Following the sudden death, on Tuesday, of Paul Bailie, a profound feeling of loss has spread though the entire Union College community – so privileged were we to have worked with Paul, and so grateful to have known him. Respected and loved in equal measure by our faculty, staff and students, Paul was a trusted colleague and a dear friend.
Our College has lost a loyal contributor to its ministry and mission, bringing his enthusiasm and experience, over many years, to our programmes in ministerial training or theology. Our students have lost a compassionate, winsome and popular lecturer and tutor, with a global outlook: skilled in opening up the Old Testament with rigour and humour, Paul was unfailingly committed to encouraging students in their learning and to supporting them in their intellectual and spiritual growth.
Our ministerial students and graduates have lost a wise counsellor and a dependable companion and mentor, whose practice of Christian virtues, example in self-giving and model service for Christ were a blessing and an inspiration to us all. The Paul we knew lived out the advice of Paul the Apostle: ‘Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain’ (1 Corinthians 15.58).
While we are greatly impoverished at losing Paul too soon, we know that others will miss him more: as a College, we offer our deepest condolences and our prayers to Paul’s family circle and, in particular, to his devoted wife Anne.
