A Life at the Crossroads: An Autobiography - Hardcover

by Michael L. Cooper-White (Author)

A Life at the Crossroads tells the story of a Minnesota farm boy who became an inner-city pastor, high-profile denominational executive, and the last president of the world's most historic seminary (Gettysburg Lutheran). Cooper-White, who is also a commercial pilot and flight instructor, pursued journalism following his ministerial career. In clear and winsome prose, he shares his personal autobiography along with a treasure trove of twentieth-century ecclesiastical history. From facing machine guns in Chile and El Salvador to taking on church controversies over sexuality and ecumenical initiatives, to leading consolidation of two rival seminaries, Cooper-White's is the story of a cleric who took seriously the call to be a public theologian. The consolidation of the two institutions, which had failed in a half-dozen previous attempts, offers a case study in patient and persistent long-term leadership.

Author Biography

Michael L. Cooper-White is president emeritus of Gettysburg Lutheran Seminary (now part of United Lutheran Seminary), where his seventeen-year tenure concluded by leading its consolidation with a former rival school. He also served as interim president of Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, Texas. Cooper-White, who took up journalism in retirement, is author or coauthor of four other books and hundreds of articles for journals, magazines, and The Gettysburg Times.