Greetings from Bryan College.

As this edition of E-Lumine goes out, we are about halfway through the fall semester. Students have returned from fall break, including a number from missions trips to India and Micronesia.

Another group of 80, including faculty and staff, spent their week in Louisiana ministering to victims of the hurricanes that devastated that region. Practical Christian Involvement Director Dr. Travis Ricketts compiled a report of what his group experienced and contributed to relief efforts. Please take a few minutes to visit bryan.edu/relief_report and read his moving account.

Thank you for your continued interest in and support of Bryan College. Your faithfulness enables us to continue to "educate students to become servants of Christ to make a difference in today’s world."

As always, we invite you to pass E-Lumine along to friends and classmates who may not be receiving this on-line communication from Bryan. Encourage them to add their email address to our mailing list. Also, should your preferences change, please follow the link at the bottom of this page.

E-Lumine

Trustees approve new residence hall

Bryan College trustees approved construction of a new residence hall during their fall meeting in September. Bryan President Dr. Stephen D. Livesay said administration officials have begun working with contractors to accomplish the goal of having the new building ready by the time school opens in August 2006.

Look for details about the project in the November edition of E-Lumine.

'The Law and What It Means To Be Human'

“The Law and What It Means To Be Human” is the topic for the second seminar sponsored by the Bryan Center for Critical Thought and Practice this fall.

Bryan Center Director Dr. Charles Van Eaton said speakers will address a range of issues under the topic in the program Sunday, Oct. 23, through Tuesday, Oct. 25. “Is there a crisis between morality and the law? What is the law’s view of persons and how does this affect theories of government? Has the continuing interest in eugenics had a negative impact on the meaning of persons? These issues and others will be the topic for the seminar,” he said.

Opening the discussion Sunday at 8 p.m. will be Dr. Gerard V. Bradley, a professor in the Notre Dame Law School’s trial advocacy program and co-editor of the Notre Dame Natural Law Institute’s American Journal of Jurisprudence. Dr. Bradley will speak on “Morality and the Crisis in Law.”

Dr. F. LeGard Smith, distinguished visiting professor of law at Liberty University, will speak Monday at 4 p.m. on the topic “Human Nature at the Crossroads of Theology and Law.” Dr. Smith has served as a district attorney and professor of law, and is the author of 24 books on Christian doctrine. He also will speak in chapel Monday at 10 a.m.

Dr. Jerry Zandstra, former director of programs at the Acton Institute, will discuss the topic “Views of the Human Person and Theories of Government” in his talk at 8 p.m. Monday.

Dr. H. Wayne House will speak at 4 p.m. on Tuesday on the topic “May Personhood and Humanness Be Separated in the Declaration and the Constitution?” Dr. House is distinguished professor of biblical and theological studies at Faith Seminary and adjunct professor of law at Trinity Law School, Trinity International University. He also will speak in chapel at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Dr. Peter A. Lawler will close the program with a discussion of “Compassionate Conservatism, Biotechnology, and the Tyranny of the Future” at 8 p.m. Tuesday. He is Dana professor and chair of the department of government and international studies at Berry College and is executive editor of the journal Perspectives on Political Science.

Seminar sessions will be presented in Rudd Auditorium.

Bryan quotations adorn library walls

William Jennings Bryan was a man who loved words, and some of his words now grace the wall above the main service desk in the Bryan Library.

As part of the college’s 75^th anniversary celebration, Knoxville, Tenn., artist Hannah Holder, sister of alumna Eva Holder, painted in calligraphy quotations by Mr. Bryan on study and education. The project was made possible through funds provided by the Bryan Women’s Auxiliary.

Featured prominently is the quotation “Study gives to all of us the companionship of books, the incomparable benefit of the valuable experience of others.” In smaller script and a lighter color are the phrases “Intellectual wealth bequeathed by all the great minds of the world” and “storehouses of knowledge – its possessor is the heir of the ages.”

“So many of William Jennings Bryan’s thoughts on education and study are pertinent to our learning community today,” library Director Laura Kaufmann said. “We’re pleased to feature some of his words for posterity in this way.”

Beth Starbuck, a senior from Memphis, Tenn., said, “It’s a classy addition to the aesthetic appeal of the library. I would love to see more displays of art like this around campus; simple, yet noticeable.”

Bryan celebrates 75th anniversary homecoming

Hundreds of alumni and friends of Bryan College gathered for the 75^th Anniversary homecoming celebration Sept. 30 – Oct. 2, and “celebration” certainly was the order of the weekend.

From the dedication of the statue of a young William Jennings Bryan to the alumni worship service on Sunday, the atmosphere was one of praising God for His faithfulness to Bryan College for the past 75 years and anticipation of His continued blessing. As Dr. Livesay said at the Bryan statue dedication: “This statue will constantly remind us that our best is yet to come as a community, and we have much significant work to do which also will last the test of time, even as the work of William Jennings Bryan has done,”

Saturday afternoon, the college dedicated the new Rankin Communication Studies Center in memory of alumna Dr. Joanne Rankin, whose bequest to the college made renovation of the former shop and Communication Studies buildings possible.

Homecoming also featured recognition of the 30^th anniversary of Bryan’s cross country national championship in 1975. Members of that team were present to salute the new cross country teams, re-established this fall after a 10-year lapse. Cross country alumni presented a symbolic check to Coach Rodney Stoker representing their gifts which have helped underwrite the program.

During the awards program, Ron, ’65, and Lois (Groeneveld), ’64, Zartman were named Alumni of the Year, Dr. Mel and Susan Wilhoit were named honorary alumni, and Dr. Jake Matthes was named to the Athletics Hall of Fame. Dr. Matthes organized the cross country team and coached the 1975 national championship squad.

To see pictures from homecoming, visit bryan.edu/homecoming_photos.