Emerson Stephen Colaw is a retired American Bishop in the United Methodist Church and theologian specializing in homiletics.
Background
Bishop Colaw was born in Chanute, Kansas. He married Jane Elizabeth Curry of East McKeesport, Pennsylvania on August 26, 1942. They have four children: Prudence, Deborah, Marcella, and David.
His wife, Jane, died April 16, 2013.
Education
Colaw earned the Bachelor of Surgery degree in 1944 from the University of Cincinnati. He earned the Bachelor of Divinity degree, magna cum laude, in 1947 from Drew Theological Seminary. He received a Master of Arts degree from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois in 1953.
He has done graduate work at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, and at Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago.
Bishop Colaw received honorary doctorates from five different institutions.
Career
Colaw was first elected as bishop in 1980. Ordained a Deacon in 1945 by Bishop H. Lester Smith, and an Elder in 1947 by Bishop G. Bromley Oxnam, Review Colaw became a Member in Full Connection of the New York Annual Conference of the Methodist Church in 1947.
That fall, however, he transferred to the Northern Illinois Annual Conference, where he served three different pastorates over a fourteen-year period.
lieutenant was from this appointment Review Colaw was elected to the Episcopacy by the North Central Jurisdictional Conference of the U.M. Church, July 1980.
Review Colaw was a Jurisdictional and General Conference delegate 1968-1980.
As a Bishop he served on the General Board of Discipleship, the General Council on Finance and Administration, the General Board of Higher and Ministry, and as Chairperson of the Commission to Study the Mission of the Church during the 1984-1988 quadrennium. Bishop Colaw has been the recipient of numerous ecumenical awards.
He retired in 1988. He then became Professor of Homiletics and Christian Ministry at United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio, 1988-1999.
He also was the Acting President of the Seminary, 1995-1996. He also relaxes with golf, reading, and for many years was active in Rotary International.
He has authored many books and pamphlets and more than forty magazine articles
Membership
He also was a member of the General Conference Commission on Doctrine and Doctrinal Standards.