Herman A. Hoyt

Herman A. Hoyt

Date

May 26, 1967

Biographical Sketch

Herman A. Hoyt was born on March 12, 1909, the oldest of ten children born to Clarence Lyman and Anna Leola (Dorsey) Hoyt in Greenfield, Iowa. Herman placed his faith in Christ because of the influence of his mother and several godly pastors of the Brethren Church at Dallas Center, Iowa. After the eighth grade Herman taught for one year in a country school, then be- came valedictorian of his high school class. Following high school, the entire family moved to Ashland, Ohio, where Herman attended their denominational school, Ashland College. On August 30, 1930, Herman and his child- hood sweetheart, Harriet Lucile Fitz, were married.

Herman received his A.B. (as valedictorian) and his Th.B. degree (with highest honors) from Ashland College and Seminary, then was called upon to teach in that seminary until 1937, at which time he co-founded, with Alva J. McClain, Grace Theological Seminary. Moving the school to Winona Lake, Indiana, in 1939, Herman served as professor of New Testament, registrar, and later as dean, then president from 1962–1976. During that time he also earned his B.D., Th.M., and Th.D. degrees.

Herman Hoyt served on the Board of Trustees of the Winona Lake Christian Assembly, the American Association for Jewish Evangelism, and Bryan College which awarded him an honorary LL.D. He twice served as moderator of the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches.

He had a large Bible conference ministry, primarily as an expositor of the Word, but found time to write eight books and numerous articles. He was a charter member of the Evangelical Theological Society (1950), and though busy with many other ministries, always found time to read the society's publications. He was a great encourager of those in the ministry.

Herman's publications were numerous, including This Do in Remembrance of Me (1947), All Things Whatsoever I Have Commanded You (1948), Then Would My Servants Fight (1958), and various contributions to the Brethren Quarterly. Moody published The End Times (1969), and Hoyt contributed to The Meaning of the Millennium: Four Views (InterVarsity, 1977), and War: Four Christian Views (InterVarsity, 1981). BMH Books published Hoyt's Commentary on Revelation, Studies in II Peter, The United States in Prophecy and An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews.

Several years after retirement from Grace Theological Seminary, Herman and Harriet moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to be near their son, Max. Harriet died in 1995, and Herman joined her with Christ on August 29, 2000. Herman's funeral was conducted on September 2 in Strasburg, Pennsylvania. He lived ninety-one years, five months, and seventeen days.

Source: The Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Vol. 44, No. 1 (March 2001), available online through open access.

Dr. Hoyt's picture is reproduced by the kind permission of Grace College & Seminary Archives, Winona Lake, Indiana.

Keywords

Cedarville, college, university, history, commencement, Hoyt

Herman A. Hoyt

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