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Seminary Awards Hanson, Njaa Honorary Degrees
CHICAGO, IL (May 22, 2000) - North Park Theological Seminary (NPTS) conferred 12 graduate degrees, and seven students were recognized for completion of post-studies internships and orientation certificates during the 109th Commencement Convocation and Consecration Service in Anderson Chapel.
Todd Johnson, assistant professor of pastoral studies at Loyola University's Institute of Pastoral Studies, addressed the graduates. The seminary also awarded two honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees to Ralph P. Hanson and Donald A. Njaa.
Hanson was born in Manitou, Minnesota, and attended both North Park College and NPTS, continuing his education at the University of Minnesota, University of California at Berkeley, and Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. In 1930, Hanson began his ministry as a Covenant home missionary with the Northeast Conference, receiving his ministerial license in 1931. Ordained in 1935, he served as a missionary in Alaska. A private pilot, Hanson designed and built the first successful airsled in Alaska (powered by a small airplane engine and propeller) to travel from one Eskimo village to another. After an interim pastorate at the Covenant Church of Berkeley, California, Hanson served as executive secretary of Covenant World Missions until 1963.
From 1963-1967, Hanson completed pastoral ministry at First Covenant Church of San Diego, California. In 1967, he served as superintendent of the North Pacific Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC), then as executive director of the denomination's Giving for Growing campaign, which raised $8 million. Hanson continued to serve the ECC in fund-raising as director of development for the Covenant Church in Alaska until his retirement in 1985.
A native of Cooperstown, North Dakota, Njaa earned degrees from North Park College and NPTS and was ordained in 1959. Njaa pastored churches in Washington, Illinois, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia before serving as associate superintendent of the ECC's Central Conference. Njaa served as executive director of the Department of the Ministry until his retirement in 1998.
A former president of the Covenant Ministerium, Njaa served on a variety of boards for ECC ministries, including the Confirmation Task Force and the Commission on Interchurch Relations. He currently works with the Book of Worship Commission and has also been involved at the board level at North Park College and at NPTS.
Founded in 1891 by the Evangelical Covenant Church, North Park Theological Seminary is a professional school designed to equip men and women for Christian ministry as pastors, educators, missionaries, and theologically trained lay leaders. John E. Phelan Jr. is president and dean of the seminary.
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
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