From Ben Ball, 60-year colleague, on the impact of Gene Marshall.
Without question, he is by far the greatest and most effective living theologian. Therefore, I am driven to see to it that he and the work he has done are suitably honored and memorialized. Ben Ball
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From: Gene Marshall <gwesleymarshall@20658403.mailchimpapp.com> Subject: The Ben Ball Letter Date: August 5, 2025 at 7:27:41 AM EDT To: <kenfisher1942@gmail.com> Reply-To: <gwesleymarshall@gmail.com>
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Please read the following letter from Ben Ball to those of us who have been helped by Gene Marshall's theologizing.
Ben C. Ball, Jr.
10 Rainford Court Sugar Land, TX 77479-2909 Phone 281/494-0396 Cell 346/256-5837
August 3, 2025
Honoring Gene Marshall
An open letter to: All of Gene Marshall’s friends and colleagues All whose lives were effected by any of Gene’s teaching, writings, or influences Anyone who ever heard of Gene Marshall Everyone else
Greetings, As many of you know, Gene is now in hospice. Nevertheless, it’s no surprise to us that he
continues active in his teaching and writing. On a personal note, over the some 60 years I have known and worked with him, he and Joe Mathews have had a greater influence on my life than any other persons outside of my family. Without question, he is by far the greatest and most effective living theologian. Therefore, I am driven to see to it that he and the work he has done are suitably honored and memorialized.
Of course the Ecumenical Institute no longer exists. However, its brainchild, The Institute of Cultural Affairs, flourishes. (See ICA.org <http://ica.org/>) I have been in conversation with Karen Snyder, who coordinates the ongoing work of the ICA Global Archives. She and I have worked out the following plan: ICA’s headquarters–EI’s former Kemper Building–contains several named rooms: The Bonhoeffer Room, the MLK Room, etc. I have seeded with a contribution of $10,000 a fund honoring Gene. The ICA will in turn create on the sixth floor a “Gene Marshall Room” which, in Karen’s words, “highlights Gene and his years of being Dean of the Global Academy and the Spirit Movement his leadership has continued to catalyze over the years.”
I invite you to join me in funding this recognition of Gene’s fruitful, unique, and impressive life and work. I will match each of your gifts up to a total of an additional $10,000. That results in a total prospective funding of over $30,000, which is yet only a token of our appreciation for his tireless and focused intentionality and his faultless collegiality. But at the same time, it will give ICA’s work a significant additional impact.
Make your check payable to The Institute of Cultural Affairs, mark it, “Honoring Gene Marshall”, and send it to me at the above address. I will immediately forward it to ICA together with my matching amount. Of course all such funds are fully tax deductible. Include your contact information and I will send you a full accounting. Questions? Contact me or Karen, 312/758-2551.
Obviously speed is of the essence, so I look forward to your response. Grace & peace,
E-Mail benball@alum.mit.edu <mailto:benball@alum.mit.edu> benball2@comcast.net <mailto:benball2@comcast.net> Ben Ball
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