The Lord received Dr. John W. Montgomery’s soul Wednesday morning, September the 25th. I can’t help but join my tributes to those of others influenced by this remarkable man.
The first conference that launched White Horse Inn (now Sola) included Montgomery along with J. I. Packer, Rod Rosenbladt and W. Robert Godfrey. During summer break from college, I attended his Apologetics Academy in Strasbourg. Years later, I was teaching at it. He not only lived through but was a major player in just about all the important debates around biblical inerrancy and apologetics. R. C. Sproul once told me how much he respected Dr. Montgomery.
A movie could be made about John Warwick Montgomery. It would span the formation of the American evangelical movement in the second half of the 20th century. Dr. Montgomery was eccentric, egotistical in a sort of naïve way. He had a great sense of humor, but often biting—you had to be prepared to parry and thrust just to stay in the dinner conversation.
Most of all, he was brilliant—seriously, a savant. One of the few Americans inducted into the French Wine-Tasting cabal, he once told me about a state dinner in Cairo. Celebrating the Camp David Accords, Egyptian president Anwar Sadat invited evangelical leaders who had helped. Noticing out of the corner of his cunning eye Jerry Falwell telling the stewards to move the wines back in the vault, Dr. Montgomery informed them that Mr. Falwell did not speak for the group and they should bring them back out as planned.
I have never met anyone more passionate about reaching unbelievers. It wasn’t just “defending the faith” for him, but persuading non-Christians to enjoy the blessings of the gospel. Maybe he felt a deeper kindness toward unbelievers in that regard—while also being indefatigably committed to the church’s good.
The Apologetics Academy in Strasbourg, France, is stronger than ever. I encourage people to consider a “holiday” in France to learn from outstanding defenders of the faith. https://www.apologeticsacademy.eu/brochure.php.
My colleague Dr. Kim Riddlebarger has much more, better said, on his blog here. The Legacy of John Warwick Montgomery (1931-2024) — The Riddleblog. Please read it. Those who “knew not Montgomery” really should.
