Biography

John Gresham (J.G.) Machen was born in Baltimore on July 28, 1881. While his dad was an Episcopalian, his mother was Presbyterian. As a family, they attended the Presbyterian Church. Machen earned a degree from Johns Hopkins University. He also attended Princeton Seminary to work on a philosophy degree. While studying abroad, he encountered a liberal, modernist theology being taught. Machen rejected these liberal theology teachings and, upon returning to the States, campaigned against such ideas. He wrote Christianity and Liberalism, The Origin of Paul's Religion, and What is Faith? Since Princeton Seminary seemed to be adopting liberal theology, Machen founded Westminster Theological Seminary. And since the church appears also to have begun leaning toward Modernist theology, Machen and others started the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Besides these two institutions, Machen left behind a large body of written works as his legacy. Machen died of pneumonia on New Year's Day, 1937.

Wailand Groenendyk
CCEL Staff Writer