The Student Council will be leading the day’s worship is announced (0:00-0:09). A hymn is played (0:10-4:04). Scripture reading is provided (4:05-5:56). A word of prayer is given (5:57-6:18). The announcement of the Seminary’s Business Office setting up a fund for a Bangladesh relief offering is made (6:19-7:23). Another hymn is played (cut) (7:24-7:40). A Student Council member focuses on the question: what is truth (7:41-9:37)? Though not an easy question to answer, we still seek black and white answers for it (9:38-10:40). The member discusses that truth cannot be stated; it is seen in everyday life (10:41-12:32). Despite truth revealing itself to each of us uniquely as we seek it in our own ways, God’s revelations cannot be placed in a box: they must be experienced (12:33-13:49). The member concludes her discourse with the fact that we will always find more questions as we continue to seek the truth, and these questions will help us to realize that God is bigger than we ever imagined (13:50-14:41). The Student Council recites Scripture that focuses on truth (14:42-16:31). Three words of prayer are given (16:32-21:06). Candles are lit, symbolizing truth and love (21:07-21:49). A hymn is played (21:50-24:55). The candles, representing the inner light of Christ that reveals truth, are extinguished (24:56-25:32). The benediction is given (25:33-26:09).
Ben Sigel was Professor of Music. The service begins with organ music (00:00-08:09). Ben Sigel Johnson is introduced as the faculty lecturer (08:10-11:14). Johnson begins his lecture by speaking about music expressing theology, and the title of his lecture is “The Theological Viewpoints of Four Master Composers” (11:15-14:30). Johnson’s first composer he presents is Johann Sebastian Bach, and he says the Bach’s Lutheran upbringing inspired music that expressed a human’s mystical union with Christ (14:31-18:16). Johnson’s second composer he presents is Ludwig van Beethoven, and he says that Beethoven had a profound faith that was revealed in his music though he was nominally Catholic (18:17-23:32). Johnson’s third composer he presents is Felix Mendelssohn, and he says that Mendelssohn’s music was influenced by the theology of Friedrich Schleiermacher but with a greater appreciation for the Old Testament (23:33-30:08). Johnson briefly compares the liturgical compositions of Franz Liszt and Anton Bruckner (30:09-33:32). The final composer Johnson presents is Johannes Brahms, and he says that Brahms’s music expresses the mercy of God (33:33-39:08). The choir sings an ensemble from Johannes Brahms (39:09-45:19). Johnson concludes his lecture by walking through one of Brahms’ ensembles (45:20-49:34). The service ends with a word of prayer (49:35-50:27).
Audio quality is poor. Findley Bartow Edge was the Basil Manley Jr. Professor of Christian Education at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. The service begins with a word of prayer (00:00-01:10). The speaker gives a few announcements, and Findley Bartow Edge is introduced as the Spring Conference lecturer (01:11-06:09). Edge begins his sermon by speaking about the warm relationships he has had with many of the faculty and staff at Southeastern, and he says that the big problem for Southern Baptist is that they have lost the essence and dynamic of their doctrine (06:10-18:51). Edge centers his focus on the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers, defines it as all Christians being ministers, and he explains how the Southern Baptists laity have wrongly given all their priestly responsibilities to their paid ministers (18:52-43:00). Edge concludes his sermon with a football illustration of a coach playing and the team standing on the side lines to show how Southern Baptist have been operating while still advocating for the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers (43:01-50:01). Edge ends the service with a word of prayer (50:02-51:10).
James W. Fowler was a theologian and Professor of Theology and Human Development in the Candler School of Theology at Emory University. This chapel was the first part of the Spring Lectures in March 1983 and titled “Gifting the Imagination of Children.” Chapel opens in prayer (0:00-0:53). Dr. Fowler, the Spring Lecture speaker, is introduced (0:53-5:20). Dr. Fowler beings his lecture by reading Ephesians 4 (5:20-8:00). He states that he wishes to look at gifting the imagination and how to help awaken children’s faith using a developmental approach (8:00-10:55). Dr. Fowler discusses how he and his associates have studied the developmental process of faith and his focus during this lecture on stages of faith (10:55-13:33). Dr. Fowler uses a story to briefly transition to the next stage of the lecture (13:33-16:18). Dr. Fowler overviews the stages of development and how these stages provide different opportunities to help develop faith (16:18-50:23). Dr. Fowler gives the audience a few cautions regarding the stages he’s discussed in relation to faith (50:23-52:00). He concludes his lecture by revisiting the childhood stages and families’ gifts to children’s imagination (52:00-1:01:39). An announcement is made about further lectures by Dr. Fowler and chapel is dismissed with a benediction (1:01:39-1:02:41).
Francis M. DuBose was a Professor at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. The service begins with organ music (0:00-3:43). There is a moment of prayer (3:44-7:05). Francis DuBose is introduced as the chapel speaker (7:06-9:19). DuBose reads from Acts 4 (9:20-11:11). DuBose speaks about missionaries and their motivation to leave the comfort of home and go on mission into hardship (11:12-17:00). He gives reasons for their motivation: they go because of the cry of a world in need and because of the command from above (17:01-29:15). He closes the service in a moment of prayer (29:16-29:35).
Earl C. Davis was the pastor at First Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee and an alumnus of Southeastern Seminary. The service begins with organ music (0:00:00-0:07:13). There is a moment of prayer (0:07:14-0:09:26). There is a Scripture reading from Romans 1 (0:09:27-0:11:15). There is a moment of prayer (0:11:16-0:14:14). A welcome is given to all the guests (0:14:15-0:17:24). A gift is presented on behalf of the graduating class (0:17:25-0:17:55). Spencer presents awards to the graduates on behalf of the faculty of the seminary (0:17:56-0:29:52). Earl C. Davis is introduced as the speaker (0:29:53-0:33:45). The choir sings an anthem (0:33:46-0:36:49). Davis shares about not having the book he needed to preach and learning that adversity is a good teacher (0:36:50-0:41:48). Davis shares a portion of Scripture from the book of Judges (0:41:49-0:42:07). He uses the immorality of Dr. Ruth Westheimer’s separation of morality and sexuality and statistics of safety, alcoholic consumption, and Bible-believing confessions as a symbol and an example, respectively, of the sinful state of the culture (0:42:08-0:48:50). Davis speaks about how one never knows what is coming up next in life and that the culturally accepted mindset is “If you want to do it, do it” (0:48:51-0:54:52). He speaks about how God will judge those who live immorally and that it is the believers’ responsibility to share the truth (0:54:53-1:03:37). Davis shares about people he knows whose lives had been transformed by God (1:03:38-1:11:03). Davis closes his presentation with a moment of prayer (1:11:04-1:11:37). The service closes with a moment of prayer (1:11:38-1:13:03).
