'Bold, Loving' Christian Apologist Dave Hunt Passes Away at Age 87
Dave Hunt, a well-known Christian apologist, author, speaker, and radio commentator, passed away April 5 at the age of 87 with his wife, Ruth, by his side.
Hunt, a graduate of UCLA, began working in the full-time Christian ministry in 1973, authoring books and commentating radio programs in an effort to draw Christians back to the fundamental, biblical teachings of their religion.
In order to expand his ministry further, Hunt founded outreach publication The Berean Call in 1992 for the purpose of "encouraging spiritual discernment among those who regarded themselves not just as 'evangelicals' but as biblical Christians."
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A recent obituary published by The Berean Call describes Hunt as "bold yet loving" in his approach to Christianity, adding that one of Hunt's favorite activities was to engage nonbelievers or members of other religions in conversations on airplanes in order to convince them of the Good News of Jesus Christ.
"Dave's bold yet loving approach to any situation allowed him entrance into these conversations where many others would have been shut out. His love for Jesus, for Israel, and for people in general was obvious to all," the obituary reads.
"His enthusiasm for the truth, along with his anger over the sin and wickedness that he knew was robbing people of what God wanted for them, flamed his desire to share the Lord with anyone with whom he had contact," the obituary added.
Hunt has managed to sell over 4 million copies of his various books, some of which include The Cult Explosion; The God Makers, which he co-wrote with Ed Decker, and The Seduction of Christianity, which he co-wrote with T.A. McMahon.
The Seduction of Christianity, one of Hunt's most popular books, was published in 1985 and sought to reveal deception in the Christian church.
"To avoid the seduction that is at the heart of apostasy, we must be able to distinguish the voice of Christ through His word from the confusing mixture of truth and error that is spoken in His name," Hunt wrote in his book.
"Those who would escape the growing seduction must get back to the Bible and know what they believe and why, rather than succumbing to the temptation of accepting facile answers provided by 'experts,'" he added.
Along with his prolific writing of books, Hunt also produced videos and wrote two novels, as well as conducted two radio programs, "Search the Scriptures Daily" and "According to God's Word."
Through his various mediums of expression, the influential Christian also sought to critically discuss the religions of Islam, Catholicism, Mormonism and Calvinism, among others.
Hunt was also a Creationist, and often times dedicated many of his talks on his radio programs to discussing evolution vs. biblical creationism.
The Christian scholar was also reportedly an avid traveler, having spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to parts of South America, Australia, Europe, India, and the Middle East with his wife, Ruth, whom he married in 1950, according to The Berean Call.
Hunt was described by many of his admirers as a true defender of faith in that he sought to dispel heresy in modern day Christianity, as well as formulate the difference between cults and biblical faith for the current generation.
Several Christians from around the country who admired Hunt and his books took to The Berean Call to recall their fond memories of the Christian apologist and rejoice that he now joins the Lord.
"I can't even tell you how much I have learned from this man's books and tapes. We went to see him a number of times and though he was a great force during his lectures, he was very humble in spirit in person. Though I am rejoicing that he is with our Lord, I mourn the loss of this great man of God," Vicki Molesky of Pennsylvania wrote on The Berean Call's forum for Hunt.
"Dave left a huge body of work! His ministry of 'watchman on the tower' was sorely needed. and his passing will leave a tremendous vacuum. He had enviable boldness, especially living in our politically-correct society," commented Paul Tatham of Orlando, Fla.
No public memorial services have been scheduled for Hunt, who is survived by his wife and four children.
