The students and colleagues of William L. Petersen, a professor of religious studies known for "ruffling the feathers of Christians," celebrated his life during a memorial service Friday evening.
Friends and family filled the Eisenhower All Faith Chapel of the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center to remember "Bill," who died Dec. 20 after a brief battle with cancer. He was 56.
Student speakers at the memorial made it clear that Petersen's classes, though challenging, were filled with his "ability to inspire [students] to learn."
"I hope other professors can fire students up as much as you did," Allison Allmon, a former student of Petersen's, read from a letter she had sent him.
As a textual critic, Petersen used his knowledge of history and mastery of complicated languages to challenge common beliefs of his focus areas, the New Testament and Early Christianity. Those who gathered at the memorial laughed about Petersen's reputation of challenging the religious status quo.
Norm Hesser (senior-premedicine) introduced himself as one of the Christians who had his feathers ruffled by Petersen's classes, but he said he learned so much in the process.
Hesser said Petersen taught him to "Go and search for yourself. Don't just listen to one person. Find out what you believe yourself."
Colleagues also spoke at the service, remembering Petersen as dependable, thoroughly professional, a great consultant and fun to be around. Petersen continued to pass on his words at the memorial through previously chosen excerpts from "Once and Future King," read by his partner, Mark Biedrzycki.
Members of the State College Choral Society paid their respects to Petersen by representing his heritage with a German piece by Bach.
Eileen Johannsen, Petersen's cousin and friend, was also present at the memorial. "What more can one say about one's life than what has been said here. In the name of the family, I sincerely thank you for preparing this wonderful testimony," Johannsen said.
Joseph E. Faulkner, who hired Petersen in 1990, closed the service by referring to Hamlet. "Good night sweet prince: And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest," he said. Donations in Bill's name can be made to the American Civil Liberties Union or the Lambda Legal Defense Fund.
