Earlier in the day, during his sermon at the Beeson commencement ceremony, Dean George fused scripture with the cherished architecture of Hodges Chapel. He made reference to the martyrs in the alcoves, the saints in the dome, and even the vacant places into which we all must step. These are “translucent icons,” Dr. George said, and we see through them to the magnificence of Christ. In his concluding remarks on Friday evening, he quoted the theologian Karl Barth, comparing his own influence to that of the donkey used to carry Jesus to Jerusalem: “I was permitted to be the donkey that carried this better theology for part of the way, or tried to carry as best I could.” Whether in the imagery of the humble donkey, lifting up Jesus, or the translucent icons of Hodges Chapel, reflecting a deeper understanding of our faith, we find our own Timothy George.
The world is better because of the faithful, mindful, humble service of Timothy George.