American on list of top Christians

While Martin Luther and other Germans led the day among scholars who selected the most outstanding non-Roman Catholic Christian leaders of the past 2,000 years, other nationalities were represented, including one American who is still living:

* BILLY GRAHAM (1918-) was chosen by Rev. Charles D. Skok, professor emeritus of religious studies at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. "Through his evangelical crusades held throughout the world, and then through the media of radio and television," said Father Skok, "I believe he has reached more people than any other evangelist of history. His message, granted, is fundamentalistic, but he has been very straightforward in its presentation. He has lived a somewhat modest life. He is very sincere. Although he may not have been effective, he has had the role of minister to presidents. We cannot measure the longevity of the conversions of his listeners, but he certainly has called thousands and thousands to conversion."

* JOHN WESLEY, the 18th-century Anglican evangelist in England and the United States, and founder of Methodism, "is the greatest non-Catholic Christian of the two millennia," said Rev. Conrad Harkin, associate professor of theology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio. "Wesley took the Gospel into the marketplace and preached conversion to Jesus Christ and repentance for sins, much as did St. Francis of Assisi among Catholics in the 13th century. Like the Catholic evangelists before him, he taught a method of life based directly upon the Gospel; and within the bounds of the established church, he founded societies committed to living the Gospel. As St. Francis had the world for his cloister, Wesley had the world for his parish. Both men taught the love of God to the masses, and challenged Christians to reform without dividing them."

* NICODEMUS OF THE HOLY MOUNTAIN (1748-1809), a Greek Orthodox monk and canon lawyer who wrote about prayer, was nominated by Maureen A. Tilley, associate professor of religious studies at the University of Dayton in Ohio. "He gathered many old Eastern prayer texts. This prayer book has been popular with Christians of many denominations. It brings the riches of the spiritual writings of the ancient Christian writers to a broad audience. Nicodemus was not afraid of using Western sources and found riches in Catholic authors, such as St. Ignatius of Loyola. He also advocated Hesychasm, a way of praying which includes repeating throughout the day and night, 'Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.' How can someone so little known be nominated as most outstanding? He is outstanding because he did what every Christian ought to do. He did not call attention to himself but spent his life teaching all sorts of Christians to love and praise God. He was canonized by the Orthodox Church in 1955." (JB)