Honorary Doctorate, Paul Wells

June 06, 2009

"You were born in Liverpool, England, in 1946.  After studying at Liverpool University in England, receiving a B.A. and an M.A. and at Westminster Theological Seminary receiving an M.Div. in 1972, you became one of the founding members of the Reformed Seminary in Aix together with French pastor Pierre Courthial, who received an honorary doctorate from Westminster in 1982.  You have been married to Alison since 1970 and you have three children, two of whom live and work in England and one in Spain.  You and Alison are involved in church planting in Gardanne, a mining town between Aix and Marseilles, where there is no other Protestant church.

"You have taught Systematic theology and have lived in Aix-en-Provence in the south of France since 1972.  You are president of the Federation of Francophone Evangelical theologians.  Your doctoral thesis at the Free University of Amsterdam, James Barr and the Bible: Critique of a New Liberalism, was published in 1980.  Works in French include books on the doctrine of Scripture, the words of Christ from the cross, the doctrine of the Christian life, commentaries on the Lord’s Prayer and the Apostles’ creed and a general introduction to the Christian faith for students.  A study on the atonement in English, Cross Words has also been published in French and Dutch.
 
"You have recently completed a new translation and edition of Calvin’s Institutes in modern French, with Marie de Védrines, published in one volume by Éditions Excelsis.  Recent articles in English include studies on Christ’s cry of dereliction, The Forgotten Christ and the humanity of Scripture Reforming or Conforming.  You have been editor of La Revue Réformée, a leading evangelical journal in French, since 1982.  You are also responsible for Éditions Kerygma, which have published Reformed literature, Calvin’s New Testament commentaries in modernized French and new editions of confessional texts such as the Heidelberg Catechism, the Canons of Dort and the Westminster Confession.

"For your outstanding dedication to the Reformed faith in France, preparing students to follow in the footsteps of Calvin and other great reformers, and your outstanding contributions to Reformed literature, we are pleased to bestow upon you the Doctor of Letters."

- Rev. Dr. Peter A. Lillback, President