remembering Robert Webber

i am saddened, but not surprised, to hear of the passing of robert webber. for those that don't know webber is considered a worship expert, frequent speaker, and author of the ancient/future series. he had been sick for some time and would communicate his progress or regress over his email list as he was able. his condition seemed to be on the positive late in winter, but the overall prognosis was never that... well, positive.

i met robert once, that being at the '04 emergent convention, when i really didn't know what emergent was but i was way familiar with his ancient/future worship book. it helped me (and jonathon as well) put words to many of things we were experiencing with monastic spiritual practices blended with prayer stations in a worship experience we didn't know what to do with but felt faithful to practice. i'll always remember the seminars i sat in on and getting a chance to talk shop with him in the lobby of the renassaince hotel here in nashville. he was way kind and listened to us as we jabbered on about what we were living in.

as with the passing of stan grenz, another fun connection from that '04 convention, robert is missed but will live on in my memories and through the legacy left from his words, spoken and written. i've uploaded his ancient/future worship lecture that i first heard him in back in '04. i am sure this is some copywright infringing, but it seems right to share a bit of the robert i knew and will miss.

ancient/future worship - emergent convention '04 - robert webber (about 1hr, 74mgs)

Comments

[John B]

Stan Grenz was my theology prof when I was in seminary. Though he was Baptist, we UM students declared him to be an unofficial United Methodist because of the way he reached out to us.

Like Stan, despite his passing, Robert Webber's influence will be felt within the Church for many years to come.