Rev. Dr. Brian Arthur Brown

Born and educated in the Canadian Maritimes, Brian Arthur Brown was ordained to the ministry of the United Church of Canada in 1966. He received theological training in Quebec where he married Jenny Gosine, whose family roots are in India and who gave him a world perspective. He was associated with Rene Levesque who, as premier, persuaded Brown to write Separatism in 1976, articulating French Quebec’s aspirations to English Canada. Levesque contributed an impressive foreword, regarded by many as the definitive statement on “Sovereignty-Association” and Brown’s writing career began.

During a lengthy ministry in Western Canada, Brian wrote on Canadian issues from the perspective of northern natives, prairie populism and western alienation (The Burning Bush, The Canadian Challenge and The New Confederation, with a foreword by Premier Bennett of British Columbia, as a reply to Levesque). While in Dawson Creek, he headed a Royal Commission on Northern Education, founded a 4-campus community college, and developed a northern educational philosophy later adopted by the University of Northern British Columbia. In Moose Jaw, he broadcast 1000 national unity radio editorials across the country and Canada’s first televised church services from the cathedral setting of St. Andrew’s United Church.

His more recent Ontario ministry included an attempt to establish a Christian Ashram in Owen Sound, a book on Canada’s role in peacekeeping with a foreword by HRH Princess Anne, and another with economist John Kenneth Galbraith on Canada’s relations with the USA. A stint in multicultural ministry in Toronto led to more writing in Niagara Falls.

Interest in Jewish, Christian and Muslim relationships began earlier during Middle East media junkets and study programs. More frequently involved in the Middle East than in Europe, Brown’s American exposure has also been significant, including doctoral studies at the San Francisco Theological Seminary (Presbyterian), consulting on congregational visions for the Detroit Methodist Union, and both preaching and consulting for The Riverside Church in New York City (United Church of Christ / American Baptist).

Recent endeavors include the script for a United Church musical, Abba Daddy, a spiritual take-off on Mamma Mia, the architectural concept for the new sanctuary at St. John’s Stevensville United Church in Niagara Falls, and sacred sculptures for that facility: The Inukshuk Cross and The Table Rock.

A recent graduate of post-doctoral studies at Harvard University, as a theologian Dr. Brown is Faith and Order Convener for the Niagara Presbytery. Recently retired from regular ministry to focus on writing and book promotion, he is a frequent speaker on the topic of what he calls “The Dysfunctional Family of Abraham, Sarah and Hagar,” the subject his recent books, "Noah’s Other Son: Bridging the Gap Between the Bible and the Qur’an" and "Forensic Scriptures: What the Quran Reveals About the Bible" -- two prequils to Dr. Brown's best known work, "Three Testaments: Torah, Gospel and Quran."