KANSAS CITY – Winter’s first blast into the Kansas City area couldn’t hinder the excitement inside the Daniel Lee Chapel on Midwestern Seminary’s campus, as the school held its 60th commencement exercises on Dec. 9.
In addition to President Jason Allen’s keynote address and launching 93 of the next generation of pastors, ministers, and missionaries into kingdom service, a longtime professor was also honored in a special way during the service.
Prior to his graduation address, Allen honored Alan Tomlinson, who has served as Midwestern Seminary’s professor of New Testament and Greek since 1995, with a festschrift in the latest edition of the Midwestern Journal of Theology.
Allen noted that in the life of the institution, there are particular occasions where a faculty member has made such a contribution to the Midwestern Seminary community that there needed to be a singular honor given. He added that the December commencement was one such day.
Introducing Tomlinson, and in presenting him with a copy of the Fall 2016 edition of the MJT, Allen noted that in the academic world, a festschrift is perhaps the highest testament to a professor’s contributions.
“A festschrift is a collection of essays in either book or journal format, written by those who know, appreciate, and love the one being honored,” Allen said. “And today we congratulate Dr. Alan Tomlinson for receiving this honor.
“Throughout his 21-year classroom ministry here, Dr. Tomlinson has consistently fulfilled the spirit of II Timothy 2:2. His resolute commitment to the inspiration, inerrancy, and authority of God’s Word, and his passion to transmit it rightly has been a consistent mark of Dr. Tomlinson’s ministry.”
Following the presentation, Allen addressed graduates with what he called a great promise from the 23rd Psalm to them and everyone else in attendance.
The promise is that the Lord’s love and kindness, in being our Shepherd, is all that we could ever need. This is further expressed in the passage by showing that we can find satisfaction in the Lord, receive provision from the Lord, and that we are restored comprehensively by the Lord.