A persuasive evangelist and distinguished theologian, he was in demand as a speaker until his recent illness.

Gospel on campus

Edward Michael Bankes Green came to faith as a schoolboy through the summer-camp ministry of Eric Nash (‘Bash’), before going up to Exeter College, Oxford, where he was President of Oxford Inter-Collegiate Christian Union, and Queens’ College, Cambridge. It was during his time with the CU that Michael developed a lifelong commitment to proclaiming the gospel on university campuses.

Ordained priest in 1958, Michael became tutor at the London College of Divinity in 1960. In 1969 he was appointed Principal of St John’s College, Nottingham and then, in 1975, Rector of St Aldate’s Church, Oxford where he pioneered creative and far-reaching evangelism amongst students. He later served as Professor of Evangelism at Regent College, Vancouver, before returning to the UK in 1992 to take up the position of advisor to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York for the Springboard Decade of Evangelism. In 1997 he was appointed Senior Research Fellow and Head of Evangelism and Apologetics at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, despite officially retiring the previous year.

Michael combined academic rigour with a passion for evangelism. Of his 50+ books, Evangelism in the Early Church stands out. It combines a detailed knowledge of antiquity with New Testament scholarship, revealing how the early church spoke effectively to the fears and aspirations of their hearers. Unsurprisingly, Michael’s popular evangelistic books similarly demonstrate the plausibility and beauty of the gospel.

Training the next generation

Michael not only contributed to the academic and theological development of the UK church, but also mentored theologians and evangelists who were serving in ministry across the globe. Over the past decade, Michael gave much time to university missions, training UCCF staff in evangelism and helping his close friend Lindsay Brown to pioneer a training programme for university evangelists across Europe.

Generations of students have been impacted by the generous, cheerful and tireless ministry of one of the greatest evangelists of the post-war period.

It is an occupational hazard for evangelists to become a bit jaded at some point, but Michael’s faith shone into every aspect of life. Whether fishing or shooting (two of his favourite pastimes), sharing a meal with friends and his much-loved family, or dying in a hospital bed, speaking kindly and boldly to the staff, his devotion to his Saviour and Lord was palpable and constant.

Michael is survived by his wife Rosemary, their children Sarah, Jenny, Tim and Jonathan, and by his grandchildren.