Bill Bright

Businessman and evangelist, born in Coweta, Oklahoma, USA. He studied economics at Northeastern State University, and later moved to Los Angeles where he launched a successful business career. He became a Christian (1945) and began an intensive study of the Bible, leading to five years of graduate work at Princeton and Fuller theological seminaries, while still continuing his business interests. At UCLA, he began sharing New Testament scriptures with students on campus, an activity that soon became a full-time calling and led to the present worldwide ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ International. The organization now serves more than 650 university campuses in the US and 470 overseas. His publication The Four Spiritual Laws (1956) became the most widely distributed religious booklet in the world, and he received the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion in 1996.

For the linguist, see William Bright.

Dr. William R.

Born into an Oklahoma family, Bright described himself as being a "happy pagan" in his youth. While in his early 20s he moved to Los Angeles, California and founded a company called Bright's California Confections.

In 1944, while attending the First Presbyterian Church, Hollywood, Bright became a Christian.

During the decades to follow, Bill Bright and his wife, Vonette, remained faithful to this work, and the ministry expanded greatly.

Bright held five honorary doctorate degrees: a Doctor of Laws from the Jeonbug National University of Korea, a Doctor of Divinity from John Brown University, a Doctor of Letters from Houghton Seminary, a Doctor of Divinity from the Los Angeles Bible College and Seminary, and a Doctor of Laws from Pepperdine University.

In 1983, he chaired the National Committee for the National Year of the Bible.

He wrote more than 100 books and booklets, and thousands of articles and pamphlets that have been distributed in most major languages by the millions.

Bright was a co-founder of the Alliance Defense Fund which funds high profile litigation cases on behalf of Christians' First Amendment rights. He was also a co-signatory of the Land letter of 2002 which outlined a just war rationale for the 2003 invasion of Iraq, providing a theological underpinning for the invasion being planned by President George W.

Bright was survived by his wife Vonette, sons Zachary and Brad, and four grandchildren.

The Rev. Billy Graham released a statement on Bright's death: "He has carried a burden on his heart as few men that I've ever known - a burden for the evangelization of the world.