Man knows not his time

John F. Walvoord, Bible prophecy scholar, author, and long-time president of Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS), died on Dec. 21 in Dallas following a short illness. He was 92. Handpicked by DTS founder Lewis Sperry Chafer to be his successor, Dr. Walvoord became DTS's second president in 1952, a position he held until 1966, when he was elevated to chancellor. Under his tenure enrollment increased from 250 to 1,700. He mentored thousands of pastors, and he helped to make DTS part of the evangelical mainstream.

Lewis Smedes, bestselling author and Fuller Seminary professor known for merging the disciplines of theology, psychology, and ethics in the classroom, died Dec. 19 from a head injury suffered in a fall while stringing Christmas lights. He was 81.