Dean Drayton
Encyclopedia
Rev. Dr. Prof. Dean Drayton B.Sc.(Hons), B.D., Ph.D. (b. 1941) is a minister of the Uniting Church in Australia
, and was President of the UCA Assembly from July 2003 to July 2006. He lectures on a part-time basis in Missiology
at Sydney
's United Theological College (UTC).
in 1941. Dean spent his childhood growing up in the suburbs of Adelaide. Dean has received a B.Sc (Hons) at the University of Adelaide
, B.D. at the Melbourne College of Divinity
, and the Ph.D. at the Chicago Theological Seminary
.
A former geophysicist
, Dean was ordained as a Minister of the Word in 1969 in Kent Town, South Australia
. He served as a Minister in three congregations, two in South Australia and one in the United States. He then worked as a Consultant for Evangelism
for the South Australian Synod
for five years followed by 16 years as the Executive Director of the Board of Mission in the New South Wales
Synod. Dean was the Moderator of the New South Wales Synod Oct 1995 – Oct 1996 and had Pilgrims of the Cosmos published in 1996. During 1997, he spent time as a visiting Professor in Evangelism at the Southern Methodist University's
Perkins School of Theology
in Dallas, Texas
. In 1999 he was appointed Lecturer
in Theology
: Missiology
and Evangelism, at the United Theological College in Sydney
, where he is a member of the Adjunct Faculty (2010).
Dean has been a member of the UCA's Assembly National Mission and Evangelism Committee from 1985 to 1998, and a member of the Standing Committee since 1991. He has traveled widely in Australia
practicing evangelism and mission, worked extensively with the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Congress and, with the NSW Synod Pacific Island Council and Synod Korea
n Advisory Council.
He was President of the Uniting Church in Australia from July 2003 to July 2006, at a time when there was controversy over the church's position on male and female homosexual
Christians, particularly clergy
, and took a conciliatory leadership role.
He is an extensively published author, since 1981.
Uniting Church in Australia
The Uniting Church in Australia was formed on 22 June 1977 when many congregations of the Methodist Church of Australasia, the Presbyterian Church of Australia and the Congregational Union of Australia came together under the Basis of Union....
, and was President of the UCA Assembly from July 2003 to July 2006. He lectures on a part-time basis in Missiology
Missiology
Missiology is the area of practical theology that investigates the mandate, message, and mission of the Christian church, especially the nature of missionary work...
at Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
's United Theological College (UTC).
Biography
Rodney Dean Drayton was born in Whyalla, South AustraliaSouth Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
in 1941. Dean spent his childhood growing up in the suburbs of Adelaide. Dean has received a B.Sc (Hons) at the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
, B.D. at the Melbourne College of Divinity
Melbourne College of Divinity
The Melbourne College of Divinity is a theological education organisation located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.The MCD is an ecumenical consortium of a number of theological colleges from a number of denominations...
, and the Ph.D. at the Chicago Theological Seminary
Chicago Theological Seminary
The Chicago Theological Seminary is a seminary of the United Church of Christ. It prepares women and men for leadership in the church and society through Master of Divinity , Master of Arts in Religious Studies , Master of Sacred Theology , Doctor of Ministry , and Doctor of Philosophy programs...
.
A former geophysicist
Geophysics
Geophysics is the physics of the Earth and its environment in space; also the study of the Earth using quantitative physical methods. The term geophysics sometimes refers only to the geological applications: Earth's shape; its gravitational and magnetic fields; its internal structure and...
, Dean was ordained as a Minister of the Word in 1969 in Kent Town, South Australia
Kent Town, South Australia
Kent Town is an inner urban suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters.-History:The suburb was named after Dr Benjamin Archer Kent, who established a farm and flour mill on which the suburb now stands.....
. He served as a Minister in three congregations, two in South Australia and one in the United States. He then worked as a Consultant for Evangelism
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
for the South Australian Synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
for five years followed by 16 years as the Executive Director of the Board of Mission in the New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
Synod. Dean was the Moderator of the New South Wales Synod Oct 1995 – Oct 1996 and had Pilgrims of the Cosmos published in 1996. During 1997, he spent time as a visiting Professor in Evangelism at the Southern Methodist University's
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
Perkins School of Theology
Perkins School of Theology
Perkins School of Theology is one of Southern Methodist University's three original schools. The theology school was renamed in 1945 to honor benefactors Joe J...
in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
. In 1999 he was appointed Lecturer
Lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
in Theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
: Missiology
Missiology
Missiology is the area of practical theology that investigates the mandate, message, and mission of the Christian church, especially the nature of missionary work...
and Evangelism, at the United Theological College in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, where he is a member of the Adjunct Faculty (2010).
Dean has been a member of the UCA's Assembly National Mission and Evangelism Committee from 1985 to 1998, and a member of the Standing Committee since 1991. He has traveled widely in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
practicing evangelism and mission, worked extensively with the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Congress and, with the NSW Synod Pacific Island Council and Synod Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n Advisory Council.
He was President of the Uniting Church in Australia from July 2003 to July 2006, at a time when there was controversy over the church's position on male and female homosexual
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
Christians, particularly clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
, and took a conciliatory leadership role.
He is an extensively published author, since 1981.