IN MEMORIAM
DAVORIN PETERLIN, a former vice president of the Baptist Union of Croatia, died suddenly on June 14. He was 51 years
old.
Peterlin spent most of his adult life in academia, having been appointed professor and academic dean at the
Evangelical Theological Seminary in Osijek, Croatia; professor at the International Baptist Theological Seminary in
Prague, Czech Republic; director of the Keston Institute in Oxford, England; and a researcher at Oxford University’s
Regent’s Park College, among other positions in other institutions.
At the time of his death, he was professor of Early Christianity and History of Minority Religious Groups, head of the
Research Department and academic resources officer at the Evangelical Theological Faculty in Osijek. He served the
Baptist Union of Croatia as vice president from 1995-1999.
Funeral services were held June 17 at the Zagreb Crematorium, in Croatia, and a memorial service at the Evangelical
Theological Faculty on June 24.
KLAUS PRITZKULEIT, a member of the Youth Committee of the Baptist World Alliance in the 1980s, died suddenly on
May 21, of a heart attack in Berlin, Germany. He was 59 years old.
Pritzkuleit became the full time youth executive officer for the Federation of Evangelical Free Churches (Baptist)
in Germany in 1979, and a member of the youth committee of the European Baptist Federation, duties that took him
throughout Eastern and Western Europe.
Deeply involved in the ecumenical movement in his country, he made sure that the voice of the Baptist church was
heard in the German ecumenical movement. He was, at the time of his death, the CEO of the Diakonia Association, as
well as the deputy chairman of the Committee on Ecumenical Diakonia. He became the managing director of the Diaconal
Association in 2000, the liaison body between the diaconal work of the Evangelical Church in Germany, a federation of 22
Lutheran, Reformed and United Protestant regional church bodies in Germany, and the diaconal work of the Baptists.
Pritzkuleit helped to lead the fight for churches in Germany to overcome xenophobia, racism and violence and was
actively involved in Bread for the World, a Christian movement formed to end hunger.
Funeral services took place on June 7 at the Berlin-Biesdorf cemetery.
He leaves wife Helma, daughter Judith, and son Benjamin.
CECIL SHERMAN, first coordinator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) in the United States, died on April 17 of a
massive heart attack. He was 82 years old.
Sherman, who pastored churches in the states of Georgia, Texas, North Carolina and Virginia, was elected the first
coordinator of the CBF following the formation of that body in 1990, when a group of moderate churches and pastors
withdrew from the Southern Baptist Convention. The CBF was granted membership in the Baptist World Alliance in 2003.
A supporter of the Civil Rights Movement led by Martin Luther King, Jr., Sherman integrated the membership of First
Baptist Church, Asheville, North Carolina, in the 1970s, admitting African Americans into membership despite opposition
from leaders and members of the congregation.
The prolific author earned degrees from Baylor University, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Princeton
Theological Seminary. His last book, sent to the publishers one week before his death, was to be published in June.
Memorial services were held at River Road Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia, and First Baptist Church, Asheville,
North Carolina, on April 20 and 23, respectively.
Predeceased by his wife Dorothy in 2008, Sherman is survived by daughter Eugenia.
JOHN SMITH, president of the Baptist Union of New Zealand and the New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society from 1980-
81, died in Auckland on April 9. He was 92 years old.
The son of a Baptist pastor from Britain who moved with his family to New Zealand in 1907, Smith served as secretary
of the Auckland Baptist Association from 1980 to 1985 after previously serving as president of the association in the early
1970s.
In 1957, he was elected president of the Bible Class Movement, a Christian youth organization formed in New Zealand
in the early 20th century. The movement ran Sunday classes for various age groups, Easter camps, Bible reading and
other competitions, and encouraged strong support for the New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society.
After enlisting in the army during World War II, Smith, an accountant, worked as a company secretary in a
manufacturing enterprise for more than 30 years.
He served the Epsom Baptist Church in various capacities for 33 years, as Sunday school teacher, superintendent of
youth work, church organist, lay preacher, choir leader, deacon, elder and church secretary.
Beginning in 1978, he became actively involved in the Baptist church in Long Bay where he was an organist, deacon,
elder, and home group leader.
He is survived by children Howard, Warwick, Derek and Gillian. 29