Pusey Forecasts New Era For Religion at University

President Pusey predicted a new era for religion at Harvard yesterday as he welcomed five outstanding theologians to the Divinity School faculty.

Speaking at the School's opening ceremonies, Pusey indicated that the revamped faculty was "starting over." "This is not surprising," he explained, "since the task of building the Kingdom is never done, and the work needs always to be begun afresh."

The five theologians added to the staff include the University's new Chairman of the Board of Preachers, George A. Buttrick, and University Professor Paul Tillich, a leading Protestant clergyman. The remaining three are Sweden's Krister Stendahl, New Testament authority Amos N. Wilder, and John D. Wild, professor of Philosophy.

Since becoming President, Pusey has staged a continuous and vigorous fight to fuse new blood into the Divinity School and secure financial support for it. "There is a feeling of great expectancy," he said, "on the part of many as a new year and a new period in the history of the School begins here today."

Representing the new faculty members, Wilder spoke up for the need to find new religious approaches. He was especially concerned with "the hiatus between theology and the modern world," and spoke of a need to balance theological scholarship with "the equipping of the minister with a dynamic message."

"A constructive solution of this particular issue is the greatest task of the university divinity school," he added. "It will require on the one hand a re-thinking of the assumptions that lie behind scientific and historical studies generally and a more adequate conversation between the different departments of the university and theological teaching. And on the other hand, it will require that those concerned with the evangelical and practical tasks of the church refuse all shortcuts and submit their functions whether homiletical or practical to rigorous tests of integrity and genuine relevance."

Wilder, a Congregationalist, formerly held the New Testament chair at the Chicago Theological Seminary and the University of Chicago.

Tillich On Leave

Tillich, who became University Professor last summer, is on leave this year to fill previous teaching committments in Scotland and the United States. His widely known writings include "The Shaking of the Foundations," "The Courage to Be," and "Systematic Theology." Since 1933 he taught at the Union Theological Seminary at Columbia University.

Buttrick, who will assume his duties as leader of the Board of Preachers in November, is currently pastor of the Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York. He will teach a New Testament course in the College in addition to his Divinity School courses in homiletics and pastoral care.