Letter from the Co-Chairmen of the Presidential Selection Committee to the Board of Trustees of Wheaton College on the choice of the schools 8th President.

The following letter, from the Co-Chairs of the Presidential Selection Committee, accompanied the Committee’s report of recommendation to the Trustees.

The rationale for the Presidential Selection Committee’s choice and recommendation primarily comprises the major and sub-points of the Desired Qualifications (or Profile). The Profile, a great gift to this effort, has served the Presidential Selection Committee well in directing and organizing its work and discerning its choices.

In consulting with several academic notables and key persons regarding presidential candidate suggestions, one in particular, Os Guinness, responded in writing with the following:

“You are looking for a person with a fearless confidence in the truth of the Gospel, which breeds faithfulness, academic excellence, and freedom in equal measure.”

The depth and truth of this statement seemed to summarize the heart of the Profile. Fearless confidence in the Gospel in all its fullness is what we were looking for in a leader. His faithfulness to it assured an affirmation that God in Christ had spoken into being all that is and will be, and is central to all that can be known of natural and special revelation. It excited us to see the candidate’s freedom to excel in the joy of discovery and in the unity of faith and learning.

Further, the candidate, having been steeped in the liberal arts, recognizes its fertile soil for such exploration at the undergraduate level. He exudes confidence in such learning experiences and believes that in them students and faculty alike can never be far from the Author of both natural and special revelation. His confidence in the Gospel trusts that the seeking heart will find and rejoice in the Creator to the glory of God.

In affirming the College motto and mission and its endeavor for excellence and freedom in higher learning, he also affirms personally and for the College that faith, wisdom, and understanding are coveted gifts from God which are critical to truly knowing.

Therefore, the Presidential Selection Committee, by unanimous decision, has selected an individual whom we recommend to you for your ratification and election. This is a person whose familiarity with Wheaton is unmatched in our search. He not only has had a well-rounded higher learning experience (with honors) in noted academies of this world, including Wheaton, but also, well before that, was nurtured to receive the gifts of faith, wisdom, and understanding in placing his faith in God who revealed Himself in Christ Jesus. He has theological integrity, a visible spiritual vitality, and an irenic spirit.

With great pleasure the Presidential Selection Committee recommends to the Board of Trustees Dr. Philip Graham Ryken as the eighth President of Wheaton College.

Don Meyer
Tom Pratt
Presidential Search Committee Co-Chairs

Following is the official press release from Wheaton College with details about the announcement:

Dr. Ryken, a 1988 graduate of the College, is the senior minister at the historic Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, where he has served since 1995.

In addition to earning his Bachelor of Arts in English literature and philosophy from Wheaton in 1988, Dr. Ryken also earned a Master of Divinity from Westminster Theological Seminary and a Doctorate of Philosophy in historical theology at Oxford University. He has taught and lectured at universities and seminaries worldwide, and he is widely published. Dr. Ryken and his wife, Lisa, who also graduated from Wheaton in 1988, have five children who range in age from 5 to 17.

“My simple hope is to fulfill my calling as a wise and visionary leader for Wheaton’s faculty, staff, and students,” Dr. Ryken says. “I pray that during my tenure Wheaton will grow in academic excellence and spiritual vitality, so that our graduates are equipped to go out into the world and make a difference for Christ and His Kingdom.”

“The decision to select this president was rooted in a presidential profile document that highlighted desired qualifications for the role. This profile was created with input from multiple groups within the College community,” says Donald Meyer, co-chairman of the Presidential Selection Committee. “Dr. Ryken was a clear choice, as his gifts and abilities are aligned with those qualities.”

“As a committee, we thought deeply and prayed fervently for the Lord’s guidance in choosing the right leader for Wheaton College,” Meyer says. “The Board of Trustees is confident in the selection of Dr. Ryken.”
Dr. Ryken’s appointment marks the end of a two-year search process.

The Presidential Selection Committee is grateful for the work of CarterBaldwin Executive Search Services, which assisted in the process of researching candidates.

Dr. Duane Litfin, Wheaton’s current president, will retire in June 2010 after 17 years of service. He announced his intention to retire last March.