While this site was being constructed, the Revd John Peck died peacefully in his sleep on July 1, 2016, in Suffolk, England. He was 92. Several months earlier, when presented with the idea for this site, he expressed equal degrees astonishment and appreciation and gave his blessing to the project. We rejoice in his homecoming but regret that he is not in this world now to see this stream of his legacy in action.
John Peck kept his head down, so if you haven’t heard of him, you’re not alone. Art historian Karen L. Mulder has called him “the least known best theologian in the world.” Yet anyone who heard John speak will tell you that they were in the presence of someone with an exceptional teaching ministry. You’re not going to get a rehash of what you already know. With John’s wit, warm manner, and wisdom comes fresh biblical insights and truths to help us become more faithful followers of Jesus Christ, both in the church and in the world.
When he was Director of Educational Services at the Institute for Christian Studies (Toronto), Robert E. VanderVennen wrote that John Peck “has an exceptional grasp on the Bible in relation to culture and a special gift for teaching and preaching that is not matched in anyone I know.” That was mixed in with John’s thorough knowledge of biblical languages and his keen analytical mind and understanding of human nature, Christian life, and the workings of the world. All these skills combined in his teaching to give him an uncommon ability for discerning whether worldly wisdom or biblical wisdom guides our lives, and for helping us learn how to initiate a shift from the former to the latter.
John’s church and religious involvements were extensive and cross-denominational. He spoke and taught several languages and traveled widely, including in the Middle East, Turkey, Iran, and the Indian Subcontinent (South Asia).
He was a co-founder of the international Greenbelt Arts Festival in 1974, and of College House (Cambridge) in 1977. He is the author of: What the Bible Teaches About the Holy Spirit (Tyndale House, 1979); Studies from College House (1980); Wisdom in the Marketplace (Greenbelt Festivals, 1989); and Uncommon Sense: God’s Wisdom for Our Complex and Changing World (SPCK, 2001; co-authored with Charles Strohmer).
Given John’s 92 years on this planet and more than six decades of public ministry in the UK, and in parts of the US and Europe, it would be easy to keep going on here about him. But this is a site dedicated to letting his sermons and other talks speak for themselves. So we’ll say little more about his extraordinary life here, which included raising, with Hannah, his wife of 40 years, five biological children, an adopted daughter, and 40+ foster children. There is, however, a wealth of information about his life and thoughts at the following places:
A major interview with John in 1998
The blog post “I Have a Vision”
John’s sermons and talks on this site range across the spectrum of life and human interest: from faith and religion, to work and play, to church, family, and education, to the arts and economics, to government and the environment, and much more.
Have a listen and see what you think. If you like what you hear, maybe we can do a little friendly arm-twisting and suggest spreading the word about the site. Thank you. We’re glad you stopped by.
See the Home page for further info about the sermons and talks.
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