20th Anniversary of Greg Bahnsen's Death

[Clark-Tillian]

It's 11 December, 2015. So, we mark the 20th year since the passing of Dr. Greg Bahnsen. He was a stalwart of the historic faith, and especially the Reformed branch of the Visible Church. He was a towering intellect and fought valiantly for The King. May his family and friends find solace in the reality of the Resurrection in what might prove trying days.

 

[johnny]

He would be turning 67 this year,
I still like listening to his lectures on apologetics,
He has so much taped material out there, I liked the series on Calvin.

 

[Ed Walsh]

He was a stalwart of the historic faith, and especially the Reformed branch of the Visible Church

He was also my friend and I loved him... Greg Bahnsen wrote this short note to me the day before his operation and subsequent passing.

THESE ARE AMONG LAST WORDS OF DR. BAHNSEN:

December 4, 1995

To: Ed Walsh

Although it is only a brief note, I wanted to reply to your message (which reached me by email) as soon as possible. Thank you very, very much for your encouragement and prayers. They are deeply appreciated.

The major surgery to replace my aorta valve should take place on Tuesday (December 5), and updates on my condition will be left on the Study Center phone message (as well as on our web site).

I would like to share the calm and assurance which the Lord continues to give me in this painful time; by His grace. I can more and more say with the Apostle Paul that "to live is Christ, and to die is gain." I thank Him for saving someone such as me.

Thanks again for your prayers,

Greg Bahnsen
=============
"And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?" 2 Samuel 3:38

 

[mvdm]

Thank you for sharing that note, Ed. If you feel it is appropriate, perhaps you could share *your* note to Dr. Bahnsen to which he was replying.

 

[Ed Walsh]

If you feel it is appropriate, perhaps you could share *your* note to Dr. Bahnsen to which he was replying

Some of our correspondence was of a personal nature regarding family and denominational difficulties, but I will post what I wrote, just after his death, about our relationship in general:
===========
Dr. Bahnsen and I corresponded several times, and met only once, about two years ago. He told me then about his fear of the next operation. Expressing more with his eyes and tone, he said simply, "I had a hard time after my last surgery."

My heart bonded with him for life.

I still remember the smiling face of my wife the time she said to me, "You got a letter from your friend today."

My friend... How I loved the words. My friend... Mine. (C. S. Lewis fans will remember the words of the "other" lion, when Aslan said, "Us lions..." "Did you hear what he said? Us lions. That means him and me. Us lions.") My friend.

Tributes abound when great men are gone. And they should. I thank God for the small tribute I paid while he lived.

I first wrote to Greg in 1992:

"...I will not begin to express the gratitude I feel for both you and your work. Especially the kind and honest spirit you consistently display in all your presentations and writings."

"...someday, somehow I do hope to meet you in an unhurried atmosphere. I will always regret missing an invitation I had as a young man to spend a casual afternoon in the home of Dr. Van Til. I don’t want to make the same mistake again."

"I praise the Lord for you and your work. You are destined to be remembered by future generations as one of the great Christian thinkers and reformers of our time. Ideas change the world."

Then in December 1993, shortly before we met in person:

"Thank you for you letter of December 16, offering me the opportunity to get together. As Machen was to you, you are to me, My Hero. Although I fear I may become a little tongue-tied, I would love the chance to have time together."

"I am praying that you live a long and fruitful life."

I received the following note from Dr. Bahnsen the day before his operation:
==========
That is all I consider appropriate to write. (Except for the short note he wrote to me in the post #3 above)
Thanks for asking.

PS - I cried more and harder for the loss of my "friend" than for any other person, friend or relative. I am still waiting and praying daily for God to raise up more young men of his caliber.

 

[RamistThomist]

My former pastor told me Bahnsen took all of his philosophy exams for his PhD in one day (about 8 hours) instead of spreading them out. And he passed.

 

[mvdm]

Thanks, Ed. What a blessing for you to have been friends with him.

 

[DMcFadden]

My former pastor told me Bahnsen took all of his philosophy exams for his PhD in one day (about 8 hours) instead of spreading them out. And he passed.

But of course. He was a Westmont grad after all. Aren't all Westmont grads as brilliant as Bahnsen? After all, we both graduated from Westmont; he in '70, me in '75.

Actually, Bahnsen was a legend at Westmont for years after he graduated. They were telling stories about him during my four years there. He was known as the intellect that all might aspire to but none of us would equal. His early death was a real loss to the field of apologetics and to the cause of orthodoxy generally.

 

[MW]

I would like to share the calm and assurance which the Lord continues to give me in this painful time; by His grace. I can more and more say with the Apostle Paul that "to live is Christ, and to die is gain." I thank Him for saving someone such as me.

Thankyou, Ed. I esteem Dr. Bahnsen's labour in defence of the faith, but the personal conviction which comes through this affirmation of faith is priceless.

 

[RamistThomist]

Even though I am no longer a theonomist and have moved away from Bahnsen's interpretation of Van Til's apologetics, I still semi-regularly listen to Bahnsen's philosophy courses. And every few years I go through sections of his course on Calvin's Institutes.

 

[Miss Marple]

I was encouraged to read a recent transcript of a speech given by his son, David. It seems as though David is a faithful Christian man and it made me happy for Greg, knowing how precious that would be to him. I wonder how Greg's other children are doing, as they had a lot of sorrow in what I suppose was their teenage years.

 

[Ed Walsh]

I was encouraged to read a recent transcript of a speech given by his son, David

Here are two links to this speech:

From December 11, 2015 By DLB
In Memory of, Dr. Greg L. Bahnsen. Twenty Years Ago Today.

The Bahnsen Conference 2015 - Keynote Speaker David L Bahnsen

Here is the transcript:
http://www.davidbahnsen.com/index.p...-of-dr-greg-l-bahnsen-twenty-years-ago-today/

Here is the audio:
https://soundcloud.com/cognative-54...dcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=facebook

 

[Jeri Tanner]

Thank you so much for posting this info on Dr. Greg Bahnsen. I had never heard of him- and have been listening this afternoon. What a treasure! I'm so grateful!

 

[ZackF]

Ed,

The letter, testimony and links you posted were moving. I've read other places over the years that Bahnsen had a Francis Schaeffer like respect for "little people" that "big people" often overlook. For example Bahnsen would prepare a lecture or hold a conversation with the same focused intensity and respect for a group of a few old ladies as he would an audience of PHDs.

 

[Ed Walsh]

I've read other places over the years that Bahnsen had a Francis Schaeffer like respect for "little people" that "big people" often overlook.

He paid some attention even to me, and I am the "littlest" of all.

 

[RamistThomist]

I was encouraged to read a recent transcript of a speech given by his son, David. It seems as though David is a faithful Christian man and it made me happy for Greg, knowing how precious that would be to him. I wonder how Greg's other children are doing, as they had a lot of sorrow in what I suppose was their teenage years.

David's a good guy. I'm friends with him on Facebook. I don't know much about his siblings. I think he mentioned in his bio that he stayed with his dad while everyone else went with Cathy.

 

[ReformedChristian]

Such a gifted Apologist, he was my first introduction to Presuppositional Apologetics I always enjoy listening to his debate with Gordon Stein and his book Always Ready and Pushing the Antithesis are always my favorite reads.

 

[RamistThomist]

The Reconstructionist world today desperately needs his leadership. Or any sound leadership. Whatever else one may say about theonomy, Bahnsen tied his ministry to the oversight of the local church. That's something not always found among recons (or others, for that matter).

 

[Clark-Tillian]

If you feel it is appropriate, perhaps you could share *your* note to Dr. Bahnsen to which he was replying

Some of our correspondence was of a personal nature regarding family and denominational difficulties, but I will post what I wrote, just after his death, about our relationship in general:
===========
Dr. Bahnsen and I corresponded several times, and met only once, about two years ago. He told me then about his fear of the next operation. Expressing more with his eyes and tone, he said simply, "I had a hard time after my last surgery."

My heart bonded with him for life.

I still remember the smiling face of my wife the time she said to me, "You got a letter from your friend today."

My friend... How I loved the words. My friend... Mine. (C. S. Lewis fans will remember the words of the "other" lion, when Aslan said, "Us lions..." "Did you hear what he said? Us lions. That means him and me. Us lions.") My friend.

Tributes abound when great men are gone. And they should. I thank God for the small tribute I paid while he lived.

I first wrote to Greg in 1992:

"...I will not begin to express the gratitude I feel for both you and your work. Especially the kind and honest spirit you consistently display in all your presentations and writings."

"...someday, somehow I do hope to meet you in an unhurried atmosphere. I will always regret missing an invitation I had as a young man to spend a casual afternoon in the home of Dr. Van Til. I don’t want to make the same mistake again."

"I praise the Lord for you and your work. You are destined to be remembered by future generations as one of the great Christian thinkers and reformers of our time. Ideas change the world."

Then in December 1993, shortly before we met in person:

"Thank you for you letter of December 16, offering me the opportunity to get together. As Machen was to you, you are to me, My Hero. Although I fear I may become a little tongue-tied, I would love the chance to have time together."

"I am praying that you live a long and fruitful life."

I received the following note from Dr. Bahnsen the day before his operation:
==========
That is all I consider appropriate to write. (Except for the short note he wrote to me in the post #3 above)
Thanks for asking.

PS - I cried more and harder for the loss of my "friend" than for any other person, friend or relative. I am still waiting and praying daily for God to raise up more young men of his caliber.

Thank you for sharing, brother. That utterly stopped me in my tracks.

 

[Clark-Tillian]

Even though I am no longer a theonomist and have moved away from Bahnsen's interpretation of Van Til's apologetics, I still semi-regularly listen to Bahnsen's philosophy courses. And every few years I go through sections of his course on Calvin's Institutes.

When I was at Covenant Seminary (96-00) I was most definitely the only card-carrying theonomist on campus. I, too, have moved from that camp in many ways; but my respect for Bahnsen has never wavered. He had a profound impact on me, and that impact is still felt.

 

[Peairtach]

I listened to many of his tapes in the '90s on Revelation and other things. I never bought theonomy, although the Reconstructionists drew attention in a fresh way to the question of what social and ethical lessons Christians should be learning from the Torah.

No doubt the Lord will continue to raise up men in his time of great intellect and godly charisma.

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