MOUNT VERNON -- Dr. Hal Ostrander, an associate dean at Southern Baptist
Theological Seminary's Boyce College, will join the Brewton-Parker College
faculty as the chair of the division of religion and philosophy on July 1,
announced Dr. David Smith, Brewton-Parker president.Ostrander also will hold the Barney Averitt endowed chairmanship of Christianity as an associate professor.
Ostrander comes to Brewton-Parker after spending five years at Boyce College and Southern Seminary, in Louisville, Ky., during which time he also served as an associate professor of Christian theology at Boyce, as an adjunct professor of Christian philosophy for the seminary and was chair of Boyce's department of Christian theology in 1998-99 before he became associate dean in 1999.
Ostrander also was the faculty sponsor of "Berea," a forum for philosophical and theological dialogue and was nominated by students for "Who's Who Among American Teachers, 2001."
"Dr. Ostrander brings to Brewton-Parker College his years of experience in higher education, his mastery of the academic disciplines of philosophy and religion, and an abiding personal faith in Jesus Christ that will endear him to our intellectual community and to all Georgia Baptists," Smith said. "I am very excited to introduce him here as a BPC faculty leader, as well as a resource to Georgia Baptists."
Ostrander earned his bachelor of arts degree from Dallas Baptist University with a double major in biblical studies and psychology. He also participated in a six-week travel course in Western Europe through the American Institute for Foreign Study in London, England.
Ostrander completed work on his master of divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, with emphases in apologetics, theology and biblical languages.
Ostrander completed his doctor of philosophy degree from Southwestern Seminary with a major in philosophy of religion, a minor in systematic theology and an elective in evangelism.
Ostrander's doctoral dissertation examined the scholarly understanding of the universe that points to God's design and rejects the evolutionary model.
Prior to his arrival at Boyce and Southern Seminary, Ostrander spent nine years at Dallas Baptist University, four as an adjunct professor and then five as an assistant professor of philosophy and biblical studies. He was ordained into the ministry in April 1998 at Ovilla Road Baptist Church in Ovilla, Texas.
Ostrander and his wife, the former Carla Ann Clerihew, will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary in June. They have three daughters and one son and plan to live in Dublin.
-BPC-