Atlanta Campus Catalog 2011-2012 - Mercer University

10. The school shall serve as a continuing resource to churches, pastors, and professionalsin ministry for their continuing education and as a reference and placementservice for churches, pastors, and other church leaders.CommunityA crucial component of theological education is the experience of shared life andfaith. At the McAfee School of Theology, the faculty and staff are committed to the practiceof Christian community and encourage all students to enter as fully as possible intothis community of faith.A vital part of the McAfee community is a group of students elected to act as liaisonsbetween the student body and the faculty. The Student Advisory Council (SAC) sponsorsstudent forums at which students are given the opportunity to voice concerns and suggestionsthat will be presented to the faculty. In addition, SAC organizes gatherings, missionprojects, and fellowships that allow students to enjoy spending time together in aninformal atmosphere. Elections for the Student Advisory Council are held in the springand fall semesters of each year. Dr. Karen Massey serves as the faculty advisor.The Multicultural Student Association affirms the cultural diversity in the McAfee communitythrough social events, social gatherings and worship opportunities. Its officershave included students from every corner of the community, including international students.Dr. Denise Massey and Dr. Thomas Slater are faculty advisors.Beginning with first-year classes on spiritual formation, students are invited into theexperience of shared relationships, support, and prayer. The experience of being a communityis nourished and encouraged in many ways, with opportunities for worship, play,shared meals, and ongoing groups. Toward this end, the faculty is committed to beingaccessible to students.The McAfee community worships together on a weekly basis. The services are student-plannedand, often, student-led. Preaching guests include students, faculty members,and other area ministers.Faculty, staff, and students gather frequently for prayer. Participation in such gatheringsis not required and is not meant to replace worship in one’s own church, but it isoffered as a source for spiritual discipline and to deepen the strength of our life together.Rev. MaryAnn "Mimi" Walker serves on staff as pastor to the McAfee School ofTheology community.AccreditationMercer University is accredited, by the Commission on Colleges of the SouthernAssociation of Colleges and Schools, to award bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees.The McAfee School of Theology is also accredited by the Association of TheologicalSchools, the accrediting body for more than 250 seminaries and schools of theology in theUnited States and Canada. Informally, the McAfee School of Theology has a strong andsignificant endorsement from approximately 100 sustaining churches that have enteredinto partnership with the school, and the circle of partner churches continues to grow.Admission PoliciesMaster of Divinity and Master of Arts in Christian Ministry ProgramsThe McAfee School of Theology seeks women and men who combine the call ofGod’s spirit with the intellectual gifts, the emotional maturity, and the spiritual discipline tobecome effective and responsible leaders in ministry.JAMES AND CAROLYN MCAFEE SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY / 303