Release date: 19-Jul-05
Contact: Elaine Justice at 404-727-0643 or elaine.justice@emory.edu

Gift Endows World Evangelism Chair at Emory

Daniel and Lillian Hankey of Atlanta have spent a major portion of their lives devoted to medicine, but they are equally committed to lives of faith. It is the latter that motivated them to establish the Daniel and Lillian Hankey Chair in World Evangelism at Emory University's Candler School of Theology with a gift of $2.5 million.

The Hankey Chair is the first given to Candler by a living donor in 20 years. It joins the Arthur J. Moore Chair in Evangelism as the school's second endowed position devoted to the teaching of evangelism, a rarity in theological education.

"The Hankeys' remarkable gesture secures Candler's leadership place in evangelism and mission," says Russell E. Richey, dean of Candler.

The holder of the Hankey Chair will teach courses in evangelism, lead a contextual education group and work closely with the World Methodist Evangelism Institute (WMEI), a cooperative ministry of Candler and the World Methodist Council that trains evangelism leaders.

"The visionary gift by the Hankeys will undergird Candler's focus on world Christianity and its multiple expressions," says Teresa Fry Brown, associate professor of homiletics at Candler and chair of the church and ministry area of the curriculum.

The Hankeys have a long affiliation with Emory and Candler. Lillian Hankey was working in the university's Department of Biochemistry when Daniel Hankey came to Atlanta and Grady Hospital in 1948 as a medical resident. They met in the biochemistry lab in 1949 and were married in 1950. Daniel Hankey was chief resident of internal medicine at Grady from 1950-51, served in the Korean War 1951-53, and practiced medicine in Atlanta until 1980. He is an emeritus professor of medicine at Emory.

Following Hankey's retirement, the couple became involved with WMEI for what has become a 23-year adventure and commitment to evangelism training. Daniel Hankey has attended more than 40 of the institute's regional and international seminars and has worked with thousands of emerging church leaders. Hundreds of students from Candler and other North American theology schools have participated in programs around the world, learning about evangelism through experience and training.

Emory University is known for its demanding academics, outstanding undergraduate college of arts and sciences, highly ranked professional schools and state-of-the-art research facilities. For nearly two decades Emory has been named one of the country's top 25 national universities by U.S. News & World Report. In addition to its nine schools, the university encompasses The Carter Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center and Emory Healthcare, the state's largest and most comprehensive health care system.

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