Biblical scholar Leon Morris died last week at age 92. I have a lot of respect for Morris' work, defending traditional doctrines in times when the majority of biblical scholars had rejected them, in some cases leading to a resurgence in the scholarship of the traditional view (e.g. on propitiation as opposed to expiation). During during the months between New Years and Easter of the last five years, our congregation has been studying John, with one more quarter to go to finish up chapters 18-21. I've appreciated his commentary on John a great deal as we've been doing this lengthy study. I dont know which chapters he wrote in the original Carson/Morris/Moo Introduction to the New Testament (now revised by Carson and Moo without Morris), but I read the whole book with much profit. I've also spent a smaller amount of time in some of his other commentaries. My overwhelming sense of his contribution to biblical studies is that he was one of the most influential evangelical biblical scholars of the last generation, and I think evangelical scholars of our day owe a good deal to his work in a time when evangelical scholarship was only just beginning to be recognized as legitimate work among mainstream biblical studies circles.
The Anglican newsletter for Melbourne has an obituary. See also posts at Rebecca Writes, Between Two Worlds, Boar's Head Tavern, American Anglican, and Jesus Creed.
Update: See also D.A.. Carson's tribute. [Hat tip: Cafe Apocalypsis]
Thanks for the news, though I'm sorry to hear it. After reading your post, later in the day, I pulled his book "The Apostolic Preaching Of The Cross" off the shelf and reread the chapters on propitiation and the wrath of God.
Couldn't agree with you more. He was a great biblical scholar, and the Church has much to owe him. Two of my favorites by Lewis are 1) Apostolic Preaching... as already mentioned, and 2) Testaments of Love.
Our loss here is the great rejoicing of heaven. He has run the race well.
Thanks for remembering Leon Morris -- truly a world-class scholar, yet so approachable. I felt, through the pages, as if I were his student and he was being patient with me.
Once, when I was considering a controversial subject, I wrote to him and received a thoughtful, personal response.