J. Carl Laney (1948- )

I  was born in the state of Georgia, the first child of Carl and Clyde Laney. When I was two years old our family moved west and I grew up in Eugene, Oregon. It was there at the University of
Oregon that I met the love of my life, Nancy Lilly.  We were married in 1971 and have four grown children and four grandchildren. 

 I was raised in a Christian home and expressed my faith in Jesus as a child. But it was not until my student days at the University of Oregon that I entered into a more personal with God. This was due in large part to the influence a fraternity brother, Bill Hansell, who was active with the ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ. It was the late sixties and a time of radical student activism which included protest marches, demonstrations  and sit-ins.  Everyone was seeking a worthy cause to which to devote their lives.  After much thought and reflection I concluded that the only cause worthy of lifetime commitment was helping others find peace with God through the Good News of the Bible. I sensed God’s leading to Christian service during my junior year in college and enrolled at Western Seminary after graduating from the University of Oregon. I earned my Master of Divinity and Master of Theology degrees at Western Seminary and then continued my studies at Dallas Theological Seminary where I earned my Doctor of Theology.

I have been a Bible teacher at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon since 1977.  My teaching has also taken me overseas where I have served as a visiting professor at seminaries in the Philippines and the Netherlands. I have also served as interim-pastor of a number different churches including a Bayview Baptist church on the island of Guam. I have also had the joy of publishing a number of books and articles. Some of my books are out of print, but there are quite a few still available on Amazon.com.

My son, David and me on a 50 mile hike through the Mount Jefferson Wilderness Area.I enjoy outdoor activities including camping, hiking, fishing, skiing, gardening and canoeing. On a Saturday afternoon you may find me in my garage working on my WWII military jeeps–a 1944 Ford and a 1942 Willys.

 My travels have taken me to Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. l have spent several summers in Israel studying, teaching and participating in archaeological excavations. I enjoy teaching the Bible classes and specialize in courses dealing with the historical, geographical and cultural backgrounds of the Bible.