Christian apologist, Bible scholar, prolific author, professor, speaker, philosopher, evangelist, and theologian Dr. Norman Geisler (@NormGeisler), 86, died July 1, 2019, 20 days before his 87th birthday. According to the statement by his son, Dr. David Geisler, and the extended Geisler family, “he has left behind an amazing legacy that will continue to have a ripple effect for many years to come.”

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The funeral service was held July 6 in Charlotte, North Carolina, and live-streamed on Southern Evangelical Seminary’s Facebook page.

Described as “a cross between Thomas Aquinas and Billy Graham,” Dr. Geisler was the co-founder and former president of Southern Evangelical Seminary (SES) in North Carolina and co-founder of Veritas International University in California. SES President Richard Land calls Dr. Geisler “the pre-eminent Christian apologist of the past half-century.”

Announcing the news of his death, his Facebook ministry page posted 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 (ESV), one of his favorite passages to quote when he learned of a Christian’s passing: “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.”

Dr. Geisler authored or co-authored more than 100 books and hundreds of articles. He taught theology, philosophy, and classical Christian apologetics on the undergraduate and graduate level for over 50 years and served as a professor at such seminaries as Trinity Evangelical Seminary, Dallas Theological Seminary, Veritas International University, and Southern Evangelical Seminary.

Born July 21, 1932 in Warren, Michigan, Dr. Geisler graduated with honors from Wheaton College in 1958 with a bachelor of arts in Philosophy, received a master’s in Theology from Wheaton Graduate School in 1960, and a PhD in Philosophy from Loyola University in Chicago in 1970. He frequently participated in academic debates on such topics as the reason evil exists, creation and evolution, humanistic ethics, sexual morality, and the existence of God.

Dr. Geisler was one of about 300 signatories of the 1978 document The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, in which the preface states, “The authority of Scripture is a key issue for the Christian church in this and every age. Those who profess faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are called to show the reality of their discipleship by humbly and faithfully obeying God’s written Word. To stray from Scripture in faith or conduct is disloyalty to our Master. Recognition of the total truth and trustworthiness of Holy Scripture is essential to a full grasp and adequate confession of its authority.”

Read “A Personal Tribute to Dr. Norman Geisler” by Richard Land, Dr. Geisler’s obituary by CT magazine, and coverage by Baptist Press and Religion News Service.

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