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12.09.05 Dr. Mark Ross Ross named first holder of First Presbyterian Church chair Dr. Mark Ross has been named the first holder of the First Presbyterian Church chair at Erskine Theological Seminary. The chair is sponsored by First Presbyterian Church in Columbia — the location of the newest seminary extension site that opened in January. Its official title is the First Presbyterian Church-John R. deWitt Chair of Theology. The professorship honors Dr. John R. deWitt, former senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church. "I'm delighted that Mark Ross has been named to this chair," Seminary Dean Dr. R.J. Gore said. "For many years, Dr. Ross has been a leading voice in our denomination calling us to Biblical and theological faithfulness." Ross, a former member of the First Presbyterian staff as associate pastor for teaching, was inducted as the first resident professor at the site. A Pennsylvania native, Ross came to South Carolina in 1984 when he went to work for First Presbyterian. He said his development into a full-time seminary professor is not surprising, since his call to the ministry "was to be involved with students in some way." Ross said he developed a real interest in teaching after college, but wasn't sure where he might pursue that goal. Then while he was serving a church in England while working on his Ph.D, Ross was encouraged to become a pastor. Sure enough, once he completed his doctorate, he was called by a church. Ross says he can see now how God was preparing him. "It occurred to me if you're going to teach people to be a pastor," he said, "and the more ministry experience you bring to the classroom, the better you are able to teach people to be pastors." Ross says he was "very happy" doing the work of the church and he misses that work now. "I miss being a preacher," he said, "but not just giving sermons — shepherding people and helping people in their hour of need and helping them grow as followers of Christ." The Columbia extension site is off to an "encouraging" start, Ross said. "Good things take time to build," he said. "We knew it would take time." "The Columbia extension site offers an exciting opportunity for ARPs to do theological education in a metropolitan setting," Gore said. The Erskine seminary dean said as the first resident professor, Ross will "help shape the future direction" of the Columbia site. "I can think of no one in whom I would have greater confidence," Gore said. The long-range goal is to have the Columbia site become a degree-awarding campus. This first year, Ross's time in Columbia is limited. Of the seven courses he's teaching, five of them are being taught at sites other than Columbia, in Due West and at extension sites in Augusta, Ga., Charleston and Greenville. Ross said it was a goal of his for many years to have the church and the seminary work together to educate students. Now, with First Presbyterian providing the facilities for the extension site and the seminary providing the programs, that goal is coming to fruition. "The challenge any seminary faces is to make sure they're preparing graduates to work in the church," Ross said. "What we want to teach students are the answers to the questions people are asking — to be all that God wants us to be." Ross received his bachelor's degree from the University of Pittsburgh, his master's in divinity from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and his Ph.D. from the University of Keele in England. He and his wife Connie live in Columbia. They have two grown children and three grandchildren. |
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