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North Park Theological Seminary Dean Dennis Edwards Releases Book on Christian Humility

Kennedy Murphy — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 20:13:47 +0000

Renowned speaker and writer Rev. Dr. Dennis Edwards, dean of North Park Theological Seminary (NPTS), has released his much-anticipated book Humility Illuminated: The Biblical Path Back to Christian Character, which examines the importance of being humble while practicing the Christian faith.

At a book signing hosted by North Park’s Seminary, Edwards met with students, staff, and local pastors and engaged in a question-and-answer session with audience members. He was introduced by Jon Boyd, associate publisher and academic editorial director at InterVarsity Press, which published the book.

“I want to talk about how rare Dennis is,” Boyd said. “He’s a scholar in biblical studies who wants to bring that scholarship to fruition for the church, and that is a beautiful thing. For it to come in book form is a gift.”

In the book, released November 7, Edwards examines America’s obsession with competition and how the drive to be the best creates a society of haves and have-nots that favors the elite. And yet, he writes, some of our greatest innovations have humble roots in immigrant and underserved communities.

“From a biblical perspective, the most remarkable models of godliness emerge from among the lowly. This view from the bottom reveals that humility includes a submissive posture before God as well as a peacemaking posture with other people,” he wrote.

An in-demand speaker and ordained pastor in the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC), Edwards spent October addressing ECC pastor and spouse retreats in four conferences, the Pacific Northwest, Midsouth, Great Lakes, and Southeast. He spoke about the value of humility, arguing it is perhaps the single most distinctive identity marker of followers of Jesus.

In addition to serving as dean of NPTS, Edwards is vice president for church relations and an associate professor of the New Testament. He earned his PhD and Master of Arts in Biblical Studies from Catholic University and holds degrees from Cornell University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. His recent publications include Do Black Lives Matter: How Christian Scriptures Speak to Black Empowerment, co-edited with Lisa Bowens, and Might from the Margins: The Gospel’s Power to Turn the Tables on Injustice.

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Lauren Daigle at Stateville

Ana Funduk — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 15:17:31 +0000

On October 5, 2018, Grammy award nominee Lauren Daigle visited Stateville Correctional Center to perform both for and alongside the men who are incarcerated. A well-loved contemporary Christian artist, Daigle has recently broken into new career territory with her album Look Up Child debuting at number 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. Visiting Stateville, however, was a groundbreaking event all its own. A maximum security state prison, Stateville has strict rules regarding visitors and gatherings.

Vickie Reddy, executive producer of , was able to organize the event with the assistance of Stateville’s chaplains. Reddy is the first free student to be enrolled in the —a degree program offered to the men at Stateville through North Park Theological Seminary’s School of Restorative Arts.

The hurdles to such an event taking place at Stateville are part of what made the concert significant to the men. “They are used to the worst being expected of them,” says Michelle Clifton-Soderstrom, director of the School of Restorative Arts. “For imprisoned and free individuals to be able to come together in worship—it was humanizing for all of us.”

Reddy, Clifton-Soderstrom, and two alumni of the School of Restorative Arts were able to attend the concert which included Daigle performing with her band as well as a joint performance with the Stateville Gospel Choir.

Performing alongside Daigle was especially meaningful to inmate Ryan Miller. Upon her arrival, Miller shared that a couple of years prior he had experienced a vision in which he was singing with Lauren Daigle. In his vision, this was the beginning of a revival.

Daigle closed the concert with the Gaither hymn, Something Beautiful, a song which speaks of brokenness transformed into hope and healing.

After the performance, Daigle was given a tour of the facility, including the panopticon. Commonly referred to as the roundhouse, the building is a cylinder consisting of 4 floors of cells facing inward to a central tower. This design allowed a minimal number of guards to observe prisoners on every side. Despite concerns regarding inhumane conditions, the panopticon at Stateville remained in use until 2016; it was the last of its kind in operation since the 1990s.

The opportunity for Daigle to meet the men, witness their surroundings, and worship with them fits directly within the larger vision of the School of Restorative Arts, which aims to not only provide education and hope to the students inside the prison but also to provide a connection to those outside, to allow both sides to see each other, to build understanding and community.

Both the restorative arts program and Lauren Daigle’s visit have been received warmly by Stateville’s administration, and all involved in organizing the event hope to continue these opportunities for community building.

“North Park being here with us is the most important thing happening at Stateville.” says Assistant Warden of Operations Nicholas Lamb. “It’s giving hope to so many. People who aren’t in the program yet are going to want to be after this event.”

Senior Chaplain George Adamson summed up what the day meant to him. “So what can I say but the Lord bless you. To see the men worship has always been my dream. The power of the Holy Spirit was evident on the stage . . . it was so worth it to see the men who basically have nothing and little hope become energized and let go for a brief moment . . . Please thank Lauren for me and on behalf of the men. This will be talked about for a very long time.”

All photography by Karl Soderstrom

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“Richard’s Renaissance Room” Honors Beloved Seminary Professor

Ellen Almer — Wed, 24 Jan 2018 21:40:11 +0000

North Park Seminary has honored the Rev. Dr. Richard W. Carlson by dedicating a room in Nyvall Hall to the late professor, a lifelong learner who spent his life fighting racial injustices.

The space is called Richard’s Renaissance Room, a nod to Carlson’s devotion to a variety of pursuits, from history to baseball, Civil Rights, poetry, and biblical scholarship. Carlson’s wife, Jolene Bergstrom Carlson, said her husband also loved spending time with his children and spent his life fighting against societal hatred and violence.

“Richard especially had a head and heart for racial justice, lamenting over racial injustices until his final moments,” Jolene said. “To Richard, all people belonged and had worth.”

The Richard Renaissance Room, designed as a place to read, pray, and connect with others, is being furnished by $30,000 in private donations to the Seminary. The money also provides tuition assistance via the Richard and Jolene Carlson Scholarship Fund to a seminarian whose studies focus on justice issues.

“Richard was brilliant, but he never used his mind as anything but a tool to encourage his students to engage with the complexities of faith and life through thoughtful questions and readings,” Jolene Carlson said.

The dedication took place Jan. 24, during the ECC’s Midwinter Conference.

To donate to the fund, visit , select “other” and include “Richard Carlson Memorial Fund” in the comment box to designate your giving. You may also mail checks to ��ϲʿ��ֱ��’s Development Office:

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Development Box 6
3225 W. Foster Ave.
Chicago, IL 60625.

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Rev. Dr. Dwight Perry Named North Park Theological Seminary Dean of Faculty and Professor of Homiletics and Leadership

Ana Funduk — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 20:08:50 +0000

Dr. Perry to begin July 1, 2017.

CHICAGO, IL (April 20, 2017) – Rev. Dr. Dwight Perry has been called to be the new dean of faculty at ��ϲʿ��ֱ�� Theological Seminary, as well as professor of homiletics and leadership.

Starting July 1st 2017, Rev. Dr. Perry will serve as Dean of Faculty and Professor of Homiletics and Leadership. “Dr. Perry is an exceptional choice, he comes with extensive pastoral experience, denominational leadership, and academic administration experience,” says Rev. Dr. David Kersten, vice president for church relations and dean of the Seminary. “Rev. Dr. Perry wants to make a significant legacy contribution to the community of pastors and feels particularly called to NPTS and the ECC,” adds Kersten.

Both scholar and practitioner, this rare combination fills a need in theological education. Rev. Dr. Perry is ready to, “serve in academic leadership within an evangelical seminary that is urban in its context, biblical at its foundation, and seeks to equip men and women for the work of the gospel,” notes Rev. Dr. Perry as his career objective. As the first African American to graduate with a PhD from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL, Rev. Dr. Perry has persevered across many barriers on race and diversity.

Prior to joining NPTS, Rev. Dr. Perry served as regional president/executive minister of Converge Great Lakes where he was known for his straight-talk approach to ministry. He also served as a professor of pastoral studies at the Moody Bible Institute, as a denominational executive with the Baptist General Conference, and as a senior pastor and associate pastor in several churches in Illinois. He is a sought-after national speaker and is passionate about proclaiming God’s Word. As a pastor and teacher in homiletics, he is one of the premier expository preachers in the U.S.A. He has spoken across the country in the area of diversity and inclusion, homiletics, organizational and systems development especially within a not for profit setting along with strategic planning and leadership development.

Rev. Dr. Perry and his wife Dr. Cynthia Perry, a tenured professor in the College of Education at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin have four adult children and five grandchildren.

Read about this news on Covenant Companion News.

Look for more on Dr. Perry when he begins his new role in July 2017.

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Alumna Rev. Dr. Mary Miller Honored with North Park Theological Seminary’s Award for Distinguished Service

Ana Funduk — Wed, 18 Jan 2017 18:06:42 +0000

The 1980 MDiv graduate and trailblazer called to ministry at childhood.

CHICAGO (January 18, 2017) — A calling to ministry can come at different stages in life, but for North Park Seminary alumna Rev. Dr. Mary Miller, it came early. Rev. Dr. Miller’s calling to serve the Lord and the church was simple—she “loved the church to start with” and “absolutely loved confirmation.” The love of the Lord and people has been part of her as long she can remember.

During her undergraduate years at Western Illinois University, Rev. Dr. Miller (Miller) knew she wanted to go deeper into her Chrisitian faith, but learning opportunities were limited to one course on the works of C. S. Lewis. Shortly following graduating, Miller enrolled at ��ϲʿ��ֱ�� Theological Seminary (NPTS). At the time, few women were in seminary and Miller had an 89-mile commute from Rockford, Ill. to North Park’s Chicago campus. Instead of letting these obstacles deter her, Miller, who describers herself as “game to grow at any point,” overcame them with characteristic strength and determination.

North Park’s commitment to hospitality and educational access empowered Miller throughout her three years studying for her master of divinity. Fellow classmates welcomed her into their homes to lessen the frequency of commuting. “I slept on my friends’ couches,” recalls a grateful Miller. Though she was one of the first five female students to enter the seminary in 1977, Miller was surrounded by supportive professors. Encouraging faculty like Professor Klyne Snodgrass jested with the young seminarian: “Don’t let fear of studying Greek scare you.”

At NPTS, Miller thrived—and reveled—in the variety of Bible courses available to her. “It was like being in a deli—after state school, where there were no Bible classes offered,” says Miller, who still has all her lecture notes. When Dr. C. John Weborg retired from teaching at ��ϲʿ��ֱ��, Miller was able to send him a copy of the notes she took on her very first day of his class.

Taking with her the practical skills and knowledge rooted in Christian classics, Miller was propelled into a career in ministry. “North Park prepared me for different ministry roles–in practical ways and of course through lifelong friendships,” says Miller. In her first call after seminary, Miller served as associate pastor at Faith Covenant Church (Farmington Hills, Mich.). In the years that followed, Miller also served the congregations of First Wayne Street United Methodist Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.), Evangelical Covenant Church (Donaldson, Ind.), and Bethel Evangelical Covenant Church (Floosmoor, Ill.). In addition, Miller contributed as a writer for The Covenant Companion and authored Devotions for Those Living with Loss (Covenant Publications, 1991).

When asked about how she has navigated different roles and served congregations ranging in size from 110 to 1,500, Miller sensibly explains, “It’s about drilling down into what really matters and not just focusing on what’s demanding your attention.” This pragmatic approach has served Miller well—notably as a trailblazer for women entering the Seminary, as the first female vice president of the Evangelical Covenant Church, as the co-chair of the Biblical Gender Equality Commission, and as a recipient of the Evelyn M. R. Johnson Leadership Award from the Association of Covenant Clergy Women in 2008.

Currently serving as Chaplain at Covenant Village in Cromwell, Conn., where she preaches to congregants ages 64 to 107, Miller refers to this stage of her life as “an interior journey.” Miller teaches “Aging as Spiritual Journey,” while making time to garden, volunteer regularly in her community, read Christian classics, which she calls “food for the soul,” and be with her two dogs. Reflecting on a career serving the church spanning close to four decades, Miller advises those who are interested in going into ministry, “Pursue ministry if God won’t allow you to let that calling go.” She also encourages those she mentors to take on challenges that might feel daunting, as she was advised early in her career. “Put on a suit that’s too big for you and grow into it,” asserts Miller.

During the evening worship at the January 31, 2017 Midwinter Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church in Louisville, Ky., Miller will receive the 2017 North Park Theological Seminary Alumni Award for Distinguished Service. Following the award presentation, North Park is hosting a reception open to all in attendance. North Park Vice President for Church Relations and Dean of the Seminary Rev. Dr. David Kersten expresses his appreciation for Miller’s legacy: “Mary’s lifelong dedication to ministry and leadership is important to recognize and on behalf of North Park Theological Seminary, ��ϲʿ��ֱ��, and the Evangelical Covenant Church, we are thrilled that she has been selected to receive this award.”

Mary K. Surridge, Vice President for Advancement, adds, “On behalf of the entire alumni community of North Park Theological Seminary, we congratulate Rev. Dr. Miller and offer our deepest thanks for her extraordinary life of service and leadership.”

Recognized as a true leader with a style that’s both equipping and encouraging, and with ministry gifts in teaching and pastoral care, Miller has served North Park on the Board of Trustees and Seminary Board of Advisors. Miller concludes, “I am deeply honored to receive this award.”

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