Peter Connolly

[rlvaughn]

I am looking for biographical information on a preacher named Peter Connolly. Anyone ever heard of him? Connolly came to the U.S. from England to teach in the Bible Baptist Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Later he was head of the theology department at Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri. His sons W. Kenneth Connolly and Peter Connolly, Jr. were also preachers.

He seems to possibly be associated with the Texas College of Theology in Pasadena, Texas in the late 1960s, then I cannot seem to find anything else about him. These are some things I found in newspapers, but hope someone here might know something more about what happened to him.

 

[rlvaughn]

A newspaper death notice indicates Peter Connolly died in 1969, if the notice is the same person. Looking to confirm that and find where he was buried.

Also still much interested in whether anyone here knew him, perhaps from his time as a seminary instructor.

Thanks!

 

[Jerome]

evangelist associated with Jock Troup in Scotland, 1920s
Nazarene minister when he came to USA c. 1940
evangelistic work in Africa described in in SBC Annual 1952
yes, he died in 1969

 

[rlvaughn]

evangelistic work in Africa described in in SBC Annual 1952

Interesting. Had he worked with the SBC prior to working with Frank Norris and G. B. Vick?

 

[Jerome]

In the 1952 Annual, SBC missionary Clyde Dotson (Southern Rhodesia) reported:

"In April, Rev. Peter Connolly, an Irish Baptist evangelist, held a meeting in which there were many conversions. One of those converts is on his way to America to enter East Texas Baptist College in preparation for the mission field, another is to sail in May, and another couple surrendered to God's call for full-time Christian work. God so stirred the hearts of our people that they have erected a beautiful church building which will seat three hundred..."

 

[rlvaughn]

I see. Not that he was an SBC missionary, but that he is mentioned in a mission report. Thanks.

 

[rlvaughn]

I found where A Noble Company - Volume 11 contains a short essays on:

Peter Connolly (1900-1969) by Gary W. Long

 

[rlvaughn]

Considering Peter Connolly died over 50 years, perhaps there are few fundamentalists who personally remember him.

 

[rlvaughn]

I found where A Noble Company - Volume 11 contains a short essay on:

Peter Connolly (1900-1969) by Gary W. Long

Pastor Gary W. Long died Thursday, July 22, 2021. He attended Baptist Bible College in Springfield when Connolly taught there.

 

[Kevin Connolly]

I am looking for biographical information on a preacher named Peter Connolly. Anyone ever heard of him? Connolly came to the U.S. from England to teach in the Bible Baptist Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Later he was head of the theology department at Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri. His sons W. Kenneth Connolly and Peter Connolly, Jr. were also preachers.

He seems to possibly be associated with the Texas College of Theology in Pasadena, Texas in the late 1960s, then I cannot seem to find anything else about him. These are some things I found in newspapers, but hope someone here might know something more about what happened to him.

Peter Connolly was my grandad and I have a recording of his testimony from 1963 . Very powerful message !!

 

[turnsouth]

I am looking for biographical information on a preacher named Peter Connolly. Anyone ever heard of him? Connolly came to the U.S. from England to teach in the Bible Baptist Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Later he was head of the theology department at Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri. His sons W. Kenneth Connolly and Peter Connolly, Jr. were also preachers.

He seems to possibly be associated with the Texas College of Theology in Pasadena, Texas in the late 1960s, then I cannot seem to find anything else about him. These are some things I found in newspapers, but hope someone here might know something more about what happened to him.

Dr. Peter Connolly (1900–1969) was a British-born Baptist pastor, fundamentalist educator, and international evangelist. He spent the latter part of his life teaching at prominent Independent Baptist seminaries in the United States.

Early Life & Military Service:

• Upbringing: Born to parents Peter Connolly (Conley) and Hannah Connor, he was raised in the Roman Catholic Church and attended Catholic schools.
• World War I: As a teenager, he enlisted in the British Army and served during the first World War.

Conversion & Ministry:

• Conversion: He professed his faith in Jesus Christ in 1920 at the Bethesda Free Chapel in Sunderland, England.
• Global Evangelism: After entering ministry, he worked as a Baptist pastor and itinerant evangelist. He notably served as an Irish Baptist missionary and evangelist in South Africa. His 1952 revivals in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) resulted in massive conversion numbers and the erection of a new 300-seat church.

Immigration & Academic Career:

On February 17, 1952, Connolly immigrated permanently to the United States, arriving in New York aboard the S.S. Queen Elizabeth. He went on to teach theology to a generation of pastors at several foundational independent Baptist institutions:
• Bible Baptist Seminary (Fort Worth, Texas): Taught from 1952 to 1961 under the leadership of fundamentalist figures like J. Frank Norris.
• Baptist Bible College (Springfield, Missouri): Taught starting in 1962.
• Texas College of Theology (Pasadena, Texas): Taught from roughly 1968 until his passing in 1969.

A full historical essay on his life and ministry can be found in A Noble Company (Volume 11), edited by Terry Wolever.