Timothy George, speaking at the 19th annual John A. Hamrick Lectureship at First Baptist Church of Charleston Jan. 19-20, stressed his belief that studying the lives of Christian martyrs can inform and influence the way Christians live out their faith. He cited William Tyndale, Carl Barth and Dietrich Bonhoeffer as examples.

George, dean and professor of divinity, history and doctrine at the Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Ala., said Tyndale was martyred because he translated the New Testament and part of the Old Testament into English. “William Tyndale was single-minded in his desire to bring the Bible to the people,” George said. “It was a cause he was willing to die for.”

Barth lost his professorship and was later exiled because he refused to salute Hitler at the beginning of his classes. Barth influenced Bonhoeffer, who was executed because of his involvement in a conspiracy to assassinate Hitler.

The Hamrick Lectureship honors the life and work of John A. Hamrick, longtime pastor of First Baptist Church and the founding president of Charleston Southern University.