Duncan Memorial United Methodist Church and Randolph-Macon College will host the third-annual lecture in honor of the late Ira L. Andrews III ’59. The Ira Andrews Lecture Series pays homage to Andrews, a beloved Randolph-Macon professor and dean of students who died in 2012.

RMC will welcome Dr. Roberta Bondi, who will present “Prayer in the Desert: What we Learn About Love and Prayer from the Early Church” at 6 p.m. on March 12, 2017 in the sanctuary of Duncan Memorial United Methodist Church (201 Henry Street, on the campus of Randolph-Macon College). The lecture is free and open to the public, and a reception will follow.

Dr. Roberta Bondi
Bondi is Professor Emerita of Church History at Candler School of Theology, Emory University. A writer, speaker and retreat leader, she is also a faculty member of The Upper Room’s Academy for Spiritual Formation.

A prolific writer, Bondi is the author of nine books, including her latest, a book of reflections and poetry on the death of her mother: Wild Things: Poems of Grief and Love, Loss and Gratitude. Her other books include To Love as God Loves, Memories of God: Theological Reflections on a Life, and To Pray and to Love: Conversations with the Desert Fathers.

Bondi earned a bachelor’s degree from Southern Methodist University and completed two years of study at Perkins School of Theology. She earned her M.A. and Ph.D. from Oxford University.

Ira L. Andrews III ’59
Ira L. Andrews was a cherished member of the RMC community for more than 50 years.

As a student, Andrews was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society and was a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, Clericus and the RMC Glee Club. After graduating from RMC and earning a Master of Divinity degree from Candler School of Theology at Emory University, he returned to his alma mater as a professor of religious studies and was later appointed to serve as Dean of Students, a role that he held for 35 years.

Andrews was instrumental in leading students through difficult times such as the Vietnam War era and worked admirably through historic milestones, including the college’s change from an all-male campus to a co-educational one. Andrews served under five RMC presidents.

Andrews was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humanities Degree from Randolph-Macon during its 2010 Commencement ceremony. That same year, Andrews’ contributions to the college were celebrated at a dedication ceremony to commemorate a seating area established in his name, which is positioned along the Janet Harvey Trivette ’78 Alumni Walkway. In 2011, the college celebrated the dedication of Andrews Hall, a residence for freshmen named in honor of Andrews.

The 2015 inaugural Ira Andrews lecture featured Luke Timothy Johnson, the Robert W. Woodruff Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins at Candler School of Theology, Emory University. The 2016 lecture featured Dr. R. Kendall Soulen of Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C.