Though less known in the United States and hardly a household name outside the evangelical sphere, Mr. Stott, an author, preacher and theologian, was often compared to the Rev. Billy Graham, his American contemporary.
But while Mr. Graham’s influence is rooted in a rousing preaching style and a personal magnetism that has filled stadiums, Mr. Stott’s relied on a proliferation of books ”” grounded in learning but accessible to all ”” and the evangelical organization he founded, Langham Partnership International, named after its cradle, All Souls Church at Langham Place in London’s West End.
“We must be global Christians,” he once wrote, “with a global mission, because our God is a global God.”
Here’s an interesting quote:
[blockquote]“To read Stott is to see someone practicing ‘thoughtful allegiance’ to Scripture,†David Brooks wrote in The New York Times in an admiring column 1n 2004 titled, “Who Is John Stott?â€
“For him, Christianity means probing the mysteries of Christ. He is always exploring paradoxes. Jesus teaches humility, so why does he talk about himself so much? What does it mean to gain power through weakness, or freedom through obedience? In many cases the truth is not found in the middle of apparent opposites, but on both extremes simultaneously.â€[/blockquote]
One wonders, if that is correct, how it relates to the Hegelian synthesis which underpins Rowan Williams’ work?