Stephen A. Hayner

After being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the Spring of 2014, Hayner died on January 31, 2015. A statement from Columbia Theological Seminary:

http://www.pcusa.org/news/2014/6/5/columbia-seminary-president-steve-hayner-diagnosed/ http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/stevehayner http://pres-outlook.org/2015/01/steve-hayner-dies-seminary-president-interdenominational-leader/

In 2003, he was called as the Peachtree Professor of Evangelism and Church Growth at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA, while also serving as Scholar in Residence at Peachtree Presbyterian Church. In 2009, he was called as the Seminary’s ninth President.

In 1988 he was called as President of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, a non-denominational discipleship ministry to students on campuses across the country. He still found education to be extremely valuable and continued to serve as an adjunct of professor of Old Testament at a number of schools including: Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Regent College, and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. In 2001, he became the Senior Associate Pastor at High Point Church and the Associate Pastor at the Fountain of Life Family Ministry Center.

While at Harvard Divinity School, Hayner experienced God’s call to full-time ministry in the church. After receiving his degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 1973, he was ordained and installed as “university pastor” at University Presbyterian Church in Seattle to minister with students and faculty. While he was there, he utilized two sabbaticals to complete his Ph.D. in Hebrew and Semitic Studies at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. After eleven years he then took the position of Vice President of Student Affairs at Seattle Pacific University. Throughout his time in Seattle he was also very involved with Fuller Theological Seminary extension sites and served as an adjunct professor of Old Testament.

In 1972, Hayner continued his education at Harvard Divinity School where he received his M.T.S. in Semitic Studies, and then one year later earned a Th.M. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. While in the Boston area, he served at the Park Street Church where he met Sharol Rhodes, whom he later married in June 1973.

Born to Herman H. "Dutch" and Jeannette C. Hayner, Hayner graduated from Walla Walla High School in Walla Walla, WA. He then attended Whitman College also in Walla Walla, graduating summa cum laude in 1970 with a B.A. in English Literature.

He began his education at Whitman College where he earned his B.A. in English Literature in 1970. In 1972, he continued his education at Harvard Divinity School where he received his M.T.S. in Semitic Studies and one year later earned a Th.M. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Following this he traveled to St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland and studied at the University of St. Andrews where in 1984 he earned his Ph.D. in Hebrew and Semitic Languages. Back in the United States, he was awarded an honorary D.D. degree in 2011 by Presbyterian College.

Stephen A. Hayner (June 23, 1948 – January 31, 2015) was an American Presbyterian minister who was the president of Columbia Theological Seminary, a professor, an author, and the former president of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.