Arthur Graham Crowder Maxwell (18 July 1921 – 28 November 2010), often abbreviated as A. Graham Maxwell, was a Seventh-day Adventist theologian, and the emeritus professor of New Testament studies at Loma Linda University. In a 1985 survey of 55 religion teachers at North American Adventist colleges, Maxwell tied for fourth place among most influential Adventist authors.
Biography
1921–1936: Early years in England
A. Graham Maxwell was born in Watford, England on July 18, 1921. His father was "Uncle Arthur" Maxwell, who was known for his children's books. His mother was Rachel Elizabeth Maxwell (née Joyce). In the Maxwell home were six children, four boys and two girls. First Maureen, then Graham, Mervyn, Lawrence, Malcolm, and Deirdre. All the children in their younger days attended non-Adventist schools. They all grew up devoted Seventh-day Adventists. Most of them became influential leaders within the church.
Music played an important part in young Maxwell's life. At fifteen years of age he sang for the 1936 British Union's quadrennial session held at Stanborough Park. The British Advent Messenger reported that "Master Graham Maxwell, the boy singer of the Stanborough Park church, pleasingly rendered the solo, 'How lovely are Thy dwellings'". A week earlier, at a youth rally, he is reported to have sung what some might view as a prayer later answered in his own life, "God Make Me Kind."
Early influences apart from immediate family include R. A. Anderson who was an associate of his father. (Anderson received a call to California the same time his father did.); F. C. Gilbert; W.G.C. Murdoch; Meade MacGuire. His uncle, Spencer George Crowder Maxwell, left for Africa a year before Maxwell was born. Spencer's influence was one of respected service and the occasional visit, such as the 1936 meetings, also attended by the 15-year-old Maxwell.
1938–1943: Student years at Pacific Union College
He came to America in 1936, and lived in Los Altos, California where his father was editor for the Signs of the Times. In 1938, he began studies at Pacific Union College. He was the spokesperson for the new students at the reception and handshake services. By 1940, he held was one of the student leaders. He helped earn his way through college by selling Christian books as a colporteur. Maxwell began teaching Greek as a student in 1942.
Maxwell graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Pacific Union College with a double major in Ministerial and Biblical Languages. He met Rosalyn Helen Gildersleeve at Pacific Union College, and they married in 1943. They had three girls, Lorna, Audrey and Alice. By his death in 2010, he had 7 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.
1943–1961: Teaching years at Pacific Union College
Professional development
Maxwell taught at Pacific Union College full-time from 1944 until 1961. In 1944, Pacific Union College awarded him a Master of Arts degree along with Raymond F. Cottrell and James Paul Stauffer. In 1945, as instructor of Greek and English, he gave the April Rine lecture before an audience of teachers and students of the English and language departments. His subject was the Romantic movement in English literature. In 1946 Maxwell met W. G. C. Murdoch, the principal of the England's SDA college. Murdoch reported: "It was a pleasant surprise to meet young Graham Maxwell in Chicago. Graham has grown to be very like his father and is giving such promise as a teacher that the college board of Pacific Union College has voted him time off to study for his doctor's degree at the University of Chicago..."
He received his Ph.D. in New Testament in 1959 from the University of Chicago Divinity School; his thesis: 'Elements of Interpretation in the Translation of the New Testament.' He focused especially on the book of Romans. Upon receiving his doctorate, he was appointed Chairman of the Division of Religion at Pacific Union College, replacing L. H. Hartin who retired at the close of the 1959 school year. Maxwell remained division chair until moving to Loma Linda in 1961.
Leadership experience
In 1948, Maxwell was elected president of the PUC Alumni Association (for a two-year term.) In July, 1950, some 500 P.U.C. alumni gathered in San Francisco's Whitcomb Hotel for a Luncheon timed to coincide with the influx of denominational workers from all over the world for the General Conference meetings. Maxwell was toastmaster for the occasion. Back on campus, he organized and led out in faculty and staff social events.
In 1950, both he and his brother Mervyn were ordained to the Gospel ministry.