Remembering Diane Knippers

Tomorrow is Tuesday, April 18. It has now been a year since Diane Knippers passed away. I am grateful beyond words for her life and her friendship. I cannot tell you how many times this past year I went to the phone to call Diane and then later wishing I could call her. How many times have I called out "what do I do now?" Then I have to sit and think,now what would Diane say about this? She always could keep her head, while I am just, well, far more explosive. I just don't seem to have that calm, rationale exterior. I can remember being at Gene Robinson's press conference after the Bishop's voted to affirm him as the Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire. It was mayhem and I was nearly out my seat, but there was Diane sitting nearby and I remember looking over at her just completely amazed at how tranquil, how thoughtful she looked. How does she do that? I remember thinking, astonished. I'm ready to jump into the next county and she's just sitting there with that rather thoughtful expression on her face, as though someone had just asked her if she'd like a cup of tea.

I learned only a few minutes later what she was really doing. She was composing the IRD Press Release in her head, listening to everything Gene Robinson said and considering how she would respond. She was working not exploding. I really wanted to learn how to do that.

Perhaps it's that artistic temperament of mine, always ready for the drama - but she always knew how to handle it and not squash it, help me make it work, but of course - she had a lot of experience with artistic temperaments!

What I do know is that my life was enriched by her friendship and her wisdom and her humor. I miss her more than words can say. But as we remember the extraordinary event of Sunday - our grief is not like they who have no hope, for our hope resides in our Risen Lord Jesus Christ. Come, Lord Jesus!

Last year I wrote this piece just a day or two after Diane died that Kendall Harmon published on TitusOneNine:

Mary Ailes Says Goodbye to her Friend Diane Knippers

Farewell, Diane

Dear Diane,
You knew this day would come and were ready, just as you always were whenever there was a momentous task ahead. You were prepared. I can remember so many times in the past, whether it was General Conventions, Diocesan Councils, Vestry meetings, or even shopping at Pentagon City Mall, you were always ready, prepared, you'’d done your homework, got your team together, and met the task head on. While the rest of us might be loosing our heads, you always remained calm, thinking, considering, reflecting - and then graciously offering a way through. You did it again today. As you lived your life, you past into the hands of God today - with confidence and grace. You found the way through.

When I arrived at the hospital this afternoon - late as usual - you had just left. When I rushed into your room where you surrounded by the people you loved and who loved you, I saw that you were gone. In that moment I couldn'’t believe it. I cried and cried and cried. There was this huge hole in my heart, a huge gap and at the same time, I was astonished. You did it. You ran this race, this most incredible race, and finished it. When I looked down at you I saw it was true. You are gone, and now you a’re home.

Do you remember, what it only yesterday? I was standing near your hospital bed with your friends all around and you were awake, but it was so difficult for you to breathe and to speak. Yet I marveled at how peaceful you were. I picked up your Bible and asked the Lord if He would show a passage I could read to you, to encourage you - or what it to encourage me? I opened to Isaiah and for few moments, looked through the pages until coming to this passage, which I read aloud as we prayed over you:

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad,
the desert shall rejoice and blossom;
like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly,
and rejoice with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the Lord,
the majesty of our God.

Strengthen the weak hands,
and make firm the feeble knees.
Say to those who are of a fearful heart,
Be strong, fear not!
Behold, your God will come with vengeance,
with the recompense of God
He will come and save you.

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
then shall the lame man leap like a hart,
and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy.
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert…And a highway shall be there,
and it shall be called the Holy Way.

Isaiah 35:1-6, 8

Now that I look at these words again, they have more meaning to me then when I read them to you yesterday. You have come out of the desert of your suffering and the suffering you bore for our broken church.

Now you see “the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God."

He came and saved you today, leading you to the waters that break forth in the wilderness, with streams in the desert. You found that highway called the Holy Way.

When I arrived at the hospital today, you were all ready gone. He came and He saved you.

Yesterday, as I said farewell to you for the last time, I looked in your face. So many memories flooded into my mind and how you can to be not only my mentor, but my friend, as were to so many. We could talk about international politics, the current crisis in the Church, modern philosophy, renaissance art, as well as shop at the mall, get our nails done, and talk about my latest boyfriend. You didn'’t just teach me, you showed me how it could be done and you kept it doing it until the very last moment. I looked into face yesterday afternoon and what I saw astonished me. You had suffered so much, had never given in, you were fighting for truth to your very last breath. When I looked into your face, for the last time before you left, I saw the glory of the Lord. "Diane,"” I whispered to you in the hospital room, "His glory is all over you."”

When I arrived today you were gone. You poured so much of your life, your hopes, your dreams, your convictions into so many, so many, including me. I can'’t believe your gone - that we are left without you. But I saw today that you are gone. I will not forget you and all you did to show me the way. Though my heart is broken, I know there is more to be done. May my life be a testimony to your faith and conviction that God, our Truth is trustworthy, that He is trustworthy, even to the end. Thy Will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven. Amen.

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
then shall the lame man leap like a hart,
and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy.
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert
And a highway shall be there,
and it shall be called the Holy Way.

Love, your friend,
Mary




Here are a few other remembrances of Diane from those who knew her and who's lives were touched by her.


Reflections on the Life of Diane Knippers

In the tenth chapter of Luke we find the story of the two friends of Jesus, Martha, who opened her home and busied herself in serving Him, and her sister Mary, who sat at His feet and hung on his every word. "Martha, Martha," He said, "you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful." Diane was that rare sort of disciple who served with both the diligence and energy shown by Martha, and the loving attention to her Master's every word shown by Mary. Truly she chose "the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her," and as she is gathered up to Christ, we lose a dear friend and yokefellow. Our prayers go with her and her husband Ed.

- J. Budziszewski, Chairman, IRD Board of Directors

Diane was a mentor to many, on the IRD staff, and in the broader movement of church renewal. She set an example of faithful Christian witness amidst church and political conflicts. She was firm in her conviction of God’s truth, and that firmness enabled her to show a great serenity and warmth towards others. One of her consistent emphases was the importance of nurturing a new generation of church reformers. The members of the IRD staff show the results of Diane’s wise influence. We will miss her presence among us. But I am confident that God’s grace has equipped us through Diane, and will continue to equip us to carry her work forward.

- IRD Vice President Alan Wisdom

There will be a lot said and written about Diane in the coming days -- as President of the Institute on Religion and Democracy, she was recently named as one of the nation's top 25 most influential evangelical leaders by Time magazine.

But I just knew Diane as my friend.

She so deserved that honor from Time. And I'm sure she was pleased about it. But that kind of recognition was not what Diane was about.

When I first moved to Washington D.C., straight out of college, Diane took me out to lunch. She was a busy woman, everyone in Washington is, but I do remember that she asked a lot of questions and let the lunch go long. It was the kind of lunch that you leave feeling a little chagrined that you talked too much . . . because she listened, and she cared.

That's who Diane was. She wasn't about landing in Time magazine. "The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good." (Samuel Johnson) That was me--no gain for Diane. I was young, and needed a friend, and she was one. Even in a town where they say there is no such thing as a friend.
In a city marked by ambition and compromise, Diane modeled conviction, dedication to purpose and a purity of faith.

- Charmaine Yoest, Ph.D, author and syndicated columnist (www.charmaineyoest.com)

Diane Knippers was a unique voice for honesty and justice in both the controversies that divide major portions of the Christian church and critical issues, such as the horrors of Sudan, that face our nation and our world. Never strident or angry, Diane spoke the truth in love. Hers was an irenic voice in an increasingly fractious public arena. More important to me personally, she was a dear and trusted friend. I mourn her loss, for myself and for us all.

- Roberta Green Ahmanson, IRD Board Member and Chairman, Pattee Enterprises

I woke up this morning in prayer for Diane. She has now see the face of Jesus and I am sure He said to her 'Good and faithful Servant'. I feel privileged to have known her and counted her as one of my friends. She was the most articulate woman I have ever heard, and she lived her faith with boldness and gentility. I will miss her but know the Angels were there with her through her valiant struggle with cancer and welcomed her today with rejoicing for her faithful example and witness. My heart goes out to her loving, kind husband, Ed, and parents. She is a great loss to all of us. The only consolation is that we will meet again. Thank you, God, for the life of Diane and her magnificent witness in this broken world.

We will never forget her.

- Diane Stanton, wife of the Rt. Rev. James Stanton, Bishop of Dallas

Diane Knippers, president of the Institute for Religion and Democracy, died yesterday, April 18, at about 2 pm. She had fought a valiant battle against cancer these last many months, and an even more valiant--and often brilliantly successful battle--to restore the integrity of the Christian church during the last two decades. Under her gentle but always brave leadership, IRD was very often the mouse that roared, terrifying the great grey elephants of national church bureaucracies into frantic panic. Calmly, Diane told the truth, and those who had been disguising suspect politics under cloaks of outward piety had to defend themselves in public, and often couldn't. Her sweetness of disposition was a gift of God. She now returns with it intact, enhanced by her consistent acts of courage, to restore it to her Maker and Redeemer.

- Michael Novak, IRD Board Member and George Frederick Jewett Scholar, American Enterprise Institute

We praise God for Diane's stand for Christian truth and her perseverance in the battle for that truth. Her resoluteness gave encouragement to us all. We offer our prayers and sympathy to her family and friends. May they know the Lord's comfort and strength in their sorrow - and rejoice with Diane in the triumph of the resurrection.

- Dr. Philip Giddings, Convener, Anglican Mainstream UK

What a sadness. What a loss for us all. Had she lived in Israel at the time of Christ, surely she would have been one of the faithful women at the tomb, and among the first to whom the Lord's resurrection was disclosed. While the men were in hiding, trembling with fear, she would have been fearless in approaching the Roman soldiers, spices in hand, no doubt demanding that they roll away the stone so that she and her friends could accomplish what needed doing. Her unfailing witness to the Gospel was uplifting, her courage and dedication inspiring. "May angels take her by the hand, and at the gate of heaven, may the martyrs greet her. May they lead her into the holy city of Jerusalem, the holy place of God. May the choirs of angels sing in joy to welcome her, and with Lazarus, who once was poor, may she find eternal peace."

- Robert P. George, IRD Board Member and Professor of Ethics, Princeton University

We thank God upon every remembrance of Diane Knippers - whom I never met over here in the UK, but felt completely at one with - in the strength of her Christian convictions and her biblical testimony. In every generation there are those who, when the battle is hard, are called to stand in the breach and give strength and confidence to others in the fight for what is pure, holy and of good report…. and she has been one such. May her dear husband and the Christian sisters and brothers in Truro Church be aware of unseen arms of prayer and support that are reaching out to them from every quarter. She - and all who have been valiant for truth, "will rest from their labour, for their deeds will follow them" (Revelation 14:13).

- Prebendary Richard Bewes, Rector of All Souls Langham Place, London

Diane was a person gifted with enormous hope, strength of purpose, gentleness of spirit, and personal integrity. She was a shining Christian witness, most especially among those who did not share her convictions. I had the privilege of working with her in several difficult venues in the church, learned much from her, and was encouraged by her tireless self-giving to the Lord she served and to His church. We truly are diminished by her death. But her faith was always in the power and grace of God, she consistently turned us towards Him, and at this time especially what she taught us is what we are called to do. It is right and good to hear words of praise to God and thanksgiving for this fine woman; may we continue worthy of the calling we have shared with her, even as she now fulfills it in deeper unity with Christ.

- The Rev. Dr. Ephraim Radner, Episcopal priest and theologian

The Church has lost one of her most courageous and articulate defenders in our time. Church renewal was enriched by her leadership and encouraged by the hope that she carried with her until she finally went home to her Savior.

- Terry Schlossberg, IRD Board Member and Executive Director, Presbyterians Pro-Life

I just want to express my deepest sympathy to all at IRD on the loss of Diane. And what a GREAT loss it is. As I've written elsewhere, how extraordinarily well Diane acquitted herself (and represented IRD and faithful Christians) in her too-short time in this life, and how courageously she died--with her boots on, still fighting for the historic faith until the last! May she ever rest in the Lord's Light and Love.

- Auburn Traycik, Editor, The Christian Challenge

President Diane Knippers of the Institute of Religion and Democracy passed away today after a battle with cancer. Diane was fearless and courageous in her stance against those who would assault biblical orthodoxy. Diane was one of the most kindest, clearest voice in evangelicalism today. Those of us in the renewal movements in our denominations know that we not only have lost one of God's best but we have lost one of the true defenders of the faith. I had the highest respect for Diane. She will be greatly missed.

- Bill Nicoson, National Coordinator, American Baptist Evangelicals

With the sad death from cancer of Diane Knippers, many of us grieve her loss and celebrate her life at the same time. She was a faithful servant of the Lord, a great apologist of the faith, a perceptive strategist, and a grand lady, all in one. We thank the Lord for her time with us, even as we wipe tears from our eyes.

- The Rev. Canon David C. Anderson, Sr., CEO and President, American Anglican Council

Diane was a remarkable person—deeply grounded in her faith, courageous in defense of historic Christianity, always warm and caring in her relationships with others. God gave her unusual gifts and abilities; she gave them back to him and allowed him to use her as he saw fit, for his Kingdom's sake. She was a dear friend.

- Helen Rhea Stumbo, IRD Board Member and Publisher, Bristol House Ltd.

We have lost a lovely sister in Christ and a valiant leader in our Anglican witness to God’s Truth. It is difficult to overstate the fine Christian character and integrity of Diane Knippers. She was gentle yet passionate, humble yet bold, thoughtful and faithful, diligent and wise, peaceful and joyful. Tom had the privilege of working with Diane at the General Convention in 1997 in Philadelphia, when our team prevailed by only one vote. There is little doubt in our minds that the struggle for the Episcopal Church would have been lost back then, were it not for Diane’s trustworthy servant-leadership. We drew strength and hope and courage in her presence, for she was well attuned to the Source of all of our strength. She continued to serve and lead our cause, to the end.

We have lost our dear sister and noble leader in the prime of her life. It doesn’t seem right, we need her, there is so much more she could do. Our loss could tempt even the most faithful to despair, “Why, Lord, why?” But above all things, Diane trusted God. And so do we. So we pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for sharing Diane Knippers with us. We grieve and miss her, Lord. We lift up to You Ed and Doug and her whole family, and her Truro and IRD families. By Your Holy Spirit, we pray with confidence that Diane’s legacy of love and leadership will continue to inspire us to glorify You, throughout our lives. Amen.

Diane was a bright steady light in the darkness and confusion of this world. Her principled character and forthright leadership have made a lasting mark on us and in the cause of love and truth. We will remember her always and look forward to our reunion.

- Tom and Eileen Atwood, National Council for Adoption


Mrs. Knippers was a strong voice for the oppressed throughout the world and a source for inspiration for a great many of us who labor for the religiously persecuted.
Her Christian committment to truth and love in her work and personal relationships is truly unforgettable. We bereave her loss and believe that the remarkable work of the Institute on Religion and Democracy which Mrs. Knippers wisely guided will continue to bring changes in the midst of political and religious conflicts.

- Joseph K. Grieboski, President, Institute on Religion and Public Policy

I remember the first time I met Diane. It was 1982 and Ed Robb, Jr. came to my college to talk with faculty and administrators about the work of the newly formed Institute on Religion and Democracy. Ed brought along his friend and young IRD colleague, Diane Knippers. Many of my college colleagues that day expressed skepticism about the IRD, but I still remember how effective Diane was in her responses to that skepticism. Over the next twenty-three years I came to know Diane well, first as a friend with whom I shared a common world view, and then as a member of the IRD board. I firmly believe God raised-up Diane at this moment in human history to speak truth to our truth-denying culture. No one has been more effective and influential in doing so. Diane was indefatigable and unapologetic in her defense of historic Christian orthodoxy. Her commitment, courage and gentle spirit remain an inspiration to all who knew her.

- Dean C. Curry, Vice-Chairman, IRD Board of Directors, and Professor, Messiah College

My friend and colleague, Diane Knippers, was one of the first people to actively support and advocate on behalf of the persecuted church. In the days long before Christian leaders or media outliets were devoting radio and newspaper columns to religious human rights, Diane focused her passion and energy to supporting it. At one of the conferences we sponsored she argued that "we need to support our persecuted brothers and sisters not because of any attention we might receive, but because it is the right thing to do." As the idea of an International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church was originally explored, she was one of the strong supporters that helped me overcome some initial scepticism.

There are many things to be said (and I hope many people will say them) about all that Diane did--and who she was--in the many roles she played. As we worked together as Board members of the National Association of Evangelicals, she brought deep insight and perspective on the wider Body of Christ. As leaders at Truro Episcopal Church my wife, Christine, and I benefited from her wise leadership and consensus building skills. We will be eternally grateful to all our friend Diane contributed to our lives, as well as to the early stages of our children's lives (she also served as godmother for our twin boys, Joseph and John, now 17).

- Brian F. O'Connell, President, REACT Services, Founder and Former Executive Director, Religious Liberty Commission, World Evangelical Alliance

The RENEW Network’s comrade and consultant, Diane Knippers, went to be with the Lord just before 2:00 p.m. on Monday, April 18, 2005 . Our hearts are grieved with the loss that is ours, and our prayers of compassion go forth for the family and all who loved her. The RENEW Network would never have achieved what it has without Diane Knippers. Her brilliant expertise was always available to us and her love for Christ’s Church inspired us. She was a true friend. Diane expressed many times that RENEW meant a great deal to her personally. She rarely missed our retreats—and we were blessed by her presence.

Diane is with the Lord she always wanted to glorify. She is now a part of that “great cloud of witnesses” glorifying God and encouraging us to faithful perseverance. We praise God for the life of Diane Knippers and commend her to God’s precious love.

- Faye Short, President, RENEW Network

Our dear friend and colleague in renewal, Diane Knippers, died this afternoon a little before 2 p.m. She had been failing for the last several weeks and was in the midst of chemo treatments, but had weakened enough that they could not continue them. Late this morning her kidneys began to shut down and several planned procedures were canceled. Her husband, Ed, was with her, as well as her Mother and Father, Vera and Clancey LeMasters, and her brother Doug.

Diane was a giant among those in renewal ministry. How we will miss her and her clear, mature voice. Many of you would not be aware that Diane was on the staff here at Good News from 1975-1982. In 1981, when I came to be Executive Secretary, she helped me get settled in for that first year, helped me learn to write, and was such a wonderful help in so many ways. After a year, she and her husband, Ed, moved to Washington , D.C. He is a Christian artist and wanted to pursue his career there in the nation’s capitol. So, Diane has been a long-time friend and has remained close to the work of Good News and our RENEW Network, under the leadership of Faye Short in Georgia . She was United Methodist for many years, having been reared in a home in which her father was a UM clergyman. Some 15 or so years ago, she became Episcopalian, and was a member and a leader at Truro Episcopal Church in Arlington , VA. She also served on the board of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) for a number of years. She was so widely respected across many different communions of Christ’s Church. I know we rejoice and give thanks to the Father for her faithful and fruitful life.

- Dr. James V. Heidinger, II, President, Good News

The death of Diane Knippers is a great loss to the NAE, as well as to the larger evangelical cause around the globe. She was a good friend dating back to the early 1980's when we first collaborated together on behalf of the NAE and the IRD to co-sponsor in 1985 a "Conference on International Religious Liberty," hosted by the State Department and addressed by President Ronald Reagan. Her godly wisdom made her an extraordinary leader, writer, and advocate on behalf of human rights, democracy, and religious freedom around the world. But it was her love of people and a wonderfully gracious spirit that will be missed most of all.

- Rev. Richard Cizik, Vice President for Governmental Affairs, National Association of Evangelicals

Our condolences and heartfelt loss of a dear friend. Indeed "In Christ alone."

- The Rt. Rev. Benjamin A. Kwashi, Anglican Bishop of Jos (Nigeria)

God has taken Diane away from us. The loss strikes the hearts of those who were privileged to collaborate with IRD under her outstanding leadership. Diane's loving spirit, personal integrity, sharp intellect and compassion for victims of injustice were precious qualities indeed. Diane's death is also a loss to so many unknown people in the United States and abroad whose lives have been blessed by her labor in the cause of freedom and human rights. Diane is gone, but her spiritual legacy lives on, and will continue to inspire all those striving for a Christian renaissance.

- Dr. John Eibner, Christian Solidarity International

In the Orthodox tradition we say about those who have passed, "May her memory be eternal." Diane was a valiant fighter for the truth that must have been drawn from a deep faith in God. Nothing else would explain her courage, clarity and conviction.

- Fr. Johannes Jacobse, Editor, OrthodoxyToday.com

I got up this morning and prayed for Diane after I read about her sudden death. It was shocking news to me and my fellow Sudanese and Kenyan friends who have read several of her writings in defense of the Gospel of Christ. I feel honored to have known her and considered her as one of my friends in the Lord.

I had the privilege of meeting Diane at Truro Church when I first came to Washington D.C. in 2004 from Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya; Tory Matthew of Five Talents couldn't wait long after that Sunday morning service to introduce me to her. I could recall Diane coming forth willingly, stretching out her hand to greet me with great eagerness. " John, we have heard and have seen enough about Sudanese suffering for their faith and we have no choice as Christians in the USA but to stand with you in prayers". It didn't take me long during my short visit to understand much about her heart for Sudanese Christians as Faith McDonnell of IRD frequently invited me to IRD office.

Diane strongly voiced out for the freedom of Christians in Sudan and she was a clear voice for the south Sudanese Christians. She never hesitated to come out clearly for the cry of the Sudanese people and other persecuted Churches. Her stand to battle for the persecuted churches was odd and evidently well known; I remembered her coming forth clearly in support of ending genocide and human right violations in Darfur. She was one of the great friends who was very optimistic in support of initiatives that would enhance rebuilding of the war devastated Sudanese Christians. I can attest to her strong will to help root the Sudanese Christians in their faith. Diane will not be missed only by the American Church but internationally. I honor God for Diane's position in the Word and her consistence in fighting for that truth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Indeed, She has shown a very distinctive example of being a faithful follower of Christ in this hard time for church and political inconsistency. We will never forget her. Our Church has lost one of her most brave and sound warden in this time of great need. Therefore; on behalf of entire Sudanese Christians at Kakuma refugee camp, the team of Good Shepherd Leadership Training program, the new Sudan Christian newspaper and the entire Episcopal Diocese of Bor, I just want to express my deepest sympathy to her loving husband, parents, relatives, the IRD staff, and Truro Church on the loss of Diane. My heart goes out for you all and my prayers are with you at this tough time. Diane is a great loss to all of us but our hope is that we shall meet again in the Lord.

- Rev. John C. Daau, Director, Good Shepherd Leadership Training Program, and Editor, The New Sudan Christian newspaper

The Church of Jesus Christ here on earth lost one of its truly faithful women today with the passing of Diane Knippers, President of the Institute on Religion and Democracy in Washington,DC, and long time member of Truro Church, Fairfax, Virginia.

I first got to know Diane in the early 1990s, when she was the new leader of the IRD and invited me to participate in a consultation put on by the Institute. She impressed me then, and I remained constantly impressed by the manner in which she thought strategically about the way in which the Gospel relates to the world, and her passion for the renewal of the mainline churches.

Diane was raised a Methodist but became an Anglican of deep conviction.

As I think about her now I remember occasion after occasion when she stood for the truth in difficult situations with love, grace, and dignity. I was always impressed by her strength and the way that it blended with a gentle spirit, a razor-sharp mind, and a breathtaking femininity.

I learned of my father's sudden death at the General Convention in Philadelphia in July 1997, and while Diane was immensely busy on that day her kind words as I left to go and bury my dad meant much to me.
Now she herself has gone to her heavenly reward, and American Anglicanism is poorer with her passing. She had battled cancer for several years, but from the clues that I have received here in Tennessee, it would seem that she died more rapidly than anyone had expected.

Our prayers this day are for her husband, Ed, and other friends, and family. Diane will be mourned by many and missed by thousands, but now stands whole in the presence of the Lord she has served with such faithfulness.

- The Rev. Richard Kew, Author and Anglican Priest

Diane Knippers was one of the most remarkable women I have known. She was a champion of the movement for religious freedom and church renewal. She was also a treasured friend. Diane possessed a combination of qualities – talents, virtues and qualities of character – rarely found in one person.

Those who knew Diane readily understood why Time magazine recently named her one of America’s top 25 evangelical leaders. Her leadership was perfectly suited for this time of cultural upheaval and ideological division. Diane was a woman of vision and strong principle. A formidable advocate, she was intelligent, articulate, and broadly educated. She was also a skillful diplomat – reasonable, prudent and open-minded. Diane was self-confident, yet humble. In her relations with others, she was remarkably warm-hearted and empathetic. She respected the dignity and humanity of both her allies and her opponents, and they respected her integrity.

To all these qualities, Diane added a skill not often found in those who are “good with words.” She was an outstanding administrator and organizer, and she became a top-notch fund-raiser. Under her leadership, IRD grew to be a leader in the domestic church renewal movement. Because Diane was an excellent judge of people, she always seemed to find roles for her staff members that played on and developed their strengths. She was beloved by IRD’s staff, and profoundly respected by its board of directors.

No one can fill the hole that Diane has left. But her legacy will inspire us for years to come. It will take years to follow up on the trail that she has helped to blaze, and to bring to fruition the plans she has laid. I know that in my times of trial, I will keep her example before me – an example of strength, joy, wisdom, courage, patience, generosity, loving-kindness and purity of heart; an example of faith, hope and charity.

- Kathy Kersten, syndicated columnist and former IRD board member

On behalf of SPADE Organization, The Sudanese commuity in Washington metro area, as well as Sudanese all over the United States and in Sudan, I pass my condolences to a great leader, a champion of religious freedom and justice - the late Diane Knippers. IRD has contributed a monumental gift to especially Southern Sudanese and Sudan as a whole to play a big role in changing the status-quo in the country to the current comprehensive peace. Diane Knippers was a great guiding light for us and may the Lord Jesus Christ rest her soul in peace. In Jesus Christ's name I pray, amen.

- Deng Deng Nhial, Director, Sudan Peace Association for Development and Education

Now this writing is interrupted by the sad news that Diane Knippers has died. The cancer seemed to be in remission this past year or so, and then came back with a vengeance. Diane was the formidable head of the Institute on Religion and Democracy, based in Washington, which I had a hand in launching in 1981.

The Institute on Religion and Democracy played a powerful role in contending for a recovery of an approximation of orthodoxy in the mainline/oldline liberal churches of American Protestantism. Some thought it a futile effort, but no fair-minded person denied its nobility.

The connection with what is happening here may not be obvious to everyone, but Diane and the Institute on Religion and Democracy are of a piece with the conservative insurgencies that have brought us so far from where the Christian communities were twenty and thirty years ago. Then and on every front liberalism seemed to be on a roll. Among Catholics, the revolution mandated by "the spirit of Vatican II" appeared to be unstoppable.

- Richard John Neuhaus, IRD board member, and Editor-in-Chief, First Things

This was a reflection by Charmaine Yoest after Diane's funeral.

Farewell to a Friend: Diane Knippers

This afternoon, on a grey and rainy day, several hundred people gathered at Truro Episcopal Church in Fairfax, Virginia to say farewell to our friend, Diane Knippers. Her husband, Ed, is an artist, and one of his remarkable paintings graced the cover of the bulletins handed out at the sanctuary entry. This one was of Jesus, hanging on the cross; underneath, it read, "By his wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:56

As we sat waiting the beginning of the service, the storm clouds were clearly building outside the windows. How appropriate I thought. A grey day. A sad day.

Even so, the bulletin was entitled, "Celebration of a Life," and indeed it was. It was such a day of sorrow -- losing someone like Diane so young; she was only 53 -- but the service was so beautiful, and God was so very present, that it was, in a way, Diane's last gift to those of us privileged to have known her and to have been there today.

While Ed's beautiful painting set the tone of worship, the text inside the cover reminded us that Jesus weeps with us when we grieve:

The liturgy for the dead is an Easter liturgy. It finds all its meaning in the resurrection. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we, too, shall be raised.
The liturgy, therefore, is characterized by joy, in the certainty that "neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

This joy, however, does not make human grief unchristian. The very love we have for each other in Christ brings deep sorrow when we are parted by death. Jesus himself wept at the grave of his friend. So while we rejoice that one we love has entered into the nearer presence of our Lord, we sorrow in sympathy with those who mourn. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we, too, shall be raised.

As Dan Snyder, a tenor, sang the gorgeous "The Holy City" ("Jerusalem! Jerusalem! Lift up your gates and sing,
Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna to your King!"), followed by the stately chords of "How Firm a Foundation," I felt the traditions of my faith, and the shared rituals of worship, drawing me close in community to a place of comfort.

And, then, as Helen Rhea Stumbo read, with breaking voice, Lamentations 3:22-26 and 31-33, more importantly, I was drawn to the reassurance that, yes, my Redeemer liveth:

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. For men are not cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men.
We lose something of great, and irreplaceable, value, when we too carelessly throw over the traditions and rituals that guide and sustain us, both in times of sorrow and in joy. When the organ rolled into "Crown Him With Many Crowns," my memory was crowded with the remembered voices of my grandparents leading our extended family in singing hymns, my grandmother at the piano, my grandfather belting out his deep, resonant baritone, standing at her side, aunts and uncles around the room, children scattered around the floor.

Outside the sanctuary the rain was building. The service moved on. The Reverend Canon Martyn Minns gave a homily, reminding us of Diane's dedication to the work God had called her to do. She was a sinner, he said. But a sister, a saint, and a soldier too. He recalled that in the military, when a standard-bearer falls, someone must pick it up. He challenged us to stand if we were willing -- and breaking from the prepared program, led us in singing "Onward Christian Soldiers."

So wonderfully politically incorrect. No one sings that hymn anymore! It was the perfect way to memorialize a woman who fought slavery and atrocities in the Sudan and human rights abuses in China. . .

Episcopalians serve communion at funerals -- one by one, people of all different denominations filed forward, in a holy sacrament that binds us together as an extended family of faith.

Finally, the service began drawing to a close, and Reverend Minns rose for the final prayer:

"Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant, Diane." he began. "Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold . . .

BA - BOOM. . .
God answered. Outside the storm had built to a crescendo. Thunder crashed in a powerful rumble.

". . . a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive her into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. Amen."

Amen.