Jaroslav Pelikan

I have recently been reading a commentary on the book of Acts in the new Brazos Press theological commentary series. If it is any indication of what else is forthcoming in that series, it is a collection of commentaries to read and savor.

Sadly, the author has just died. Jaroslav Pelikan, who has authored many books, most notably his five volume The Christian Tradition , died on May 13th of lung cancer. He was 82 years old. His interests were wide-ranging, including the translation of Luther's works, books on rhetoric, the Bible, and the whole of Christian tradition. He was arguably our greatest church historian, and was, until 1998, a Lutheran. In that year he converted, together with his wife, to the Orthodox church.

I am glad to know that this last commentary on Acts stands as a capstone to a life of constant thoughtful witness to the Christian faith. Pelikan died thinking and writing about Scripture and the origins of our faith as understood through the lense of the creeds. Thank you, Professor Pelikan.

Rest eternal grant him, O Lord,
and may light perpetual shine upon him.