vines, a 2007 Travel Scholarship recipient and a Nursing and Spanish double major, found the recognition afforded by the program to be a rewarding part of her experience. “You are called upon because of your effort,” she said.

Vines said she “enjoyed the one-on-one with the upper classmen… as well as the professors,” but she most enjoyed “the opportunity to do more.”

Her Honors English class, for example, “used the whole class to cover the Whirligig Festival.” Rather than simply studying English in the classroom, the students engaged themselves with the community, applying their English skills to document Wilson’s annual art celebration.

Students who excel in academics, enjoy challenges, and value the chance to grow beyond their expectations are perfect candidates for Barton College’s Honors Program. With the privilege of participating in the Honors Program and the opportunity to win a $10,000 scholarship, Barton’s Honors Competition is not to be missed. To learn more, contact the Office of Admissions at 1-800-345-4973 or email: enroll@barton.edu.

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Questions? Please contact Ken Dozier, web services manager, at 252-399-6596 or email: kdozier@barton.edu.