Few sad events inmy life

have struck me as hard as the

December 11, 1995, death Of
Dr. Cireg L. Bahnsen, my
teacher, mentor, and friend. I
had long known of his ' '
congenital heart defect and his
increasing health problems.
But I had seen him, by the
,grace of Ciod, weather many
physical storms over the years.
Now, however, (jod in His
all-wise providence hascaUed
Cireg home to glory.
As a believer in the '
sovereign Christ of Scripture"
whom Cireg loved and ,,'
whose will he vigorousiy
promoted" I have to
remind myself that Paul's
testimony in Philippians
1 has two-sides, both
being glorious. In
applying Paul's
under Cireg Bahnsen for two
years at Reformed Seminary in
the late 1970's. The three
theologians who have most
influenced my personal life,
biblical faith, and pastoral
practice are: John Calvin,
Cornelius Van Til, and (ireg
Bahnsen. They have shown
me that Calvinism is
Christianity come into its own.
And I praise Ciod for their '
ministerial labors.
Paul tells us of the victory
associated with Christ's entry
into heaven. At that glOrious
covenantal nature of Clods
dealings with man. I can
thank the writihgsof O. T.
Allis and Loraine Boettner, as
instrumehts'in the hand of '
Ciod, for initially showing' iTIe
the light and glorY of reformed
theology. these encourage4.
my disrriissal' of
dispensationalism and sparked
in mea desire to seek a
reformed theological
education.
In 197{11 transferred'!o
Reformeq Seminary in
Jackson, MississiPpi. And as
, have
it, I was there for
almostthe entire tenure
of Bahnsen with that
institution. But those
two years were of
dramatic life-changing
and
comments to Cireg's c;:;================ ministry-encouraging
untimely departure, my
immediate thoughts and hQpes
were on the one side: to'
remain in the flesh is more
needful for you (v. 24). Cireg's
continuing ministry had been
so significant in my own'
personal spiritual growth and
pastoral ministry " and not just
mine but many, many others.
Consequently, I had to struggle
to recognize the greater truth '
for Cireg himself: to be With
Christ is far better (v. 23).
Cireg has now heard those
glorious words of Christ:
"Well done, thou good and
faithful servant.'
I thank Ciod that, by His
providence, I was able!o study
event He poured out abundant
,and glorious gifts upon men
(Eph. 4:8ff). One of those
important gifts for the ongoing
life and ministry of the Church
is the,gift of teacher (Eph.
4:11). I count Cireg Bahnsen as
one of the great gifts of (iod to
the Church in our tirne. He
Will be sorely missed.
In my circuitous route to
reformed theology and the
Presbyterian pastorate, I had
come out of a dispensational
household, through a
dispensational college
(Tennessee Temple College)
and seminary (Ciract,
Theological Seminary), to the
growing conviction of the
8 f THE COUNSEL of Chalcedoll f January! February, 1996
consequence because of Cireg
Bahnsen.
Whenl firsfenrolJed in a
Bahnseh class, I admit
that I was noipieased: I was
becoming knoWn as fable
tennis player of sorts at RTS. I
was spending lnuch tiine in
the Whife House on theRTS
. . . . I
campus challenging fellow
students in this SP9rt. But upon
entering Bahnsen's class I
found rigorous demands for
more diligent study laid on me.
At first these were frustrating;
I had fared well with an
average amount' of effort. Now
aU that had changed.
Bahnsen's approach to '
academic instruction reqUired
great effort of the student. for anyone who would would like to relate just one
Table tennis would have to promote qod's Word anecdote regarding his
wail. according to the Pauline remarkable cognitive abilities.
But thank qod for the
directive in .'2 Corinthians
While he, R. 1. Rushdoony,
mind-expanding,
10:4-5.
qary DeMar, Joe Morecraft,
ministry-altering experience! Over the years it has been Byron Snapp, I, and others
Initially I resisted Bahnsen's my joy and privilege to have were speakers at the 1994
unusual positions of qreg stay in my home on Chalcedon Christian
postmillennialism and several occasions, to have him Leadership Conference, we
theonomic ethics. In fact, I set proclaim the Word of qod in witnessed his remarkable
about to challenge those my two pastoral charges, to intellectual powers. During
positions among my fellow co-author a book with him, one of the question and
students. But anyone who has and to appear on the same answer sessions someone
Bahnsen's platform with him at asked the simple question:
instruction, however, "Dr. Bahnsen, what
knows that he was so version of Scripture
careful in his ' do you use and
presentation, so logical recommend?" qreg's
in his argumentation, response sounded as
so biblical in his if he were reading a
foundations, and so well-prepared lecture
forceful in his on textual critical
conclusions that all theory, linguistic
hope of credible analysis, and
resistance was futile. I conferences. And to continue interpretation theory. He went
eventually was swayed by his to grow under his ministry. I through brief discussions of
presentations and adopted his am thankful for the enonnous each of these factors in
positions. And I have never influence he has had, and for choosing a version, then
regretted having done so. the large collection of tapes suggested his own study
Intellectually, he taught me
(over 1800) that are and will preference: The American
to study and to think,
continue to be available and Standard Version of 1901.
pastorally, he showed me the
circulating among qods Moderator Joe Morecraft gc,>t
relevance of Scripture for all of
people. My only up after qregsat down and
life; personally, he encouraged
disappointment is that playfully rebuked him for not
me to stand finn in my
circumstances did not allow being thorough enough il1,his
convictions and to trust in qod
him time to produce more ' answer! Who could think off
against all opposition. I will
books. the top of their head like that?
never cease to be amazed at I hope and pray that
Who could respond With such
the incredible breadth of someone will see that qreg's
insight and clarity as hel In my
knowledge he possessed, at the notes are collected and
experience, he was without
ease with which he could compiled as books. That his
peer in his intellectual abilities.
analyze and respond to lectures are transcribed as It is my unshakable
questions and arguments, both articles. His teaching ability conviction that qods ways are
phi!osophica!lyand was unsurpassed in my right and His wisdom
Scripturally. He,is an example experience. In this regard I inscrutable. Therefore, I
January/ February, 1996 THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon 9
humbly; even if sorrowfully,
accept Ciods providential
taking of Cireg Bahnsen from
toe earth. I pray that we will
see and experience the wisQ.om
of Qod in all ofthis with a
renewed interest in Cireg's
tapes and writings.
May the Lord bless Cireg's
legacy withfruit.Q
Apologist, Thconomist,
'vVarrioT, [-'riend
Steve M. Schli66el
I first met Dr. qreg L.
Bahnsen on the phone. I was .
emerging from a rather
fathers. Cireg became a
personal tutor, instructing me
in the apologetic of Cornelius
Van Til and the theology of
the Westminster Confession
and Catechisms. From that
phone call in 1983 until today;
our Father in heaven used
Cireg to feed me, and a great
number beside.
Dr. Bahnsen's contributions
to the Kingdom and church
are significant. An ordained
minister serving the Orthodox
Presbyterian Church for the
last twenty years, Cireg had '
wide-ranging opportunities to .
serVe Christ.
Afterrecelving
, ' (simit14lneously) the tv\. Div.
and Th. M.degrees from
Westminster Theologi\:al
Cireg's gifts and calling; he told
me that Dr. Bahnsen was the
right man to succeed him as
chair of apologetics at
Westminster . .
It has been rumored that
when Dr. Bahnsen was
interviewed for the job of
teaching Apologetics and
Ethics at Reformed Theological
Seminal)' in Jackson, MS"at
least one of the interviewers
emerged from the room" dazed
by the brilliance of the mind
he had just encountered."
Cireg had a special gift from
Ciod in bringing illumination
to some of the thorniest
traditional theological
problems (call Covenant Tape
MinisIJY to order the catalog
listing over 1,500 of his audio
tapes: 1-800-503-
""..,..,.,.,.",= 3938). At times it
seemed as if his mind '
'f....>' would drape over a
rigid conception of the
supposed dispensational
structure of Ciod's '
revelation and dealings,
attempting to grasp that
most capaCious of all
religions, the RefoTmed
faith. I was hungJY for
dark problem and

dissolve it into light.

For the last several
years he has served as
the Scholar-in"
residence at the Southern
truth. My chosen method in
the pursuit 6f it was to contact
people who had a reputation
fur understanding it arid then
"bother" them until they
explained it to me.
Dr. Cireg L. Bahnsen was
not "bothered" by my call. He
expressed siilcere,' pastoral
concern and a genuine interest
in helping me, and Messiah's
Congregation, to make a
smooth stable transition into
the Reformed faith of our
Seminal)' in Philadelphia,
Cireg went on to earn a Ph.D.,
in philosophy from the
VnivetSity of Southern
California, chOOSing for his
dissertation topic, a
philosophical analysis of the
concept of "self-deception." He
chose this topic because it
would complement, even fill a
space, in the comprehensive
Christian apologetic of
Cornelius Van TiL Dr. Van Til
was more than appreciative of
10 THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon January/ February, 1996
California Center fOJ Christian
Studies.
He traveled around the
world preaching, debating and
lectUring. Often when he
lectured, that wonderful look
of "Now I understand!,"
would spread across the faces
in the room like the "wave" at
a Pittsburgh Steelers' home
game.
Though often most closely
associated with the issue of the