By Marilyn Stewart, NOBTS communications NEW ORLEANS, La. (NOBTS) – New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Leavell College celebrated 200 graduates Dec. 11 as President Jamie Dew charged them to make service to Christ the true end of all that they do. Eighteen doctoral degrees were conferred during the school’s commencement ceremony, including seven Ph.D.s, a doctor of musical arts, one doctor of educational ministry and nine doctor of ministry degrees. Ninety master’s degrees and 92 undergraduate degrees and certificates were awarded. Dew began his charge to graduates by acknowledging that some might be present in the audience who wondered why their graduate went to the trouble of years’ worth of papers and exams in order to get a degree. While some might see the graduate’s work as the “means” and the degree as the “end,” Dew pointed to the philosopher Aristotle who recognized that “ends” in actuality may be means to yet another end. Dew said the question then becomes, “what is the ultimate end?” “What is that one end, that one good that we seek for its own sake?” Dew asked the audience. “Of all this work that we have done, what is it exactly that we seek? …  It’s important that you understand the answer to that … [Read more...]