Dr. Donald Brake, vice president of Multnomah University
and dean of Multnomah Biblical Seminary will retire this winter after 22 years
of service. Dr. Brake looks forward to spending retirement with his family,
guiding biblical tours in the Middle East and Europe,
improving his golf game, and writing on the subjects of the English Bible and
the life of Jesus.
Dr. Brake is well known for his collection of ancient Bibles
and manuscripts, and is considered one of the top Bible collectors in the
world. He is also known for his love of history, geography, and archaeology.
Dr. Brake's interests culminated earlier this fall with the
release of his new book A Visual History of the English Bible: The Tumultuous Tale
of the World's Bestselling Book, which
earned a starred review from Publisher's
Weekly. After the release of his book, he was awarded the Arnold D. Ehlert
Award by the International Society of Bible Collectors for his contribution to
the field.
History
Dr. Brake first accepted a teaching position at Multnomah in
1977 and became the first dean of the Seminary in 1987. In 1990, Dr. Brake left
Multnomah for nine years, during which he served as president of Jerusalem University
College (1990-1993), and pastored a
church in Carrollton, Texas (1993-1999). He then returned to
Multnomah in 1999 to resume his position as Dean of Multnomah Biblical
Seminary.
As Dean of the Seminary, Dr. Brake was the biggest advocate
and motivator for the Seminary's faculty to become more published, the fruits
of which can be seen in the number of faculty who are now publishing books.
Under Dr. Brake's leadership, Multnomah Biblical Seminary
launched several academic programs, expanding its programmatic offerings in the
Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies, the Master of Divinity in Theological
Studies, and the Master of Theology. He has also played a significant role in
the development of several future Seminary programs.
Quotes
Dr. Brake has many fond memories of his time at Multnomah.
"During the early eighties I was assistant men's basketball coach and traveled
to Germany, Portugal, France
and Hawaii
with the teams playing local teams and giving half-time testimonies," Dr. Brake
said. "These were great times of ministry and getting to know the players and
cheerleaders."
"I have reached the place in life where it is time to turn
the leadership of the seminary over to a younger man, to bring new ideas, and
to insert enthusiasm into the program," Dr. Brake said. "It has been a great ride
but all good things must come to an end."
"I have family in Texas
and grandsons playing sports," Dr. Brake said. "My wife, Carol, and I
want to spend time with them. I also have family here in the Portland area and
want to spend time with them as well."