Tenured • Francis Beckwith, associate professor of church-state studies at Baylor University, in September, following an appeal to the school’s president. Baylor had denied Beckwith tenure in March, a decision that some attributed to his outspoken conservative Christian views on abortion, euthanasia, and the legality of teaching Intelligent Design. Beckwith, vice president of the Evangelical Theological Society, taught at Trinity International University from 1997 to 2002.
Appointed • Larry McKinney, as president of Simpson University. The former executive director of the Association for Biblical Higher Education succeeds James Grant. During Grant’s 13-year presidency, enrollment at the Redding, California, school tripled. McKinney formerly served as president of Providence College and Seminary in Canada.
Died • David Petrescue, 53, senior pastor of Maadi Community Church in Cairo, Egypt, on September 5. Petrescue fell from his apartment building in an accident. Under Petrescue’s leadership since 1992, the church grew from about 150 to 1,500, attracting expatriates from more than 50 countries.
Executed • Three Christian men convicted of leading a mob that killed dozens of Indonesian Muslims in 2000, on September 22. The sentencing of Roman Catholics Fabianus Tibo, Marianus Riwu, and Dominggus Silva incited numerous Christian protests. Many believed the government rushed the case to appease radical Muslims. Following the execution by firing squad, hundreds of Christians rioted, burning cars and government buildings. They also stormed a jail and freed about 200 prisoners in West Timor.
Died • David Seamands, 85, retired professor of pastoral ministries at Asbury Theological Seminary, on July 28. Seamands wrote Healing for Damaged Emotions, a groundbreaking work in Christian counseling and an international bestseller. The longtime senior pastor of Wilmore United Methodist Church in Kentucky, he had earlier served with his wife as a missionary in India.
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Related Elsewhere:
The blog The Reform Club has many links to those discussing the Beckwith dispute, including The Chronicle of Higher Education. Beckwith has his own site with much of his writings.
Simpson University has more on McKinney.
Christianity Today Online covered Petrescue’s death. Maadi Community Church has more on his life.
AsiaNews.it, a Catholic site, has more information on the Indonesia executions and the aftermath. Christianity Today also covered the executions. More articles about Indonesian Christians are available in our Indonesia area. Among the articles are two describing what you can do to help.
Asbury Seminary has an obituary for David Seamands.
