Dear Friends and Colleagues:

Although Calvin designated the pastorate as the “first office” of the church, ministry then and now takes a variety of forms that supplement and expand that which is conducted in and by congregations.

This is reflected in the opening sentence of the Seminary’s official mission statement: “Princeton Theological Seminary prepares women and men to serve Jesus Christ in ministries marked by faith, integrity, scholarship, competence, compassion, and joy, equipping them for leadership worldwide in congregations and the larger church, in classrooms and the academy, and in the public arena.”

God calls people to serve in many different ways. One article in this issue focuses on politics, a demanding vocation for those who seek to be faithful. The relationship of the church and politics is also touched on in an article about the confessions of the Presbyterian church, which particularly remembers the 35th anniversary of the Confession of 1967. Finally, with sadness, we remember the faithful ministry of Professor Robert Jacks, whose ministry teaching speech affected so many Princeton alumni/ae. I trust that these stories will be a source of encouragement and inspiration to you.

With every good wish and warmest regards, I remain

Faithfully yours,

Thomas W. Gillespie