The Mrs. Columbus Roberts Department of Christian Studies has been preparing college students for Christian ministry and for seminary and graduate study in religion since the early twentieth century.

Mission Statement
Objectives
The Christian Studies Degree
Meet the Faculty
Recent Activities
Resources

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of Shorter University’s Christian Studies Department is to produce graduates who model academic excellence and professional competence founded on a passionate devotion to Christ, a deep love for His church and its advancement, a zeal for reaching men and women with the Gospel, and who are prepared for effective ministry in both local and international arenas.

OBJECTIVES

The Christian Studies Department offers major concentrations designed to generate students who have:

• a basic grasp of the historical, literary and theological aspects of the Bible;
• a biblical worldview from which they can reflect on and intelligently challenge contemporary cultures in both local and international settings;
• an understanding of Christianity’s major doctrines as well as the prominent figures in church history;
• the skills to read with understanding, to think critically, to write clearly, and to speak persuasively;
• the ability to pursue further personal and/or academic study;
• been equipped for lifelong servant leadership in Christian undertakings and enterprises.

THE CHRISTIAN STUDIES DEGREE

To ensure that its graduates are prepared in every possible way for ministry leadership and further educational pursuits, Shorter University offers both Bachelor of Science (BS) and Bachelor of Arts (BA) degrees in Christian Studies.  The BA degree requires 12 hours of language study which will (1) help equip the student for ministry on an international field of service or (2) help the student aspiring to do doctoral work to complete some of the language requirements for such study.  The BS degree requires 12 hours of math and/or sciences which will equip the student for (1) effective ministry upon graduation, or (2) prepare the student for Master of Divinity work in seminary.

Major Concentrations

The Christian Studies degree is designed to provide an array of options for the student who is preparing for ministry as a primary vocation.  The various concentrations within the degree include:

• Biblical Studies
• Apologetics
• Missions
• Ministry
• Church Administration
• Christian Communication

Minor Concentrations for Any Major

The Christian Studies program is also designed to provide a number of options for students who may not be looking toward ministry as a primary vocation, but rather, they want to heighten their skills and abilities for serving Christ in whatever vocation they may choose.  Thus, any student can pursue a minor concentration in the field of Christian Studies.  These concentrations include:

• Biblical Studies
• Apologetics
• Missions
• Ministry

Minor Concentrations Limited to Business Majors and Christian Studies Majors

• Church Administration for a Business Administration Major
• Church Administration for a Christian Studies Major
• Christian Communication for a Christian Studies Major
• Christian Education for a Christian Studies Major

MEET THE FACULTY

The Christian Studies’ full-time faculty consists of men who not only have the highest academic credentials offered by Southern Baptist seminaries, but they hold firmly to the authority and trustworthiness of a fully-inspired Bible, a world and universe brought into being by the spoken word of God, the virgin conception of Christ, the necessity of Christ’s blood atonement, the love of God for all mankind, the active indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the importance of the local church, as well as the literal resurrection and return of Christ. All CST faculty members—both full-time and adjunct—must hold to these non-negotiable biblical truths.

Any member of the Christian Studies faculty would be more than pleased to speak to individual congregations about the movement of God at Shorter University. Further, Shorter’s CST faculty members have more than enough experience to fill pulpits for pastors who are away, to provide interim leadership while a congregation searches for a pastor, or to facilitate and guide any kind of seminar/training a church might desire.

	Dr. Richard Bray Assistant Professor of Christian Studies Office: Sheffield-Thompson, 1st floor Phone: 706-233-7493 Fax: 706-233-7516 Email:rbray@shorter.edu
	Dr. John S. Connell Chair, Christian Studies & Professor of Christian Studies Director of the Hugh Davis Center Office: Sheffield-Thompson, 1st floor Phone: 706-233-7821 Cell:706-844-3569 Fax: 706-233-7516 Email: jsconnell@shorter.edu
	Dr. Alan Hix Associate Professor of Christian Studies Associate Director of the Excavations at Kursi Office: Sheffield-Thompson 1st floor Phone: 706-233-7257 Fax: 706-233-7516 Email: ahix@shorter.edu
	Dr. Earl Kellett Assistant Professor of Christian Studies Office: Sheffield-Thompson 1st floor Phone: 706-233-7472 Email: ekellett@shorter.edu
	Dr. Aaron J. Werner Dean of the Chapel Assistant Professor of Christian Studies Office: Fitton Student Union, 2nd floor Phone: 706-233-7321 Fax: 706-233-7378 Email: awerner@shorter.edu

ACTIVITIES

MIDEAST STUDY ABROAD 2009

Dr. Alan Hix, Associate Professor of Christian Studies, and Dr. Jim Scarry led the Summer 2009 Mideast Study abroad program to Israel. For two weeks the group participation in an archaeological excavation at Bethsaida under the direction of Dr. Rami Arav. The highlighted find was an 8 th century B.C. carved basalt bowl discovered by Brayden Huskey. After completing work on the excavation, the Shorter group spent two weeks touring the land exploring both the archaeological history and the modern political landscape of the Holy Land.

Brayden with 8th Cent. B.C. bowl

Shorter students meet the students of Mar Elias School in Ibilin

Shorter group with Dr. Rami Arav (front left) and Dr. Paul McCracken (front right) of the Jerusalem Institute for Biblical Exploration

Shorter’s excavations at Bethsaida

Shorter group at the Dome of the Rock

In the summer of 2010, Dr. Alan Hix, Associate Professor of Christian Studies, worked as an Area Supervisor for the University of South Florida’s excavations at Sepphoris in Israel. Sepphoris was the Galilean capital for both Herod the Great and Herod Antipas. Only four miles from Nazareth, it was a major Greco-Roman city with a large marketplace and a theater. The Univ. of South Florida has been excavating the market place in 1988. Dr. Hix’s key find was a unique pottery vessel that the Israel Antiquities Authority had not cataloged before. It is current under study and restoration in Jerusalem.

Dr. Hix with excavation team from USF

Dr. Hix identifies one of the 34 coins found

Dr. Hix with the mystery ceramic vessel

Pottery reading with Dr. Jim Strange of USF and Dr. James Strange of Samford University

Sepphoris Marketplace from the 1 st Cent. A.D.

October 31 to November 1, 2008
Mission trip to Helen, Georgia

Many Christians struggle with how to approach Halloween. A group of Shorter religion students took advantage of the holiday to share the love of Christ with others. These students enrolled in the class Special Topics in Christian Ministry taught by Dr. Richard E. Bray, Assistant Professor of Christian Ministry. As a part of the requirements for the class, the students had to plan, implement, and evaluate a mission project. Keith Ivy, Director of Georgia Mountain Resort Ministries, agreed to help the students complete their ministry assignment. Corey Barnes, Ward Bearden, Chris Brown, Matt Clark, Jeremy Kirby, April Morrison, and Jennifer Warren scheduled and planned the mission trip which took place in Helen, Georgia.

The students decided to paint a mountain scene and take pictures of people as they stood in front of that scene. After taking the pictures, the students printed them and glued them to a card with a preprinted gospel presentation which was written by the students. These cards were presented to the people as a souvenir. The students gave out seventy to eighty photos.

While people were waiting to have their pictures made and waiting for the pictures to print, the students engaged them in conversation. Some partnered with personnel from Georgia Mountain Resort Ministries to make balloon animals. A local church provided candy for visitors.

On Saturday morning the students went to Neal’s Gap, one of the mountain passes on the Appalachian Trail, and cooked hamburgers for hikers, bikers and others. These hamburgers were free to anyone who asked. While some cooked others engaged people in conversation and were able to share the love of Christ. One student commented, “the trip was a great chance to share the love and the glory of God with a community.”

Students having their photo taken in front of the moutain scene they painted.

Cooking burgers for hikers, bikers and others at Neal's Gap.