Philip Graham Ryken (born 1966) is an American theologian, Presbyterian minister, and academic administrator. He is the eighth and current president of Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois.

Philip Ryken
Ryken in front of the pulpit of
Tenth Presbyterian Church, 2010
Born
Philip Graham Ryken

(1966-09-29) September 29, 1966 (age 58)
NationalityAmerican
TitlePresident of Wheaton College (since 2010)
Spouse
Lisa
(m. 1987)
ParentLeland Ryken
Ecclesiastical career
ReligionChristianity (Presbyterian)
ChurchPresbyterian Church in America
Congregations served
Tenth Presbyterian Church
Academic background
Alma mater
ThesisThomas Boston (1676–1732) as Preacher of the Fourfold State[1] (1995)
Academic work
DisciplineTheology
Sub-discipline
School or tradition
InstitutionsWheaton College

Early life and education

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Ryken was born on September 29, 1966. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature and philosophy from Wheaton College in 1988. He also completed a Master of Divinity degree from Westminster Theological Seminary in 1992 and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in historical theology from University of Oxford in 1995.

Professional life

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Ryken is an ordained teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America. He joined the pastoral staff of historic Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia in 1995 and was elevated to the position of senior minister upon the death of James Boice in 2000.[2] In February 2010, the Board of Trustees at Wheaton College announced his selection as the college's eighth president, succeeding the retiring Duane Litfin.[3][4] Ryken took office on July 1, 2010, and was formally inaugurated on September 17, 2010, at Edman Chapel.

He is a member of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, serving as a member of the alliance council, which features his expository preaching on its weekly national radio and internet broadcast, Every Last Word.[5]

Scholarship

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He has written over thirty books on a wide variety of Christian subjects, including:

  • Art for God's Sake: A Call to Recover the Arts
  • Written in Stone: The Ten Commandments and Today's Moral Crisis
  • The Doctrines of Grace: Rediscovering the Evangelical Gospel with James Montgomery Boice and R. C. Sproul
  • Discovering God in Stories from the Bible

Ryken has also coauthored a series of commentaries on individual books of the Bible with R. Kent Hughes. Ryken and his father, literary scholar Leland Ryken, have collaborated to produce a study Bible, and the father-son team worked with James Wilhoit to write Ryken's Bible Handbook, which focuses on the literary genres and styles in each book of the Bible.

Personal life

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Ryken is the son of the Christian literary scholar and Wheaton professor Leland Ryken. Ryken met his wife, Lisa, while the two were students at Wheaton. They were married after their junior year. The couple have five children, and reside in Wheaton. He is known to enjoy waterskiing, basketball, soccer, golf, and poetry.

Works

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Books

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  • Ryken, Philip G. (2001). The Message of Salvation: by God's grace, for God's glory. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. ISBN 978-0-830-82404-5. OCLC 48123211.
  • ——— (2001). Jeremiah and Lamentations: from sorrow to hope. Preaching the Word. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books. ISBN 978-1-581-34167-6. OCLC 44885114.
  • ——— (2002). The Doctrines of Grace: rediscovering the evangelical Gospel. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books. ISBN 978-1-581-34299-4. OCLC 48550967.
  • ———; Boice, James Montgomery (2002). Jesus on Trial. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books. ISBN 978-1-581-34401-1. OCLC 48649754.
  • ———; Thomas, Derek W. H.; Duncan, J. Ligon, III (2003). Give Praise to God: a vision for reforming worship : celebrating the legacy of James Montgomery Boice. Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R Publishing. ISBN 978-0-8755-2553-2. OCLC 52587635.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • ——— (2005). Galatians. Reformed Expository Commentary. Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R Publishing. ISBN 978-0-875-52782-6. OCLC 58720713.
  • ——— (2006). Art for God's sake: a call to recover the arts. Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R Publishing. ISBN 978-1-5963-8007-3. OCLC 61684233.
  • ———; Ryken, Leland (2007). The Literary Study Bible: ESV: English Standard version, containing the Old and New Testaments. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books. ISBN 978-1-581-34808-8. OCLC 123284869.
  • ———; Davis, Jeffry C., eds. (2012). Liberal arts for the Christian life. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books. ISBN 978-1-433-52394-6. OCLC 793539869.
  • ———; Davis, Jeffry C.; Wilson, Todd A. (2012). Pastors in the Classics: timeless lessons on life and ministry from world literature. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books. ISBN 978-0-801-07197-3. OCLC 729346781.

References

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  1. ^ Ryken, Philip Graham (1995). Thomas Boston (1676–1732) as Preacher of the Fourfold State (DPhil thesis). Oxford: Oxford University Press. OCLC 557271378. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
  2. ^ Tenth Presbyterian Church - Philadelphia, PA: Dr. Philip G. Ryken
  3. ^ Wheaton College Names Philip Ryken President-Elect
  4. ^ "Phillip Ryken Named New President of Wheaton College". Church Report (Press release). Christy Media. 2010-02-20. Archived from the original on 2019-02-28. Retrieved 2010-02-21.
  5. ^ Council - Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, Inc
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Religious titles
Preceded by Senior Minister of Tenth Presbyterian Church
2000–2010
Succeeded by
Liam Goligher
Academic offices
Preceded by President of Wheaton College
2010–present
Incumbent