Sunday, September 12, 2010

Honoring Dr. Grounds

Here is an obituary for Dr. Vernon Grounds from the Denver Seminary web page.

1 comment:

Mark Mathewson, Ph.D. said...

The term “hero” has become so muddled today as to lose much of its meaning, but if there was anyone (other than Jesus) I would consider a hero, it is Vernon Grounds. What a model of intellectual rigor mixed with grace, love and compassion. I dearly loved that man.

I’ll never forget that day in the summer of 1992 when I first walked into Vernon’s office as a new student and introduced myself. He received me into his office and talked with me as if we had been decade-long friends. From that day forward I was an incurable Vernon Grounds fan.

My favorite Vernon Grounds quote I first heard in a class on Christianity and existentialism he taught (and several other times subsequent to that) : “Buy books until you have to mortgage your marital bed, and then buy more.” I have tried to heed that advice (my wife thinks I have succeeded).

I am going to put aside my work today and remember and celebrate a life immensely well lived by reading Bruce Shelley’s biography of Vernon, ‘Transformed by Love.’ I consider myself blessed to have met and known Vernon.