Supporting the William Edgar Chair of Apologetics at Faculté Jean Calvin
“It’s no secret that the human race is facing a remarkable challenge: a global pandemic. But this also means that new doors have been opened to the proclamation and defense of the Christian gospel in France, which is what the Edgar Chair is all about.”
About the Campaign
William (Bill) Edgar
Over the course of a distinguished, decades-long career of teaching and writing, Bill Edgar has labored faithfully and fruitfully in the field of Christian Apologetics.
Bill taught at Faculté Jean Calvin (FJC) for eleven years before moving his family to the United States in 1989 to teach at Westminster Theological Seminary near Philadelphia. In the thirty-plus years ever since, he has continued to be a devoted supporter of the seminary in Aix: serving as the President of the Huguenot Fellowship until 2019, as well as traveling frequently to FJC to teach there in person.
Bill is now an internationally-renowned expert in his field, and a beloved member of the extended FJC family. To top it off, he and his wife Barbara have lovingly lived out together the faith he has taught and defended all these years, by their warm hospitality and gracious encouragement of countless friends and strangers around the world.
Read more about Bill Edgar at the Westminster Theological Seminary website.
Interview with Bill and Barbara Edgar
Paul Wolfe interviewed Bill and Barbara Edgar to capture their history with ministry, France and their work at Faculty Jean Calvin. Watch the full interview on YouTube (48:42)
The Edgar Chair: A vital ministry
The theological discipline known as “Apologetics” involves the explanation and defense of the Christian faith in a world in which that faith is sometimes regarded with misunderstanding, or skepticism, or opposition…and sometimes all of the above! Apologetics brings together a wide range of subjects and interests—everything from theology to philosophy to popular culture to interpersonal relationships—in order to answer questions concerning Christianity and to show its truthfulness. Because Bill has devoted his life to this worthy calling, putting his name on the FJC chair of Apologetics was an irresistible fit—especially since he once occupied that professorship himself. This action was taken formally by the seminary board on November 28, 2020, which means that FJC Apologetics Professor Yannick Imbert, who once studied under Bill at Westminster, is the first occupant of the Edgar Chair. Parfait!
Dr. Yannick Imbert is the first occupant of the William Edgar Chair of Apologetics at Faculté Jean Calvin.
We have prepared an informative 12-page booklet about The Huguenot Fellowship’s new campaign for funding the William Edgar Chair of Apologetics at the Faculté Jean Calvin seminary in Aix-en-Provence, France.
“Believe in order that you may understand
- St. Augustine”
A critical moment
As this campaign gets underway, it’s no secret that the human race is facing a remarkable challenge: a global viral pandemic like none we’ve seen in a century. And this has caused financial uncertainty and straitening for many (including FJC). France has been hard hit by this coronavirus, and now terrorism-related tensions have been added to it in that country. But this also means that new doors have been opened to the proclamation and defense of the Christian gospel in France, which is what this new Edgar Chair is all about.
Campaign goal
Target: $1,000,000
The Huguenot Fellowship has created a special fund to support the William Edgar Chair of Apologetics, with the goal of raising up to $1,000,000 over a multi-year campaign. This would enable us to contribute annually a portion of the salary for the Apologetics professorship for years to come.
Our Partnership
Faculté Jean Calvin Seminary and The Huguenot Fellowship
Established in 1974, Faculté Jean Calvin is an evangelical Protestant seminary located in Aix-en-Provence, France. For over 45 years, FJC has been providing solid, scriptural instruction across the full spectrum of biblical and theological disciplines, equipping its students to serve the church and make Christ known. The seminary remains committed to instruction in the Reformed theological tradition (associated historically with John Calvin and other like-minded Protestant pioneers), which magnifies the love of God in the salvation of all those who trust in him, and the sufficiency of Scripture to shape the faith and life of God’s people.
The Huguenot Fellowship is a U.S.-based organization committed to supporting FJC from this side of the Atlantic, raising donations to assist the seminary with its ongoing expenses, as well as introducing others to FJC by its website, regular newsletters, and occasional events and conferences.
Support the Edgar Chair Fund campaign
There are many ways to take part in this transformational campaign. We encourage you to consider a financial gift that will help support Jean Calvin for generations to come. Also, if you’d like to volunteer, please let us know below. YOu can give directly to the campaign or pledge a future Gift and let us know about this commitment using the form linked below.
Stay connected
Follow along with our progress and let us know if you’d like to receive updates on live meetings, receive information about the campaign or speak with a member of our team.
Please note, the fund is entitled: The William Edgar Chair of Apologetics Fund, also known as the The Edgar Chair.