In Memoriam: Dr. Robert I. Vasholz (1936–2026)
Covenant Theological Seminary said goodbye to another dear friend and beloved teacher recently as Dr. Robert I. Vasholz, Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, went to be with the Lord on July 16, 2026. Dr. Vasholz was 90 years old. We are saddened to hear of Dr. Vasholz’s passing but grateful for his life and legacy of faithful gospel teaching that impacted multiple generations of Covenant students and the broader PCA community.
During his time at Covenant, Dr. Vasholz was a popular teacher whose humorous stories and sayings, many of which derived from his Jewish upbringing, often served to enliven students’ study of the intricacies of biblical Hebrew. His heart for the Jewish people and their heritage led him to promote events and activities through the Seminary which encouraged students to develop closer bonds of friendship with people who in many ways are their spiritual forebears.
Born in Kansas City, Missouri, to Jewish parents, Vasholz and his family later came to faith in Jesus Christ through the witness of some Christian neighbors. His faith led him to pursue studies at Bob Jones University and later at Covenant Seminary, to which he came in 1964, earning a Master of Theology (ThM) degree in 1967 for his thesis “The Quotations and Allusions to the Pentateuch in the Old Testament.” For the next few years, he taught a variety of subjects in several St. Louis-area high schools and universities and served briefly as an Adjunct Professor of Hebrew at Covenant Seminary. He also was the Interim Pastor for Dardenne Prairie Presbyterian Church in St. Charles, Missouri, for more than a year.
In 1972, he came back to Covenant Seminary to serve as Director of Admissions, Assistant Dean of Students, and Instructor of Hebrew. He was appointed to the Seminary’s full-time faculty in 1975. In 1976, he received a Master of Arts degree from St. Louis University and, in 1977, a Doctor of Theology (ThD) degree from the University of Stellenbosch (South Africa). He also did post-doctoral studies at Brandeis and Harvard Universities. Dr. Vasholz served as Professor of Old Testament at Covenant Seminary until his retirement in 2007, when he was granted the title Professor Emeritus.
In addition to numerous articles and essays on the Old Testament, Dr. Vasholz wrote a number of books, including Hebrew Exercises: A Programmed Approach (1981); Data for the Sigla of the BHS (1983); Pillars of the Kingdom: Five Features of the Kingdom of God Progressively Revealed in the Old Testament (1997); Benedictions: A Pocket Resource (2007); Leviticus: A Mentor Commentary (2007); and Calls to Worship: A Pocket Resource (2008). Perhaps his best-known work was The Old Testament Canon in the Old Testament Church: The Internal Rationale for Old Testament Canonicity (1990), which presented a carefully reasoned and well-supported argument against the historical-critical approach to the development of the Old Testament and in favor of a more traditional understanding of that development. The book was translated into several languages. In his retirement, Dr. Vasholz continued to bless God’s people through his writing and preaching. He also served for several years on staff with First Presbyterian Church in Augusta, Georgia.
Dr. Thomas C. Gibbs, President of Covenant Seminary, commented, “Dr. Vasholz’s love for the Lord and his heart for those who needed to hear the message of the gospel had a great impact on countless future pastors and church leaders. We will miss his gentle humor and his passion for communicating the truth of the Bible through a study of its original languages. We praise God for the privilege of knowing, serving with, and learning from Dr. Vasholz.”
A memorial service for Dr. Vasholz will be held on Friday, July 24 at 10 a.m. at Redeemer Church, 2540 William Few Parkway, Evans, Georgia.
