Heart & Mind
A Lasting
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| When Ralph Hammond, Bethel Seminary associate professor of pastoral care and director of multicultural affairs, died on October 3, 2004, Christ-centered higher education lost a unique and groundbreaking voice in the reconciliation efforts to which Bethel University is so firmly committed. More than that, Bethel lost a friend and mentor-someone who not only taught reconciliation, but also lived it in practical ways. In his passionate pursuit of unity in the Bethel community, in churches, and in the world, Ralph Hammond left a lasting and living legacy. |
Hammond began his ministry as a Sunday school superintendent at a Baptist church in Lorain, Ohio, where he also attended Lorain Community College from 1964 to 1966. Then he and his wife Mary-who is associate professor of education at Bethel’s College of Arts & Sciences-founded Bible Baptist Mission, an evangelistic outreach that met in their home. Within five years the outreach grew into Grace Community Church, where Hammond served as senior pastor until 1991. During that time, Hammond also pursued his education, receiving a B.A. from Malone College in Canton, Ohio, in 1969; an M.Ed. from Cleveland State University in 1971; and an M.A. from Ashland Theological Seminary, Ashland, Ohio, in 1981. In addition, he served as associate professor of social sciences at Lorain Community College from 1969 to 1991. In 2001, he completed his D.Min. from Ashland Theological Seminary.
“The Hardest Job at Bethel”
In 1991, Hammond arrived at Bethel Seminary to begin what would become the remainder of his life’s work. As director of multicultural affairs, he made an immediate impact in developing services and programming to meet the needs of the seminary’s multicultural students. But as the first African-American faculty among white peers, his job was, in the opinion of Executive Director and Provost Leland Eliason, “the hardest job at Bethel.” According to Eliason, the “issues of racism surrounding multicultural commitments are difficult to overcome. Blatant racist confrontations, though very painful, are easier to deal with than racism fueled by ignorance, passivity, and reluctance to change the status quo. Ralph lived out 14 years at Bethel in a context where racist patterns in attitudes and behavior arose from all these sources and more.”
Amid often adverse conditions, Hammond’s courageous yet gentle spirit flowed through the community, affecting students, faculty, and staff in far-reaching ways. According to Eliason, “Sometimes Ralph was a prophet-forcing us to look in a mirror. Conflict accompanies prophetic ministries and Ralph was willing to bear the pain of disagreement when he saw or felt an injustice. Sometimes Ralph was a bridge-builder-linking arms with us on one side and with a friend, colleague, student, or other professionals on the other. Sometimes Ralph was a humorist, doing or saying things that were enormously funny. Sometimes Ralph was an encourager. He wrote notes and made appointments just to say ‘thank you,’ paused to say kind words in hallway conversations, and voiced praise or affirmation in public settings.”
The Face of Bethel
In addition, Hammond was the face of Bethel to many multicultural churches, both locally and nationally. “Ralph was one of the most faithful and proactive representatives of Bethel in our churches, particularly our churches of color,” said Ralph Gustafson, Bethel University director of church ministries. “He preached and shared about Bethel several times a month, and developed close relationships with several churches here in Minnesota and throughout the Midwest. He donated all of his honoraria to the seminary’s minority scholarship fund and encouraged all the churches in which he ministered to support Bethel and this scholarship fund in particular.”
Hammond displayed this same commitment and advocacy among churches in San Diego. John Lillis, dean and executive officer at Bethel Seminary San Diego, called him “a tireless advocate for this campus to the church community in San Diego” and said that Hammond “played a significant role in opening doors into the African-American church for Bethel Seminary San Diego.” Currently almost 40 percent of the students at the San Diego campus are students of color, and Lillis stressed that Hammond “was instrumental in that development.” Ever a bridge-builder, Hammond connected with numerous San Diego churches, amazing Lillis with “the number of San Diego churches he had visited and the number of pastors who both knew him and counted him as a friend.” One of these friends is Bishop George McKinney, pastor of St. Stephen’s Church of God in Christ, a leading African-American pastor in San Diego, and a former finalist for the Chaplain of the U.S. Senate position, who is now a fervent and ongoing Bethel supporter in the community.
As an associate professor, Hammond daily influenced students in the classroom, forcing them to think through issues of racism, privilege, unity, and reconciliation in ways they had never previously considered. One student called his Urban Ministry class “Conviction 101” and suggested that “every Caucasian woman from the suburbs at seminary should be required to take it!” Former student Dayna Taylor cited Hammond’s Culture and Ministry class as an example of his ability to draw students into thinking about reconciliation issues in new ways. “The thing that hit me the hardest was what he taught us about white (and male) privilege,” she said. “A lot of us had never even thought about that before…I felt such sadness that other people, created by God in His image, are mistreated because of the color of their skin. I also felt such sadness because I do not deserve to be treated any better.”
His Most Lasting Gift
While Hammond’s innovative contributions have permanently changed the nature of Bethel’s reconciliation efforts, Hammond himself would be the first to say that they are not the most significant part of his legacy. Following his heart attack on September 20, 2004, and his death 13 days later, remembrances from students, colleagues, and acquaintances poured in. One student poignantly recalled that Hammond’s last words to him were, “It’s not what you do that’s important; it’s how you live.” It was in living that Hammond graciously gave his most lasting gift.
Far from merely preaching and teaching reconciliation, Hammond modeled what he taught. Jane Spriggs, an M.Div. student, said that she learned plenty of course content from Hammond, but she “learned more by being with him as we students drove around the Twin Cities-from his humble, kind relationships with pastors and agency personnel to the stories of his church- and community-building activities, past and present, to the reconciliation he lived out each day with students and his family. Ralph Hammond modeled God’s heart for reconciliation to me.”
Ralph Hammond challenged
his students to think through
issues of racism, privilege,
unity, and reconciliation
in ways they had never
previously considered.
Former student Kettly Benoit called Hammond “a mentor, an advocate who consistently supported racial differences in students and positively modeled racial harmony on campus.” A coworker, Harold Stephenson, summed up Hammond’s influence this way: “The legacy of Brother Ralph will be his enthusiasm for unity first in the churches, then for us in the Bethel community, and ultimately those who represent Christ throughout the earth.”
Ralph Hammond walked the talk. He was also willing to walk alongside his students and colleagues on their everyday journeys. “He was the most personable professor I ever had in my seminary path,” said Dayna Taylor. “He was always so concerned for his students and cared so deeply.” Student Yvette House said Hammond always greeted students with “a warm smile and a handshake that encouraged you to keep on keeping on.” Student Lena Dennis called Hammond her “spiritual father at school,” someone she could share her hurts and disappointments with. “We prayed often,” she continued, “…and he would always have me leaving with laughter, hope, and the assurance that I would make it through [seminary].”
Colleagues too were touched by his warmth and authenticity. Harold Stephenson mentioned Hammond’s knack for knowing when someone was carrying a burden and “being there to listen. He was there as well to willingly walk with you through a difficult time.” John Lillis said that when he joined the Bethel family in 2001, he “found in Ralph an instant friend and kindred spirit. He was a valued and precious friend.” And Ralph Gustafson often heard from pastors who appreciated Hammond’s “friendly, warm, and caring spirit. He always displayed a servant’s heart and made you feel that he was truly your friend.”
More than his accomplishments, more than his contributions, even more than his efforts toward unity and peace, Ralph Hammond has left a legacy of love and commitment to genuine reconciliation in the hearts of those who knew him. “The cumulative impact of his life with us over nearly a decade and a half together was enormous,” said Provost Eliason. “His legacy makes progress on the pathway to embody the reconciling love of Christ both easier and clearer for the rest of us.” Steve Scheller, an M.Div. student, called Hammond “a prophet whose impact will be felt for generations to come in the lives of his students and those his students lead.” Student C.R. Maynard concluded, “I will miss him greatly, but I can try to live up to his legacy-embodying hospitality, encouragement, and most importantly, the love of Christ.” That’s exactly the kind of legacy Hammond would be proud to have left behind. •
Ralph Hammond is survived by his wife Mary, mother Mrs. Lila Miller, sister Mrs. Shirley Webster, and three sons, Ralph Jr., Timothy, and David.