Leo George Cox (1912–2001) was an American minister, theologian, and educator.

Early life and education

Cox was born on July 31, 1912, and accepted Christ at the age of ten. He received his bachelor's degree from

Miltonvale Wesleyan College Miltonvale Wesleyan College (sometimes called "Miltonvale College") was a two-year college located in Miltonvale, Kansas and was operated by the Wesleyan Church. The school began operation in 1909 under Rev. Silas W. Bond and ceased operation in ...

, in 1937, and later earned a B.D., an M.Rel. from

Indiana Wesleyan University Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) is a private evangelical Christian university headquartered in Marion, Indiana, and affiliated with the Wesleyan Church. It is the largest private university in Indiana. The university system includes IWU—Mari ...

, and an

M.A. A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...

and

Ph.D. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...

in religious studies from the

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized into 12 col ...

Religious and academic career

Cox was ordained as a minister in the Wesleyan Methodist Church, served a missionary in Australia. While in Australia, Cox served as president of Kingsley College from 1949–1955. Cox wrote ''John Wesley's Concept of Perfection''; according to the Wesleyan Church; this book has become a "classic in Wesley studies." Cox also contributed to the Wesleyan Bible Commentary and the Beacon Bible Commentary. Desiring to bring together scholars from the Wesleyan tradition, Cox founded the Wesleyan Theological Society, and served as the society's first president in 1965. When it was decided to merge Miltonvale Wesleyan College and Bartlesville Wesleyan College into one institution, Cox became president of both colleges, and later became president of the combined institution (which is now called

Oklahoma Wesleyan University Oklahoma Wesleyan University (OKWU) is a private university of the Wesleyan church in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. In 2018, the school had 1006 undergraduate students, with approximately 600 of those on its main campus in Bartlesville. History Okl ...

.) Cox later served as General Secretary of Educational Institutions for the

Wesleyan Church The Wesleyan Church, also known as the Wesleyan Methodist Church and Wesleyan Holiness Church depending on the region, is a Methodist Christian denomination in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Namibia, Sierra Leone, L ...

Personal life and death

Cox married Esther Burgan in 1934. After Esther's death in 1990, Cox married his brother's widow, Leila Cox, in 1992. Leila died in 1994. Cox died on August 28, 2001.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cox, Leo George 1912 births 2001 deaths Presidents of Oklahoma Wesleyan University Oklahoma Wesleyan University alumni Indiana Wesleyan University alumni University of Iowa alumni Wesleyan Methodists Arminian ministers Arminian theologians People from Bartlesville, Oklahoma