07/02/2023
Farewell and Welcome! - July 2, 2023
Dear Friends of The Foundation for Reformed Theology:
For the past two and a half years, it has been my privilege to serve as the "Interim Director" of the Foundation for Reformed Theology. I have enjoyed this work, especially getting to know many of you. I have also enjoyed working with members of the board of the Foundation, some of whom have become very dear friends. At their meeting on June 29th, the board voted to merge our efforts with those of the journal, Theology Matters, and elected Richard Burnett to be the Executive Director of the Foundation. I count Richard as a good friend and a theologian from whom I have learned a great deal. I am delighted that he is willing to undertake this new responsibility and I pledge to support him in every way I can. I do ask for your patience during these summer months of transition.
Before leaving this space, however, I want to thank all of you for your support of the Foundation and particularly for your words of encouragement to me. I have enjoyed writing these missives and you have been kind to read them. Please know how grateful I am for you. And for those whose responsibility it is to preach, teach, and offer pastoral care, I trust you will continue to find strength in the resources Reformed theology provides, and most of all that you will continue to find strength in that One to whom Reformed theology exists to serve, even the God of Jesus Christ.
One further note: at the end of all of these missives is an appeal of sorts to support the Foundation's work with gifts of money. I hope you will take that to heart as well. We cannot do what we have been called to do without the support of friends such as you.
So here is the press release:
"June 29, 2023
Today after a comprehensive strategic evaluation over the past year, the Board of the Foundation for Reformed Theology announced the addition to our Board of ten new members from the ministry of Theology Matters, resulting in a union of the two Boards to collaborate on and enhance the mission of the Foundation. Additionally, Dr. Richard E. Burnett was elected to the position of Executive Director of the Foundation.
The Board is excited about both of these actions and believes this collaboration will enable the Foundation to continue to achieve the goals that Dr. John H. Leith originally envisioned for it, namely, to strengthen and enrich pastors in their work of preaching, teaching, and pastoral care by drawing on the theological resources of the Reformed faith.
The Board acknowledges with gratitude the leadership of Tom Currie for his work as the Interim Director of the Foundation for the past three years. His hard work, service, devotion to the Reformed tradition, and email missives to our constituency have enabled the Foundation to move forward.
The Board welcomes Dr. Richard E. Burnett as our new Executive Director. Richard Burnett is a gifted teacher of Reformed theology, a proven leader in articulating the church's faith, and a theologian committed to supporting and nourishing pastors in their work of ministry. His stewardship of the journal, Theology Matters, and his convening of large numbers of pastors in conference settings make him a natural fit to lead this collaborative effort. Having served on the Board of the Foundation for seventeen years, he already has a very good understanding of its mission. He comments: 'This is a great honor. I am deeply grateful for the Board of the Foundation and especially for Tom Currie and his leadership. I look forward to continuing to support the Foundation's particular mission and I will work to expand the scope of its work in the days to come. The mission of Theology Matters and the work of the Foundation for Reformed Theology have much in common and I believe this collaboration will strengthen both organizations in the future.'
The reconstituted Board will continue to pursue the goals of the Foundation as originally set forth by Dr. Leith, and in that respect, its mission will remain unchanged. We look forward to continuing to support pastors who commit to meeting together to study theological texts of the Reformed faith as a means of strengthening their ministry. And further we believe this uniting of efforts with Theology Matters will energize and expand the work of the Foundation in the future.
It is our hope to hold a conference in Montreat, North Carolina in the future."
May God bless and keep you,
Thomas W. Currie
The Foundation for Reformed Theology exists to support pastors in their work of proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ. In so doing, we seek to encourage them in their ministries, strengthening them through the reading and reflecting upon classic texts found in Reformed theology. To support this effort, I invite you to make a gift to the Foundation for Reformed Theology. You may do so online at: https://foundationrt.org/donate/ or by sending your donation to Foundation for Reformed Theology, C/o Union Presbyterian Seminary, 5141 Sharon Rd., Charlotte, North Carolina 28210.
Foundation for Reformed Theology | (704) 293-0881 | C/o Union Presbyterian Seminary, 5141 Sharon Rd., Charlotte, North Carolina 28210 | www.foundationrt.org
Foundation for Reformed Theology – Better Preaching, Better Teaching, Better Pastoral Care Gathers ministers and elders into ongoing communities of guided study, Provides for the in-depth reading and recovery of the historic faith and theology of the church, Helps these leaders better understand and apply that to the current life of the church, and thus Contributes to building up the chur...
