Edward (Ted) Donnelly passed away on 4 March 2023 after a long illness.
He was the minister of Trinity Reformed Presbyterian Church (RPC) in Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland, for the best part of four decades until his retirement in 2011. He had also served pastorates in Dervock and Portrush, Co. Antrim, and with a Greek speaking church in Cyprus. He and his family were among the UK citizens evacuated from Cyprus at the time of the Turkish invasion.
A Professor of New Testament language and literature at the Reformed Theological College in Belfast, Ted Donnelly also served as its Principal. He studied at Queen’s University and Reformed Presbyterian Theological Hall in Belfast, Pittsburgh Reformed Presbyterian Seminary, and Union College – again in Belfast. In 2013 he was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Divinity by Geneva College, Pennsylvania.
A compelling preacher and much-appreciated conference speaker on both sides of the Atlantic, Ted was a trustee of the Banner of Truth Trust. He wrote three books: Peter: Eyewitness of His Majesty (1998), Biblical Teaching on the Doctrines of Heaven and Hell (2001) and Life in Christ (2007).
‘Insightful pastoral wisdom’
Callum Webster, the Institute’s Northern Ireland Officer said: “The Revd Donnelly was a gifted preacher and well-known speaker at conferences throughout the UK and overseas. His ministry will be missed both by his own Reformed Presbyterian Church and by the wider reformed, evangelical community”.
Ken Nelson MBE, Trustee of the Institute and Elder of Trinity RPC said: “In the hands of Almighty God, Ted Donnelly’s ministry in the Trinity congregation over 35 years was greatly blessed.
“His visionary and faithful leadership, combined with preaching and teaching gifts – which were appreciated not only in Trinity but across the world – underpinned with insightful pastoral wisdom, were wonderfully used by the triune God to revitalise the Trinity congregation, inspiring many to serve Christ and His Church.
“As a congregation, along with his sorrowing family, we lament the passing of a much loved former pastor and friend, recognising, in the words of 2 Samuel 3, that a prince and a great man has fallen in Israel.”
Christian calling
In 2005, Revd Donnelly spoke for The Christian Institute addressing the Christian’s calling. This considered both God’s personal call to salvation and also God’s general call to work for his glory in the world.
He is survived by his wife Lorna, three children and seven grand-children.