Lawrence T. Geraty
2nd President of La Sierra University
In office
1993–2007
Preceded byFritz Guy
Succeeded byRandal Wisbey
President of Atlantic Union College
In office
1985–1993
Personal details
Born1940[1]
ResidenceRiverside, California
Alma materPacific Union College
Adventist Theological Seminary
Harvard University
ProfessionProfessor
College administrator

Lawrence "Larry" T. Geraty (born 1940) is an American academic who served as the second President of La Sierra University in Riverside, California. He completed his undergraduate education in theology at Pacific Union College, his bachelor of divinity and master of arts in religion from Andrews University, and received a doctorate in biblical studies from Harvard University.

Prior to his presidency at La Sierra University, Geraty was president of the now defunct Atlantic Union College. He has also served as president of the American Schools of Oriental Research organization. He also taught archaeology and religion at Andrews University.

In 2007 he was recognized as "Citizen of the Year" by the local Chamber of Commerce in his adopted town of Riverside, California. He was also honored in a speech by Rep. Ken Calvert in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Family and early life

Geraty was born to missionary parents in 1940. With his family he lived in China, Burma, Hong Kong, Lebanon, England, Germany, France and Israel.[2][3] His family also lived in the United States in California, Maryland, Michigan and Massachusetts.[2][3]

Higher education

Geraty attended Pacific Union College (PUC) for his undergraduate degree in theology, which he received in 1962.[4] During his college years he spent time at Le Campus Adventiste du Salève in Collonges-sous-Saleve, France, and Newbold College, then known as Newbold Missionary College, in Binfield, Berkshire, England.[5] In August 1963 Geraty graduated with a Masters of Arts in Religion[6] and completed his Bachelor of Divinity in May 1965, both at Andrews University.[6] From 1966 to 1972 he undertook his PhD in Syro-Palestinian Archaeology with minor fields in Aramaic, Syriac, classical Hebrew, Northwest Semitic philology, and Old Testament history at Harvard University.[7][8] He studied under George Ernest Wright and Frank Moore Cross. During the summer of 1970, while a graduate student at Harvard, Geraty studied at Hebrew University in Jordan on a Fulbright Scholarship.

Career

Andrews University

In 1971 he joined the Old Testament faculty at the University's Seminary, along with S. H. Horn, Gerhard Hasel, A. F. Johns, and Mrs. Leona G. Running.

Archaeologist

In 1968 he joined Siegfried Horn and Roger Boraas at Tel Hisban. Geraty served the first three seasons there as a field supervisor. In 1974 he became director of the Hisban Expedition, which culminated with a final season in 1976. In 1982 Larry Herr, Øystein LaBianca, and Geraty began the Madaba Plains Project.[9] In 1986 he was instrumental in forming the Archeological Consortium of Adventist Colleges when he led a tour of students from the member schools to the Madaba Plains Project dig, including the 'Umayri site.[10]

He is a long-time member of the American Schools of Oriental Research (ASOR) at Boston University. He became the organization's vice-president in 1982 and was selected as its President on November 16, 2001.[7][11]

Atlantic Union College

Dr. Geraty was president of the now defunct Atlantic Union College in South Lancaster, Massachusetts, from 1985 until 1993.[1] It was here he earned a reputation as a progressive academic administrator.[2][12]

La Sierra University

From 1993 to 2007 Geraty served as President of La Sierra University.[13] His presidency commenced directly following La Sierra's reformation as an independent institution, after it split from Loma Linda University. His immediate role was to create an identity for the school.[13] Geraty is credited with leading the school as it retired its debt and opened a new $23 million science complex.[13]

He was noted for his leadership in supporting the ordination of women in the Seventh-day Adventist church, with a prominent advocate saying he was not "afraid to stand alone for truth" in that regard.[14] Responding to President Geraty's initiative La Sierra University's Board of Trustees voted in November 1996 to establish the first Women's Resource Center in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.[15] Geraty serves on the Center's Board of Advisors to this day.[15] On June 7, 2007, Geraty was honored as the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce's Citizen of the Year at a celebration dinner.[2] Dr. Geraty was also responsible for the Censorship of several academic researchers and faculty whose work called into question dogmatic procedures and beliefs running counter to Church Belief.

Awards

  • 1970 – Fulbright Fellow.[16]
  • 2001 – Awarded the P. E. MacAllister Field Award for his "outstanding career" as a builder of archaeologists and archaeological teams. It noted that he promoted cutting-edge research among his students and colleagues and his work as a statesman in representing the interests of American Schools for Oriental Research archaeologists to the broader public.[7][17]
  • 2002–2005 – President of American Schools for Oriental Research (ASOR). Responsible for oversight of relationships with the institutes in Jerusalem, Amman, and Nicosia, as well as contacts with other professional organizations concerned with archaeology in the Middle East. The award cited his direction of a major archaeological expedition in Jordan, his presidency of a university, his accomplishments as a scholar and leader, and the respect of his colleagues for his non-controversial and diplomatic personality.[17]
  • 2007 – Greater Riverside Chamber of Commerce's Citizen of the Year.[2]
  • 2007 – Honored in speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Ken Calvert.[2]

Academic publications

Books

  • Historical Foundations: Studies of Literary References to Hesban by Lawrence T. Geraty (ed.), Leona Glidden Running (ed.) (June 1989)
  • L. T. Geraty and L. G. Herr, (eds.) (1986) The Archaeology of Jordan and Other Studies. Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press.

Early Christianity Studies

  • Lawrence T. Geraty (1965). "The Pascha and the Origin of Sunday Observance" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 5, 2012. Retrieved April 26, 2011. (1.64 MB) Andrews University Seminary Studies, Vol. 3, No. 2, July, 1965

Education

Archaeology Reports

Non academic publications

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "College History". auc.edu. Atlantic Union College. Archived from the original on July 25, 2011. Retrieved May 7, 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Calvert, Ken (June 6, 2007). "Tribute to Dr. Lawrence T. Geraty" (PDF). Congressional Record: Extensions of Remarks. p. E1225. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 6, 2012. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
  3. 1 2 "Ronald Geraty Heads Human Services at New England Memorial Hospital" (PDF). Atlantic Union Gleaner. February 8, 1977. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 5, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
  4. ↑ "New Campus Chronicle Editor" (PDF). Pacific Union Recorder. December 25, 1961. p. 16. Retrieved May 7, 2011.
  5. ↑ Bernham, Jean P. (June 12, 1959). "Investiture at Newbold Missionary College" (PDF). British Advent Messenger. p. 12. Retrieved May 7, 2011.
  6. 1 2 "View List of Graduates by Name or by Term". Vault. Andrews University. Archived from the original on August 6, 2017. Retrieved May 6, 2011.
  7. 1 2 3 "Geraty wins ASOR Award" (PDF). Newsletter. Institute of Archeology, Horn Archaeological Museum. Winter 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 20, 2012. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
  8. ↑ C.E., Platner (August 1966). "Santa Ana Assistant Paster Goes to New Post of Duty" (PDF). Pacific Union Recorder. p. 6. Retrieved May 6, 2011.
  9. ↑ LaBianca, Øystein (Winter 2000). "P. E. MacAllister Field Archeology Award Presented to Lawrence Thomas Geraty" (PDF). American Schools of Oriental Research Newsletter. 50 (4): 16. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 15, 2011. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
  10. ↑ "SDA Colleges Form Archaeological Consortium" (PDF). Adventist Review. 153 (10): 7. March 1966.
  11. ↑ Robinson, Christy; Herr, Larry (December 2001). "Geraty new president of archaeology organization". La Sierra University News and Events. Archived from the original on July 25, 2011. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
  12. ↑ Carpenter, Alexander (March 10, 2011). "Washington Adventist University to Open a Branch Campus at Atlantic Union College". Spectrum Blog. Archived from the original on March 24, 2011. Retrieved May 7, 2011.
  13. 1 2 3 Agha, Marisa (June 13, 2007). "Retiring president helped La Sierra University forge identity". The Press-Enterprise. Archived from the original on May 20, 2011. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
  14. ↑ Underwood, Una J. (2000). Women in their Place. Brushton, New York: Teach Services. p. 415. ISBN 1-57258-160-3.
  15. 1 2 "The Center". Women's Resource Center: Our Origins. Archived from the original on September 3, 2011. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
  16. ↑ "The End of an Era in Biblical Archeology" (PDF). Ministry: 20. March 1973.
  17. 1 2 Robinson, Christy; Herr, Larry (December 2001). "Geraty new president of archaeology organization". La Sierra News and Events. Archived from the original on July 25, 2011. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
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