All Truth Is God's Truth
| Arthur Frank Holmes | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 15, 1924 Dover, England, UK |
| Died | October 8, 2011 Wheaton, Illinois |
| Residence | Wheaton, Illinois |
| Nationality | English |
| Alma mater | Wheaton College, AB, MA (Bible & theology); Northwestern University, PhD (philosophy) |
| Occupation | Educator, Philosopher, College Professor, Ethicist, Author |
| Known for | Chair of Philosophy Department at Wheaton College, Christian perspectives in philosophy and to Christian higher education (14 books and numerous articles related), cofounder of the Society of Christian Philosophers, ethical decision making as an Evangelical Christian, World War II Royal Air Force pilot |
| Spouse(s) | Alice |
| Children | Paul Holmes, Mark Holmes |
| Awards | Wheaton College Teacher of the Year 1966, 1983; Illinois Professor of the Year 1987; Mark Hatfield Award (from the Coalition for Christian Colleges and Universities) 1998; two (2) honorary doctoral degrees. |
Arthur Frank Holmes (March 15, 1924 – October 8, 2011) was Professor of Philosophy at Wheaton College, Illinois (1951–1994). He is remembered for his contribution to Christian higher education in the United States not only by teaching and building the philosophy department at Wheaton, but also by writing influential books and articles about the philosophy of Christian education, participating in the creation of the Society of Christian Philosophers, and encouraging his students to go on for graduate study and become academic leaders in their own rights. Wheaton College President Philip Ryken said "It would be hard to think of anyone who has had a greater impact on Christian higher education than Arthur Holmes." Holmes died in Wheaton, Illinois, on October 8, 2011, at age 87.
A native of Dover, England, Holmes came to the United States in 1947 after serving in the Royal Air Force during World War II. He earned a bachelor's degree (1950) and a master's degree (1952) in Bible and theology from Wheaton College and a Ph.D. in philosophy from Northwestern University in Chicago (1957).
Holmes began teaching at his alma mater while still pursuing his graduate degrees, and would remain there for his entire 43-year career. He was instrumental in convincing the college to establish a philosophy department independent of the Bible and theology division, and he served as the chair of that department for more than two decades. He started the annual Wheaton Philosophy Conference in 1954, which eventually led to the creation of the Society of Christian Philosophers in 1978. He was especially well known as a teacher for the year-long history of philosophy sequence that was a foundational course in the philosophy major. Holmes retired in 1994 and was named Professor Emeritus, but continued to teach occasionally even after his retirement.
In 1998, the Arthur F. Holmes Chair of Faith and Learning was established at Wheaton College in his honor, supporting and honoring the work of scholars in philosophy, history, or English who have given particular attention to one of the major themes of Holmes' academic career: the integration of faith and learning.
Holmes also served as a guest lecturer at many colleges, universities, and conferences. He received two honorary doctoral degrees.
Holmes' colleagues and students recall his "grand vision" for the Wheaton College philosophy department: that it would produce 100 graduates who would go on to earn Ph.D.s in philosophy. Several years after Holmes' death, former student Clifford Williams decided to investigate whether that ambition had been achieved. He was able to identify at least 116 of Holmes' former students who had earned doctorates in philosophy. In addition, many of Holmes' former students pursued advanced study in other fields, such as history, literature, and Biblical studies. Another former student, C. Stephen Evans, noted in his eulogy of Holmes that "Many of the brightest Christian scholars in many fields ... were transformed by being Art's students. And that is not to mention the contributions Art's students have made in theology, biblical studies, the law, medicine, and even the business world." Among his notable students are:
...
Wikipedia