Earlier this week, Hunter Baker was the Evangel messenger to announce that Ken Starr will become the next president at Baylor University. Permit me to announce that Philip Graham Ryken will become the eighth president at Wheaton College. The Chairman of the Board of Trustees wrote: “The unanimous vote reflects our deep confidence in Dr. Ryken’s ability to articulate and exemplify the College’s mission, and our conviction that he will provide strong academic and Christ-centered leadership for this new chapter in the life of Wheaton College, as well as in the academy at large.”
I share this “deep confidence.” Dr. Ryken continues the pastor-scholar model of leadership, which promises to guide the College in matters of the heart and the head. As the senior minister at the historic Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia and council member of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, Dr. Ryken will uphold evangelical heritage of the College. As a worldwide speaker and teacher, he will preach what philosopher Carl Raschke calls “the joyful inevitability of the coming GloboChrist.”
When I reflected on the eve of the next presidency, I claimed that what matters for the future of Evangelicalism matters for the future of the College: what are we doing to hasten the eschaton? Dr. Ryken has the intellectual and spiritual fitness to equip the heirs of Jonathan Blanchard in this vital task.
February 21st, 2010 | 4:41 pm | #1
May the grace and mercy of Christ attend his service with every blessing!
February 22nd, 2010 | 12:39 am | #2
“I claimed that what matters for the future of Evangelicalism matters for the future of the College: what are we doing to hasten the eschaton?”
Do you think the rapture will occur within the tenure of President Ryken? May it be so!
But then it wouldn’t make a lot of sense to enroll at Wheaton College, would it?
February 22nd, 2010 | 1:13 am | #3
Actually I don’t, I’m a non-believer, so the only eschaton I’m familiar with is the blog. But I was going for laughter, so that’s good. If you’d indulge me, I’d gladly read a primer on it, from you or from a link. Thanks.
February 22nd, 2010 | 9:41 am | #4
It appears at first glance that this is a victory for the TR (truly reformed) wing of the evangelical party. I know nothing of the man personally, but his heritage indicates that whatever theological orthodoxy was tightened up under the current administration is about to be cranked up a notch or two.
At the same time I continue to be perplexed as to why a notable institution like this shies away from hiring a true academician. I understand Dr. Ryken has notable academic achievements, but running a church–even one as prestigious 10th Pres–just ‘aint the same as daily contending in the academy.
I am a mere layman and perhaps should refrain form commenting at all (although I am married to an alum and have just spent–or borrowed–a goodly amount of money to send one of our children there), but I could not help being perplexed by this choice. It was a chance to make a dramatic statement, and they went for a very safe choice.
February 22nd, 2010 | 9:49 am | #5
Actually, I don’t. As a non-believer, the only eschaton I know is the blog. But I was going for laughter, so that’s good.
I’d be happy to read a primer on current, sophisticated eschatology, have any good ones?
February 22nd, 2010 | 2:06 pm | #6
Norwegian: Do you truly desire to read? You could begin with Jurgen Moltmann’s “The Coming of God” in which he states that “The new apocalypticism of American fundamentalists…is hardly more serious than Batman fantasies”! Better yet, just work your way through Augustine’s “City of God.”
February 22nd, 2010 | 3:29 pm | #7
Sorry for the double post, I thought the link text blocked my first effort.
I don’t read Evangel. I’m a naturally curious person who was intrigued by the Whither Wheaton article that I found through comment #14 on a EvolutionBlog post about Wheaton and evolution. I also have an interest in understanding evangelicals as my sister is a home-schooling about-to-leave-the-ELCA-Lutheran mega-church-pastor-wife Fox-News-Republican who continues to baffle me. (Parents are vanilla liberal Midwest Lutherans, you know – Norwegians. So we both fell far from the tree).
In just the quick surfing around here I’ve seen you mention GloboChrist and Raschke several times, and although I think GloboChrist is a great hook, I’m not really interested in reading it, or Augustine either, or really any book on eschatology. But I am interested in a conventional theological treatment. (Although I would would note that “conventional” isn’t a good descriptor – that just means your convention, which I don’t know).
So please try again!
February 22nd, 2010 | 3:30 pm | #8
Messed up the link this time:
Here it is.
February 22nd, 2010 | 5:22 pm | #9
Something shorter and on the web. Btw, “hook” is not a mistake.
February 22nd, 2010 | 7:35 pm | #10
I was glad to hear about Phil Ryken. From my study of Christian higher education, I think we probably do well to put a Christian academic/pastor into a role like this one. The big question, of course, is what he knows about academic administration. I think I heard he has served on the Wheaton board, so that helps.
February 23rd, 2010 | 12:15 pm | #11
Can’t somebody give me an introduction to the kind of eschatology that Benson is talking about?
Hunter, Ryken is not an academic. He has a PhD, but has never taught a college course (or even a HS course, I think). He hasn’t had any academic administration experience either. Being on a Board of Trustees is much different than being an academic administrator. The Board is specifically supposed to provide vision and goals, while not overly interfering in the actual administrative implementation of the vision and goals. So he’s been on one side of the coin, and now moves to the top position on the other side.
February 23rd, 2010 | 3:07 pm | #12
I’ve heard many good things about Dr. Ryken. I think his academic training, relational experience, and practical wisdom from shepherding Tenth Pres will transfer well to his tenure at Wheaton. My prayers are with him.
February 24th, 2010 | 1:18 pm | #13
thanks, I’ll check them out.
February 25th, 2010 | 12:56 pm | #14
Dr. Ryken is a superb choice for President of Wheaton College because of his faith, education, academic credentials, integrity, experience and administrative skills. His faith is open for all to examine in his ministry at 10th Presbyterian and it conforms to Wheaton’s Statement of Faith. The fact that he is unlikely to liberalize Wheaton’s Statement of Faith, their Community Covenant or other principles is a good thing because Wheaton’s adherence to Christian orthodoxy makes it unique among the many Christian colleges who have diluted their own Statements of Faith in the face of many external pressures to “conform”. He was educated at three of the finest institutions in the world (Wheaton, Westminster and Oxford) and he has used his education to produce high quality and scholarly publications. He has demonstrated, through his life, consistent integrity under the intense scrutiny of a life in public ministry at a large, historic and superb church. His experience growing up in Wheaton, attending Wheaton College and serving on the Board of Wheaton College confer to him valuable insight and experience in leading this institution. His successful administrative style and experience at a large metropolitan church will serve him well as he adapts to his administrative responsibilities at Wheaton. At 10th Presbyterian, Dr. Ryken is the model of an academic pastor. As Wheaton’s President Dr. Ryken will now become a pastoral academic. I think that he will excel in his new responsibilities and that Wheaton will thrive. I also think that Wheaton will be blessed under his leadership because he will lead them along a straight path upwards.
February 26th, 2010 | 12:09 pm | #15
I know Dr. Ryken has been prolific in writing books. But did he also find time to publish theology journal articles? I can’t find any.
February 26th, 2010 | 12:17 pm | #16
Hal Walters: “The fact that he is unlikely to liberalize Wheaton’s Statement of Faith, their Community Covenant or other principles is a good thing because Wheaton’s adherence to Christian orthodoxy makes it unique among the many Christian colleges who have diluted their own Statements of Faith in the face of many external pressures to “conform”.
Excellent!!
Maybe he’ll even look to see what Albert Mohler has done in the past within the SBC and adapt it for Wheaton.
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