I recently learned that a wonderful scholar and churchman died last week, Dr. Robert Webber. I got to know Dr. Webber briefly during my time at Wheaton College. He was known affectionately as “Book of the Month Club Bob” because he seemed to be writing one book a month. He wrote the very popular Evangelicals on the Canterbury Trail: Why Evangelicals Are Attracted to the Liturgical Church and our conversations centered upon the struggle between a call to ministry and to academia. His words were always warm, encouraging, and brought me great strength in a difficult time. I never knew him well, but I will always thank God for him.
“May light perpetual shine upon him.”
A more complete obituary is at
Wheaton College:
Memorial services planned for Dr. Robert E. Webber
After an eight month battle with pancreatic cancer, Professor Emeritus Dr. Robert E. Webber (73) went to be with the Lord Friday, April 27, 2007. Dr. Webber, known as Bob, died at his home in Sawyer, Michigan, in the arms of his wife and faithful companion, Joanne.
Dr. Webber spent 32 years as Professor of Theology at Wheaton College, before moving on to Northern Seminary. He authored more than 40 books on worship and the Church, as well as contributing to magazines, journals, newspapers and radio shows.
Bob is being cremated, and his family will inter his ashes in a private ceremony.
Before his death, Bob carefully planned his memorial services, one for each of his earthly homes. The first will be a private memorial for the Webber family, Bob’s caregivers, the Bethany Beach community, and invited friends in Michigan.
The second service will be 7 p.m., Wednesday, May 16 at Christ Church in Oak Brook, Illinois. The Wheaton College family, Northern Seminary family, and friends in the area are invited to attend.
The final service will be at Grace Episcopal Church in Orange Park, Florida, the site of the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies. The memorial begins at 7 p.m., Friday, June 15.
All three services will include the same scriptures, songs and communion if possible, and will follow the ancient-future format Bob made his life’s work.
In lieu of flowers, donations be made to:
The Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies
Endowment Fund
151 Kingsley Highway
Orange Park, Florida 32073or
The Robert E. Webber Center for Ancient Evangelical Future
Northern Seminary
660 East Butterfield Road
Lombard, Illinois 60148“Christ is risen, He is risen indeed. Hallelujah.”
It is nearly 1 am and I am trying to write up some responses for a video interview. *ugh* But I am keeping up the juices with some good ol’ King’s X! Man, I have not listened to this in a LONG time. For those not in the know, this group was very popular in the late 80’s and early 90’s. They were out of Houston and many of the members were/are Christians. Their faith can be heard throughout their music and even seen on their cover art. (Check out “Faith, Hope, Love” on the right, trust me, each letter has bas relief-type pictures from the Jesus narrative.) Their first album was called “Out of the Silent Planet.” OK, you get the idea. Their song is a mix of heavy driving guitars and drums with tight, almost Beatlesque harmonies. Well, the song that brought me to write now is Mission. This is a complete romp and some great lyrics (and you need to listen to it to hear the “preacher man” preach). Here are the lyrics:
broken body its joints at war
religious vipers sucking royal blood
the price is paid
the final score
the truth exists even through pious mud
who are these people behind the stained glass windows
have they forgotten just what they came here for
was it salvation or “scared of hell”
or an assembly of a social get-together
what’s the mission of the preacher man?
some are true some do lie
what’s the mission of the preacher man
yeah! yeah! yeah!
a threat of justice the lazy judge
the governess teaches his son to scream
adopted child
true path to trudge
no minor plot to undermine his dream
(preacher: bless god! the more i think about it the more i think i was preaching the truth i went down to the cadillac agency and one hour later i drove out a new cadillac hallelujah say praise the lord bless god i’m gonna drive that cadillac down here and get it dusty and dirty and use it for god hallelujah! thank you jesus)
I actually put their music on because I had been trying to track down a lyric. I thought it was U2, but a quick search led me back to this old favorite. I guess I had never realized that “Legal Kill” (from “Faith, Hope, Love”) was about abortion. But it is not a simple “abortion is bad” kind of song.
i only know what i believe
the rest is so absurd to me
i close my eyes so i cant see
but the picture just gets clearer everyday
i read somewhere to learn is to remember
and ive learned we all forgot
there was peace in her before
but that was yesterday
but i can see the beauty that is here for me
the chance to live and walk free
from a legal kill
i know your side so very well
it makes no sense that i can tell
the smell of hell is what i smell
and you hand it out with handshakes everyday
i have trouble with the persons with the signs
but i feel the need to make my own
yes there are two ways to be
and truth does not depend on me
but i can feel the fight for life is always real
i cant believe its no big deal
its a legal kill
The line that has been rattling in my head is “i have trouble with the persons with the signs but i feel the need to make my own.” That about says it all for me right now. On politics, religion, and religious politics. The inner conflict, the struggle with both the issues and the response. Do I speak? If I do, what do I say?
For those who might be interested in the latest biblical studies craze, I blogged the showing of the Discovery Channel’s The Lost Tomb of Jesus. You can find the discussion over at Targuman. You can also see the direct links to my Targuman posts and Elizabeth’s posts at Unlikely Missionary in the RSS feeds to the right. –>
In an effort to keep the family website a little more up to date I am moving it over to a blog format. This should let us post pictures, notes, and updates more efficiently. Let me know what you think! If you are missing something from the old site, let me know and I will add it.
The name comes from the guesthouse in Oxford that E and I ran the first summer we lived in England. Think Fawlty Towers, omit Manuel, add a few drunk homeless guys and you have it. Izzy and E both will be able to post, so look for it here!
I am also making the pictures available through a protected post. You will need a password to access it. Just drop me an email if you would like the password.
With comments enabled let us know if you like the new site.
Welcome to our blog! My wonderful and amazing father (who is typing for me at this moment) set this up so that I can post comments too. I am loving my new school and the snow! But now I want spring to come. Most of all because I cannot wait for the new Harry Potter book and movie! Hermione is my favorite! The movie should be fun but I can’t wait for the last book. Which two people will die?!
My predications for their life after the books:
- Harry will become Minister of Magic
- Ron will become an Auror or play Quidditch on an international team.
- Hermione will become Head Mistress of Hogwarts
That’s it for now! Bye!
