Robert E. Webber

1933-2007


Robert Webber was one of those rare people who have made a profound impact on my life without my ever having met him. When we arrived in Olathe we began to hear his name because the founding pastor of Christ Community, Dave Pendleton, had modeled the worship of the church after the fourfold pattern of worship that Webber championed. We now use this same pattern in our worship gatherings. I thank God for people like Bob Webber who are aware enough to follow their passions and change many lives in return. I had expected to meet him in December at the "Call to an Ancient Evangelical Future" conference but his condition had become too severe for him to travel. I plan to attend the school that he founded beginning in January.

This is the press release from the Institute for Worship Studies in Orlando:

Noted theologian and author Dr. Robert E. Webber died Friday, April 27 in his home in Sawyer, Michigan, after an eight-month struggle with pancreatic cancer. He was 73 years old.

Dr. Webber was born in Congo of missionary parents, and was raised in the Philadelphia area. He earned the Th.D. from Concordia Theological Seminary. From 1968 to 2000 he served as Professor of Theology at Wheaton College, and was named Professor Emeritus upon his retirement in 2000. He was appointed William R. and Geraldine D. Myers Professor of Ministry and Director of the M.A. in Worship and Spirituality at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in the fall of 2000.

Bob Webber founded The Institute for Worship Studies (now the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies) in 1998. The Institute for Worship Studies is a Masters and Doctorate level graduate school focused on the study of the theological, Biblical, historical, sociological and missiological foundations of Christian worship. The school is hosted by Grace Episcopal Church of Orange Park, Florida and combines distance learning with one-week on-campus intensive courses involving students, faculty and alumni from around the globe.

IWS Provost and President-Elect Dr. James R. Hart commented, "Bob Webber significantly influenced many in our generation with the understanding that worship is the key to the renewal of the church. We mourn the loss of our friend and mentor, but rejoice with him in worshiping the risen Christ."

Webber was noted for his numerous writings and workshops in worship and worship renewal. His books include such titles as Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail, Worship Is a Verb, Worship Old and New, Ancient-Future Faith, Ancient-Future Time, Ancient-Future Evangelism, Journey to Jesus, The Younger Evangelicals, and The Divine Embrace. He served as editor of the seven-volume The Complete Library of Christian Worship (Hendrickson, 1993) and was a regular columnist in Worship Leader magazine.

Webber leaves behind a wife, Joanne, four children, John (Isabel), Alexandra (Jack), Stefany (Tom), and Jeremy (Susie), seven grandchildren, and a rich legacy of friends, colleagues and students.

A public memorial service will be held at Christ Church of Oak Brook, 31st and York Road in Oak Brook, IL (630-654-1882) on Wednesday, May 16 at 7:00 p.m., and at Grace Episcopal Church in Orange Park, FL on Friday, June 15 at 7:00 p.m. during the June session of the Institute for Worship Studies (800-282-2977).

In lieu of flowers the family has requested that donations be made to the Robert E. Webber Endowment Fund at the Institute for Worship Studies, 151 Kingsley Ave., Orange Park, FL 32073, or the Robert E. Webber Center for an Ancient Evangelical Future, c/o Northern Seminary, 660 E. Butterfield Rd., Lombard, IL 60148.

Grace and peace,
Jim Hart