Sárospataki Füzetek 21. (2017)

2017 / 2. szám - TIMELINE-ZEITLINIE - Rácsok Gabriella: Laudation of Robert Edson Bailev

Gabriella Rácsok

And this is not an exceptional case in Robert Edson Bailey’s life. Looking through his biography, we see that he was always there where he was needed. His ministry has never been determined by the desire to rise above others, to increase his wealth ensuring a safe earthly existence, or to increase his authority. Instead, his ministry has been determined by the needs of others: the needs of communities, educational institutions, and churches. Thus, it can happen that someone who has been in the ministry for almost 65 years, has most of the time been replacing others and has served churches that no one else wanted to serve.

Let us take a very short look at the main stages of his life, including his relationship with the Cistibiscan Church District.

1. Robert Edson Bailey completed his higher educational studies between 1950 and 1962:

• In 1950, he got his B.A. degree in history from Grove City College, Pennsylvania.

• In 1953, he got his B.D. degree from the Theological Seminary, at University of Dubuque, Iowa, which later was made into an M.Div degree. In the same year (1953), he was ordained by Pittsburgh Presbytery, Pennsylvania.

• In 1962, he completed his Ph.D. in New Testament studies at New College, University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

2. He had the opportunity to share his knowledge at various universities and colleges:

• Between 1956 and 1965, he was a faculty member at the University of Dubuque and was appointed Professor in 1963.

• Between 1965 and 1983, he was a faculty member at Park College, near Kansas City, Missouri, where he also held the Chair of the Philosophy and Religion Department. While he was a faculty member at Park College he served as visiting professor of New Testament at the Methodist Seminary in Kansas City two separate times, altogether for two academic years.

• In 1984, he was an assistant professor of Sociology, at Missouri Southern State College (now University), in Joplin, Missouri.

3. Ministers usually start their career serving in congregations. This is then followed, and actually crowned by teaching at a seminary, a college or a university. In the case of Robert Edson Bailey, this happened differently. After nearly three decades of teaching, he returned to ministry when he saw the needs of church communities.

• In 1983 and 1984, he was an installed Pastor, at the Presbyterian Church, El Dorado Springs, Missouri;

• He provided stated supply pastoral services:

® between 1991 and 1999 at Warrendale Presbyterian Church,

St.Paul, Minnesota;

192 Sárospataki Fűzetek 21, 2017-2