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Veteran administrator Dennis Hollinger takes over August 1 as president of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, relieving interim president Haddon Robinson. Hollinger, who previously led Evangelical Theological Seminary in Myerstown, Pennsylvania, will also serve as professor of Christian ethics. Charlotte pastor James Emery White, who preceded Robinson, lasted only one year, leaving in June 2007. Hollinger spoke with CT editor at large Collin Hansen about contemporary challenges for theological education.

What experience and insight do you bring to Gordon-Conwell after your stint as the president of Evangelical Theological Seminary?

One of the things I bring is a combination of higher-ed administration, including the last four years as seminary president, 11 years of pastoral ministry, and 11 years of full-time seminary teaching.

Tell me a little bit about your personal formation. What theologians have influenced you?

The writings of C. S. Lewis have been very significant. I'm eclectic in my theology. I have drawn from the wells of Wesley, Calvin, Augustine, and the Anabaptist tradition. One thing that characterizes my own life and my approach to ministry and theological education is holding together what people tend to pull apart. My book Head, Heart and Hands reflects that approach. Those oriented toward the head have said that if we get our biblical and theological knowledge down, that will really put us in the good spot for the rest of our lives. The heart-oriented folks say that if our hearts are strangely warmed by God, that will develop Christian maturity. Others focus more on the action side. What I do in that book is argue that not only must all three be present, but also that they really need to nurture each other. That insight stems from my background of having worked in a number of different denominational settings.

Do you see the tensions between evangelicals stemming primarily from the head, the heart, or the hands?

Our perspectives are never purely theological. We're shaped by our context. We're shaped by our personalities. We're shaped by our experiences in life for good and ill. When we do theological education we need to be aware of the context that has shaped us. That carries over into ministry, because then we recognize the way in which we take the Word of God. It's transcendent, but we always bring it into the midst of a very specific context, meeting people with their unique personalities, hurts, and struggles, particular cultural backgrounds, and particular geographical locations.

What are some of your top priorities as you prepare to take over the seminary?

I don't think it's the job of a president to individually develop a vision and come in and impose it on an educational institution. My hope would be to develop a collaborative process between trustees, faculty, alumni, the larger church, and through that process to determine the best ways to do theological education today. One of the goals I have is to help the seminary develop world Christians who can effectively and faithfully lead the church, especially as it faces some daunting issues from the culture and from within — theological issues, cultural issues, and the like.

What are some of those internal and external challenges?

We are continually struggling with issues surrounding the nature of the church. There are so many different models out there. We have to prepare people for a wide assortment of churches. We tend to be a bit monolithic in our vision, thinking that one approach will do it. We have a lot of debates going on in ecclesiology, where evangelicalism has not been strong.

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July (Web-Only) 2008, Vol. 52

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