August 28, 2003

Brandon D. Cline, a student at the Disciples Divinity House of the University of Chicago, has been named the 2003 recipient of the William Gilbert and Florence Leonard Jones Scholarship.

The William Gilbert and Florence Leonard Jones Scholarship is given annually to a full-time student pursuing the degree of Doctor of Philosophy who is either preparing for ordination in, or already ordained in, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and intends to provide leadership to a congregation or other agency of the church. Established through an endowment gift by an anonymous donor, this award aims to recognize and encourage outstanding Disciples preparing for ministry. It also provides a scholarship of $2,000.

Cline, 28, is currently a member of Rock Bridge Christian Church in Columbia, Mo. He earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Missouri-Columbia and his Master of Divinity degree at the University of Chicago. In his Ph.D. studies, Cline is focusing on two areas: How early Christian writers tried to shape the moral lives of readers, and the relationship between oral traditions and written texts in the early church. He expects to graduate in June 2008.

Cline has served congregations in Olathe, Kansas, and Downers Grove, Ill., and was an instructor and mentor at the Duke Youth Academy for Christian Formation. He also served in the Catholic Charities Volunteer Corps in Minneapolis. His wife, Patricia Duncan, is also a divinity student at the University of Chicago.

DHE nurtures transforming leadership for the church, working in partnership with Disciples higher education institutions, campus ministries, congregations, regions, and the other general ministries. Including cooperative efforts with local congregations, DHE helped distribute more than $250,000 in scholarships in 2003. Recognizing students who demonstrate leadership potential, DHE operates the Leadership Fellows Program for undergraduate students and works with the Phillips University Legacy Foundation to award additional annual scholarships to students attending Disciples colleges and universities.