Gerald Liu 04T

It was my senior year in college. I was a business school student who became a music major and I wanted to be an investment banker, or a rockstar, or both. Yet I applied to the Candler School of Theology at Emory because my friend Matt Miofsky 02T, who was a year ahead of me, had chosen to study there after graduation.

Initially, Matt encouraged me to apply to an array of masters programs in theology across the country. I figured, ‘why not?’ My other option was to strike it out as a working musician. One of the applications I submitted was an application to Emory.

One afternoon, I received a voicemail on a cassette tape answering machine (!) in the house I was renting with four other guys. Tracy Gartmann 94T, an admissions officer at Candler left a voicemail wondering why I had not applied for any scholarships. Financial aid was a separate application at that time. She asked that I call her back. I did. I explained that I had not applied for financial aid because I was unsure if I actually wanted to study theology. (At the time, I thought scholarship money should go to someone with more intention. I was simply experimenting to see what programs would accept me, and then I'd discern from there.) She asked if she could fax an application for a particular fellowship - the Woodruff Fellowship - to me. She also explained the deadline has passed two weeks ago.

'Could I complete the application as soon as I received it and send it back the next day.' she asked. I did not have a fax machine. I suggested that she send it to the admissions office of my undergraduate institution. I picked up the fax, contacted a jazz professor who was at a late night gig, and started on the essay. My professor finished the letter of reference around 2:00am. I completed the essay not long after. I faxed the materials back as soon as the admissions office reopened.

Tracy called a week later. She expressed appreciation for my efforts but said that Candler had decided to move in a different direction. I thought, ‘no big deal. I'm not sure I want to study theology anyway.’ Another week passed. Tracy called again. Someone had dropped out of the process. Would I be interested in flying to Emory for an interview? The interview date fell during my spring break. ‘Sure!’

Tracy connected me with a university travel agent. After landing, I was whisked to the Emory Conference Center Hotel with a group of other Woodruff finalists. I looked around and after making small talk, soon realized I was way out of my league. The other finalists were attorneys, a professor, a missionary from the Dominican Republic, a protégé of a world famous church historian, and so on. I had taken one class in the history of Judaism. We were wined and dined. I met outstanding faculty such as Mary Elizabeth Moore, Luke Timothy Johnson, and Joy McDougall. The interviews were held on the fourth and last day after a walk through Lullwater Preserve. I flew back later that afternoon.

Tracy called not long after I arrived back at my house share. I had been awarded the Woodruff Fellowship. I do not like to associate windfall as divine intervention. But it was one of the clearest moments of calling in my life.I was being led to Emory. Since the Woodruff, I have studied theology in Germany, served churches in greater Atlanta, and worked as a British Methodist Minister. I’m ordained in the United Methodist Church. I also completed a PhD in religion (homiletics and liturgics = 'preaching and worship'). I last taught at Princeton Theological Seminary. I have just concluded serving as a denominational officer for the United Methodist Church.

After more than twenty years of professional pastoral ministry, theological education, and church bureaucracy across 6 continents - the only vocational path I've had so far - it all began with Tracy’s voicemail and willingness from the Woodruff selection committee to take a chance on an Asian American Mississippian who originally wanted to 'rock and roll' or 'make bank.' I am forever grateful.

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