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Robert Jewett’s TestimonialsPainting by Heike Goebel

Ellen JewettRobert L. Jewett 12/31/1933 to 12/4/2020 A scholar with endless curiosity, he was always dad for me. Some of my earliest memories were playing under his writing desk, and spending summer months without shoes running all around the Lake Okoboji Methodist Camp, swimming and sailing on our small boat. He would put me on the bottom side of the sailboat in strong winds, skimming the water and about ready to capsize, and we would laugh and laugh. Born to a high-school teacher and wood-pattern maker turned minister, they moved to Nebraska when dad was young. He certainly inherited an optimistic and humble spirit but I believe he also cultivated patience and kindness. He was happiest outdoors, and in addition to our thrilling sailing experiences (also later in Chicago on Lake Michigan where we shared a boat moored close the Bahai Temple and gardens), we spent 100’s of hours on long walks- on the Morningside College and Northwestern University campuses, in Switzerland, France, Germany, New York and most lately in Turkey. These walks/hikes were most often unhurried explorations, a chance to rehash current and historical events, our own personal projects (with all the accompanying failures and successes), hopes, fears and dreams. We were always dreaming- about building straw bale houses situated off the grid, about building secluded practice/writing cottages nested in the woods, about a world without nuclear weapons, about building a Roman-era sailing vessel… During the time I grew up and whenever we were recently together, we shared breakfast and dinner every day possible. Almost every shared film, article, meal or concert was followed by discussions about our reactions and interpretations- whether spontaneous, informed or not. Dad was always careful and insistent with his questioning, and helped me to look from as many sides as possible- and he was passionate about what he called the ‘hermeneutical arch’ i.e., making an interpretive and meaningful link from any historical event into our times. He loved music- we sang together at home (with a bust of Beethoven behind the piano) and at church, in the car, around the campfire and at large family gatherings or gatherings with his students and colleagues. He came to every concert possible, from my childhood days in the Suzuki method up to my professional concerts. He came to a number of our festivals at Klasik Keyifler (KK) in Cappadocia, Turkey where he most often sat in the front row (and our students watched like mother birds over him as he teetered and tottered on the stone paths). He accompanied me to a festival in northern Denmark in 2014

where we continued after concerts to read chamber music until 3-4 am, and he didn’t miss a minute of the fun (but he never imbibed as heavily as we musicians did!). Dad was always ready for adventure, and his curiosity regarding the chronology of Paul’s (the early Christian missionary) life led him to make repeated summer trips to Turkey with different groups of scholars. In 1999 I joined him and met their guide Husam; and my life has been intertwined with Turkey ever since then. My dad led our wedding ceremony in Montreal in January 2004 under -30 degree weather. Anyone who has spent time with Husam and I will know the “The Beep and the Beep and the Holy Beep” story… The last few years, when dad returned to the US from Germany, I was able to spend more time with him as he settled in. He watched US politics with mixed fascination and shock as projections articulated in his writings regarding the dangers of “American zealous nationalism” manifested in multiple ways. He fought Parkinson’s disease for almost 20 years, but passed away less than a week after testing positive for Covid 19. I am eternally thankful for the many full and rich years we shared together. I am also very thankful for all my cousins in Lincoln, NE who helped tremendously over these years, and continue to show what family-ties really mean. Also my thanks go to St. Marks Methodist church and Wayne Alloway for their heartfelt support. Friends- please wear masks. www.theologie.uni-heidelberg.de/.../jewett.html

Heike Goebel Farewell To The SailorIn memory of Bob Jewett, partner and best friend for 20 years, who left us on December 4th, 2020 Over the waters!your soul is flying!to eternal rest.!!A sailor once!risky and brave!searching for fulfillment !on the shores!of faraway lands. A pilgrim.!That’s what he named himself.!A wanderer for his God!to save the world!from crusaders !to rid the people from evil.Singing “Amazing Grace”!out of a burning heart!with tears in his eyes, !repenting what a human has done wrong. !A man on his mission!to open eyes -!to understand!that each of us !has to go on his own soul journey!to find his calling,!the meaning of all the good and bad!that fate had meant for us.!Like he was led to questions!full of longing to understand!his favourite Saint, the apostle Paul.

Bob’s soul sailed!from German shores!to his home country!many times, back and forth!until!the time had come,!when the step!to eternal home!forced him!to leave me!and a past together.!The health crisis that hit the world!put chains!on a pilgrim, a traveller of the world. !He faded visibly,!recognizing himself!that the day was near!to meet his God. !Out of his beloved prairie lands!his soul was called!to see the light,!the peace of love and being loved. May the right winds!help YOU travel!to YOUR final coast. Fare thee well, BOB, - sailor! Till we meet again – one day – if it is meant to be. Heike

K. K. Yeo-In Memory: Prof. Dr. Robert Jewett (12/31/1933–12/04/2020) Prof. Dr. Robert Jewett had taught at Morningside College, Wesley Theological Seminary, University of Montana, Iliff School of Theology, Vancouver School of Theology, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (Harry R. Kendall Emeritus Professor of New Testament Interpretation), University of Heidelberg, University of Wales–Lampeter, and St. Mark’s United Methodist Church. He passed away last night. Yet, I believe he continues to teach more people globally than all of his students at the institutions mentioned above. In fall of 2007, I was grateful to Professor Jewett for accepting my invitation to co-teach Romans at Peking University. The Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies of Peking University was especially grateful also for the entire Romans collection (forty-six boxes in all!) he donated, and boxed and shipped by himself, to the department, representing at least twenty-seven years of his best research on Romans. Dr. Jewett still speaks through his life stories and through the pages of his numerous writings, including over two hundred essays and the following monographs: Paul’s Anthropological Terms (1971); The Captain America Complex (1873, Korean in 1996); The American Monomyth (with John Shelton Lawrence, 1977, Italian and Japanese in 1988); A Chronology of Paul’s Life (1979, German in 1982); Jesus Against the Rapture (1979); Letter to Pilgrims (1981); Christian Tolerance (1982); edited, Christology and Exegesis in Semeia (1984); co-edited, The Living Text (with D. E. Groh, 1985); Romans, Genesis to Revelation Adult Bible Series (1986); The Thessalonian Correspondence (1986); Romans, Cokesbury Basic Bible Commentary (1988); Saint Paul at the Movies (1993); Paul the Apostle to America (1994); Saint Paul Returns to the Movies (1999); The Myth of the American Superhero (with John Shelton Lawrence, 2002); Captain America and the Crusade against Evil (with John Shelton Lawrence, 2003); Romans: A Commentary, Hermeneia Series (2007, 1207 pages); Mission and Menace (with Ole Wangerin, 2008, German in 2008); Robert Jewett on Romans (in Chinese, Lawrence Leung edited, 2009); From Rome to Beijing (2013); Romans: A Short Commentary (2013); co-edited, The Shame Factor (with Wayne L. Alloway and John G. Lacey, 2010); co-edited, The Bible and the American Future (with Wayne L. Alloway and John G. Lacey, 2010); Dating Paul’s Life (2012). He was a tremendous mentor to me during my PhD studies; since that time, he has been a valued colleague and a dear friend. He will be greatly missed by family, colleagues, and friends.

—K. K. Yeo, Harry R. Kendall Professor of New Testament, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

Tom Wright thank you for the sad news of Bob's passing. I knew him quite well mostly through the SBL Annual Meetings and similar events. We were both fascinated by Paul, his travels and his theology and I always enjoyed exchanges with him even when -- perhaps especially when! -- we disagreed; it was always friendly and with enjoyment of the shared task. I also very much appreciated his 'popular' works on American culture, which helped me and many others to understand what was actually going on underneath some of the extraordinary decisions taken over the last 20 or so years. Indeed I think the last time we met that's what we mostly talked about. !God be with you at this time of loss. May his memory be for a blessing! Tom Wright Rt Revd Prof N T Wright Bishop of Durham 2003-2010, Professor in St Andrews 2010-2020 Senior Research Fellow, Wycliffe Hall, Oxford"

Lars Rydbeck, LundI have fine memories from 1993 when the SNTS Meeting was in Chicago. Robert invited me and Wedderburn for a nice meal and showed us around . Requiescats in pace, dear Robert!

Anthony C. ThiseltonThank you for the memories and photos of Robert Jewett. I vividly remember talking with him especially in Evanston, !on several occasions, and greatly admire and have used his magnificent commentary on Romans which remains unsurpassed. He was always open, warm, friendly and gracious. I reads his commentary on Hebrews early on. He will be sadly missed. Canon Professor Anthony C. Thiselton, PhD, D. D., FBA, Nottingham University, U.K.

Mark NanosEllen and Husam, !I am saddened to learn of your loss. Your dad was a substantial person and I am very glad to have known him a little, mostly from the same trip in '99 that I met both of you. I will miss greeting him at SBL's, seeing his smile and hearing his kind word, and knowing that he is here bringing good into the world. It, and we, are worse off with his passing.!Wishing you well, !Mark

David A. deSilvaDear Ellen and Husam I am so very sorry to learn this morning of your Dad's passing (and what a lovely tribute to a lovely man you wrote in your e-mail!).! I was glad for our interactions over the years -- sporadic, professional, but always positive.! I first met him at an SBL in 1997 or 98; because of his interest in shame, my dissertation had caught his eye and your Dad gave a young scholar a good deal of encouragement.! We crossed paths again at my first SNTS meeting in Halle in 2001 (I suspect it was your Dad who had nominated me for membership the year before).! We were staying at the same hotel, which was quite a walk from the conference site, so we made that trek together a few times.! He had just finished his draft of his Romans commentary (though it would be another six years before Fortress brought it out) and had planned a small celebration.! We ended up talking long into the evening about his work.! What a remarkable landmark!! (I was privileged to write an endorsement for it when it finally emerged from the guts of the press -- that was more him honoring me than me honoring him, I feel.)! We continued to connect over meals at SBL (I remember one dinner we shared in which he was particularly agitated about America's hero complex); he also was kind enough to include me in one of the conferences he planned at St. Mark's ("The Shame Factor," in 2009 or 2010 I believe).!! I just wanted to share with the two of you that Bob touched my life, and touched it for the good.!! Kind regards, David David A. deSilva, Ph.D.!Trustees' Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Greek,! Ashland Theological Seminary!

Linford StutzmanMy deepest sympathies. What memories you have that make his memory a blessing in your life!! The news brought back such grateful memories of my own. I think you might remember when you and Husam visited us on!SailingActs!in Fethye!(if I remember correctly.) It was a hot day!and you brought your violin along for safety, and we talked about gulet travel possibilities. As it has turned out, I have taken very many gulet trips over the years following the routes of Paul with Tutku Educational Travel. Your dad was of course that link. For a number of years we connected on the Roman Ship project, as well as Troas excavations, hosted him in our home at!at!Eastern Mennonite Seminary, met in Heidelberg, and had communication!over the years. He was such an inspiration and wealth of patient information. He spoke of you and your music often, so it feels that we know each other more than we actually do. We still sail on!SailingActs!several months out of the year in Turkey (based in Finike) and continue to explore the world of Paul, hopefully following a bit of your!dad's example of careful and creative interpretation of the world in the first and twenty-first centuries. I will always remember your dad with gratitude and blessing."

Annette WeissenriederDear Ellen, I really enjoyed his friendship. And I would have never applied for a job in the US without your dad.! Many things he mentioned in Heidelberg about living in US have only come clear to me after having lived there. He was often right.! I am invited to present a small presentation at the SBL. There may be a possibility to say hello. You have been all the world for him. Wishing you well, Annette Prof. Dr. Annette Weissenrieder Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg!Theologische Fakultät!Institut für Bibelwissenschaften!Seminar für Neues Testament

Thomas D. Stegman Dear Ellen, Please accept my condolences upon the passing away of your father. He was indeed a brilliant scholar. I've learned much about Paul's writings through your father's work. I didn't know about your father's Nebraska connections.! I myself was raised in Holdrege, NE and attended UNL before deciding to study for the priesthood.! I'm attaching a review I wrote, as a young faculty member, on your father's massive commentary on Romans. It appeared in!Heythrop Journal!(London). Again, Ellen, my condolences to you and the!entire family. Courage, Thomas D. Stegman, S.J.!Dean and Professor of New Testament!Boston College School of Theology and Ministry

Bob Gnuse!Thank you for the wonderful summary of his life. I extend my sympathy to you in this time of sadness. God bless you. Bob Gnuse, OT prof Loyola New Orleans

Roger David Aus! Dear! Ellen, I am an American, originally from North Dakota, which pushes the cold Canadian winter winds down to Nebraska. After a Ph.D. in New Testament from Yale in 1971, I served Protestant churches here in Berlin, Germany. I knew your Dad from meetings of the Society of New Testament Studies (SNTS), I wrote a seminal essay on the connection of Spain to the letter of Romans back in 1979, which Bob picked up and greatly expanded in his commentary. He asked me at that time to work more closely with him on the commentary, but I was too busy with other books - in addition to my parish work. I greatly appreciated his kind manner. In my own second marriage, I also could empathize with his feelings in this regard. May he now see what he so firmly believed.!! Cordially,! Roger!!--! The Rev. Dr. Roger David Aus!Berlin-Germany!

Carol WernerDear Ellen, While deeply saddened by the passing of your father —and a favorite professor of mine — I am so glad to have received your very thoughtful email about your father and his remarkable life.! As a result of being in his classes at Morningside, I ended up with a religion minor, really liking to write exegeses! !For two years at Morningside College, I was his secretary since he chaired the Religion Department. And, I spent one summer typing the publishing manuscript (in triplicate) of one of his books on Paul on an IBM Selectric typewriter! ! I remember you as a very young child — and also hearing that you had become a professional musician, of whom he was inordinately proud! I welcome the opportunity to stay in touch. !Please do let me know when you are able to schedule a memorial celebration of his life. Your father had a big influence on so many students and so many others as well.! All the very best, Carol --!!Carol Werner, Director Emerita & Senior Fellow!!Environmental and Energy Study Institute!

Dick and Peg SoulenDear Ellen, Words fail me. As you may recall, Peg and I first met your folks, and you, in Tuebingen in 1960, and from those wonderful days on had numerous, humorous, and happy times together, albeit almost always at SBL meetings. At times I felt as though I understood your father better than he understood himself, and that made him all the more endearing to me. His psychic energy never ceased to amaze me; I marveled at it then and still do. We had many heart to heart conversations over the years as he shared his deepest feelings with me, not about his family but about his work. I, too, was born in 1933 and considered our friendship one of the great blessings of my life. Our hearts have always gone out to him, to you and your mother, and do so now once again. Please know we share your sense of loss, but we give thanks for his life, his scholarship, his witness, and his friendship. We will not be able to share in moments of recognition in person, but we do so now with you. Give thanks and stay warm with your father's blessing and ours. Fondly, Dick and Peg Soulen

Peter RichardsonDear Ellen, if I may, Thank you very much for your note about your father’s death recently. I had heard that he was ill with Parkinson’s, but news that it got complicated with COVID 19 comes as more or a shock than I suppose it should. Bob and I got to know each other soon after we each had completed out Ph.D.s, had jobs, and started going to SBL and SNTS meetings. It may have been during an SBL meeting in New York City when we first met, perhaps 1973 or 1974. We were very unlike in some respects, but became very good friends in the context of those meetings. I think — though my memory may be playing tricks on me — that I invited Bob to come to Toronto to do some lectures, perhaps in the late 1970s. I was a kind of buttoned-up Canadian who took a typically “safe” route to a Ph.D. at Cambridge, while Bob seemed more exuberant and free-wheeling, with his Chicago and Tübingen career. The thing that brought us close, initially, was our shared efforts to make sense of Paul and his letters. I moved away from that focus by about 1980 or so, because of my fascination with and commitment to archaeology; that took me away from SBL and SNTS and led into various archaeological organizations. So we ended up seeing each other much less often. Curiously, I had been thinking of Bob in recent days because of the political situation in the USA. While things are very different politically in Canada, many of us are fascinated by what happens south of the border, and on several occasions I have mentioned to friends and relatives here Bob’s books on the Captain America complex. But of course it was his work on New Testament texts that made his biggest mark; one place where my later interests and his began to come together was in his (and later my) fascination with Pauline chronology.

It was a great privilege to consider Bob a good friend, even if it was at some distance; I recall with gratitude what a pleasure it was every once in a while to renew that friendship whenever we bumped into each other somewhere or other. His memory IS a blessing, Peter Richardson

Bernardo EstradaDear Ellen,! Thank you! for the nice remembering!of your father. I met him in Chicago. 1993, and since that time we were together in many SNTS!meetings and exchanged many greetings.! I will keep him in mind especially in my prayers.! Yours, Bernardo --! Rev. Prof. Bernardo Estrada Director, Master en Teología Facultad de Filosofía y Ciencias Humanas!Universidad de la Sabana Cundinamarca, Colombia

Charles E. CarlstonDear Ellen, !Just a brief note to thank you for the word about Bob’s death. I did not know him well, but we had met on several occasions and i was familiar with some of his voluminous work. !He even wrote a gracious note of!appreciation for some comments I made about his little (but learned) book on Hebrews. He agreed with my designation of him as a “liberal evangelical,” which is about where I fit, using the term in its old-fashioned sense, not as a euphemism for fundamentalist. I am older than he was (97) and no longer writing or teaching, but I still cherish the memories of those who have enjoyed a similar calling. He enriched our lives in many ways.!! Thank you again.!!Sincerely yours,,!!Charles E. Carlston!Norris Professor of New Testament Interpretation emeritus!Andover Newton Theological School

Bob BryantDear Ellen and Husam, I'm so very sorry to hear this news. Please know that more prayers are already ascending, both prayers for your comfort and also of thanksgiving for a life lived so wonderfully and generously among us. Your tribute encapsulates so much of the man we've been blessed to know, and I am sure God will continue to enrich our lives through the encounters we enjoyed with him, whether life-long like yours or all too brief like mine. I think that's the way God's grace works--even a little can have life-long effects. For me, it is and always will be a blessing. Surely, his works will continue to feed future generations,!too. I appreciate your kindness in letting us know and for sharing this fitting tribute. You have my heartfelt condolences. Christ's peace be with you and your family, Bob Bryant

Tom Longstaff Dear Ellen, Thank!you for sending the!sad news of your father's death and the!wonderful testimonies to the value of his life and his career. I knew!Bob professionally and saw him at meetings. I even gave a lecture at Northwestern!when he was still on the faculty there. I am a close friend of Dennis Groh and worked!with him in Israel on many occasions.! As an academic who concentrated on biblical studies and biblical archaeology, I had the highest respect and admiration for your father's work and his many contributions to religious!studies. He was a giant in the!field and will be sorely missed for many years to come. The sadness that you feel is an eloquent testimony to the value of his life and work. He will live on in the!memories of many. May you and he be at peace. Tom Longstaff Be happy. Be healthy. Be helpful. And please wear a mask. Thomas R. W. Longstaff!

William B. LawrenceEllen: Thank you so much for distributing the news about your father's death and for sharing these wonderful reflections on his life.! My direct!acquaintance with Bob developed during the years (2002-2016) when I was the Dean of Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. We welcomed him as a visiting lecturer, and everyone enjoyed the privilege of spending time with a world class scholar who was also!an extraordinarily effective communicator in addition to being an exceptionally nice person. That is a very!rare combination to find!among!career academicians, I would say.! Later, having retired to North Carolina, I taught a class at a local church on the book of Romans and used his "short commentary" as the guide for the class. It brought all of Bob's gifts to the forefront. His "short commentary" gathered, in 300 pages,!all of the scholarly integrity of his masterful 1,000 page commentary in!Hermeneia. And it was written in a style that made his insights accessible to the kinds of readers who occupy seats in serious adult class discussion at a local church. Behind those scholarly insights and clear prose was this marvelous man who cared for the academy and the church as well as for all of the people who pursue the great treasures in ecclesiastical and academic institutions.! I am so appreciative for!your kindness in!sending this message to a larger community. And I!am!deeply grateful!that I had the privilege to know Bob.! Bill Lawrence!

William B. Lawrence Professor!Emeritus!of American Church History Perkins School of Theology,!Southern Methodist University Research Fellow, Duke!Center for Studies in the Wesleyan Tradition! !!! ! !

Elizabeth KoeppingDear Ellen and Husam, Thank you so much for sending this notice of your father's death. He was a delightful human being whom I got to know when living in and leading services as a lay reader at the English Church Heidelberg.! !I'm ordained now in the Anglican church, but way back in the 1990s I was sharing the covenant service - i think i was preaching- and he horrified the more staid members of the congregation by asking me up to concelebrate at the altar. Such a generous gesture. I knew him and Heike when they lived in Rothenberg -I lived in Eberbach at that point - and enjoyed visiting them: he was very encouraging when I left Germany for Scotland in 2001. Had him over for dinner when he lectured at Edinburgh Unjversity on Romans in 2008. I'm glad he would have been able to see more of your mother in his final years: he talked of her a good deal.!! I trust your lives in Istanbul are a delight -what a delightful city- and that your summer festival revives after this grim time. with best wishes Elizabeth Rev'd Dr Elizabeth Koepping Charlbury England!"

Peter R BedfordDear Ellen, Thank you for your email. I'm greatly!saddened by the news of your father's death. My wife Jacqueline and I offer our heartfelt!condolences. I was so happy when he agreed to come to Union and it was wonderful!having him here as a visiting scholar. We were in contact in the years since then and met up at the Society of Biblical LIterature!Annual meeting, but alas not over the past few years.! I really don't think anything!I write can do justice to your father. His moral compass helped to give direction to many, many people, not least through his writings about religion and violence and about religion and nationalism. His scholarship on the New Testament cannot be bettered. He made important and lasting contributions to the!field. And, as you know, he was very humble about those contributions, which of course said much about him as a person. It really was a pleasure to get to know him. My father died (aged 90) in May 2020, so I know something of what you're feeling. It's wonderful when parents live to old age, but still very difficult when they leave us. Bob was a wonderful fellow. His memory will be a blessing. Peter!Peter R Bedford!John and Jane Wold Professor of Religious!Studies!Director, Program in Religious Studies!Union College!Schenectady, NY

Carolyn OsiekDear Ellen, Thank you for the sad word of Bob's death. I am surprised that my address was in his computer, as we had not communicated for some time, probably since before 2000, when we were both in Chicago and attended meetings together, he at Garrett and I at CTU. He was always gracious and sharp-witted. Blessings on your plans to celebrate him. I am retired and no longer attend SBL meetings. With warm regards, Carolyn Osiek Charles Fischer Professor of New Testament Emerita Brite Divinity School !

Robert W. YarbroughDear Ellen and Husam: Thank you for your email. Your father was a great scholar and encourager whose legacy will influence many for decades. From your words I see he was also a great father and friend. My father (born 1929) died on October!27, 2020. The generation that bore us is passing from the scene.! I offer my sincere condolences. Thank you for including the John Henry Newman poem. Sincerely, Robert W. Yarbrough

Cathy AlbaneseDear Ellen, Although you do not know me at all, I want to thank you, first, for sharing the sad news of Robert Jewett's passing.! Please accept my condolences for your sorrow and your loss.! Many years ago, Bob Jewett and I were colleagues from different fields entirely who were both interested in American popular religion.! I profited enormously from the books he wrote on that theme, used them in my own work, and came to know him personally through academic meetings and a few weeks of research I spent in the library at Northwestern and Evanston Theological Seminary.! His warmth and assistance in that last endeavor are well-remembered here. It is indeed sad to know that he is no longer with us.! I deeply sympathize with you and your family at this time. May you be well and may you be enlivened by the rich memories of your father that you shared online. Cathy Albanese!Catherine L. Albanese J.F. Rowny Distinguished Professor Emerita in Comparative Religions University of California, Santa Barbara !

Mark TitusEllen, A Morningside College classmate (Class of 1969), Dennis Tevis, shared your sad message about your father and his obit.! My sincere sympathy to you on his passing. I knew him as an outstanding teacher at Morningside in the years 1965-69. I was a pre-med major, but took Introduction to Old Testament and New Testament, to satisfy my 1 year religion requirement during my freshman year. As his fellow teacher, Robert Clemons told us on the first day of class, “this will not be a glorified Sunday school class", or similar words.! He was serious and correct!! I especially enjoyed and was challenged by the New Testament class and your father’s teaching.! I remember receiving an A- for the semester and a conversation with your dad the following fall about my final exam and his view (stated very tactfully) that my interests might be better served in a non-science course of study.! I recall that he was impressed with my grasp of Paul’s teaching of justification by faith.! I stayed with my plan for a career in medicine (ultimately veterinary medicine), but my senior year, I opted to forgo a year of Physical Chemistry and a double major in Biology and Chemistry, to take “The Life and Letters of Paul”, taught by your dad. I’m not sure that was a smart decision by this science major, but I had tremendous respect for your father as a scholar, teacher, and friend. He enjoyed challenging me with providing the science perspective to the subject we were discussing. I frequently had no clue and not a lot to say in response. ! Ellen, your dad left an impression on this science major that has not faded! ! Best regards and again, my sympathy on your loss, ! Mark Titus Jackson, MN"

Melanie Starks KiersteadHello, ! I was saddened to hear that your father had passed, but so glad you reached out to contact me this way. ! He was very kind to include me on a scholarly trip to Turkey in 2000, and an encouragement later to take students there, myself. ! It has been a highlight of my career. I will always be grateful. ! I am very sorry for your loss. He was truly a delightful man. ! God’s best, Melanie ! Melanie Starks Kierstead, PhD ! Coordinator of APS Advising Office of Adult and Professional Studies - Asbury University"

Carole BagbyI was deeply saddened to learn of my long time friend Bob Jewett.!His father, Walter Jewett, was the minister at our Methodist church in Sidney, Nebraska in the late 1940s. Bob was one class ahead of me all through school.! When I went to college at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln,!Bob was already there, so he invited me to be his roommate. !At that time I intended to study for the Methodist Ministry— like Bob. However, after 2 years at Wesleyan I decided to switch to Pre-Medicine. !Bob helped me a lot to understand that such a switch was OK as God needed good M.D.s !I practiced medicine in Blair until I retired at age 71. Now at age 86 1/2 my wife, Carole and I live in a nursing home in Blair where our needs are taken care of.!Our oldest son David who works at UNL gave me your address. !!Please keep in touch with us,!Charles Bagby M.D. Carole Bagby"

Paul N. AndersonThanks, so much,!Ellen and Husam, for the tribute to Robert's life; he was an amazing person and scholar, whom I had the pleasure!of meeting some 20 years ago at the national meetings. Upon our first acquaintance, he treated me to a coke, and we shared with each other about!our work--he a Pauline scholar, and I a Johannine scholar. I used his book on Paul and the Movies in several of my classes, and I appreciated his contributions over the years.! With great appreciation for a life well lived; thanks again for sharing.! Paul N. Anderson!Professor of Biblical and Quaker Studies George Fox University!Newberg, OR"

John PatonDear Ellen,!!I am sincerely saddened to learn that your father is no longer visible to us.! I wanted to write to you immediately, but there were two other condolence letters in the line ahead.! That meant that at odd moments in the past week I called up various memories that took a little time to surface.!!I did not know that Bob and I were so close in age-- he was only 11 weeks older than me.!!My memories from past decades have become unreliable.! I was quite sure that your parents sailed to Germany in 1960 on the MS Berlin with a number of Fulbrighters like me, but I can't prove it.! However, I have program and a Zeitungskritik from Blaubeuren, where we sang in a concert at the Goethe Institut.! In Mozart's Abduction from the Seraglio there is a quartet for two sopranos and two tenors.! Jan and I sang.! The other soprano was Catherine Gayer, who left the Fulbright program to start her career.! The other tenor was David Boe, who became the professor of organ at Oberlin College.! (He and I were roommates in Blaubeuren, our host called us "David und Jonathan.")! I went on to Stuttgart, Jan and Bob to Tübingen.! The following May my host family arranged for me to give a recital in the "Dorment" of the old monastery in Blaubeuren, and I shared it with Jan.! I particularly remember the easy high notes in her performance of songs by R. Strauss.!!The next (and last) datable meeting that I can confirm was in Denver on July 20, 1969, when Bob was teaching at Iliff School and I had finished my first year at U of Colorado - Boulder.! Bob and Jan were living in an apartment in Denver, and they invited (then wife) Marion and me to have dinner and watch the moon landing on their little black and white TV.!!I think we were all four in Germany in the summer of 1972; my son Andy was there and I think you were, too.! That was an election year I remember commiserating with Bob about the likelihood that Nixon would be re-elected.! It was the next year that I read "Captain America..." and learned for the first time to recognize the violent

underpinnings of our culture.! There was at least one meeting after '72, but I'm not clear enough about it to form a story.!!I read several more of Bob's books and led a study of his BBC Commentary on Romans at my present congregation, United Church of Christ in Simi Valley.! I have been in CA and married to Joan Thompson since 1987.! She is Jewish, and we were pleased to find a congregation that admitted her to membership without conditions. I talked to Bob a few times by telephone, and he invited me to go on a tour to Turkey, but the timing wasn't right.!!Joan and I spent a week in Istanbul and in Selcuk/Efes in 2002. We enjoyed that time very much and we are sad about the political developments of the past few years.!!You probably know that "Lead, Kindly Light" was Gandhi's favorite hymn.!!Ellen, I valued your father's friendship highly.! I have run out of stories, but I would be happy to hear more of yours.! Please keep me in your contact list.! If you and Husam are ever in CA, you must stay with us.!!John Paton"

Ann SpurgeonI am not sure I am sending this to the right place, but I was saddened to hear of the death of Bob Jewett. I was at GETS from 1980-1984. Bob was an advisor for one of the levels I went through and I found him supportive, Ÿengaging and encouraging. Taking New Testament Studies from him was a highlight in my studies at GETS.! I enjoyed writing papers for his class—probably because he encouraged creative thinking in ways that emboldened me to step out of rote learning and to think and speculate for myself.!! Maybe I have him to thank for the “out of the box” theology I hold today. :-). He tried to convince me to go on for a doctorate, but at the time I had a toddler and a young baby and the idea of going further was beyond my imagination. But the fact that he thought I would be capable was flattering.!!Please let his family know that his influence is still with me 41 years later. I see his beard, bow tie and cheerful smile whenever I think of him. But mostly I remember the spark in his eye when someone presented a new idea or perspective. I am very grateful for his part in my seminary life.!Blessings, !Ann Spurgeon !Class of 1984"

Helen Pohl Dear Ellen, My first memories of your dad were of him and your mum visiting Indiana University, where we studied together, to help you renovate the house you and a group of friends were to rent. I was amazed at their willingness to plunge into this sort of hard labour… this was before I knew anything else about them. Later on I visited you three in Evanston and was taken in so warmly by both your parents. I’ve never forgotten the welcome they extended to me, at an age when I felt quite unsure of my place in the world. Still later they were again helping you renovate, this time your house in Ithaca, NY…. A memorable Christmas together with them at my parents’ place there, where talk turned to what events may have happened - or not - on the evening we were commemorating together. Your dad answered all our many questions with thoughtfulness and challenged us to think outside the box - reading the other testimonials I see this was his much appreciated method! Your wedding, which in very modern fashion I sadly only attended in video, is nonetheless a great memory - the Beep, the Beep and the Holy Beep!!! What a great, generous and loving man, whose spirit lives on in you, and in all our memories. Love, Helene

Terri LoveI am very sorry to hear of Bob's passing. This is Rex's daughter Terri and I wanted to let you know my Dad passed away on January 17th. We will be having his memorial service on July 30th. Give my sympathies to Bob's family. God Bless, Terri Love

Anthony Thiselton Robert's contribution to N.T. studies was enormous. His commentary on Romans was a masterpiece. Alongside all this he was a good friend."

Dennis Groh As a colleague of Bob’s at Garrett/Northwestern for 20 years & a co-teacher, co-editor, & friend for years after we both left Evanston, I shall miss Bob’s humor, breadth of learning, quick mind & sweet humanity. I would love to know the first question he asks St. Paul.

Carl Fielder I met your father when he was writing his latest book and said he had difficulty typing because of Parkinson's Disease and if I could help him with Dragon Speech software.! We had a wonderful visit the two times he came to Metropolitan Community college where I worked.!! We discussed his life and many of the books he had written.!! Although I was able to help him some, I don't think he ever was able to achieve it's use fully.! He had some difficulties with his speech at the time which created a challenge.! He was a great gentleman and I feel honored that I was able to meet him and try to give him some hope.! My Blessings are with you and your family of this "Honorable Man".!! Dr. Carl Fielder.!!"

Steve PlymaleEllen, Your father always extended to me and my family warmth, hospitality, generosity and kindness.! He!continues to inspire me to embody those same qualities in my interactions with others. May your father's memory always be a blessing to you, as it is to us and so many others. -- Grace and Peace, Steve Plymale

If you would like to write your thoughts and feelings by the form in this page, we will add them hereEllen Jewett