“Matthew was crazy about theology, a total idealist about studying theology. ”¦ But he wanted to learn history and philosophy and art and everything else,” said Pentiuc. “I don’t know anyone else who read so much and absorbed so much, so soon. It was going to take him 10 or 15 years to fully synthesize what he knew and to find his mature voice.”
Friends joked that they could say “Go!” and challenge Baker to connect random subjects ”“ such as “Duran Duran,” a rock band, “GMOs,” a genetics term, and “Apollinarianism,” a 4th Century heresy ”“ and “he would come up with authentically deep links between them,” said Damick.
It’s easy to imagine three or more books emerging from existing lectures, papers and research by Baker, noted Damick. But all the books and academic tributes in the world cannot answer the ultimate questions being asked by loved ones and friends mourning this loss.
I sometimes wonder why God takes some of His most gifted followers so early. Two other examples I can think of are David Brainerd, a missionary to the Indians in the 1700s who died at age 29 and about whom Jonathan Edwards wrote a biography, and Henry Opukahaia, the first Hawaiian Christian, who arrived in New England at age 17 with only a small knowledge of English and yet became a persuasive evangelist in the New England churches before he died at age 26.