Taylor University will be installing its latest endowed academic chair at a special chapel service on November 18, thanks to a generous $2 million gift from Full Salvation Union, a Michigan-based Christian organization. With a matching gift from the Taylor University Academic LIFE Fund, the University is announcing the $4 million James F. and Leona N. Andrews Distinguished Endowed Chair for Christian Unity & Spiritual Theology. The inaugural Andrews Chair will be the Rev. Dr. Henry (Hank) J. Voss, associate professor of Christian Ministries and director of the Sacred Roots Project at the University.
“Daily growth opportunities in the Christian faith and a deep immersion in the unifying aspects of spiritual disciplines are a distinctive aspect of a Taylor student’s experience and something we want to continue to strengthen and amplify,” said President D. Michael Lindsay. “We are blessed to have David Andrews and Full Salvation Union come alongside the University in not only investing in the campus experience through the work of Dr. Voss, but enabling a greater global reach in building Christian unity among believers.”
Dr. Hank Voss joined Taylor in 2018 after serving for 17 years in a variety of roles with World Impact, including National Director of Church Planting and Senior National Staff with The Urban Ministry Institute (TUMI). He has authored, co-authored, or edited 12 books including Introduction to Evangelical Theology (T&T Clarke, 2021) and The Priesthood of All Believers and the Missio Dei (2016). He currently directs the Lilly-funded Sacred Roots Thriving in Ministry Project. Hank Voss holds a PhD from Wheaton College and an MA in New Testament and Christian Theology from Talbot School of Theology in California. He is also a Taylor alumnus with a BA in Biblical Literature and Christian Education.
Founded in 1934, Full Salvation Union is a nonprofit with a mission “to perpetuate spirituality…and to carry on, without profit, educational, charitable and religious work” intended to be “interdenominational in effort and nonsectarian in spirit.” Its first general pastor was E.A. Andrews, who served from 1934 until his death in 1944. James Andrews followed, and upon his death in 2003 was succeeded by general pastor Leona Andrews.
“Since its inception, Full Salvation Union has focused on building spiritual unity expressed best by our Lord Jesus in his prayer found in the Gospel of John chapter 17,” said Dr. David Andrews, the current general pastor for Full Salvation Union. “Jesus’ charge to his disciples was not to build churches of bricks and wood but through the Holy Spirit to take a message of salvation to the world, to rise above what divides us and to hold to what unites us as believers. We are confident that the Union's legacy of Christian unity is in good hands with Dr. Hank Voss and Taylor University.”
As chair, Dr. Hank Voss will be able to invest in and build up programs and activities that tangibly reinforce the concept of Christian unity. These may be through academic programs—guest speakers, colloquiums, and even faculty-led student research projects—or through external engagements and partnerships with parachurch organizations (such as the World Evangelical Alliance as one example) with global reach and impact in furthering the cause of Christian unity.
