Pastors throughout North America have studied Greek and New Testament interpretation from Madelynn Jones Haldeman, a member of the religion faculty at La Sierra University from 1967-1997. Colleagues, former students, friends, and family celebrated her life during a memorial service on Feb. 5 at the LSU church. Haldeman, 79, succumbed to complications of cancer Jan. 28.
“Few professors have done more to get their students to think critically and to value the Scriptures, when correctly interpreted, as a guide for life,” said Larry Geraty, LSU president.
“A superb teacher, she led hundreds of students into deeper insights into Scripture’s meaning in early Christian times and in our times today,” commented John R. Jones, dean of the LSU School of Religion. “She also brought valuable sociological and feminist perspectives to the text.”
Her life-long advocacy for women in ministry came naturally. Growing up in Pennsylvania, she was stirred by the preaching of Sister King and admired women serving as paid conference leaders. When she enrolled at Washington Missionary College in 1944, half of her freshman theology classmates were women. One of her college religion teachers, Maybelle Vandermark, had been a pastor in Virginia in the 1930s. In 1949, Madelynn completed an M.A. in systematic theology and biblical languages at the Adventist Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C.
Gap in Adventist History
Then, silently, doors that had been open to women began to close. Although early Adventists had encouraged and licensed women as pastors and evangelists, Haldeman lived through a 50-year gap in Adventist history in which women became invisible and their talents were valued far less than men’s.
In 1973, she was among 25 members of the General Conference “Council on the Role of Women in the Church,” held at the Ohio Conference’s Camp Mohaven. The council recommended that women become full partners in the church’s life and ministry. In 1988, she became the second woman to earn the rigorous doctorate of theology degree (Th.D.) at Andrews University.
When the Southeastern California Conference established the Gender Inclusiveness Commission in 1989, Haldeman was a key member. “Madelynn was a strong and abiding force, a source of strength for us as we met month by month,” recalls Penny Miller, commission chair, member of the conference executive committee and a professor of nursing at Loma Linda University. “She was wise in finding ways to work with local churches, the conference and higher organizations to seek full gender inclusiveness.”
In 1995, the Association of Adventist Women honored her as Woman of the Year. That same year she was among the first six women to be ordained to gospel ministry by a local congregation, in her case, the La Sierra University Church.
Haldeman’s vision and initiative led to opening the LSU Women’s Resource Center (WRC) in 1997, a first for an Adventist campus. One of the center’s most popular events is the annual “Women and the Word” seminar. A thought-provoking portion of the seminar often came as she and her colleague, Ginger Hanks Harwood, dialogued on the art of biblical exegesis. Penny Shell, WRC director, summed it up: “Madelynn railed against injustice and prejudice, and she was thrilled about the gracious Word of God, rightly understood.”
Madelynn Jones Haldeman is survived by her sister, Nancy Wall, of Naples, Fla.; son Joel Haldeman, daughter Kimberlee Haldeman-Fry, and grandchildren, Tiffany and Casey Fry, all of Riverside, Calif.
