Ultimately our claim to know the one God only gains credence in the contemporary world as we demonstrate the Divine presence through the way we live – through our lives as we connect our Christian belief with true Christian living.
Stanley J. Grenz
Dr. Stanly J. Grenz passed away yesterday morning – March 11, 2005 – around 4:00AM. He went to bed on Thursday night and never woke up.
Stan was so much more than a brilliant theological mind; from his goofy jokes and his legendary love of Star Trek; to his in-class guitar playing, prolific pen and his love for Christ’s church; he was a really beautiful man. He never missed an opportunity to celebrate his wife, Edna, their children; Joel and Corina or his new granddaughter, Anika.
If you ever had the privilege of talking with Stan about a recent area of research then you saw the child-like joy a person alive God’s Spirit, and his delight in discovery was not only infectious it also created space for others to explore. I rejoice in Stan’s life and grieve his death.
Stan once wrote:
“In the face of the meaninglessness of our existence which apparently ends in death, we declare the good news that we will one day share in Christ’s resurrection. This event which marks the culmination of personal life in the great eschatological community is not an isolated, individual experience. Rather, the resurrection is also a corporate or social event that will occur when our risen Lord returns in glory to bring human history to its climax.”
Stanley J. Grenz, Theology for the Community of God, 1994, page 598.
Long before I had the honor of working with Stan in the classroom he blessed me and a group of Seattle area church-pioneers. There were a group of postmodern church planters who had read his book, Primer on Postmodernism. We reached out to Stan and he responded by driving down from Vancouver BC to spend a day with us. He listened to our stories and our hopes for our fledgling churches. He talked about what he saw on the horizon and engaged our questions. But mostly he blessed us by offering his time, his presence, and genuine curiosity. I can remember feeling so much comfort after being with him and feeling Stan’s delight in the sorts of risks our little group of church planters were taking. So often we didn’t feel understood or valued… but Stan did both.
I have read book Stan ever wrote and grieve the ones he’ll never finish. I count myself so lucky to have taught with him…an honor of a life-time. Stan and I were scheduled to have lunch on Monday – we were going to talk about co-authoring a book exploring Gospel proclamation in a postmodern, post-foundationalist, and relational context – clearly that ain’t happening.
Stan, I loved you, and I will always carry you with me. I miss you already!
Edna, my heart aches with you and for you.
Tributes by: Brian McLaren, Rachelle Mee-Chapman, Wes Roberts, Mike Todd, Vaunghn Thompson, Paul Fromont, Len Hjalmarson, Jan Bros, Bob Robinson, Doug Pagitt, Sivin Kit, Will Samson . . . And be sure to visit the www.StanleyJGrenz.com guest book.
According to the New Testament, God wills that the church be a people who show what God is like.
Stanley J. Grenz
Rest in Peace, dwight
that is so sad. how heartbreaking.
this was horrible news . . .