Peter E. Gillquist facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Peter E. Gillquist |
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| Born | July 13, 1938 in Minneapolis, Minnesota |
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| Died | July 1, 2012 (aged 73) in Bloomington, Indiana |
| Church | Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch |
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Peter Edward Gillquist (born July 13, 1938 – died July 1, 2012) was an important American leader in the Eastern Orthodox Church. He was a priest in the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. He also led the archdiocese's department for missions and evangelism.
Peter Gillquist was the chairman of Conciliar Press, a publishing company. He wrote many books, including Love Is Now and Becoming Orthodox. He also helped create the Orthodox Study Bible. From 1997, he served as the National Chaplain for the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
Peter and his wife, Marilyn, were married in 1960. They lived in Santa Barbara, California, for a long time. In June 2009, they moved to Bloomington, Indiana.
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Peter's Early Life and School
Peter Gillquist was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He grew up in a Lutheran family. He went to the University of Minnesota and earned a degree in journalism. While at university, he was very active in the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
During his time at college, Peter became involved with Campus Crusade for Christ. This is a group that shares Christian messages. He became what is known as a "born-again Christian," meaning he had a strong personal experience with his faith.
Further Studies and Work
After college, Peter continued his studies at Dallas Theological Seminary and Wheaton College. In the 1960s, he worked full-time for Campus Crusade for Christ. He started a ministry at the University of Notre Dame and later became a regional director.
After several years, Peter worked for three years at the University of Memphis. Then, he spent 11 years at Thomas Nelson Publishing in Nashville. There, he became a senior editor. In 1975, he helped with the New King James Version of the Bible.
For many years, Peter Gillquist was a co-chaplain for the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He helped guide the members spiritually. Peter was a father to six children and had 19 grandchildren.
Peter's Spiritual Journey
While working with Campus Crusade, Peter and his friends started studying the history of the Christian Church. They came to believe that the Orthodox Church was the oldest and most unchanged Christian church.
In 1973, Peter and his friends in Chicago started a network of house churches across the United States. Their goal was to bring back an early form of Christianity. They called this group the New Covenant Apostolic Order. They studied the writings of early Christian leaders, called the Church Fathers. This led them to practice a more liturgical way of worship, which was different from their previous evangelical background. This group later became known as the Evangelical Orthodox Church (EOC) in 1979.
Joining the Orthodox Church
The EOC leaders wanted to connect their church to the ancient Christian tradition through apostolic succession. This means having a direct link to the first apostles. They looked into different Christian churches, including the Episcopal Church and the Roman Catholic Church.
In 1987, most members of the EOC decided to join the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. Peter Gillquist led 17 parishes, with about 2,000 members, into the Antiochian archdiocese. This group was known as the Antiochian Evangelical Orthodox Mission until 1995. After that, their churches became part of the regular structure of the archdiocese.
On December 31, 2011, Peter retired from his role as head of the Archdiocese Department of Missions and Evangelism.
Peter's Passing
Peter Gillquist passed away on July 1, 2012, in Bloomington, Indiana. He had been battling melanoma, a type of cancer. After memorial services, he was buried at the cemetery of All Saints' Orthodox Church in Bloomington. His son, Father Peter Jon Gillquist, serves as a priest at that church.
Images for kids
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Peter E. Gillquist
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The body of Peter Gillquist at All Saints' Orthodox Church in Bloomington, Indiana, before his burial.
