Clifford Larson Remembered

Last evening I attended the memorial service at Central Baptist Church in St. Paul for Clifford Larson, father of Paul who is a member of Open Circle. Cliff died a couple of weeks ago at the ripe old age of 93. I was continually amazed at his wit and interest in engaging me in theological discussion when he visited Open Circle from time to time.

For many years Cliff was a teacher and then dean and vice president at Bethel College in the twin cities. He was credited by a speaker last evening for helping the college expand its scholarly offerings and for seeing that the college became fully accredited. After that he taught for a decade at Fuller Theological Seminary in California.

I found it quite gratifying to hear Paul and his siblings, and one grandchild, talk about their father and grandfather and what he had meant to them and given to them. I was also glad to hear one of the pastors of Central Baptist talk about the impact Cliff had on that congregation over the years. He encouraged them to become more ecumenically involved with the wider Christian community, and then after 9/11 to become more ecumenically involved with other faith traditions. The pastor said that thanks to Cliff Central Baptist moved in directions that it likely would not have gone had he not been there. The pastor noted that Cliff himself had come through the conservative-liberal religious wars and had come to a place where he was comfortable with his faith in Jesus Christ but completely open and interested in engaging in conversation with people of other faiths.

I am glad to have had the opportunity to meet this remarkable man.