Yes, I heard him lecture at the University of Virginia ca. 1978, where David Harned was dept chair and professor of theology. Harned had studied under Torrance at New College. Torrance was of course a giant in his field—not the easiest lecturer to understand. But the essence was graspable even by beginning students: that post-Einsteinian science and patristic theology actually had much to say to one another, that in Jesus Christ God made himself a cognitive object with which human beings could deal, that theology has a place in the university. Tom Torrance was part of a great generation in Christian theology.

Thomas Torrance was both a man of great theological erudition and a man of great faith.

I began corresponding with him soon after I graduated from seminary in 1980.  He always replied to my letters.  No matter how ignorant and dumb my questions, he always replied.  Always. 

On two occasions I drove up to Princeton to meet with him.  He was gracious, delightful, and encouraging. 

He had a passion for the gospel and the unity of the Church.  He is perhaps best known for his advancement of the work of Karl Barth, but he had a great love for the Eastern Fathers.  He was particularly committed to the Reformed-Orthodox ecumenical dialogue.  I remember him telling me the story of how he was made, to his great surprise and honor, a proto-presbyter in the Greek Orthodox Church. 

Torrance was an extraordinarily prolific writer.  If I had to recommend but one book by Torrance, it would be The Trinitarian Faith.  I took my copy with me to Princeton, and he graciously acceded to my request to autograph it. 

We shall not see his like again.

A man with an incredible range, from an expositor of Athanasius and Barth, to a leading ecumenist, to the guiding light for most recent writers on science and religion.

He always replied to my letters.  No matter how ignorant and dumb my questions, he always replied.  Always. 

Now I really regret that I’m not familiar with this man. FrKimel just gave him the highest compliment in my book!

An outstanding scholar who sought a synthesis between the Reformed faith and Eastern Orthodoxy. From a dynasty of Christian scholars.

Brief biography of T. R. Torrance

Torrence is a theologian I wish I had known. He was a pioneer in the development of an intellectual dialogue between science and Christian faith, to which he made significant contributions.