Lutheran theologian Timothy F. Lull dies;
Taught 12 years in Philadelphia

The Rev. Dr. Timothy F. Lull, president of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley, CA, and former professor of Systematic Theology at The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP), died May 20 in the emergency room at Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley, from complications related to recent surgery. He was 60.

Lull, a native of Fremont, OH, taught 12 years at LTSP, and was a Professor of Systematic Theology at the school. An energetic and highly articulate teacher, speaker and writer, Lull was known for his capacity to talk about the issues of public life in theological terms that people could easily grasp. "He was a popularizer of theology, and I mean that in the best sense," says the Rev. Dr. John H.P. Reumann, a colleague and the Ministerium of Pennsylvania Professor Emeritus of New Testament and Greek at LTSP. "He was a well-trained theologian who was facile in relating the meaning of theology to the major issues of the day. He made theology easily understood." Reumann recalls that Lull usually began his classes at LTSP by asking seminarians to sing a hymn. That was sometimes at 8 o’clock in the morning when voices weren’t at their best.

Reumann was acting president of LTSP in the mid-1970s when he first heard Lull speak on the floor of the New England Synod Assembly of the former Lutheran Church in America, a predecessor body of the current Evangelical Lutheran Church in America denomination. "I was impressed," Reumann recalls. He says he found out that Lull was a parish pastor with a Ph.D. "I insisted that he be interviewed for a position open on our faculty at the time, and the rest is history."

Lull was widely sought after as an expert speaker on the life and theology of Martin Luther. He was currently writing a 13-part series in the ELCA’s national periodical, The Lutheran called "The Resilience of Lutheranism." He is the author of Called to Confess Christ and My Conversations with Martin Luther, and the editor of A Common Calling and Martin Luther’s Basic Theological Writings.

His other theological interests included ecclesiology, ecumenism, ethics, and developing a missional theology for the church. Dr. Lull has been a strong advocate for and interpreter of the ecumenical agreements of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Lull was born on April 8, 1943. He earned his BA at Williams College, where he was a member of the Gargoyle Society and Phi Beta Kappa, and from which he graduated with honors. He earned two Master’s degrees and a PhD from Yale Divinity School. After service as a parish pastor in Needham, Massachusetts (1972-1977), he began his 12-year teaching career at LTSP before leaving in 1989 to become academic dean and professor of systematic theology at Pacific Seminary. He was elected president of PLTS in 1997.

In 1969, Dr. Lull married Mary-Carlton O’Neal. They raised two children, Christopher Robert Carlton and Peter Martin Cole. A grandson survives, Taylor Cole Brabham Rockwell Peek Lull. The couple enjoyed greatly and contributed to the cultural life of the Bay Area, and they enjoyed leading group tours to Martin Luther sites in Germany.

"The Lull family has lost a marvelous, buoyant, loving husband, father, and brother," said the Rev. Steve McKinley, chair of the PLTS board of directors. "PLTS has lost a visionary leader who, in the eyes of the world, was PLTS. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has lost a great churchman. The whole church of Jesus Christ has lost a distinguished scholar and theologian. Countless people around the world have lost a good friend."

Dr. Lull is also survived by his sisters, Jean Reynolds of South Orange, NJ, Kathleen Seaton of Wayne, PA, and the Rev. Patricia Lull of Saint Paul, MN. Condolences may be sent to Mary-Carlton Lull and family at 2770 Marin Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94708. Gifts may be made in Tim’s memory to the Lull Fund, c/o PLTS.