Franklin Nutting Parker
Encyclopedia
Dr. Franklin Nutting Parker was the second dean of Candler School of Theology
, serving from 1919 to 1937.
on May 20, 1867. He was the son of Bishop Linus Parker and Ellen Katherine Burruss Parker. He attended Centenary College
of Louisiana and then Tulane University
. Parker served in churches throughout Louisiana until 1911 when he left to become the Professor of Biblical Literature at Trinity College in Durham, North Carolina (now known as Duke University
). He taught there for three years until he was sought by Bishop Warren A. Candler to come to the newly founded Candler School of Theology
at Emory University
, where Parker would spend the rest of his life. He occupied the chair of Systematic Theology
from 1915–1918, and then became Dean of the School in 1919. Parker served as Dean until 1938 when he became Dean Emeritus. He continued teaching, however, until 1942.
In 1918, the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South
elected Dr. Parker a bishop. He declined. In 1922 he would not allow his name to be put into nomination for bishop, as he preferred to remain working as Dean.
In 1920, Dr. Parker served as Acting Chancellor after Warren A. Candler asked to resign and then as Acting President when Bishop Candler reluctantly resumed the chancellorship for a period of time. In the fall of 1920, Dr. Harvey Warner Cox assumed the office of president for the University.
These criticisms went as far as calling the faculty "heretical." The opposition went so far as to discourage some of the more influential leaders from sending any candidates to Candler early on, yet a larger problem was the inadequate preparation of some of the students.
Parker was married to Minnie Greeves Jones and they had two daughters. Franklin N. Parker died on March 1, 1954 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Candler School of Theology
Candler School of Theology, Emory University, is one of 13 seminaries of the United Methodist Church. Founded in 1914, the school was named after Warren Akin Candler, a former President and Chancellor of Emory University and a Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South...
, serving from 1919 to 1937.
Early life
Franklin Nutting Parker was born in New Orleans, LouisianaLouisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
on May 20, 1867. He was the son of Bishop Linus Parker and Ellen Katherine Burruss Parker. He attended Centenary College
Centenary College of Louisiana
Centenary College of Louisiana is a primarily undergraduate, liberal arts and sciences college in Shreveport, Louisiana. The college is one of the founding members of the Associated Colleges of the South, a pedagogical organization consisting of sixteen Southern liberal arts colleges...
of Louisiana and then Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
. Parker served in churches throughout Louisiana until 1911 when he left to become the Professor of Biblical Literature at Trinity College in Durham, North Carolina (now known as Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
). He taught there for three years until he was sought by Bishop Warren A. Candler to come to the newly founded Candler School of Theology
Candler School of Theology
Candler School of Theology, Emory University, is one of 13 seminaries of the United Methodist Church. Founded in 1914, the school was named after Warren Akin Candler, a former President and Chancellor of Emory University and a Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South...
at Emory University
Emory University
Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...
, where Parker would spend the rest of his life. He occupied the chair of Systematic Theology
Systematic theology
In the context of Christianity, systematic theology is a discipline of Christian theology that attempts to formulate an orderly, rational, and coherent account of the Christian faith and beliefs...
from 1915–1918, and then became Dean of the School in 1919. Parker served as Dean until 1938 when he became Dean Emeritus. He continued teaching, however, until 1942.
Candler
When Dean Durham resigned in November 1918, the chair was held for a month by Dean Howard. Dr. Parker became Dean on January 1, 1919, and served in that position until June, 1937 (he was 71 years old). Like Dean Durham before him, he remained an active member of the faculty until his retirement in 1942 at 81 years of age.In 1918, the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South
Methodist Episcopal Church, South
The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, or Methodist Episcopal Church South, was the so-called "Southern Methodist Church" resulting from the split over the issue of slavery in the Methodist Episcopal Church which had been brewing over several years until it came out into the open at a conference...
elected Dr. Parker a bishop. He declined. In 1922 he would not allow his name to be put into nomination for bishop, as he preferred to remain working as Dean.
In 1920, Dr. Parker served as Acting Chancellor after Warren A. Candler asked to resign and then as Acting President when Bishop Candler reluctantly resumed the chancellorship for a period of time. In the fall of 1920, Dr. Harvey Warner Cox assumed the office of president for the University.
Controversies
Tensions had existed in the Durham administration of Candler School of Theology, but they became a crucial problem for Dean Parker. The liberal leanings of the school and faculty were well known in the institutional church. The church's suspicions of Candler were based primarily on the theological liberalism of Professors Sledd, Smart and Shelton. These professors were committed to a historical critical approach to the bible (commonly known as higher criticism).These criticisms went as far as calling the faculty "heretical." The opposition went so far as to discourage some of the more influential leaders from sending any candidates to Candler early on, yet a larger problem was the inadequate preparation of some of the students.
Parker was married to Minnie Greeves Jones and they had two daughters. Franklin N. Parker died on March 1, 1954 in Atlanta, Georgia.