Fuller Seminary Remembers Scott Adam
From Fuller.edu:
Fuller Seminary community mourns the death of alumnus Scott Adam (MDiv ’00, ThM ’10), who was killed on February 21 along with his wife, Jean, and two friends, Phyllis Macay and Robert Riggle, after their sailing yacht was hijacked by Somali pirates.
“All of us at Fuller are proud of Scott’s Christian witness—as a filmmaker, through his personal interactions, and as a generous disciple who touched lives around the world through his sailing ministry,” says Fuller President Richard J. Mouw. “We only wish the pirates had known what precious cargo they hijacked.”
Adam, who came to Fuller after nearly 30 years of professional work in the film industry, was a beloved and well known member of the Fuller community as both student and adjunct professor. He contributed much to the seminary as a whole and in particular to the work of the Brehm Center for Worship, Theology and the Arts and its Reel Spirituality Initiative.
Professor of Evangelism and Spiritual Formation Richard Peace—close friend, doctoral mentor, and appreciative colleague to Adam—remembers the commitment, enthusiasm, and curiosity he brought to Fuller from his very first day in Peace’s class. “Scott didn’thave to be here; he was called to be here,” says Peace. “He was a filmmaker of the highest level, and he brought a lot of that practical experience to the classroom.”
“Scott was passionate about making the gospel relevant”—whether through film, popular culture, or the around-the-world sailing ministry he would go on to pursue, says Professor of Theology and Culture Robert Johnston, who was also a good friend to Adam and his wife.
Adam grew up in the Chicago area, in a family of faith that was active in the Episcopal Church—and active in sailing as well, instilling in Adam a familiarity and love for life on the water. As an adult he pursued a career in the film industry, working as an assistant director, production manager, and producer, with credits that included the Steven Spielberg film The Goonies and several television specials and sitcoms, including The Love Boat, The Dukes of Hazzard, and McCloud.
Then, in 1996, “Scott had a mystical experience one night—he sensed God’s clear call to ministry,” describes Peace. “Two weeks later he enrolled at Fuller Seminary.”
