Christians should demonstrate the kind of love that “does not keep score of flaws,” said Pastor Jan Paulsen in his May 19 address to graduates of Newbold College, United Kingdom. Paulsen, a former principal of the college, was the main speaker for the weekend, which celebrated the graduation of more than 50 students from 22 countries.

In Paulsen’s main address May 18 he pointed to “compassion, forgiveness, and love” as essential ingredients of humility, “the kind of humility that leads to acceptance before God and acceptance of one another.”

“Each should build up the other, rather than please herself or himself,” said Paulsen. In his address to the graduates May 19, Paulsen emphasized that living with flaws is very much part of life. However, he said that to focus on these flaws inevitably has negative consequences, making us judgmental and unloving in our approach. As caring and compassionate Christians, we should rather seek “forgiveness from God and forgive those around us.”

This year marked the first graduation of students from the new Newbold Master of Arts degrees validated by the Open University (UK) in Biblical Studies, Pastoral Studies, and Theological Studies. Another significant first, say college administrators, was the graduation of 26 European Adventist church leaders with an MA in Leadership (Andrews University, United States). This is a new course offered by Newbold College in collaboration with the Campus Adventiste du Salève, France. Those awarded degrees currently hold positions of responsibility as church presidents, treasurers, pastors, departmental directors, and executive secretaries.

“Learning is a lifelong experience,” said Janos Kovacs-Biro, president of the Adventist Church in Tisza, Hungary, and one of the graduates. “I have received tools for accomplishing and fulfilling my call as a pastor and administrator.” Dr. Michael Pearson, director of the MA Leadership program, says the strength of the course is that all the student assignments are “focused on the full-time work which the participants do in the church.”

Other speakers at the graduation included: Mark Warren, the 2002 class president, who graduated magna cum laude; Pastor James Huzzey, retired field secretary and Sabbath School director for the church in the Trans-European region; and, Dr. Laurence Turner, head of the theological studies department at Newbold College.

Founded in 1902, Newbold College is located in Bracknell, England, and provides ministerial, liberal arts, and business training for the Adventist Church in northern Europe.