V. Gilbert Beers was a prolific author of Christian books and reference materials and was the editor of Christianity Today magazine in the 1980s.
Beers, 95, died of pneumonia on Feb. 28 at a hospice center in Naperville, said his son, Ron. He was previously a longtime Elgin resident.
Victor Gilbert Beers was born in the tiny downstate community of Sidell, the son of a grain farmer. He received a bachelor’s degree from Wheaton College in 1950. He then earned a master’s degree in religious education in 1953 from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, and he picked up a bachelor of divinity degree from the seminary the following year and a master of theology degree in 1955.
In 1963, Beers earned a Ph.D. in speech from Northwestern University, writing his doctoral dissertation on the preaching theory and practice of influential British Protestant preacher John Henry Jowett.
While a graduate student, Beers commuted on weekends from Chicago to Kirklin, Indiana, where he was the pastor of a small church. He also taught at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary from 1954 until 1957 and took on other side jobs such as being a conductor on Chicago’s ‘L’ trains and working as a Fuller Brush salesman, his son said.
In 1957, Beers became the editor of senior high school publications for the nonprofit Christian publishing company David C. Cook, then based in Elgin. He became editorial director in 1961 before leaving six years later to write books and to start his own Christian publishing company, Books for Living Inc.
“He had so many loves, but his real love, his real calling, was writing books,” his son said.
Beers authored more than 200 books, including writing the 10-volume “Family Bible Library,” published in 1971, and the 24-volume “Book of Life,” which was published in 1980 and examined the Bible in historical context.
Beers also wrote several books that attempted to explain the Bible to children, including “The Toddler’s Bible.”
In 1982, Beers was named Christianity Today magazine’s editor by the publication’s board, which at the time was headed by its founder, evangelist Billy Graham. The Tribune reported in 1982 that Beers’ selection appeared to have been intended to increase the magazine’s lay readership.
“In no way do I want to make the magazine less thoughtful,” Beers told the Tribune upon his hiring. “But we want to focus more than ever on readability.”
Former Christianity Today publisher Harold Myra recalled Beers’ “positive spirit” as the magazine’s editor.
“I think he truly saw balance among the many streams of Christian thought, and he was a person who wanted to be positive,” Myra said. “And he was able to balance his significant work with his tremendous commitment to his family.”
In 1985, Beers shifted to a new role as senior editor of Christianity Today, which he held until 1987. Beers was named president of Scripture Press Ministries, a publishing firm then based in Wheaton, in 1990, and in 1996 he returned to David C. Cook as a vice president of ministry development.
“He had the ability to separate the important things from the things that presumed they were important,” said Jay Barnes, who served on the board of Christian Camps Inc. with Beers. “He was not distracted by shiny objects (and) he could spot things that really mattered. And he brought clarity in the midst of complexity.”
Beers was still writing and proposing book ideas into his 90s, his son said.
In addition to serving on the board of Christian Camps, Beers was a Wheaton College trustee from 1975 until 1992.
Beers enjoyed traveling, spending time at a family cabin in the Adirondacks and hosting family at his home in Elgin, which he named “Lothlorien” after a location in J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy novel “The Lord of the Rings.”
Beers’ wife of 72 years, Arlisle, died in 2022 of injuries sustained in a car wreck. His son Douglas died in 1981 of injuries from an auto accident.
Other survivors include three daughters, Kathy Cathey, Jan Engel and Cindy Grondahl; 11 grandchildren; and 23 great-grandchildren.
A visitation is set for 9 a.m. Saturday, April 20, at Chapelstreet Church, 3435 Keslinger St., Geneva. A memorial service will follow at 10 a.m.
Goldsborough is a freelance reporter.
