Freda Gardner

Last updated

Freda Gardner (April 7, 1929 - May 9, 2020) [1] was the professor emerita of Christian education [2] at Princeton Theological Seminary, and was the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) in 1999. She was elected as Moderator, the church's highest elected position, at the 211th General Assembly, on the second ballot. [3]

Gardner was the first woman to serve as a tenured faculty member at Princeton Seminary, teaching there from 1961 until her retirement in 1992. In 1981 she was named Educator of the Year, [4] in 1994 she was a recipient of the Women of Faith award, [5] and in 2001 she was recognized as a Champion for Children. [6] She had written numerous books on religion and ministry. [2]

Related Research Articles

Presbyterian Church (USA) Mainline Protestant denomination in the US

The Presbyterian Church of the United States of America, abbreviated Presbyterian Church (USA) or PC(USA), is a mainline Protestant denomination in the United States. It is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the US, and known for its liberal stance on doctrine and its ordaining of women and members of the LGBT community as elders and ministers. The PC(USA) was established by the 1983 merger of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, whose churches were located in the Southern and border states, with the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, whose congregations could be found in every state. The similarly named Presbyterian Church in America is a separate denomination whose congregations can also trace their history to the various schisms and mergers of Presbyterian churches in the United States. Unlike the PCA, the PC(USA) supports evangelical feminism and supports practise of same gender marriages. It also welcomes gay and lesbian persons to serve in leadership positions as ministers, deacons, elders, and trustees.

Presbyterian Church in America Conservative Reformed Christian denomination in the United States and Canada

The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) is the second-largest Presbyterian church body, behind the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the largest conservative Calvinist denomination in the United States. The PCA is Reformed in theology and presbyterian in government. It is characterized by a blend of Calvinist practice and broad evangelicalism.

The Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) is a confessional Presbyterian denomination located primarily in the northern United States. It was founded by conservative members of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (PCUSA) who strongly objected to the Modernist theology during the 1930s. It has had an influence on evangelicalism far beyond its size.

Princeton Theological Seminary Private school of theology in Princeton, New Jersey, US

Princeton Theological Seminary (PTSem), officially The Theological Seminary of the Presbyterian Church, is a private school of theology in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1812 under the auspices of Archibald Alexander, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the College of New Jersey, it is the second-oldest seminary in the United States. It is also the largest of ten seminaries associated with the Presbyterian Church.

Evangelical Presbyterian Church (United States) Protestant Reformed Evangelical church body

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) is an American church body holding to presbyterian governance and Reformed theology. It is most distinctive for its approach to the way it balances certain liberties across congregations on "non-essential" doctrines, such as egalitarianism in marriage or the ordination of women, alongside an affirmation of core "essential" doctrinal standards.

Presbyterian Church of Australia

The Presbyterian Church of Australia (PCA) is the largest Presbyterian denomination in Australia.

Nancy Wilson (religious leader) American religious leader

Nancy L. Wilson is an American cleric who served as the moderator of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches. Under Wilson's leadership, the denomination became known as "The Human Rights Church" in many parts of the world for its commitment to same-sex marriage, employment and housing non-discrimination laws.

Joan S. Gray was elected moderator of the Presbyterian Church (USA) at the 217th General Assembly on June 15, 2006. As moderator, she served as the presiding officer of the week-long General Assembly meeting in Birmingham, Alabama, followed by a two-year term as the ambassador-at-large for the denomination. She has also spent many years working in various churches and is currently serving as part of the faculty at Columbia Theological Seminary.

Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary

Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary (APNTS) is a graduate-level theological institution located near Metro Manila in the Philippines. APNTS is a seminary in the Wesleyan theological tradition and affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene through its Division of World Mission. Its mission is to prepare "men and women for Christ-like leadership and excellence in ministries." Its institutional vision is: "Bridging cultures for Christ, APNTS equips each new generation of leaders to disseminate the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout Asia, the Pacific, and the world.

Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church

Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church (AELC) was constituted in the year 1927 in Andhra Pradesh, India. It is the Indian successor to the United Lutheran Church in America which was started as a self-supporting, self-governing, and self-propagating church among Telugu Christians.

N. D. Ananda Rao Samuel (1928–1999) was Bishop of Krishna Godavari of the Church of South India.

Presbyterian Church of Brazil Evangelical Protestant Christian denomination in Brazil

The Presbyterian Church of Brazil is an Evangelical Protestant Christian denomination in Brazil. Oldest of the Reformed family of Protestantism in Brazil. It is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the country, having an estimate 649,510 members, 4,475 ordained ministers and 5,068 churches and parishes. It is also the only Presbyterian denomination in Brazil present in all 26 States and the Federal District. It was founded by the American missionary Rev. Ashbel Green Simonton, who also oversaw the formal organization of the first congregation and the first Presbytery. Although the Presbyterian Church of Rio de Janeiro was only formally organized in January 1863, and the Brazilian church only left the jurisdiction of the joint missions board of the American churches in 1888, when the Synod was formed, the denomination considers the date of Simonton's arrival in Brazil, August 12, 1859, as its foundation date.

Ordination of women in Protestant denominations

Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies such as celebrating the sacraments. The process and ceremonies of ordination varies by denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is undergoing the process of ordination is sometimes called an ordinand. The liturgy used at an ordination is sometimes referred to as an ordinal.

The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria is a Presbyterian church in the Nigeria and subscribes to the Westminster Confession of Faith.

The Presbyterian Church of the Philippines (PCP), officially The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of the Philippines, is a growing evangelical, Bible-based Reformed church in the Philippines. It was officially founded in 1987 and the General Assembly was organized in September 1996.

Presbyterian Church in Uganda is a conservative Reformed Calvinistic denomination in Uganda with almost 100 churches in 5 presbyteries in the late 2000s.

Christian Reformed Church in South Africa is a confessional Calvinist Presbyterian denomination in South Africa. The Church is a denominational member of World Reformed Fellowship. The moderator is Rev. Sakkie Weber, the Vice Moderator is Rev. Johnnie Tromp.

The Kosin Presbyterian Church in Korea, also called Korea-pa, is an Evangelical Reformed and Presbyterian denomination in the Republic of South Korea. Although, congregations have spread all over North America and in many other countries.

Edler Garnet Hawkins (1908–1977) was a Presbyterian minister from New York City. He is known for his ecumenical work and for being the first African American to serve as Moderator of the General Assembly for the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America.

Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante also known as J.O.Y. Mante is a Ghanaian theologian and Presbyterian minister who currently serves as the 18th Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), equivalent to the chief executive officer or managing director of the national church organisation. Prior to his appointment as moderator he served as the President of the Trinity Theological Seminary, Legon for 7 years. In August 2018, Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante was elected the new Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) to succeed Cephas Narh Omenyo, the then incumbent, who had been ill for over a year and the General Assembly had to take a decision to declare the moderator seat vacant to allow new leadership.

References

  1. "Former General Assembly Moderator Freda Gardner dies at 91". Presbyterian Mission Agency. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Freda Gardner".
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-01-18. Retrieved 2008-09-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-10-11. Retrieved 2008-09-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. "All Women in the Church | Racial Equity & Women's Intercultural Ministries".
  6. "wfn.org | [PCUSAnews] Freda Gardner is recognized". www.wfn.org. Archived from the original on 2003-05-14.
Religious titles
Preceded by Moderator of the 211th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
19992000
Succeeded by
The Rev. Syngman Rhee