Robert Charles Sproul ( ; February 13, 1939 – December 14, 2017) was an American Reformed

theologian Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

and ordained pastor in the

Presbyterian Church in America The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) is the second-largest Presbyterian church body, behind the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the largest conservative Calvinist denomination in the United States. The PCA is Reformed in theology and presb ...

. He was the founder and chairman of

Ligonier Ministries Ligonier Ministries (also known as simply Ligonier) is an international Christian discipleship organization headquartered in the greater Orlando, Florida area. Ligonier was founded in 1971 by R. C. Sproul in the Ligonier Valley, Pennsylvania, o ...

(named for the Ligonier Valley just outside

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...

, where the ministry started as a study center for college and

seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy ...

students) and could be heard daily on the ''Renewing Your Mind'' radio broadcast in the United States and internationally. Under Sproul's direction, Ligonier Ministries produced the ''Ligonier Statement on

Biblical Inerrancy Biblical inerrancy is the belief that the Bible "is without error or fault in all its teaching"; or, at least, that "Scripture in the original manuscripts does not affirm anything that is contrary to fact". Some equate inerrancy with biblical ...

,'' which would eventually grow into the 1978

Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy is a written statement of belief formulated by more than 200 evangelical leaders at a conference convened by the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy and held in Chicago in October 1978. The stat ...

, of which Sproul, alongside

Norman Geisler Norman Leo Geisler (July 21, 1932 – July 1, 2019) was an American Christian systematic theologian and philosopher. He was the co-founder of two non-denominational evangelical seminaries ( Veritas International University and Southern Evange ...

, was one of the chief architects. Sproul has been described as "the greatest and most influential proponent of the recovery of Reformed theology in the last century."

Education and personal life

Sproul was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the second child of Robert Cecil Sproul, an accountant and a veteran of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

and his wife, Mayre Ann Sproul (née Yardis). Sproul was an avid supporter of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pittsburgh Pirates as a youth, and at the age of 15, he had to drop out from high school athletics in order to support his family. He obtained degrees from

Westminster College, Pennsylvania Westminster College is a private liberal arts college in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1852, it is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). The student population is approximately 1,307 undergraduate and graduate students. Histo ...

(BA, 1961),

Pittsburgh Theological Seminary Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (PTS) is a Presbyterian graduate seminary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1794, it houses one of the largest theological libraries in the tri-state area. History Pittsburgh Theological Seminary was formed ...

(

MDiv For graduate-level theological institutions, the Master of Divinity (MDiv, ''magister divinitatis'' in Latin) is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America. It is the most common academic degree in seminaries and div ...

, 1964), the Free University of Amsterdam ( Drs., 1969), and Whitefield Theological Seminary (PhD, 2001). He taught at numerous colleges and seminaries, including

Reformed Theological Seminary Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) is a theological seminary in the Reformed theological tradition with campuses in multiple locations in the United States. Founded by conservatives in the Southern Presbyterian Church, the Presbyterian Church i ...

Orlando Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures re ...

and in

Jackson, Mississippi Jackson, officially the City of Jackson, is the capital of and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The city is also one of two county seats of Hinds County, along with Raymond. The city had a population of 153,701 at t ...

, and Knox Theological Seminary in Ft. Lauderdale. One of Sproul's mentors was

John Gerstner John Henry Gerstner (November 22, 1914 – March 24, 1996) was an American Reformed and Presbyterian theologian and professor of Church History at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and Knox Theological Seminary. He was an expert on the life and th ...

, a professor of his at Pittsburgh-Xenia Theological Seminary. The two of them, along with another of Gerstner's students, Arthur Lindsley, co-authored the book ''Classical Apologetics'' in 1984. Sproul's ministry, Ligonier Ministries, made recordings of Gerstner teaching various courses on theology and the Bible. He married Vesta Voorhis in 1960 and had two children, Sherrie Dorotiak and Robert Craig Sproul. Sproul was a passenger on the

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada ...

train that derailed in the 1993 Big Bayou Canot train wreck, and sometimes gave firsthand accounts of the story.

Career

Ligonier Ministries hosts several theological conferences each year, including the main conference in Orlando, FL, at which Sproul was one of the primary speakers. Sproul served as co-pastor at Saint Andrew's Chapel, a congregation in Sanford, Florida. He was ordained as an elder in the

United Presbyterian Church in the USA The United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (UPCUSA) was the largest branch of Presbyterianism in the United States from May 28, 1958, to 1983. It was formed by the union of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of Ameri ...

in 1965, but left that denomination around 1975 and joined the

. He was also a Council member of the

Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals is an organization of Christian individuals that believes evangelicals have largely forgotten the foundations of the Christian Gospel and is dedicated to calling on the Protestant churches, especially those ...

. Sproul was an advocate of

Calvinism Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Ca ...

in his many print, audio, and video publications, and advocated the

Thomistic Thomism is the philosophical and theological school that arose as a legacy of the work Work may refer to: * Work (human activity), intentional activity people perform to support themselves, others, or the community ** Manual labour, physica ...

(classical) approaches to

Christian apologetics Christian apologetics ( grc, ἀπολογία, "verbal defense, speech in defense") is a branch of Christian theology that defends Christianity. Christian apologetics has taken many forms over the centuries, starting with Paul the Apostle in ...

, less common among Reformed apologists, most of whom prefer presuppositionalism. A dominant theme in his ''Renewing Your Mind'' lessons is the

holiness Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects (a ...

and

sovereignty Sovereignty is the defining authority within individual consciousness, social construct, or territory. Sovereignty entails hierarchy within the state, as well as external autonomy for states. In any state, sovereignty is assigned to the perso ...

of God. Sproul taught that headcovering should be practiced in churches as the ordinance is "rooted and grounded in creation". Sproul, a staunch critic of the Catholic Church and Catholic theology, denounced the 1994 ecumenical document ''

Evangelicals and Catholics Together ''Evangelicals and Catholics Together'' is a 1994 ecumenical document signed by leading Evangelical and Catholic scholars in the United States. The co-signers of the document were Charles Colson and Richard John Neuhaus, representing each side o ...

.'' In 2003, a ''

Festschrift In academia, a ''Festschrift'' (; plural, ''Festschriften'' ) is a book honoring a respected person, especially an academic, and presented during their lifetime. It generally takes the form of an edited volume, containing contributions from the h ...

'' was published in his honor. ''After Darkness, Light: Essays in Honor of R. C. Sproul'' () included contributions from Robert Godfrey, Sinclair Ferguson, O. Palmer Robertson, Michael Horton, Douglas Wilson,

John F. MacArthur John Fullerton MacArthur Jr. (born June 19, 1939) is an American Protestant pastor and author known for his internationally syndicated Christian teaching radio and television program ''Grace to You''. He has been the pastor of Grace Community Chu ...

, and Jay E. Adams.

Health and death

On April 18, 2015, Sproul suffered a stroke and was admitted to a hospital. Five days later, on April 23, Sproul went home from the hospital, suffering no ill effects. He was, however, diagnosed with a

diabetic Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ...

condition "that

ould Ould is an English surname and an Arabic name ( ar, ولد). In some Arabic dialects, particularly Hassaniya Arabic, ولد‎ (the patronymic, meaning "son of") is transliterated as Ould. Most Mauritanians have patronymic surnames. Notable p ...

be addressed through diet and regular medical attention." A longtime heavy cigarette smoker, Sproul had long suffered from

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a type of progressive lung disease characterized by long-term respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation. The main symptoms include shortness of breath and a cough, which may or may not produce ...

, and was hospitalized on December 2, 2017, because of difficulty breathing, the result of an apparent infection, an “exacerbation of his emphysema due to the

flu Influenza, commonly known as "the flu", is an infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms range from mild to severe and often include fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pain, headache, coughing, and fatigue. These symptom ...

” (“not pneumonia”). After a twelve-day period of intermittent fever, and sedation and ventilator-assisted breathing, with effort given to restore his respiratory function, Sproul died on December 14, 2017 (at age 78).

Publications

Some of Sproul's best-known books are ''The Holiness of God, Essential Truths of the Christian Faith,'' and ''What Is Reformed Theology?'' He is also well known for ''Chosen by God'', a book about predestination and the sovereignty of God. His book ''Not a Chance: The Myth of Chance in Modern Science and Cosmology'' was highly praised by those who reject the materialism advocated by some in the scientific community. Through

and the ''Renewing Your Mind'' radio program and conferences, Sproul generated numerous audio and video lectures on the subjects of history of philosophy, theology, Bible study,

apologetics Apologetics (from Greek , "speaking in defense") is the religious discipline of defending religious doctrines through systematic argumentation and discourse. Early Christian writers (c. 120–220) who defended their beliefs against critics an ...

intelligent design Intelligent design (ID) is a pseudoscientific argument for the existence of God, presented by its proponents as "an evidence-based scientific theory about life's origins". Numbers 2006, p. 373; " Dcaptured headlines for its bold attempt to ...

, and Christian living. In addition, Sproul wrote more than 100 books and many articles for

evangelical Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide interdenominational movement within Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being " born again", in which an individual expe ...

publications. He signed the 1978 ''

'', which affirmed the traditional view of

Biblical inerrancy Biblical inerrancy is the belief that the Bible "is without error or fault in all its teaching"; or, at least, that "Scripture in the original manuscripts does not affirm anything that is contrary to fact". Some equate inerrancy with biblical ...

, and he wrote a commentary on that document titled ''Explaining Inerrancy''. He also served as the general editor of the '' Reformation Study Bible'' (), which has appeared in several editions and was also known as the ''New Geneva Study Bible.'' In addition, Sproul was executive editor of ''Tabletalk'' magazine.

Published books

* ''Moses and the Burning Bush'' (2018) * ''The Legacy of Luther'' (2016) with Stephen J. Nichols and others * ''The Knight's Map'' (2016) * ''Everyone's a Theologian: An Introduction to Systematic Theology'' (2014) * ''The Promises of God'' (2013) * ''God's Love: How the Infinite God Cares for His Children'' (2012) * ''Are We Together: A Protestant Analyzes Roman Catholicism'' (2012) * ''The Work of Christ: What the Events of Jesus Life Mean for You'' (2012) * ''The Donkey Who Carried a King'' (2012) * ''The Barber Who Wanted to Pray'' (2011) * ''Unseen Realities: Heaven, Hell, Angels, and Demons'' (2011) * ''The Prayer of the Lord'' (2009) * ''The Prince's Poison Cup'' (2008) * ''The Truth of the Cross'' (2007) * ''Truths We Confess: A Layman's Guide to the Westminster Confession of Faith Volume 3: The State, The Family, The Church, and Last Things'' (2007) * ''Truths We Confess: A Layman's Guide to the Westminster Confession of Faith Volume 2: Salvation and the Christian Life'' (2007) * ''Truths We Confess: A Layman's Guide to the Westminster Confession of Faith Volume 1: The Triune God'' (2006) * ''The Lightlings'' (2006) * ''How Then Shall We Worship?'' (2006 as ''A Taste of Heaven''; revised 2006) * ''Running the Race: A Graduate's Guide to Life'' (2003) * ''Defending Your Faith'' (2003) * ''The Dark Side of Islam'' (2003) with Abdul Saleeb * ''Five Things Every Christian Needs to Grow'' (2002) * ''Saved from What?'' (2002) * ''When Worlds Collide: Where is God?'' (2002) * ''What's in the Bible?'' (2001) * ''Loved By God'' (2001) * ''The Consequence of Ideas'' (2000) * ''In the Presence of God'' (1999) * ''Getting the Gospel Right: The Tie That Binds Evangelicals Together'' (1999) * ''A Walk with God: Luke'' (1999) * ''The Last Days According to Jesus'' (1998) * ''What is Reformed Theology'' (1997 as ''Grace Unknown''; revised 2005) * ''Willing to Believe: Understanding the Role of Human Will in Salvation'' (1997) * ''The Priest with Dirty Clothes'' (1997; revised 2011) * ''Now, That's a Good Question!'' (1996) * ''The Invisible Hand'' (1996, revised 2003) * ''Choosing My Religion'' (1996) * ''Ultimate Issues'' (1996) * ''Before the Face of God Volume 4: A Daily Guide for Living from Ephesians, Hebrews, and James'' (1996) * '' Reformation Study Bible'' (1995 as ''New Geneva Study Bible''; revised 1998, 2005, 2015) served as General Editor * ''The Unexpected Jesus'' (1995 as ''The Mighty Christ''; revised 2005) * ''Faith Alone'' (1995; revised 2016) * ''The Purpose of God: An Exposition of Ephesians'' (1994; revised 2006) * ''Not a Chance: God, Science, and the Revolt against Reason'' (1994; revised 2014) with

Keith Mathison Keith A. Mathison (born 1967) is an American Reformed theologian. Mathison grew up near Houston, Texas. He began graduate studies at Dallas Theological Seminary before transferring to Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando. After completing his ...

* ''Before the Face of God Volume 3: A Daily Guide for Living from the Old Testament'' (1994) * ''The Gospel of God: An Exposition of Romans'' (1994 revised 1999) * ''Before the Face of God Volume 2: A Daily Guide for Living from the Gospel of Luke'' (1993) * ''Doubt and Assurance'' (1993) * ''The Soul's Quest for God: Satisfying the Hunger for Spiritual Communion With God'' (1993; revised 2003) * ''Before the Face of God Volume 1: A Daily Guide for Living from the Book of Romans'' (1992) * ''Essential Truths of Christian Faith'' (1992) * ''Following Christ'' (1991) combination of previously published booklets titled: ''Who Is Jesus?'' (1983), ''Ethics and the Christian'' (1983), ''God's Will and the Christian'' (1984), and ''Effective Prayer'' (1984). * ''The Mystery of the Holy Spirit'' (1990; revised 2009) * ''Abortion--A Rational Look at an Emotional Issue'' (1990; revised 2010) * ''The Glory of Christ'' (1990; revised 2003) * ''Surprised by Suffering'' (1989; revised 2009) * ''Pleasing God'' (1988; revised 2012) * ''Discovering God Who Is'' (1987 as ''One Holy Passion''; revised 1995 and 2003 as ''The Character of God'' and 2008 as ''Discovering God Who Is'') * ''Lifeviews: Make a Christian Impact on Culture and Society'' (1986) * ''Chosen by God'' (1986) * ''The Holiness of God'' (1985; revised 1998) * ''Classical Apologetics'' (1984) with

and Arthur Lindsley * ''Johnny Come Home'' (1984) * ''The Hunger for Significance'' (1983 as ''In Search of Dignity''; revised 1991 and 2001) * ''Stronger Than Steel: The Wayne Alderson Story'' (1980) * ''Reason to Believe'' (1978 and 1982 as ''Objections Answered''; revised 2016) * ''Knowing Scripture'' (1978; revised 2016) * ''Soli Deo Gloria'' (1976) General Editor * ''God's Inerrant Word: An International Symposium on the Trustworthiness of Scripture'' (1974) Contributor * ''The Intimate Marriage (1975 as ''Discovering the Intimate Marriage''; revised 1986 and 2003) * ''If There's a God, Why Are There Atheists?'' (1974 as ''The Psychology of Atheism''; revised 1988, 1997, and 2018) * ''What We Believe: Understanding and Confessing the Apostle's Creed'' (1973 as ''The Symbol: An Exposition of the Apostle's Creed''; revised 1982 as ''Basic Training'', 1998 as ''Renewing Your Mind'', and 2015 as ''What We Believe'')

''Crucial Questions'' series

* ''How Can I Be Right with God?'' (2017) * ''What Can We Know About God?'' (2017) * ''What Do Jesus' Parables Mean?'' (2017) * ''Are People Basically Good?'' (2016) * ''How Can I Be Blessed?'' (2016) * ''How Should I Think About Money?'' (2016) * ''Can I Lose My Salvation?'' (2015) * ''What is the Great Commission'' (2015) * ''Are These the Last Days?'' (2014) * ''What Is Repentance?'' (2014) * ''What Is the Relationship Between Church and State'' (2014) * ''How Can I Develop a Christian Conscience?'' (2013) * ''What Is the Lord's Supper?'' (2013) * ''What Is the Church?'' (2013) * ''Does God Control Everything?'' (2012) * ''Who is the Holy Spirit?'' (2012) * ''Can I Have Joy in My Life?'' (2012) * ''What Can I Do with My Guilt?'' (2011) * ''What Is the Trinity?'' (2011) * ''What Is Baptism?'' (2011) * ''What Is Faith?'' (2010) * ''What Does it Mean to Be Born Again?'' (2010) * ''Can I Be Sure I'm Saved?'' (2010) * ''Does Prayer Change Things?'' (1984 as ''Effective Prayer''; revised 2009) * ''Can I Know God's Will?'' (1984 as ''God's Will and the Christian''; revised 2009) * ''How Should I Live in This World?'' (1983 as ''Ethics and the Christian''; revised 2009) * ''Can I Trust the Bible?'' (1980 and 1996 as ''Explaining Inerrancy: A Commentary''; revised 2009) * ''Who Is Jesus?'' (1983; revised 2009)

''St. Andrew's Expositional Commentary'' series

* ''Matthew'' (2013) * ''1-2 Peter'' (2011) * ''Mark'' (2011) * ''Acts'' (2010) * ''Romans'' (2009) * ''John'' (2009)

References

External links

Official Ligonier Ministries website

Renewing Your Mind Broadcast

Tabletalk Magazine

Reformation Trust Publishing

Reformation Bible College

Saint Andrew's Chapel

Stephen J. Nichols - R. C. Sproul: A Life
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sproul, Robert Charles 1939 births 2017 deaths 20th-century Calvinist and Reformed theologians 21st-century Calvinist and Reformed theologians American Calvinist and Reformed theologians American Christian clergy American Christian creationists American Christian theologians American critics of Islam American evangelicals American people of German descent American Presbyterian ministers Bible commentators Cessationism Christian apologists Christian critics of Islam Christian writers Critics of atheism Critics of the Catholic Church Pittsburgh Theological Seminary alumni Presbyterian Church in America ministers Presbyterians from Florida Presbyterians from Pennsylvania Religious leaders from Pittsburgh Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam alumni Westminster College (Pennsylvania) alumni Writers from Orlando, Florida Writers from Pittsburgh Respiratory disease deaths in Florida Deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease