In Memory of Peter Hemingray

A remembrance of Peter Hemingray’s service, historical work, editorial leadership, and steady commitment to the Christadelphian community.

By Joe Hill

Read Time: 2 minutes

With sadness, we report that Bro. (Charles) Peter Hemingray fell asleep in Christ peacefully on July 2, 2026, at the age of 81. We offer our condolences to his wife of 56 years, Sis. Pat, their family, and all who knew and loved Bro. Peter.

Bro. Peter was well known for his extensive knowledge of the history of the Christadelphian community. He left us an enduring legacy of this information. For example, he wrote books which include:

• John Thomas: His Friends and His Faith, Second Edition, 2024.
• Within the Camps: Conscientious Objection in North America Among Christadelphians, 2021.
• Doctrines to be Rejected: A study in the second section of the Birmingham Amended Statement of Faith, 2023 (with Bro. Peter Bilello).

These books can be ordered at tidings.org/publications.

In November 2008, Bro. Peter wrote a Tidings article titled “The Historical Interactions Between the CGAF and the Christadelphians,” in which he documented our shared origins and beliefs, as well as the historical differences between us. In 2018, he wrote a timely and highly relevant series of five Tidings articles on “Reunions.”

Bro. Peter was the Editor of The Christadelphian Tidings from May, 2010 to May, 2020. For an excellent review of this decade of service, see the article by Bro. Gordon Hensley, “The History of The Christadelphian Tidings—(9) Peter Hemingray,” Tidings, February, 2018, available at tidings.org.

Besides his usual duties as the Editor, Bro. Peter introduced several innovations. For one example, he brought the first hint of color to the magazine by insisting that at least the cover be in color. Of course, now the whole magazine is in color, which has made it more appealing.

For a second example, he modified our annual special issue to be a collection of articles by multiple authors on a single topic, all overseen by one or two guest editors, in contrast to the earlier special issues, each of which had been an extended study by a single author. This new approach has been a great success from multiple angles: the guest editorships became a training ground for future editorial staff, and the collection of authors distributed the labor of writing and provided a variety of viewpoints on the topic.

Bro. Peter was truly a middle-of-the-road Central Christadelphian. He once told me he had belonged to many ecclesias. He said that in some he was viewed as a conservative extremist and in others as a liberal extremist, even though he hadn’t changed his views. These diverse opinions probably tell us as much about our community as they do about Bro. Peter.

We will miss our dear brother, but with hope of things to come.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.… Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:14, 18).

Joe Hill,
Austin Leander Ecclesia, TX

(Editor: Bro. Joe was the Chairman of the Tidings Publishing Committee while Bro. Peter was the Editor of the magazine).