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Hope College and Western Theological Seminary
Make Joint Appointment on Dean of the Chapel Post

Posted April 30, 2001

HOLLAND -- Dr. Timothy Brown of Holland has been appointed the Hinga-Boersma Dean of the Chapel at Hope College while retaining his position as Henry Bast Professor of Preaching at Western Theological Seminary.

Hope and Western, sister institutions of the Reformed Church in America, affirm their shared heritage in making this first-ever joint appointment. The one-year appointment will become effective July 1. Brown has been serving as interim dean of the chapel at the college since the beginning of the spring semester, and has been a member of the Western Theological Seminary faculty since 1995.

"There were several very qualified applicants both from within and outside the campus community; but in the final analysis, the search committee recognized the exceptional gifts which Tim Brown brought to this position," said James E. Bultman, president of Hope College. "These gifts were fully manifested this past semester, when he served Hope as interim dean of the chapel."

Brown has held his interim appointment while on sabbatical from teaching responsibilities at Western Theological Seminary. He will hold his new Hope appointment jointly with his continuing appointment as the Henry Bast Professor of Preaching at the seminary.

"Tim Brown possesses preaching and pastoral gifts which will positively affect the life of Hope's campus ministry program," said Dennis Voskuil, president of Western Theological Seminary. "We are hopeful that this one-year appointment will be positive for both our sister institutions as we seek to develop closer working relationships."

Bultman concurred. "The opportunity to partner with the seminary in serving our campus communities and the greater denomination is much appreciated," he said. "It is envisioned that mutual benefits will accrue with this relationship."

"I am also deeply grateful to Dennis Voskuil and Jim Brownson, academic dean at the seminary, for their willingness to explore this model and to bless it for this 'season' of service," he said. "Obviously they have generously looked at the good of the 'whole' rather than the limitations of two halves."

Brown is a 1973 Hope graduate. From 1983 to 1995, he was pastor of Christ Memorial Church in Holland. He has also served the First Reformed Church of South Holland, Ill., from 1980 to 1983, and Fellowship Reformed Church in Hudsonville from 1976 to 1980.

Brown delivered the college's Baccalaureate sermon in 1992. He has written several articles for "The Church Herald," "The Reformed Review" and "Perspectives" magazine.

He holds an M.Div. and a D.Min. from Western Theological Seminary.

His wife, Nancy, is a 1971 graduate of Hope. They have three children, all of whom attended Hope: Sarah, Jonathan and Rebekah.

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