CLTS professor emeritus called to glory

Surrey, B.C. – On November 24, 2024, Rev. Dr. John R. Wilch—professor emeritus at Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (CLTS) in St. Catharines, Ontario—was called to glory. He was 90 years old.

Dr. Wilch was born on May 19, 1934, in Columbus, Ohio, to Rev. Andrew and Marie Wilch who were missionaries to India. He was baptized on June 10, 1934. After spending his first seven years in India, his family resettled in Illinois.

Dr. Wilch received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Capital University (Columbus, Ohio); his Master of Divinity from the Evangelical Lutheran Theological Seminary at Capital University (Columbus, Ohio) in 1959; and his Doctor of Theology from the University of Münster in Germany in 1965.

In 1965, he married Ruth Großmann in her hometown of Berlin, was ordained into the American Lutheran Church by his father, and was called to pastor a dual parish in Abbotsford and Matsqui, British Columbia. He subsequently taught at Lenoir Rhyne College in Hickory, North Carolina, and was Director of Studies for the Evangelical Lutheran Society for Mission to Israel in Nürnberg, Germany.

After serving as a visiting professor at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Dr. Wilch was called to serve at Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary in St. Catharines, Ontario, where he served from 1980-1999. Dr. Wilch was Professor of Exegetical Theology and taught Old Testament, Hebrew, and Biblical Studies. He also served as Dean of Academic Affairs during his career at the seminary. “We give thanks to God for his faithful service,” the seminary writes in a release, “and commend his family to God’s grace and comfort.”

Dr. Wilch founded the Haiti Lutheran Mission Society (HLMS) in 1983; taught several summer courses at Lutheran Church–Canada’s daughter seminary in Ukraine; hosted for ten years a prayer meeting in his home focused on missions and the persecuted church; and was the author of several works, notably the commentary on Ruth in the Concordia Commentary series.

He and his wife Ruth moved to Surrey, B.C. in 2013, to be closer to their children and grandchildren. They joined Faith Lutheran Church, and Dr. Wilch continued to serve as an elder, conducting visitations, holding services in nursing homes, fostering Bible studies, and opening his home for fellowship.

Dr. Wilch leaves behind his his beloved wife Ruth; children Rev. Gerhard (Tingyu) and Anastasia (Rev. Wayne) Zhang; grandsons Nicholas, Immanuel, and Jonathan; brother Rev. George (Jan); as well as nephews and nieces.

A funeral for Dr. Wilch was held at Faith Lutheran Church in Surrey, B.C. on December 12. The family encouraged memorial gifts be made to the Haiti Lutheran Mission Society, Voice of the Martyrs, and Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary in St. Catharines.

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