The Regent College community is profoundly saddened by the death of Rev. Dr. Jonathan 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). 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 Dr. 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, 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. He was very proud to have 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.
Jonathan was an ordained minister with the Canadian Baptists of Western Canada, and served as a Senior Consultant for Theological Integration for Canadian Baptist Ministries. In this role he focused on cultivating practices of integral mission in local churches both within and beyond Canada.
President Paul Spilsbury said, “Jonathan 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.”
Dr. Ross Hastings, Sangwoo Youtong Chee Associate Professor of Theology at Regent, said, “Professor Jonathan Wilson was, in a nutshell, an erudite theologian and ethicist who was at the same time firmly grounded in incarnational, creational, and missional reality. I treasure his memory and friendship. We first connected in an informal ethics seminar at Regent which 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 is predeceased by his first wife, Marti (née Crosby). He is survived by his wife Soohwan Park, a Regent alumna (DipCS ’08, MCS ’09) and former Senior Consultant to Regent’s Marketplace Institute. Please join us in prayer for Soohwan and all of Jonathan’s loved ones in this time.
Plans are underway for a memorial service that will be held on a Saturday afternoon in October at West Point Grey Baptist Church in Vancouver (exact date TBA). The service will be livestreamed.
