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Guder and Mitchell receive honorary degrees
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Mitchell
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Whitworth celebrated its 118th anniversary and explored the theme "Integration of Faith and Politics" during Heritage Week 2008. During Spring Convocation, which took place amid Heritage Week events, Whitworth conferred honorary doctor of divinity degrees upon special guests Darrell Guder and Robert Mitchell.
While on campus, Guder, a former Whitworth academic dean who is now dean of academic affairs and the Henry Winters Luce Professor of Missional and Ecumenical Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary, gave an evening lecture, "The Missional Church in the Public Square: Challenges for the 21st Century." Guder's writing and teaching focus is the theology of the missional church, especially the theological implications of the paradigm shift to post-Christendom as the context for Christian mission in the West.
Guder was recognized during the ceremony as a man who is held in high esteem throughout the world as a thinker, writer, teacher, churchman, professor, servant and leader. Whitworth Professor of Philosophy Forrest Baird says of him, "There is no question that Darrell changed Whitworth by opening us up to the whole world. He stretched us to consider global Christianity and to recognize that we Americans are only a small part of Christ's church."
Robert Mitchell delivered the homily during the Heritage Week chapel service and presented an evening lecture, "When the Scriptures Come Alive: An Introduction to Lectio Divina (Praying the Scriptures)." Mitchell is the former president of Young Life and the former vice president of United States ministries for World Vision. In 1953, he helped Young Life founder Jim Rayburn ready Malibu Christian Youth Camp for its first campers. That was the beginning of Mitchell's 40 years of service to Young Life before he joined World Vision
Whitworth Professor of Theology Jerry Sittser says of Mitchell, "Bob has the keen ability to unite what remains divided in most leaders. He learned his lessons about leadership from the master teacher, making a habit over his many years of service to listen to and follow Jesus. And we are better for it."
To listen to audio recordings of Robinson's Founder's Day Convocation address and Guder's and Mitchell's evening lectures, visit www.whitworth.edu/podcast.
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