Mike Ovey, principal of Oak Hill Theological College in London, has passed away suddenly on Saturday night UK time (7 January 2017).
Ovey was highly regarded for his strong evangelical convictions and superior academic work. His writing was widely circulated and he had a gift in public speaking for communicating complex ideas with simplicity and clarity. In the Anglican world he is perhaps best known for his landmark address at the 2013 Nairobi GAFCON conference, “The Grace of God or the World of the West?“.
He last visited Sydney in 2016 where he addressed the Freedom for Faith conference and was due to speak at the 2017 Nexus Conference.
Ovey is survived by his wife, Heather, and three children.
Ovey’s bio from the Oak Hill website:
Rev’d Michael Ovey, PhD, MTh, MA, BCL, BA
Principal
Doctrine, Apologetics & LiturgyMike believes that the more we know the truth about God, his grace and greatness, the more we love and trust him. His vision is for students at Oak Hill to grow in knowledge and loving trust in this God.
Before coming to Oak Hill, Mike was a civil service lawyer drafting government legislation. He trained at Ridley Hall, Cambridge, and worked as a curate for four years at All Saints, Crowborough, before teaching for three years at Moore Theological College, Sydney. He joined Oak Hill in 1998 and since then has finished a PhD in the field of Trinitarian theology.
He is married to Heather, and they have three children. He remains incurably optimistic about the prospects of Arsenal FC and the England rugby team, solace being provided by the works of PG Wodehouse. Most recent writing includes co-authoring the book, Pierced for our Transgressions (IVP).
update:
The Oak Hill website has published the following:
‘Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful servants’ (Psalm 116:15).
It is with profound shock and sadness that we announce the sudden and unexpected death of our Principal, the Revd Dr Mike Ovey, at the age of 58.
As the Oak Hill community comes to terms with the loss of our dear brother and leader, we cling on to the promise that ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life’. It reminds us that for Mike, death is not an end but a glorious beginning.
Please hold in your thoughts and prayers Mike’s wife Heather and their three children Charlie, Harry, and Ana.
More details about Mike’s funeral and thanksgiving will follow in the coming days.
Thank you for letting us know about this. What a loss to the Church and to his family, but as Oak Hill said, this is a glorious beginning for him. Thanks be to God for his life and work.
We are very sad to learn of Mike’s death. We remember him well when he was a curate at All Saints Crowborough. We send our condolences to his family. What a blessing to know he is now with God and on the next stage of his Christian life.
Oak Hill College has done powerful work under his leadership. In an earthly sense, the grass roots renewal taking place among Anglicans in England today would not have been possible without his quiet work over many years.
Praying that the Lord will comfort his family in their grief, knowing that He loves them, and that Mike is now safe in Glory.