March 28, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

Bangor seminary holds its commencement

Bangor Theological Seminary held its 173rd commencement exercises on Friday, May 22, at the seminary campus in Bangor.

Receiving master of divinity degrees were: James E. Behrendt, Glastonbury, Conn.; Ralph T. Clarke, Canaan; Carl B. Franson, Bangor; Janet S. Gaff, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Andrew L. Gibson, Bangor; Joyce E. Kilmer, East Machias; Meredith Cox Loudon, Lorain, Ohio; Richard A. Male, Yarmouth; Michael Moyer, Pottstown, Pa.; Diane Nancekivell, Montreal, Quebec; Ida Reifsnyder, New Haven, Conn.; Katherine A. Russo, Westbrook; Edwin W. Stigen, LaCrosse, Wisc.; Charles R. Swart, Veazie; Eva K. Thompson, Canton; Heike Werder, Falkensee, Germany; and E. Joanne Whitehead, Islesboro.

Master’s degrees in theological studies were given to Donald E. Dunfee, Monson; Peggy P. Dunn, Portland; Phillip J. Hurley, Wheelock, Vt.; Esther M. Lyon, Monroe; and Martha Andrew Timothy, Falmouth Foreside.

Peter W. Haviland of Newburyport, Mass., and Nick Servetas, Pittsfield, earned diplomas.

President Malcolm L. Warford granted the degrees and diplomas. The class was presented by Clifton Davis, coordinator of liberal studies; Ann Johnston, coordinator of master of divinity studies; and Marvin Ellison, coordinator of graduate and continuing studies.

The processional was led by Peter Beckford, bagpiper. Susan Davies gave the invocation, and Walter Dickhaut delivered the scripture reading. The prayer for the class was read by Jon F. Dawson, chairman of the board of trustees. The Blue Hill Brass Ensemble provided music.

The address, “Crossing Boundaries,” was given by James P. Breeden, dean of the Tucker Foundation at Dartmouth College.

He posed the question, “Are there any boundaries which God blesses?”, and answered it by talking about boundaries which need to come down.

Breedon spoke of having met Christian Germans from East Berlin in 1958, people whose “whole ways of life were shattered twice in their lifetimes by political earthquakes.”

He also talked about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who he said “was almost forgotten before he was buried.”

He quoted not only King’s famous “I have a dream,” but other less remembered words: “Reluctantly, I have come to the conclusion that my nation is the greatest purveyor of violence against the poor in the entire history of the world,” and “Unless America attends to the unmet needs of its poor, it will descend into a nightmare of its soul from which there will be no recovery.”


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