Memorial: John Bullen Craig

John Bullen Craig was born on February 17, 1915 in Bandon, County Cork, Ireland into the family of Thomas and Sarah (Bullen) Craig. He had one sister, Ellen Wheeler Thompson, who was ten years older than he. John placed his faith in Christ when just nine years old.

After a few years' work in accounting, John began to study for the ministry at Irish Baptist College, where he received a diploma in 1949. He continued his education at the University of London in England, and was graduated with his B.A. degree in 1952 and his Bachelor of Divinity in 1955. During his studies, John was an assistant pastor of Cork Baptist Church in 1949-50, then served as minister of the Windsor Baptist Church in Belfast from 1950-56.

In 1953, John married Marion Shaw McIntyre at the Windsor Baptist Church where he was pastor. Three years later, John and Marion moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, where John pastored Ward Memorial Baptist Church for three years. Moving to Ontario in 1959, John served the Lorne Park Baptist Church from 1959-63, then the Midland Baptist Church from 1963-72. During those years, John also studied at Wycliffe College of the Toronto School of Graduate Theological Studies, completing his Master of Theology degree in 1974.

John pastored the Bethany Baptist Church in Toronto from 1974 until retirement in 1984, but has since served more than thirty congregations as interim pastor and pulpit supply. John was an avid reader of theological materials and Irish history and contributed articles to several denominational papers. John and Marion travelled widely through Canada and spent extended vacations in Ireland. John and Marion had no children, but discipled many young adults and saw three of these ordained to full time gospel ministry.

John had been a member of the Evangelical Theological Society for nearly twenty-seven years when he passed away on Thursday, August 28, 1997 at East General Hospital in Toronto. Burial was at Mount Pleasant Cemetery. John's life spanned eighty-two years, six months and eleven days. He is survived by his wife Marion, and many nieces and nephews in Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Copyright Evangelical Theological Society Mar 1999
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