By By Adrienne McKenzie
Dr. Ted Mashburn with the University of Mobile filled the minds of Atmore residents with the importance of growing spiritually Thursday evening at Trinity Episcopal Church.
"The theme of my talk was spiritual maturity," Mashburn said. "We are literally trying to move toward this thing called spiritual maturity. I'm trying to stimulate some thinking."
At the beginning of Mashburn's theology lesson at the church, he read two passages from the Bible, 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 and Hebrews 5:12-14. He said the two groups of scriptures tied together the theme of his lecture: "From milk to meat: Towards maturity in Christian believing."
"It is my belief that one of the most pressing problems is the question of Christian maturity," Mashburn said. "The Biblical challenge is to grow up. This lecture is an attempt to take the challenge of spiritual maturity seriously."
Mashburn said he has completed several manuscripts on the theme of spiritual maturity and that "From milk to meat" represents conversations individuals have with the Bible.
"Milk to meat is a metaphor for a journey that we continue to travel," Mashburn said. "Spiritual maturity is a journey, not a final destination. If I stimulate some of you to think through some of these matters, I've done my job."
Mashburn said his time in Atmore was a good experience, not only at Trinity Episcopal Church, but also with some old acquaintances.
"I think it was fairly successful," Mashburn said. "I thought the people were attentive. We had a good Q&A time. I have about eight million cousins in Atmore! When I was little I probably spent a lot of time bugging my first cousins in Atmore. It was good to get back. It's the first time I've been back to Atmore, because of (traveling on) I-65, in a number of years. I reacquainted with (Rev.) Sandra Mayer and others."
The Rev. Sandra Mayer at Trinity Episcopal Church had nothing but good things to say about Mashburn.
"Dr. Ted Mashburn is a leading theologian in this area," Mayer said in an interview last week. "I appreciate and value his theology and his understanding and presentation of Christian theology. He always makes a good presentation of how we are to grow spiritually."
Mayer said that many Christians are still needing to mature in their Christianity and that Mashburn has a way of informing people how to do so.
"Most of us are still in junior high in our Christian journey," she said. "He can help us in progressing into high school. He gives us the opportunity to examine how we can grow spiritually. He's very challenging in his presentation of the gospel. I think he's a treat."
Mashburn is from Bay Minette. He graduated from Baldwin County High School and then attended Livingston University on a four-year athletic scholarship. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in social science.
The theologian has contributed articles and presented reports on different subject matters including fundamentalism, spirituality, Greek poets, early and Medieval Christian writers and on the nature of theology. He is now working on a compilation of essays on the topic of Spiritual maturity. He is married to Rene' and they currently live in Fairhope.