Name Ben Johnson | Role Minister | |
Education Asbury Theological Seminary (1954–1956) Books The Heart of Paul, Hearing God's Call: Ways of, Pastoral spirituality, Time Away: A Guide for Personal, Speaking of God: Evangelis | ||
Ben Campbell Johnson (born March 28,1932 in Elba, Alabama; died June 2, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia) was an American ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and a Professor Emeritus of Evangelism and Spiritual Direction at Columbia Theological Seminary. He is known for his work in church renewal movements and on interfaith relations between a variety of faith traditions.
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Career
Johnson received a B.A. from Asbury College (1953), a B.D. from Asbury Seminary (1955), a Th.M. from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (1957), a Ph.D. from San Francisco Theological Seminary (1978), and a Ph.D. from Emory University (1980). He was ordained as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). He was a pastor of United Methodist Church in Kentucky and Alabama (1952-1963), served as an interim supply at Salem Presbyterian Church, Lithonia, Georgia (1979-1980) and as the interim preacher at North Avenue Presbyterian Church, Atlanta, Georgia (1988-1990). During his time as a leader in the church he founded and served as the Executive Director of the Institute for Church Renewal in Atlanta, Georgia (1963-1980). Beginning in 1981 he served as the Professor of Evangelism and Church Growth at Columbia Theological Seminary, where he then became the Professor of Spirituality in 1995. In 2000, Johnson retired from Columbia Theological Seminary and became a Professor Emeritus.
Thought
Johnson devoted much of his work to church growth and spiritual formation. Through the Institute of Church Renewal he developed a number of programs and resources for congregations aimed to promote growth and vitality. He furthered this work through founding the Columbia Theological Seminary Press, enabling the publishing of many book and articles intended to educate all church leaders. Seeing church growth as more than simply evangelism, he created and began the Doctor of Ministry in Christian Spirituality at Columbia Theological Seminary, which focuses on "congregational leadership while exploring God's relationship to persons, the community of faith, and the world, including the ethical and social dimensions of spirituality." He also began the Certificate in Spiritual Formation extending the education of spiritual development to all people so to encourage church growth in a variety of ways. This program allows "people in the pulpit, in the pew, in all denominations and stages of life to explore the community-grounded Christian spirituality that is rooted in scripture, theology, a history of the tradition, reading in the spiritual classics, prayer and meditation, and in skills for assisting others on a spiritual journey." Both of these are still important programs that attract and teach church leaders from around the United States.
Johnson's most recent work has been focused on creating interfaith relationships between different faith traditions. He fostered relations through Interfaith Community Initiatives, where he served as an advisory board member and program director of the immersion experience. He has concentrated particularly on Christian and Muslim relations, publishing Beyond 9/11: Christians and Muslims Together: An Invitation to Conversation (2009).