News Archive: Teachers of the Church

Doctor Mayer and Doctor Rosendale display their doctoral hood and certificate

It was a moving sight. Two of the church's eminent teachers, Pastor Rolph Mayer and Pastor George Rosendale, came forward to receive the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity. This honorary doctorate is similar to those given by universities, except that when the degree is awarded in the church, it also recognises that the recipient is a ‘doctor ecclesiae’, a ‘teacher of the church’; in other words, someone who not only knows the Scriptures and the church's teachings, but who knows how to communicate them effectively to others.

Both of these pastors fit this description well, have served as teachers, leaders, theologians and elder statesmen of the church, during their long and distinguished ministries.

As Dr Mayer and Dr Rosendale, now white haired, received their doctoral hoods, it was a profound moment in the life of our church. We were not just honouring and celebrating their lives' work but also celebrating the work of the ‘head teacher of the church’, Jesus Christ.