No one better

Avondale Seminary celebrates legacy of Norman Young

Avondale has honoured a long-serving academic and “impeccable scholar” with the publication of a book and the first conferral of a new honorary title.

No One Better: Essays In Honour of Dr Norman H Young is a collection of refereed papers celebrating the academic achievements and interests of the college of higher education’s first conjoint associate professor.

In his introduction, co-editor Associate Professor Robert McIver notes the qualities that contributed to Young’s success as a scholar. “He is meticulous in attention to detail, and relentlessly pursues evidence to support or disprove a position without fear or favour.” A “loyal” member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, this did not prevent Young from “applying his searching gaze to distinctive aspects of Adventist theology and biblical understanding.”

Dr Barry Oliver, the former president of the Adventist Church in the South Pacific, spoke during a surprise presentation of the book this past Thursday (March 10). He described Young as “a man of great integrity who always speaks truthfully and honestly, a man who doesn’t weigh the consequences but simply speaks what is right.”

Avondale Seminary Head Dr Kayle de Waal, who organised the presentation, remembered visiting Young at his home in Cooranbong. “When he popped out, I actually pinched myself a couple of times. Am I really sitting here in Dr Norman Young’s personal library?”

A former colleague, Dr Steven Thompson, new not only to Avondale but also to Australia at the time, remembered Young as being the “ranking member” of the seminary. “I felt vulnerable,” he said during the presentation. “Norm could have given me a hard time, but he has always been the complete gentleman.”

Vice-President (Academic and Research) Professor Anthony Williams described Young more formally as conjoint associate professor. Young is the first to receive what will be the standard honorary academic title at Avondale. It acknowledges his leadership, publication record and membership of the Society for New Testament Studies, an international society of New Testament scholars.

Continuing a new tradition, the bell in College Hall rang to mark the conferral.

Young, attending the presentation outside Bethel Hall on the Lake Macquarie campus with wife Elizabeth, responded with characteristic humour. “We are just blown away,” he said. “Some of the language sounded as if I were on the point of death. As far I know, I’m in reasonable health. My birthday’s not till next month, and it’s not the big eight o, so I expect another affirmation and another free lunch, for all of us, in two years’ time.”

An Avondale academic from 1973 to 2004, Young spoke highly of his colleagues. “I cannot think of one incident over that 30 years where there was any conflict. Yes, we didn’t always agree with each other, but I don’t ever remember anything disagreeable.”

Published by Peter Lang Publishing and edited by de Waal and McIver, No One Better explores topics ranging from the Old Testament and the New Testament to mission, sociology of religion, identity and Adventist Church history.

Those honouring Young with a chapter include Dr Jon Paulien, Dean of the School of Religion at Loma Linda University (California, USA), Avondale academics Drs Rick Ferret, David Tasker and Thompson, former senior lecturer in Old Testament Dr Ross Cole and Dr John Skrzypaszek, Director of Ellen G White Seventh-day Adventist Research Centre on the Lake Macquarie campus. Former Newbold College of Higher Education Faculty of Theology Chair Dr Laurence Turner also contributes a chapter, as does Associate Professor David Thiele from the School of Theology at Pacific Adventist University.