Dallas Willard was a University of Southern California philosophy professor for 47 years, and a leading Christian author and speaker, until he died in 2013. But the six years that he spent in Madison, while working on his PhD in philosophy was foundational for his later ministry.
Among his books, The Divine Conspiracy, was perhaps the most well-known, selected as Christianity Today’s Book of the Year in 1999.
After he first arrived in Madison in 1959, Willard and his wife Jane were part of a Christian and Missionary Alliance congregation at 401 N. Blackhawk Avenue. That church building later became the original location of Blackhawk Evangelical Free Church (now based on Brader Way). Now at that address is Capital City Church.
Later, as he continued working toward his PhD, Willard pastored the Arena Congregational Church, shown above. Upon receiving his PhD, he faced a dilemma: stay in the pulpit or pursue philosophy in academia. More on Willard’s time in Madison in this story on the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship website.