Harold Ockenga, Seminary Co-Founder

Harold John Ockenga, a well-known evangelical Christian leader and co-founder of Pasadena’s Fuller Theological Seminary, has died at his home in Massachusetts, it was learned Monday.

He was 79 when he died Friday of cancer.

Ockenga, president emeritus of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Massachusetts at his death, also had served for 33 years as pastor of historic Park Street Church in Boston. He became an institution there, preaching from the church’s outdoor balcony overlooking the Boston Common on Sunday evenings.

Started Seminary in Pasadena

In 1947 Ockenga (pronounced Ock-ken-jay) and Charles E. Fuller started the seminary in Pasadena that bore Fuller’s name. It was conceived as a place where young men from all denominations could train as ministers in the conservative Protestant movement. Ockenga often served as president in absentia of Fuller while continuing his service at the Boston church, where his radio ministry became widely accepted.

Fuller, also a conservative evangelical, died in 1968.

Born in Chicago, Ockenga received his bachelor’s degree from Taylor University in Indiana and his master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Pittsburgh. He was awarded nine honorary degrees throughout his life.

He also held a bachelor of divinity degree from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, a school he helped found as part of the movement against liberalism in the Presbyterian Church.

Honorary Minister for Life

Ockenga first joined the Park Street Church as co-pastor in 1936. In 1969, after his retirement, he was named honorary minister for life of the church.

Author of 13 books and numerous articles, he also was the first president of the National Assn. of Evangelicals and president of the World Evangelical Fellowship, which represents 65,000 churches.

He was a member of former President Harry S. Truman’s Clergymen’s Mission to Europe and preached several times at Westminster Chapel in London.

Ockenga served as president of both Gordon College and Gordon Divinity School, before Gordon Divinity merged with the Conwell School of Theology in 1969.

He is survived by his wife, Audrey, two daughters, a son, two sisters and five grandchildren.