Stanger, Frank Bateman

English

Asbury Theological Seminary

George Allen Turner:A Tributeby Frank Bateman StangerThis issue of The Asbury Seminarian is a dedicatory tribute toGeorge Allen Turner, Ph.D., D.Litt., who will be retired at the 1979Commencement after serving 34 years on the faculty of AsburyTheological Seminary as Professor of Biblical Literature.Early Life and EducationGeorge Allen Turner was born in Willsboro, NY on August 28,1908. His father, Charles Doyle Turner, who had been a carpenter inNew York City, became a farmer when he moved to Essex County inthe northern part of the state. He was a stalwart, hard-working,intensely moral person. George's mother, Bertha Hayes Turner, aschool teacher, was active in the Methodist Church and a woman ofdeep faith.When Dr. Turner was only 1 1 years of age, his father died. Heremained on the farm until age 19 in order to help maintain the farmoperations.During his teens George was converted in a tent revival series heldby a group of Free Methodists from Burlington, VT. Shortlythereafter he became a member of the Free Methodist Church.Dr. Turner's education was thorough and extensive. He attendedthe A. M. Chesborough Seminary, a two-year junior college in NorthChili, NY. In 1932 he received the A.B. degree from GreenvilleCollege (IL) and two years later the B.D. degree from GreenvilleCollege School of Religion.He was graduated from the Biblical Seminary in New York withthe S.T.B. degree in 1935 and the S.T.M. degree in 1936. In 1942 heentered the Harvard University Divinity School (MA) from which hereceived the Ph.D. degree in 1946. His doctoral thesis was entitledDr. Frank Bateman Stanger is President of Asbury TheologicalSeminary, hie holds the S.T.M. and S.T.D. degrees from TempleUniversity as well as several honorary degrees.3me ASDury :semmarian"Is Entire Sanctification Scriptural? An Appraisal of the WesleyanMessage. The Biblical Basis for the Most Distinctive Doctrine ofMethodism." He has done postdoctoral studies at New York University and Yale Divinity School (CT).Vocational ActivitiesDuring his days in Biblical Seminary in New York, Dr. Turnerpastored a Dutch Reformed Church on Long Island. Between histime in New York and his enrollment in Harvard Divinity School, hetaught for six years at Wessington Springs College in WessingtonSprings, SD. During four of those years, he pastored a Congregational Christian Church.While at Harvard, he served as pastor to young people in theHarvard Congregational Church, Brookline, MA, and as the pastorof a Free Methodist Church in Clinton, MA.After the completion of his residence work at Harvard DivinitySchool in 1945, with only the dissertation to be completed. Dr.Turner became a member of the faculty of Asbury TheologicalSeminary. His thesis was completed during the following year andthe Ph.D. degree was received in 1946.During ten of his early years at Asbury Theological Seminary, Dr.Turner pastored a United Congregational Church in Russellville,OH. From 1956 to 1958 he served as the superintendent of theKentucky-Tennessee conference of the Free Methodist Church.Marriage and FamilyGeorge met Lucile Mcintosh in Mitchell, SD. He was there tospeak at a Free Methodist district quarterly meeting where Lucilewas leading the singing. Perhaps it was "love at first sight." Acourtship soon developed and George and Lucile were united in holymatrimony on October 8, 1938.Two children have blessed their marital union: Allen Charles, now39, an anthropologist; and Carol, now 31, former school teacher,mother of three children, and the wife of the director of admissionsat Greenville College. The Turners are the proud grandparents of fivegrandchildren.At Asbury Theological SeminaryDr. Turner has had a distinguished career as a member of thefaculty at Asbury Theological Seminary. At first, he taught in the4A Tributearea of church history. Soon he became the head of the departmentof English Bible, and his teaching activities across the years havecontinued to be in this academic discipline.In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Dr. Turner has servedas acting divisional chairman and as a member of most of theimportant faculty committees: curriculum and instruction,professional research, admissions, library, honorary degree, andfaculty retreat. Currently, as the result of an election by hiscolleagues, he is serving as the chairman of the important facultyconcerns committee, which is the liaison between Asbury Theological Seminary faculty and trustees.Dr. Turner's teaching has always been characterized by the pursuitof academic excellence, a passion for doctrinal purity, and a concernfor the spiritual formation of his students.Dr. G. Herbert Livingston, longtime colleague of Dr. Turner onthe faculty of Asbury Theological Seminary, was privileged to haveDr. Turner as a teacher, both at Wessington Springs College in1936 and at Asbury Theological Seminary in 1945. Dr. Turner's firstyear on the Seminary faculty was Dr. Livingston's first year as aSeminary student.Dr. Livingston comments concerning Dr. Turner as a teacher:He was always a very proficient teacher. His inductivemethod in teaching the Bible was very impressive. He alsoserved as proctor of the Boys' Dorm in Wessington Springs.I got well acquainted with him at the time. He always tookthe pranks of the students in good stride. At all times he wasan extremely careful scholar. He is extremely ambitious. Hetends to overwork in his academic pursuits.Dr. Turner has had a career-long interest in the Holy Land, theMiddle East, and biblical archaeology. He has led many tours to theHoly Land and has participated in many archaeological "digs." Hehas also been greatly concerned about theological education inmission lands and has lectured and taught in many mission schools.Dr. Turner has been an extremely productive author. The B. L.Fisher Library at ATS lists the following publications by him:"Is Entire Sanctification Scriptural? An Appraisal of the WesleyanMessage. The Biblical Basis for 'The Most Distinctive Doctrine of5The Asbury SeminarianMethodism,'" Doctoral thesis. Harvard University, Cambridge,MA, 1946.The More Excellent Way: The Scriptural Basis of the WesleyanMessage. Light and Life Press, 1952.Exploring the Bible: Studies in the Major Books of the Bible, Usingthe "Inductive Method" of Approach. Asbury TheologicalSeminary Press, 1953.Portals to Bible Books: Studies in the Major Books of the BibleUsing the Inductive Method of Approach. Asbury TheologicalSeminary Press, 1956."The Doctrine of Sanctification," in The Doctrinal Distinctives ofAsbury Theological Seminary, (40th Anniversary Publication).The Herald Press, 1963.The Gospel of John: An Evangelical Commentary, (co-authorshipwith Julius R. Mantey). Eerdmans, 1964.The Vision Which Transforms: Is Christian Perfection Scriptural?Beacon Hill Press, 1964."Philippians and Colossians," in The Wesleyan Bible Commentary.Eerdmans, 1965."Holiness and Social Tensions," in The Word and the Doctrine.Beacon Hill Press, 1965."Koinonia," The New Testament Church, bymembers of the Facultyof Asbury Theological Seminary. The Asbury TheologicalSeminary Press, 1969.Historical Geography of the Holy Land. Baker Book House, 1973."Evaluation of the Seminar" in Perfect Love and War. EvangelPress, 1974."The New and Living Way: A Fresh Exposition of the Epistle to theHebrews. Bethany Fellowship Press, 1975.Christian Holiness in Scripture, in History and in Life. Beacon HillPress, 1977.In addition to the above, the B. L. Fisher Library has a record ofover 200 articles and reviews written by Dr. Turner.HonorsDr. Turner has received many well-deserved honors. He is anhonorary fellow of the American School of Oriental Research. In1966 he was voted "Man-of-the-Year" by Roberts Wesleyan College(NY), and in 1974, "Distinguished Alumnus of the Year" by Greenville College. In 1964 Greenville College conferred upon him the6A Tributehonorary degree of Doctor of Letters. In 1973, on the occasion of thefiftieth anniversary of Asbury Theological Seminary, he was one ofthe 50 persons receiving the Distinguished Service Award.The ManIt has been my privilege to minister with Dr. Turner at theSeminary for nearly two decades. Three words characterize him inmy thinking: commitment, crusading, compassion.George Turner is a deeply committed person. He is wholeheartedlycommitted to Jesus Christ, the Church of Jesus Christ, theWesleyantheological position, and to teaching religious truth as a divinelyappointed vocation. He is ambitious, energetic, and industrious inhis responses to that to which he is fully committed. He givesevidence of an intense dogmatism in his theological convictions, butat the same time he is open-minded to truth and always willing tolisten.He is a committed churchman of the Free Methodist persuasion.In a real sense he was the founder of the Free Methodist Church inWilmore. This society actually began in meetings in the Turner homeon Gillispie Street in 1949. He has fulfilled many positions ofresponsibility in his local church, serving as chairman of the boardof trustees and as a member of the important finance and pastoralrelations committees.George Turner is well known for his relentless crusading spirit.Among my first official contacts with him was when very early in myadministration at the Seminary he approached me about signing aresolution supporting full integration in the Jessamine Countyschools. This was at the beginning of a social reform crusade underhis leadership which ultimately led to a successful court case and theestablishment of a fully integrated school system locally.He is also a crusader in relation to doctrinal purity. I am told thathe played an active role at the time of the theological tensions whichprevailed at the Seminary during the early 50s. During his tenure atthe Seminary, he has been insistent that whenever theologicaltensions arise, they be resolved on the side of the Seminary's historicWesleyan position.George Turner has often suffered because of his crusading spirit.But he is always willing to pay the full price for wholeheartedcommitment to principles and policies which he considers almost"dearer than life itself"7George Turner is a person of great compassion. His heart throbswith concern and care for people everywhere. He has always strivenfor all to enjoy equal rights. Community to him means brotherhoodand sisterhood.In times of dialogue and conflict, George is often blunt and frankin his remarks and this sometimes gives the appearance of harshness.But always within is the heart of compassion, a truly pastoral heart.He possesses a sense of wry humor which is often his method insatirical attack. The very kind of humor which hemanifests is bathedin respect and affection.The other day during a conversation with Lucile about George'slife and his teaching ministry which has spanned more than threedecades at the Seminary, she remarked with a radiant confidence inher voice: "And he would do it all over again." Truly such anaffirmation is the capstone of his wholehearted commitment to theSeminary and his uncompromising love for the institution he hasserved so long and so well.So today we pay tribute to George Allen Turner � a dedicatedChristian, committed churchman, compassionate crusader, skilledteacher, influential author, and devoted friend. �8

George Allen Turner: A Tribute

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George Allen Turner: A Tribute

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