Johnson, G. Timothy

Where Your Heart Is: Luke 19:1-10 (Winter 1999)

I put my newly acquired stethoscope over the left side of the chest and—to my utter astonishment—I couldn’t hear a thing. I was quite certain the man I was examining had a beating heart, because I was able to carry on an extended conversation with him. So, while I attempted to appear cool and in control, I frantically moved my stethoscope all over his chest, front and back, in a desperate attempt to hear his heart sounds. Nothing.

When Life Calls Out to Us: The Lifework of Viktor and Elly Frankly by Haddon Klingberg, Jr. (Summer 2002)

Like many who went to college in the middle part of the last century, I was required to read Viktor Frankl’s moving memoir of his Holocaust years, Man’s Search for Meaning. Even though I can remember being deeply stirred by the book as a North Park student, I sheepishly admit that I could not remember many of the details of the book—or of Frankl’s then relatively new psychological theory known as logotherapy.

North Park University Honors Carroll J. Peterson (CP) With Doctor’s Degree (Summer 2006)

Tim Johnson presented C.P. for the Doctor of Humane Letters Degree honoris causa at North Park University graduation. Here is the substance of his remarks.

Some thoughts on God as the author of truth (Fall/Winter 2015)

Because I finished seminary before entering medical school in my late twenties, I am often asked why I made that career change at that time. I never had a well-articulated answer to that question until just recently, at age 78. And, strangely, for this protestant minister the inspiration for understanding the answer came from an amazing interview on a recent “60 Minutes” episode with Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston.

In praise of truth and freedom (Spring/Summer 2021)

During my college and seminary years, my favorite passage of scripture was found in the Gospel of John: You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. These words, of course, refer to “Jesus Truth” but lately I have been thinking about how that scriptural statement really applies as well to all aspects of our earthly life.

My evolving understanding of sexuality (Spring/Summer 2022)

Because I am both a physician and an ordained minister, I have often been asked about my views on human sexuality. As my views have evolved over the years, my answer to that question has also changed. Now at age 85 I think my understanding of this issue is probably finalized so I will share it with anyone currently interested.

To be determined (Spring/Summer 2023)

This recent season of commencement speeches reminded me of my own “career” giving such speeches. From 1975 to 2009 I was the Medical Editor of ABC News and therefore very much in the public eye. One result was receiving many invitations to give commencement speeches. I quickly adopted a policy of each year accepting the first two who called.