The Regent College community is profoundly saddened by the death of Rev. Dr. Jonathan R. Wilson.
Jonathan served for many years as Teaching Fellow at Regent College. He also served on the faculty of Carey Theological Seminary (2006–2017), Acadia Divinity College (2003–2006), and Westmont College (1989–2003). In addition, he served as Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Missional Leadership at St. Andrew's Hall, University of British Columbia (2017–2026), and Senior Research Fellow at International Baptist Theological Seminary and Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands (2019–2024).
Jonathan was the author or editor of more than fifteen books, including God So Loved the World: A Christology for Disciples (Baker Academic, 2001); Gospel Virtues: Practicing Faith, Hope, and Love in Uncertain Times (reprint, Wipf & Stock, 2004); Why Church Matters: Worship, Ministry and Mission in Practice (Brazos, 2006); Living Faithfully in a Fragmented World: From After Virtue to a New Monasticism (2nd ed, Cascade, 2011); and God’s Good World: Reclaiming the Doctrine of Creation (Baker Academic, 2013).
Former President Jeff Greenman shared his gratitude for Jonathan’s friendship and inspirational legacy. “Jonathan was an esteemed colleague and steadfast friend for three decades. He lived out his deep Christian faith as a servant-leader in church and academy as a pastor, professor, and author. Jonathan was a truly exemplary evangelical theologian—someone whose extensive writings and passionate teaching were confidently gospel-centered. As such, he inspired many as a role model and mentor. Under his wing, a long line of women and men found their lifelong vocation in church ministry, overseas mission, or theological scholarship. During my years as Regent’s Academic Dean and President, Jonathan was an invaluable sounding board, constantly providing much-needed perspective, encouragement, and prayers. I am deeply grateful for everything we shared and everything he gave me. His life was a precious gift.”
Jonathan was educated at Welch College (formerly Free Will Baptist Bible College), Regent College, and Duke University. At Regent, he completed a Diploma in Christian Studies in 1977, a Master of Christian Studies in 1980, and a Master of Divinity in 1985. Jonathan proudly held three "first" records as a Regent student: he was the first janitor of the building after Regent moved out of the basement of the Vancouver School of Theology's building; he formed the first co-ed community house; and he served as Dr. Bruce Waltke’s very first Teaching Assistant during Bruce's first two years at Regent. Well into his own academic career, he continued to remark on how much he learned during that time.
At Duke, Jonathan made a friend for life in Dr. L. Gregory Jones, now the President of Belmont University, who said, “Jonathan Wilson was a very good friend of more than four decades and a person I loved and admired deeply. He embodied the things he wrote about: faithful discipleship, an integrative life, a generous orthodoxy, and the significance of friendship—all in the service of God. I hope his legacy of wisdom, found in his writings as well as his life, will carry on for generations to come.”
Jonathan was an ordained minister with the Canadian Baptists of Western Canada, pastoring Edmonds Baptist Church in Burnaby (1980–1986) and serving as a Senior Consultant for Theological Integration for Canadian Baptist Ministries (2017–2024). In the latter role he focused on cultivating practices of integral mission in local churches both within and beyond Canada.
One of the ministries to which Jonathan gave significant time and service was A Rocha, an international creation care ministry. Education Director Rick Faw spoke on behalf of the A Rocha Canada team.
"For years, Jonathan Wilson and his wife Soohwan Park have been steadfast supporters of A Rocha and the work of caring for God's world. (Most recently, Soohwan served as the Chair of the Board of Trustees for A Rocha International.) Jonathan’s writing, teaching, and pastoral legacy included a longstanding interest and emphasis on the implications of the gospel for all aspects of life, including the non-human creation. Perhaps even more significant has been his relational intentionality and commitment. His personal warmth and consistently kind and generous support and encouragement blessed a legion of friends, colleagues, and former students. Just one tangible example is the way that in recent years Jonathan and Soohwan have modelled an inspiring practice of hospitality by inviting dozens and dozens of people into their home for periods of respite and retreat. Jonathan’s ready smile and the twinkle in his eye, his keen intellect and broad curiosity, and his listening, attentive ear are among the gifts he shared so liberally throughout many, many formative conversations. His advice and insight will undoubtedly be missed, but his absence will be most especially felt by those of us that sought out his counsel and wisdom. We rejoice with Christ in Jonathan's wonderful example of a life lived in tune with the Spirit and in the service of the kingdom."
Similar sentiments have been expressed by many in the Regent community. As President Paul Spilsbury explained, “Jonathan R. Wilson was a dear friend of the College whose presence and voice will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved him over his many years of close association with Regent.”
Bob Howell, President and Chair of the Regent College Foundation (USA), was a classmate of Jonathan's at Regent.
"Fifty years ago, a group of thirty students gathered at Regent College, living together in a converted fraternity house," said Bob. "That year, 1976, marked a profound turning point. It reshaped lives, forged unbreakable bonds, and fundamentally transformed our relationships with Jesus for decades to come. At the heart of that unforgettable year was Jonathan Wilson. Jonathan was a steadfast encourager, a true bridge-builder who possessed a rare gift for making sure every single person felt seen, valued, and included. Though time and distance meant the class did not always stay in close touch, the warmth of Jonathan’s spirit and the impact of his character left a lasting imprint on everyone who shared that season with him."
Dr. Ross Hastings, Regent's Sangwoo Youtong Chee Associate Professor of Theology, also met Jonathan through Regent.
“Professor Jonathan R. Wilson was, in a nutshell, an erudite theologian and ethicist who was at the same time firmly grounded in incarnational, creational, and missional reality," Ross said. "I treasure his memory and friendship. We first connected in an informal ethics seminar at Regent that later spawned some great professors. I often had him as a guest in missional church classes also. We also connected in grief having lost our spouses in a similar time. His mimicking of Stanley Hauerwas’s accent was a fond memory also! He is with his Lord, gazing on him in glory. My wife Tammy and I offer our sympathy to Soohwan in this loss too deep for words.”
Jonathan was predeceased by his first wife, Marti (née Crosby, d. 2010). He is survived by his wife Soohwan Park, a Regent alumna (DipCS ’08, MCS ’09) and former Senior Consultant to Regent’s Marketplace Institute. Loren Wilkinson introduced Jonathan to Soohwan at the Broadway and Boundary bus stop after Regent's Convocation ceremony in 2011, and they married on the feast day of St. Francis in 2013. Jonathan is also survived by his daughter Leah Wilson-Hartgrove (Jonathan) and grandchildren JaiMichael, Nora, and Nathan Wilson-Hartgrove. Please join us in prayer for Soohwan and all of Jonathan’s loved ones in this time.
A service to remember Jonathan’s life and give thanks to God will be held at West Point Grey Baptist Church on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at 3 pm. All are welcome. The service will be livestreamed on the church’s YouTube page. You can read more about Jonathan's life in this online obituary.
