Sunday evening, Brad Braxton took on another trait of the Rev. Martin Luther King - a man many say he will one day rival in influence - as he was ordained at his father's church in Salem.

In a service at God's First Baptist Church marking Braxton's transition into full ministerial authority, the Rev. Kenneth B. Wright expressed the feelings of the 150 or in attendance: "We hope some day to be blessed as recipients of your studies, as you become a great African-American theologian and pastor."

In a sense, Braxton has already fulfilled the great expectations many in his hometown of Salem hold for him.

A Jefferson Scholar at the University of Virginia who graduated with honors last spring, he begins studies as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University in England this fall. He has held the title of the Rev. Brad Braxton and has been preaching as a licentiate or probationary minister for three years.

It is common to hear those who know him express their confident assertion that Braxton will be the next Martin Luther King; that his intelligence, charisma and spirituality are certain to lead him into positions of responsibility and leadership.

Wright, pastor of First Baptist Church at 310 N. Jefferson St. in downtown Roanoke and vice moderator of the Valley Baptist Association of National Baptist churches, led the ordination council for Braxton at his home church, God's First Baptist on Broad Street in Salem.

Braxton was presented for ordination by his pastor and father, the Rev. James A. Braxton.

"Some people say, `Oh, you're following in your father's footsteps,' " Braxton said in an interview last week, but he insists he is not. "We've been able to keep a distance."

That's the way they both want it. In fact, they have their theological differences, Braxton said. He said he places more importance on social ministries - "to make life livable on this side" of heaven.

The church must address issues of "poverty, crime, the dissolution of the family," as part of the spiritual well-being of individuals, Braxton said.

He speaks out boldly about the responsibility of the church to provide more opportunities for women in leadership roles. "I could count on one hand the number of black women ministers" in the Roanoke Valley, he said.

Ironically, one passage of Scripture read during his ordination service was from Paul's first letter to Timothy, in which Paul advised women to be silent and not to teach in church.

During the questioning that followed, Braxton seemed to make an indirect point that Paul also said that all people - "regardless of sex or position" - have fallen away from the divine intention of perfection and that all need the redemption of the church.

But despite whatever generational differences there may be, the overall doctrinal position of father and son is traditional Baptist, as evidenced in the answers Braxton gave to the inquiries of the ordination council.

In the central portion of the service, Braxton sat in front of the audience of representatives from the churches in the valley association and members of his home congregation to be questioned about his qualifications for ordination.

The Rev. Edward T. Burton, pastor of Sweet Union Baptist Church in Roanoke, asked questions about Braxton's certainty of his conversion to Christianity and his calling to ministry; about theological technicalities such as his personal "doctrine of eschatology" or the end times; about his belief in the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ; about his position on baptism - full immersion.

In every case, Braxton answered to the satisfaction of the panel of ordained men in the council. In fact, Burton even teased the men a little about being intimidated by Braxton's learning to the extent that they wouldn't ask him any questions.

Braxton's bachelor's degree from Virginia is in religious studies. He plans to earn a master of philosophy degree from Oxford in New Testament theology.

"I can't wait to study again," Braxton said in the earlier interview. In fact, a lifetime of scholarship as a professor at a seminary is part of his career plan.

He originally had considered continuing at Oxford for his doctorate, but now seems more inclined to return to the United States to study in a seminary such as Duke or Chicago or Yale where he can take advantage of the teaching of leading black theologians.

Braxton's priorities are to finish his doctorate, hope for a call to an inner-city church where he also can get on a tenure-track at a theological seminary, and perhaps one day get involved in some local political activity.

"I don't want to be involved in the hard-core political scene," Braxton said. Rather, he said he hopes to serve in a local government office of some kind. He wouldn't rule out being interested in some kind of ambassadorial role, much as Andrew Young served President Carter at the United Nations.

The loves of his life, though, are ministry and teaching.

"I am happiest when I am doing the work of ministry," he said.

He envisions a day when a family will be a centerpiece of his life as well. A fourth-year student at Virginia, Jessica Sallee, "has been a great asset to my ministry," Braxton said.

She is "every bit my equal intellectually," and has challenged him theologically as well by delivering "very, very tough critiques" of some of his preaching this summer.

This weekend, his peers' critique found his credentials convincing and welcomed him into the full ministerial fellowship of the church.