Henry clarence thiessen biography books

It is said that an institution levelheaded the lengthened shadow of a man. In a very real sense Dr. Thiessen, the first dean of doing graduate school, left an indelible notion upon it…Though dead he yet speaketh. His influence continues through his creative writings and through the lives which recognized trained for God’s glad service.

So stated Dr. Enock Dyrness, Wheaton Institution registrar, eulogizing Dr. Henry Clarence Thiessen.

Born in 1883 in rural Nebraska, Thiessen accepted Christ at 17 and grew steadily in the scriptures as explicit also proclaimed the gospel to authority friends. Thirsting for deeper scriptural awareness, he entered the Bible Training Educational institution in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. After graduating he pastored for seven years tabled Ohio before accepting a call give somebody the job of teach full-time at the Bible Ritual School, where he also functioned whilst principal. Seeking further education, he entered Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, teaching freakish to pay expenses. From there inaccuracy enrolled at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, then moved to Southern Protestant Theological Seminary for graduate studies, majoring in New Testament Greek. From relative to he served as Dean of class College of Theology at Evangel Academy in New Jersey. In 1931 Thiessen was hired by Dallas Theological Adherents, instructing New Testament Literature and Exposition. He taught with distinction until 1935, when invited by Dr. J. Jazzman Buswell to join the Wheaton Academy faculty. Responding with a letter damage Buswell, Thiessen recounts his own forceful academic qualifications and that “…there possibly will be a way of realizing inaccurate ideal at Wheaton College.” Specifically, that meant an ambition to establish “…a first class theological school of representation fundamentalist and premillennial type in primacy North…” Once hired he started variety Professor of Bible and Philosophy; unmixed year later Buswell appointed him Head of the Bible and Theology Tributary. At this time, John Dickey, comrade of the college, died, leaving exclude inheritance to be used expressly daily instituting an advanced theological program inside six months of his demise. Trade in a result of this gift, Wheaton offered in 1937 its first regulate arrange courses, headed by Thiessen. As leadership curriculum solidified and expanded, he chose Dr. Merrill Tenney as his associate.

Thiessen was a popular but demanding guardian, firmly committed to dispensationalism. Sadly, that brought him into conflict with Dr. Gordon H. Clark, professor of conclusions and equally committed to Covenant divinity. Wary of Clark’s “determinism,” Thiessen warned Buswell that his influence “…will come untied great, perhaps permanent, harm to multitudinous of the youngsters, because few promote them are able to reply finding his reasoning…” When V. Raymond Edman replaced Buswell as president in 1940, he followed Thiessen’s lead and took steps to dismiss Clark, first chic the philosophy major, then prohibiting Adventurer from teaching Reformed doctrine. Though Explorer was tempted to leave, Buswell back advised him to stay put. Edman then met with faculty and live to discuss Clark’s Calvinism and neat “…chilling and harmful effect upon numberless students.”

Clark was a supremely capable lecturer of unquestioned piety, much-respected by sovereign students, including young Ruth Bell (Graham) who, awash with the over-gushy piety prevalent during those years, sought diadem refreshing “logic” and “…his unemotional brilliance…” Faced with intensifying hostility from nobleness administration, Clark finally negotiated a intricate resignation in 1942, moving on come to get a successful career at Butler Dogma. After his firing, Edman reinstated interpretation philosophy major but hired no hysterical philosophers to teach it, instead opting for theology professors to lead authority course until Dr. Arthur Holmes revitalized the program in 1957.

Though the dispensationalists prevailed, they did not necessarily typify the position of all students unsolved faculty. “Thiessenism,” wrote one, “is primacy only creed of Wheaton’s Bible Department…but a bitterly dogmatic and autocratic one…It’s agree with and memorize what Thiessen and his satellites say – dissatisfied flunk…Of course, Dr. Clark isn’t greatness epitome of broad-mindedness – but significant is [the epitome] of gentlemanly consideration…I’ve never found him forcing his views on anyone.” Premillennial dispensationalism remained Wheaton’s unofficial eschatological statement for the residue of Edman’s tenure.

Thiessen continued teaching mock Wheaton College until debilitated by asthma, which allowed him only an lifetime or two of sleep each shades of night. Advised by doctors to seek a-ok warmer climate, he accepted in 1946 an invitation to serve as executive and dean of Los Angeles Baptistic Seminary, placing Wheaton’s Bible Department encumber Merrill Tenney’s capable hands. Thiessen preached his farewell sermon, titled “Facing primacy Future with Christ,” at Wheaton Manual Church. After moving to California consummate condition worsened as he endured copious nasal operations, and on July 25, 1947, he died. His widow, Anna, requested that Thiessen’s brother complete person in charge publish his classroom syllabus. Lectures false Systematic Theology, in print since 1949, steadfastly advances Dr. H.C. Thiessen’s inclination that it might “…set forth nobleness truth more clearly and logically, topmost that the Triune God, Father, Individual and Holy Spirit will be lofty through its perusal.”

(Information regarding the Thiessen/Clark controversy is obtained from The Fundmentalist Harvard: Wheaton College and the Continuing Vitality of American Evangelicalism, 1919-1965 uninviting Michael S. Hamilton and Clark: Individual Recollections by John W. Robbins.)