Facu lt y P ro f i l e s
Charles K. Telfer Assistant Professor of Biblical Languages B.A., University of Illinois; M.Div., Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; Ph.D. Candidate, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.
Derke P. Bergsma Professor Emeritus of Practical Theology A.B., Calvin College; B.D., Calvin Seminary; M.A., Northwestern University; Drs., Free University of Amsterdam; Rel.D., Chicago Theological Seminary.
Rev. Telfer was ordained to the ministry in the Orthodox Dr. Bergsma joined the Westminster Seminary California Presbyterian Church in 1993. Prior to joining the faculty of faculty in 1982. He previously taught at Calvin College WSC in 2011, he served as pastor of Westminster Presbyte- and pastored in South Dakota, Illinois, and Michigan. He rian Church (OPC) in the Chicago area for nine years and served in the U.S. Navy as an enlisted sailor (WWII) and, as Adjunct Professor of Greek at Mid-America Reformed after seminary, as a Chaplain, retiring with the rank of capSeminary for eight years. He has served as a pastor in North tain. For many years, he was Professor of Theology at TrinCarolina and as a missionary in a part of Northeast Africa ity Christian College in Palos Heights, IL (during which he where he learned Tigrinya (a sister language to Hebrew). also served as the college’s acting president). He has studied in Jerusalem and has done archeological A minister emeritus of the United Reformed Churches work in Israel. In addition, he has often served as an inter- in North America, Dr. Bergsma is a sought-after preacher preter and has had the opportunity to minister in a vari- and Bible conference speaker. Among his writings are The ety of international contexts including Cuba, Guatemala, Idea of Predestination in Sunni Islam and Classical CalvinMexico, Spain, and Sudan. ism Compared; Biblical Theological Reader; Redemption: His translation projects have included serving as edi- The Triumph of God’s Great Plan; Voices; Intermission; tor for a committee to re-translate the Westminster Shorter Practical Theology and the Ministry of the Church, 1952–1984 Catechism into Tigrinya. He has contributed articles and (contributor); and The Compromised Church (contributor). book reviews to the Mid-America Journal of Theology, New He has also contributed to professional journals including Horizons, and Themelios. His dissertation at Trinity Evan- Calvin Theological Journal, The Christian Scholar’s Review, gelical Divinity School explores the exegetical methodology Antithesis, and Insight. of Campegius Vitringa (1659–1722) as expressed in his ComHe and his wife, Doris, live in the Chicago area and mentarius in Librum Prophetiarum Jesaiae. Rev. Telfer is a spend time each year in Southern California, near Westmember of the Evangelical Theological Society, the Society minster Seminary California and their many Christian of Biblical Literature, the National Association of Profes- friends. Dr. Bergsma continues to teach part-time at the sors of Hebrew and the Evangelical Missiological Society. Seminary during the spring semester. Rev. Telfer and his wife, Rhonda, have four children and are recent immigrants to Escondido.
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Fa c u lt y
Westminster Seminary California
2013–2014
Robert B. Strimple President Emeritus Professor Emeritus of Systematic Theology B.A., University of Delaware; B.D. and Th.M., Westminster Theological Seminary; Ph.D., University of Toronto.
Dr. Strimple retired in 2001 after 41 years of teaching and was honored as President Emeritus and Professor Emeritus of Systematic Theology. In 2003, an endowed Robert B. Strimple Chair of Systematic Theology was established at Westminster Seminary California. After studying under John Murray at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Dr. Strimple taught at Eastern Christian Schools in Paterson, New Jersey, Toronto Bible College (now Tyndale University College), and Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. He moved to California in 1979 to serve as the founding dean and first president of WSC. Dr. Strimple has served the Orthodox Presbyterian Church on theological study committees and as moderator of the 50th anniversary General Assembly (1986). He has taught church leaders in China, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and England. His writings include The Modern Search for the Real Jesus; Three Views on the Millennium and Beyond (coauthor); Studying the New Testament Today (contributor); Conflict: A Moment for Ministry (contributor); Christ the Lord (contributor); Roman Catholicism (contributor); The Coming Evangelical Crisis (contributor); Anselm: Aosta, Bec and Canterbury (contributor); and When Shall These Things Be? A Reformed Response to Hyper-Preterism (contributor). In 2004, a festschrift was published in his honor entitled The Pattern of Sound Doctrine: Systematic Theology at the Westminster Seminaries: Essays in Honor of Robert B. Strimple. Dr. Strimple has been married to his wife, Alice, since 1955. They have four children and twelve grandchildren.
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