wfn.org | Theologian John W. Deschner dead at 76

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

July 31, 2000 News media contact: Thomas S. McAnally*(615)
742-5470*Nashville, Tenn. 10-71B {352}

By United Methodist News Service

The Rev. John W. Deschner, professor emeritus of Christian doctrine at
United Methodist-related Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist
University, died July 28 of complications of dementia at a Dallas nursing
home. He was 76. 

Deschner, a clergy member of the Southwest Texas Annual Conference, joined
the faculty of the seminary in Dallas in 1956. He began his early career as
executive secretary of the United Student Christian Council, the national
ecumenical council of 14 U.S. student Christian movements. In 1952, he moved
to Switzerland to study at the University of Basel under the direction of
noted theologian Karl Barth.  

When he took the teaching position at Perkins, he continued to participate
in ecumenical activities. From 1983 to 1991, he was moderator of the
Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches as it carried
out its major theological studies on "Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry" or
"The Unity of the Church and the Renewal of the Human Community." He also
participated in the Roman Catholic-United Methodist bilateral dialogue.

Deschner considered teaching his most important work. In addition to
teaching theology courses, he taught honors courses in humanities at SMU.
Most significant work is local, he said, and the most important students in
a university are the freshmen. He retired in 1991.

Deschner was a member of the American Theological Society, the American
Academy of Religion and the Society for Values in Higher Education. He
earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of Texas at
Austin in 1994. He attended Yale University as a theology student, where he
became dedicated to ecumenical causes. He did post-doctoral studies at the
University of Heidelberg in Germany.  

He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Margareta Neovius, a native of
Finland; three sons and two grandchildren. A memorial service was held July
31 at the Perkins Chapel.

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United Methodist News Service
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