Samford University’s Beeson Divinity School celebrated its spring service of commencement and consecration May 1, honoring 20 members of the Class of 2026.
Shady Anis, principal of St. Athanasius Provincial Seminary and president of Alexandria School of Theology in Egypt, delivered the commencement sermon, a message from Hebrews 10:1-18 titled “Where True Joys Are to Be Found.”
In his sermon, Anis reminded graduates to find their assurance in the finished work of Christ and not to be drawn to find their identity in their work.
“The problem with the first readers of Hebrews is that they were looking for assurance in a face other than the face of Christ,” Anis said. “With all the persecution around them, with all the hardships around them, it became very easy for them to lean on what’s tangible, lean on a slain lamb in front of them, than to believe in a promise. This is innate to the human condition. Don’t we all long for assurance? Don’t we all try to climb the ladder?”
The message from Hebrews 10, Anis said, is that the grace and favor we long for is here for us in Christ.
“The graceful face we long to see, the favor and approval we are tirelessly climbing up to grasp, the glory, the forgiveness, reconciliation... all is complete and available down here, where the Word became flesh,” Anis said.
Anis encouraged graduates to ground their ministry in the finished work of Christ.
“The only way to do ministry is with a joyful heart,” Anis said.
This semester’s Master of Arts in Theological Studies graduates are:
- Britton Johnson (who also earned his Juris Doctor from Cumberland School of Law)
- Dennis Pearman
- Allison Marie Wise
This semester’s Master of Divinity graduates are:
- Levi A. Bailey
- Caroline Grace Bass
- Mason Christian Campbell
- Samuel Pierce Cooper (also earned missions certificate)
- Ian Samuel Davison (also earned missions certificate)
- Seth Aaron Enget (also earned Anglican certificate)
- John Mark Haase (also earned missions and Anglican certificate)
- Luke Thomas Johnson
- Evan Joseph Keene
- Noah Scott McCallum
- Anthony Quazon Minifee
- Tucker Kevin Norman
- Jeremiah Titus Reeves
- Noah Glen Speigle
- Sean Gerard Walsh
- Joshua Franklin Warren
- Stefanie Bell Whisenant