Godly Precision: Remembering Professor Murray

May 12, 2025

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John Murray was one of the outstanding Reformed theologians of the 1900s. Earnest and serious, he was also deeply affectionate and much beloved of his students and colleagues. On the 50th anniversary of his death in 1975 we take time to consider his life, theology, and legacy to us today.

Featured Resources:

– Excerpt from Iain Murray, 'John Murray: A Memorial with Tributes' in Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 143–4 (August/September 1975), Chapter 4, 'Glimpses of Work in the War Years', p. 45–49. N.B. Iain Murray's Life of John Murray (v. i.) represents an enlargement of this memorial with additional information.

– Tribute to Professor Murray by Geoffrey Thomas, Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 143–4 (August/September 1975), p. 75–80.

– Murray, John, 'The Death of Christ' in The Collected Writings of John Murray: Volume 1, The Claims of Truth (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 1976, 2024), p. 36–40.

Note:

Professor Murray's response to Geoff Thomas' question about whether the New Testament teaches that every Christian should witness for his Saviour:

'Later in the week he came to me after a lecture and gave me a piece of paper with these textual references written upon it: Acts 8:4; 18:26; 1 Cor. 1:5, 17; 1 Cor. 2:1–5; 1 Cor. 4:15; 1 Cor. 11:4, 5; 2 Cor. 3:8–12; compared with 1 Cor. 4:13; 2 Cor. 5:12, 18, 19; 2 Cor. 8:7; Eph. 4:15, 29; Eph. 5:11; Eph. 6:17; Phil. 1:14–18; 1 Thess. 1:8; Titus 2:3, 4; 1 Peter 3:15.'

Cover art: juxtaposition of a view of Loch Migdale, looking east towards Badbea (pron. 'Bad-bay'), and a picture of Professor Murray taken at a Banner of Truth ministers' conference in Leicester, c. 1965.