OBU To Dedicate Brister Pastoral Studies Collection

September 28, 2006

Honoring one of Southern Baptists' longtime theological educators, Oklahoma Baptist University will dedicate the C.W. Brister Pastoral Studies Collection Monday, October 2, at 3 p.m., in the Mabee Learning Center's Herschel H. Hobbs Baptist History and Heritage Center.

Dr. C.W. Brister is the Hultgren Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Pastoral Care at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He retired in 2001, having served on the seminary faculty since 1957. Brister is the author of 12 books, including a new work released this fall titled "Spiritual Wisdom for Successful Retirement, Living Forward."

"The School of Christian Service is delighted that Dr. C. W. Brister has donated his pastoral studies library to Oklahoma Baptist University," said Dr. Warren McWilliams, interim dean of the Joe L. Ingram School of Christian Service. "Dr. Brister has had a long and distinguished career, and his books will contribute immensely to OBU's education of ministry students. I hope our students and ministers in the community will find them helpful as they learn how to serve in these challenging times."

Brister has traveled and ministered in 55 nations and continues to have strong missionary ties. His wife, Gloria, retired from the Fort Worth Independent School District as a mathematics consultant. Their son, Dr. Mark Brister, has served as OBU's president since 1998.

A native of Louisiana, Brister received his bachelor's degree from Louisiana College and master of divinity degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He received his Ph.D. degree from Southwestern Seminary, and his post-doctoral studies have been at Union Seminary in New York; Princeton Seminary in New Jersey; University of Texas Southwestern Medical School; Regent's Park College; Oxford University; and Leysin, Switzerland.

"As a former student of Dr. Brister at Southwestern Seminary, I was excited to have this opportunity to add his personal library on pastoral studies to the OBU library," said Richard Cheek, OBU dean of library services. "He has been a leading authority on the study of pastoral ministry in Southern Baptist life for many years. I know that many of my fellow seminary students treasured the insights they gained from his classes.

"Having the resources he used to teach those classes as a part of the OBU library is an invaluable asset," Cheek said. "It gives me great pleasure both as a librarian and as a student of pastoral ministry to be able to make these books available to the OBU community."

The center will be open for visitors beginning at 2 pm. Refreshments will be served.