Nicholas John Tavani

Nicholas John Tavani was born on June 22, 1925, in Camden, New Jersey, the son of (Innocenzo) Vincenzo Tavani (1882, Chieuti, Foggia - 1952, Camden, NJ) and his wife Maria Domenica (nee Mancini) (1885-1949). In 1911, the Tavani family emigrated from Chieuti, in prov. Foggia, and Italo-albanian settlement on the Adriatic. Nicholas had six siblings: three (Luisa 'Louise' Giorgia, b. 1903, m. name Natal; Giorgio 'George' Donato b. 1907, d. 1975, and Maria 'Mary', b. 1910, d. 1980, m. name Brownell) born in Italy, and three (Filomena 'Philimena' or 'Mamie', b. 1921, d. 1996, m. name Marinacci; Lucia 'Lucy', b. 1923, d. 2010 (m. name Perozzi, Cherry Hill, NJ); and Carmela, b. 1927, d. 2012, m. name Sprechini in Wilkes-Barre, PA) after they came to live in America.

The family converted from Catholicism at an Italian Baptist mission in Camden, a story told in Maria Sherrill Miller Albrecht's book Guided to the Ghetto: Changed Lives in an Inner City. She was a teacher in that mission who made a great impact on Nicholas' life. It was a setting which produced tough converts - though the Italian Baptist Church auditorium was so full during the 1930s 'that we had to search for a place to sit', it was a certainty won at the cost of persecution from the larger Italian community. Nicholas lived between all three points: "For a while, my week-ends exposed me to the evangelistic fervor of the Italian Pentecostal Church, the Bible teaching at the Center, and the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Mass." It made him open in later life to 'the whole body of Christ'. "Miss Miller" taught him the Scriptures and laid the basis for his own teaching ministry later in life, in ways he often described 'in Sunday School staff meetings, graduate seminars, conferences, from the pulpit and in private conversations'.

Tavani matriculated in the Class of 1943 at Camden High School, in a year that was 15% Italian by background, and much more heavily Polish and German. His activities included Stamp Club; Chemistry Club (of course) and a remarkable amount of acting (in performances such as "Rose Marie"; the Spring Musical Festival; Elementary Music Festival, the Christmas Play; Alumni Show; "Naughty Marietta", and was stage manager for several performances, such as the Concert and Spring Festival). He was a Hall Guard, sat on student governance, played Football, Wrestled and ran Track. Though he 'never forgot his roots in the row houses of Camden, NJ', Tavani was always a sharp and disciplined student, a Science Honors student with a love in particular for chemistry (he was remembered for having built his own chemistry lab in the family basement). His College Year Book noted that he was usually found in the school Chemistry Lab, he liked test tubes, disliked 'painted girls', and when asked about his destiny, declared 'Goodness knows'. (Camden High School Yearbook 1943, Ancestry.com) In his final year at Camden High School, he won the Bausch + Lomb Honorary Science Award, and the Dr. William H. Seip Award in Chemistry (the latter named after a prominent teacher in the school). For younger students who came after him, such as Bob Pandolfi, Tavani shone not just as a scholar, but in sports: he, for instance, was on the first string squad of Camden High School football team. 'He had charisma'.

The War dominated Tavani's cohort at Camden High. He seems to have enrolled at the Drexel Institute of Technology (now Drexel University) before he was called up in 1943 (at least he appears in their list of alumni who served in the War). On 25 September, just after matriculation Tavani enlisted in the US Army, and serving in the Chemical Weapons branch until 1946. During his enlistment, he evangelised extensively, and undertook a Bible Study course by correspondence. As was the case with many returned soldiers, the War further accentuated Tavani's orientation towards serving others. He felt a distinct call to ministry, choosing on demobilization to study sociology instead of chemistry. In 1947, Guy BonGiovanni remembered Tavani preaching enthusiastically at the Niagara Falls Italian Christian Church 'with excellence from the tiniest Bible I had ever seen.' A high schooler at the time, BonGiovanni (among others) was captured by Tavani's 'down-to-earth amiable spirit'. (BonGiovanni 2006, Eulogy) Almost immediately on demobilization he also joined the Board of Pine Grove Camp, a position he maintained until 1955.

In 1949, Tavani enrolled at Temple University, in the BA program, studying sociology with the intention of going on to seminary: he pledged to Pi Gamma Mu – the National Social Science Honorary Society. For a time he was also interim pastor of Broadway Tabernacle (now Cherry Hill Assembly of God), mentoring young men who later became leaders in the Italian work, such as Guy BonGiovanni, John Albanese, and Joseph Giunta. His work as editor of the “Light Bearer” magazine was no doubt an influence on the future publishing concerns of BonGiovanni. Graduating in 1951, he entered the Reformed Episcopal Seminary in Philadelphia. Studying for the BD, in 1953 he won the Seminary Award in New Testament Exegesis. This was an award which forevisioned a lifetime of academic recognitions, including a Dissertation Fellowship at the University of Maryland (1968); a Commendation in the Congressional Record (22 April 1971); membership of the National Graduate Honor Society Phi Kappa Phi (1969); and the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Award “For Services Beyond Usual Expectations,” George Mason University (1990). In 1951, Tavani also began teaching at Eastern Bible Institute in Green Lane, Pennsylvania, where he also served as the Dean of Men.

When he graduated from Seminary, on 25 June 1951 Tavani married Naomi Joyce nee Spinosi (b. 31 August 1926 - d. Pasadena, CA, 5 December 2011). Also from a large Italian family with an Abbruzzese background (six siblings, Eli, Ralph, Patty, Tabitha, Anna, and Ruth), Naomi maintained her own career as a management consultant specializing with consulting medical professionals: she also held credentials as an ordained minister very active in church life, in counselling and guidance to women and church-based voluntary societies, and in the hospitality normal to Italian-American homes at the centre of ministry and missionary networks. She enjoyed music, playing both piano and trumpet. Nicholas and Naomi would have three sons together - Nicholas J. Tavani, Jr. (m. Donna, 6 sons: Nicholas, Michael, Stephen, Daniel, Matthew, and Jonathan); Stephen (m. Linda nee Greene, 2 daughters: Sierra and Nikola); and Craig R. (m. Christine 'Tine', 3 children: Vincent, Marcus, and Sonia). Nicholas Jr. studied medicine, and became a family physician living in Haymarket, VA. Craig studied at Valley Forge, and had the pleasure in 1981 of being in a final year class when his father came to teach on Christian maturity. He became a consultant in human services living in Phoenixville, PA. Stephen married Linda (of the duo 'Peaches and Herb', which sold over 9 million albums) became 'a dynamic urban missionary' living in Altadena, CA, developing alternative modes of music-based evangelism such as "WOW Jam". Linda and Stephen went on to release three gospel albums.

Despite already having served in ministry for some years, in March 1954, Tavani was ordained at Eastern into the AGUSA. In 1959, he left EBI to serve as President of Pine Crest Bible Institute, the post-secondary institution of higher learning with the Italian Branch of the Assemblies of God in Salisbury Center, NY. Originally a state-run tuberculosis sanatorium, Pine Crest was named for the surrounding woods, and was carried over to the AGIB institution. Tavani wrote for the AG's C. A. Herald, arguing for the perseverance of faith in the face of secularism. After a difficult period (which his son later described as an 'imbroglio' and 'institutional follies'), in 1962 Tavani helped merged Pinecrest with EBI, to become Northeast Bible College, now Valley Forge Christian College in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania; he remained on the Board of NEBC from 1963-1967. Pinecrest was bought by a land developer, who in turn donated it to televangelist Pat Robertson, who in turn passed it on to a successor institution refounded by an EBI and Pinecrest alumnus, Wade Taylor, who kept the Pinecrest name (recently, the Training Centre was renamed 'Bethany Bible Training Centre').

Never embittered by the manner in which Pinecrest was dealt with by the AGUSA, Tavani remained engaged with AG higher education. In 1971 he chaired the committee that recommended that the Valley Forge be authorized to grant degrees in Pennsylvania; from 1971-73 acted as coordinator of the Washington Program for Evangel University, Springfield, MO; and from 1972-89 served on the Board of Elim Bible Institute, staying on as Special Counsel to the President 1989-2006. He was also a consistent supporter of Christian intellectual life, from 1992-2000 teaching as an adjunct Professor for Trinity Seminary’s distance education program, and an advisor for doctoral students in research methods. In the same year, he was a charter member of the Christian Sociological Society, and several years later helped found American the Association of Christian Counselors (1997-2006); the Howard Center and the National Council on Family Relations.

Tavani naturally, however, spent more time in his academic pursuits. Settling in Maryland, close to Washington, he was active as a pro-life Republican in predominately Democratic southern Prince George's County, Maryland; he also organized new Parent-Teacher Associations in two schools, one newly integrated. From 1965-1969, Tavani taught at the College Park campus of the University of Maryland while completing his Masters and Doctoral degrees. He was at the same time presiding Elder of Clinton Community Church in Maryland. From 1968-1972 he commenced what would be 25 years service as President and member of the Board of Directors for Teen Challenge (Washington, D.C.). When, in 1969, George Mason University (Fairfax, Virginia), sought to begin building its sociology discipline, Tavani was a founding lecturer, teaching courses such as the popular 'Marriage and Family'. He would teach there until retirement in 2000. With R. M. Dennis, he created the Tau Chapter of Alpha Kappa Delta Sociology Honor Society.

Having lived a long and active life of leadership and influence in the Italian District, it was suitable that in 1989 Tavani served as the final District Superintendent in the Italian District of the Assemblies of God before its merger with the greater fellowship. In 2006, on 15 July, Nicholas Tavani died at his home in Altadena, California. A profound thinker, Tavani was also remembered as having the rare ability to express difficult ideas with eloquent simplicity, as patient and able to transform difficult situations with humor. Tavani lectured and wrote extensively, particularly on the subject of love. He developed life-long passion for teaching the Gospel and Letters of John, and emphasized in his own spirituality the Johannine emphasis on the Spirit. He was, as per his own instructions, cremated.

Sources:

Ancestry.com

Tavani Family Blog

Taylor, Wade, 'A personal Testimony' (1993), http://warren888.tripod.com/id183.html, accessed 12.11.2019.

Flower Pentecostal Heritage Centre Archives.