Memorials: James F. White
Letter from James F. White
Date, 2004
Dear NAAL Friends:
Two weeks ago my beloved wife Claire took me in to the Mayo Clinic with what we both thought was the outcome of my congestive heart failure. We fully expected that I would die from it; I was so weak I could hardly stand up and I expected to be brought home in the trunk of the car.
While we were there they discovered that my body was filled with cancer which had reached stage 4, had destroyed the adrenal glands, reached from my neck to groin, and had invaded my bone marrow. The one glimmer of hope is that the type of cancer is non-Hodkins Lymphoma which may be susceptible to treatment if it doesn't destroy the heart in the process. So now my life is a contest between my heart, which will be quick and efficient and the cancer which can be slow and painful. Fortunately medicine to replace my adrenal glands is keeping me out of pain and restoring me to activity.
All of this has brought me closer to my risen Savior who has given me such a wonderful life that I am ready to return to Christ. I have been marvelously privileged to direct 33 doctoral dissertations and my students are the best legacy anyone could wish for. I am so proud that they can go further than I ever did. I have had hundreds of wonderful students and colleagues from who I have learned so much.
I would like to be remembered as a scholar but I suspect my most important ministry was as a teacher to hundreds of thousands of seminarians who have used my books in six languages. And one final reward came while I was still at Mayo's, The General Conference of the United Methodist Church accepted with an ovation a document "This Holy Mystery" (Web site, GC2004.0rg) which used my approach to Eucharistic theology as the outline of its sacramental theology so that now the official Eucharistic rite and doctrine I can leave behind me until other generations move on. I like to think that these have brought all churches closer together.
It has been a wonderful life. What more could I ask for?
Jim White