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Lesslie Newbigin Remembered Rought up an English Presbyterian, I Can Hardly Remember Not Be Ignored

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Lesslie Newbigin Remembered Rought up an English Presbyterian, I Can Hardly Remember Not Be Ignored Lesslie Newbigin Remembered rought up an English Presbyterian, I can hardly remember not be ignored. As on so many major issues, agree or disagree, B a time whenIdidn'tknow Lesslie as a legend.We first made approve or disapprove, you have to face him .Thereis no honest contactin 1965when our two sonsconjointly had a difference of way round.We disagreed on two things:how long it took to the opinion with their headmaster and were not welcome in their railway station or airport, and Margaret Thatcher, which we school for a spell . Lesslie and Helen were in Geneva, my wife never discussed. was in Taiwan, I was in New York, and tomorrow was my Some of us are tolerant because we have so much to tolerate doctoral oral. With visions of our erring sons loose on London in ourselves: a sin-based tolerance that sometimes tolerates the streets, Lesslie and I corresponded. On the occasion of my intolerable. Lesslie's tolerance was cruciform, giving him a retirement in 1986,Lesslie reread my letter, which he had kept. sternness in his mercy. He could afford to be severe, but the Wheredoes ourthanksgivingbegin? Lesslie would haveus severity was healing. begin with God. Then comes Helen, greatly loved and greatly He gave one the self-honesty to know one was the monkey loving. What other retiring bishop's wife would, with two on his barrel organ, but yet the monkey felt a little leonine. suitcases and a rucksack, have taken a bus from Madras to Although you were four feet high, you felt basketball tall and London? inspired with a proper confidence.Treating you as an equal, he We give thanks for a man of prayer. When he asked you would even say he was indebted-and really believed it. how you were, you knew it was a prayer-backed question. He couldn't say no to any opportunity to serve, writing Thanks for Lesslie as Bible expositor. (Why is his commen­ numerous introductions to other people's books and covering tary on John so little referred to?) the globe to lecture, preach, broadcast, and debate. He knew For Lesslie as theologian. One of his biographers sees him everybody and talked easily with the great, but easiest with the as one of a handful of the outstanding Christian thinkers of the humble, poor, and lost. When he dropped a name, it was always twentieth century. the name of Jesus . For Lcsslie the missionary states- Like Barth, he could sum up his man who was first a missionary, the theology in "Jesus loves me this I missiologist who took his missionary James Edward Lesslie Newbigin, mission­ know, for the Bible tells me so." I have thinking into his theology, his episte­ ary and minister of the church: Born puzzled over how the knowledgeable mology, his political and social think­ Newcastle upon Tyne, December 8, 1909; St. Paul could say he knew only one ing, and his limericks. ordained 1936; Bishop in Madura and thing: "Jesus Christ and him cruci­ For Lesslie the brilliant, rapid Rarnnad, Church of South India 1947-59; fied" and have often thought that the writer. (The Other Side of 1984 was Christianlifeis the endeavorto fathom Bishop in Madras 1965-74; CBE 1974; Lec­ written in just over a week.) that text. Lesslie helps me immensely. For the world-famous preacher, turer in Theology, Selly Oak Colleges, Able to write and lecture on so many perhaps happiest in an Indian village Birmingham1974-79;minister,United Re­ subjects and always with illumina­ and Winson Green, Birmingham. formed Church, Winson Green 1980-88; tion, the heart of it all was so very As Presbyterian bishop, as married 1936 Helen Henderson (one son, simple: Jesus, Lord and Savior, Jesus teacher, as raconteur. ("Did you ever three daughters); died London, January true, Jesus public truth, Jesus univer­ hear the one about John Baillie and 30,1998. sal truth, Jesus the Truth with the Karl Barth?") Father and the Spirit. As speaker to children. Not too To know Lesslie was to live in the long ago, some children in Selly Oak were helped to see the light ofthe resurrection and to be enabled today to say good-bye world upside down when the aged bishop stood on his head! with the full assurance that God is with him and he with God. Not a single one of his many doctorates or CBE fell out of his We are allowed to be sorry for ourselves-the family for a pockets. His episcopal dignity was intact. wonderful husband, father, and grandfather; some of us for a As spellbinding lecturer on many topics, often with the mentor, a colleague, and a friend; all of us for an exceptional samegreat themes, butalways you heard them for the first time . man-but we are not allowed to be sorry for Lesslie. We know As traveler fearful of wasting a minute. He wasn't often (and of course all knowing begins with faith) that he is having late, but sometimes like Waterloo it was a damned close run the time of his new life. He basks in the light of the true thing. Enlightenment. His mansion in his Father's house is crowded. As ecumenical prophet bearing the cares of all the churches He's probably already met Joe Oldham and Archie Craig, on his soul. Robert Macky, Visser 't Hooft, Polanyi, and of course August­ As ecclesiastical civil servant wanting to be in a pulpit or ine. Now he is being measured for his light debating armor in preaching in a street. case Descarte, Locke, and Kant are there. Lesslie, once at a high table in Cambridge, sat next to the Lesslie never touched anything that he did not adorn, man who had been vice chancellor in the roaring sixties of illuminate, and advance. His influence before 1983 was enor­ student revolt. When Lesslie confessed that he was John mous, but with TheOtherSideof1984 and its successors, Ibelieve Newbigin's father, the vice chancellor murmured, "A worthy there was something totally new, long roots but new. A new opponent." mission for a new cultural situation. A new analysis, new eyes One of the many biographers of Lesslie should entitle their for us to see with, an old faith renewed and a new and proper work "Lesslie in Armor" and structureit round Lesslie' s numer­ confidence born.In a faltering age with hope run low, he swung ous struggles and conflicts.They began early. Many were on his the lamp of resurrection over increasing gloom. Perhaps now is mind in the last months, and a yet-unpublished book may the time for us to take up arms. Lesslie's agenda is still unfin­ produce more. Sometimes he persuaded, sometimes he didn't, ished, but he has written his last chapter. Succeeding ones are but I cannot imagine there is any protagonist who would not ours to write. We have a new vocation. We can no longer leave say, "A worthy opponent." Like son, like father. it to Lesslie; his farewell is also a call, almost a command. Our His identification with India gave him a deep understand­ agenda, things to be done. ing of its religious faiths. This and his total commitment to -H. Dan Beeby Christ produced a contribution to interfaith dialogue that can­ 52 I NTERNATIONAL BULLETIN O F MISSIONARY R ESEARCH .
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