In Memoriam: The Rev. Canon Dr. J. Robert Wright, ’63 (1936-2022)
The Rev. J. Robert Wright, M.Div., D.Phil., D.D., D.Cn.L., Th.D., St. Mark's Church In The Bowery Professor Of Ecclesiastical History, Emeritus, died January 12. He arrived on the Close when he matriculated in 1960, living and working amongst us until death, an honored and beloved member of the community.
A public Requiem Eucharist in loving memory of Father Wright took place Thursday, May 19, 2022 at 11:00 am in the Chapel of the Good Shepherd. The Rt. Rev. Andrew ML Dietsche, Bishop of New York was the Celebrant. The Rt. Rev. William Franklin, Assisting Bishop of Long Island, retired Bishop of Western New York, and a former member of the General Seminary faculty, delivered the sermon.
Please follow the links below to view the recording of the service and download copies of the sermon and other memorial documentation.
Tributes from alumni/ae in remembrance follow as well.
FOLLOW THIS LINK TO WATCH THE RECORDING OF THE REQUIEM ON YOUTUBE
Remembrances from Alumni/ae in Tribute to Father Wright
(if you would like to add a remembrance, please email alumni@gts.edu)
Our In Memoriam is a collection of remembrances received from those who knew him during their time on the Close. If you’re looking for the facts of his life, you can read Fr. Wright’s ENS obituary here, or a tribute from fellow alum Bishop John Bauerschmidt ’84 in The Living Church here, or his Wikipedia entry here. You also can scroll to the bottom of this post to see Dean Michael’s announcement of January 13.
We have also received inquiries regarding where gifts in Father Wright’s memory would be directed. To ensure that we adhere to his wishes, we are waiting until his executor provides us with this information. We have set up a fund that will be temporarily restricted until that time. Anyone interested in making a gift in Father Wright’s memory can send us a check with “Fr. Wright Fund” noted, or you can make a donation online at giving.gts.edu and indicate your donation is for “J. Robert Wright Fund” on the dropdown menu.
The Rev. Jackson Hershbell, ’63: Quite recently Bob Wright asked if it was ok to put one of my translations in the library; one of two translations of Iamblichus done in collaboration with John Dillon, retired Regius Prof., Triniity College, Dublin. Bob and I would sometimes discuss his growing number of works, and I believe the last of them was a Companion to Bede. While were still students at GTS, we often discussed what we had learned. Bob was a great roommate, and little did we know that he would someday follow in the footsteps of P. M. Dawly and R. Bosher, both quite knowledgeable about Church History, Bob was also best man at my wedding shortly after graduation and subsequent student at Oxford where he earned a D.Phil. I saw him just before for he boarded ship for England, and we have remained in contact ever since then. Bob was serious about his faith, very friendly and concerned for others, students, colleagues, and those outside the seminary community. Dear Bob, in the words of an ancient Roman poet we bid farewell to you in this life, Ave atque Vale.
The Rev. Dr. Livingston Merchant, ’72: Fr. Wright was a good person, scholar, and advisor. We did not always agree with each other, but he was a major influence on my thinking and orientation towards the priesthood.
During the two years I was at GTS, the community life had a major impact on me. About 15 years ago His All Holiness, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, touched me deeply while I was working in Istanbul/Constantinople. He is an open-hearted and intelligent leader of the Christian Church. As a result, I became Orthodox and have a second home in Greece - my winter residence is in Maastricht, the Netherlands. I do not reject my Anglican heritage, but at the Patriarch's request, I sadly do not exercise my priesthood. I have spent most of my adult life as an educator in international education - most recently before retirement at Bilkent University in Ankara and Raparin University in Iraqi Kurdistan.
The Rev. Susan Mills, ’76: I remember that he was a strong supporter of women's ordination long before the first women were ordained to the priesthood. He called me from Minneapolis in September of 1976 to let us know that the General Convention had approved the resolution. In my GTS years (1973-1976), it was traditional for seniors to take Dr. Wright's "mass class." Some women, not knowing whether or not we would ever be able to preside at the Eucharist, chose not to enroll in that class. In early 1977, though, Bob spent a day with newly-ordained and about-to-be-ordained women, taking us through the essentials of Eucharistic presiding. That class was held at the Church of St. John's in the Village, where I was a clergy associate. That willingness to offer that class was yet another sign of Bob's generosity. Many good memories of tutorials and classes with Bob during my seminary years, and I will always be grateful for Bob's support and later years of good friendship. I am grateful for having known him. May the saints and angels guide him into paradise.
The Rev. Canon William Cavanaugh ’81: When we gathered in September 2019 for a tribute to Fr. Wright, I asked the assembly “What is it about Fr. Wright that brought you here to recognize him?” My guess was that like me, people were not there to honor the first-class ecumenist and great Church historian. They came because of the impact Fr. Wright had on their lives and ministry. He will always be remembered as a Mentor, one who helped form many for service in the Church and beyond. J. Robert Wright poured his life into his many and varied interests; and he poured his life into his students as well. I am sure that every faculty advisor at GTS had profound impacts on their advisees, but I would argue that few had as much an impact on Seminarians’ formation as did Fr. Wright. Advisee meetings were always wide-ranging affairs, touching on many topics related to the priestly life. But to be honest, what I remember most from those meetings was the caviar, which Bob loved and loved to share. If you took Fr. Wright’s legendary Mass Class, you would gather at the Oratory in Kohne Hall where one would learn about Big Swoops and Little Swoops, and would gain hands-on experience dealing with clumsy or clueless servers—a role usually played by Fr. Wright himself. One time, Fr. Wright took my friend Joel and me to lunch at the Union League. He knew that two middle class guys like ourselves probably hadn’t been to a place like that before (we hadn’t) and wanted to make us familiar and comfortable in that sort of milieu. Perhaps my most appreciated aspect of having Fr. Wright as a Mentor during my time at General was his seemingly uncanny ability to contact me and other advisees when we were struggling. When I approached graduation, hoping to acquire valuable tools for my upcoming ministry, I asked Bob what his secret was. I felt like Elisha asking Elijah for his special powers. How did he know to contact us when times were difficult? Well, his ‘secret’ was simply that he took note of our Chapel attendance. If we were regular attendees and suddenly stopped, something us up. If we were sporadic in showing up at Chapel and suddenly were there every day, a phone call was in order. Simple, yet a sign of the commitment Fr./Dr./Professor Robert Wright had for those fortunate enough to have him as a Mentor. Once upon a time the space where we held the tribute to Fr. Wright was a gymnasium. One September long ago now, a dozen or so persons gathered on the court as the GTS basketball team. Anxious to get going, we waited for our Coach to arrive. In came Dr. Wright, black suit & tab collar, carrying a sheaf of papers in his hand. Were they plays? Our schedule? Well, they were the notes to a scholarly lecture on the relationship between Athleoo and Askeoo in the Patristic writings, which he delivered to us, shorts, sneakers, and all! Only at General. Only with Dr. J. Robert Wright!
Fr. Wright (center rear with a goatee!) coaching the Basketball team circa 1980.
The Rev. John Saville ’82 and Kathleen Saville: He was known as “St. Xeroxious” for all the supplemental reading copies he handed out! Also, clergy tax consultant!
The Rev. Elizabeth Evans ‘84: I was only at General for a year, having graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary. Because I needed Anglicizing, I took Fr. Wright's Mass Class. As you likely know, students (at least at that time, in the 80's) had to do a practice Mass. My mother, who was Jewish, attended. A notable cook, she also provided the communion bread - a lovely sourdough, as I remember. Crumbs all over the place! My recollection is that Fr. Wright dealt with the situation with his usual kindness and finesse.
He was one of a kind. I can only imagine the conversations he may be having with some of the more Anglo-Catholic saints.
The Rev. Joseph Parrish '85-’86: Canon Doctor Robert Wright, who taught me the celebration of the Eucharist at General in 1985, became a personal friend with whom we had icons in common; his fascinating collection often overflowed when he got a ‘better’ one, often while he was visiting the Middle East, and he sometimes offered his lesser one to me, which I gladly accepted so he could move his collection even higher. Thus, I have the ‘leftovers’ of J Bob Wright to remember him with. Many do not realize his great achievements in the ecumenical history of the Church Universal, and the peace he so boldly imparted to all, particularly with the Patriarch of Moscow. I shall always cherish our friendship, yet to be renewed in the Courts of Heaven. May the faithful departed rest in peace and may he always enjoy the glories of Our Lord at whose very feet he now worships.
The Rev. Dr. Christopher Agnew ’89: My advisor for the STM and one of my mentors in ecumenical relations. His influence helped shape much of my ministry as an ecumenist. We were colleagues in both ecumenism and church history. We and John Booty put together the service commemorating the 400th anniversary of the church observed by the Historical Society of the Episcopal Church, the National Historians and Archivists, and The Episcopal Women's History Project in 2007.
The Rev. Anne Bolles-Beaven ’88: RIP dear Father Wright! He made me LOVE the patristic saints. And trained me so well that when I found myself at a parish potluck in Tuscany at a church that had a holy relic of the cross “the holy spine”—which they brought down from the spire where it was housed when they learned I was a priest—I knew how to venerate it! They were so proud (relieved!) and impressed! All I could think was: thank God for Fr Wright! “Into paradise may the angels lead you…”
The Rev. Ian Bruce Montgomery ’88: I remember returning to the close the day after my ordination at St. Paul's, Chattanooga and entering the Front Building from Ninth Avenue on a VERY hot June afternoon in shorts and an open neck shirt -- having just returned from the noon mass at a local church. I ran into Fr. Wright -- in his signature head to toe black with plastic tab collar who looked me (his sometime advisee and frequent student) up and down with amused (and tongue in cheek) derision and uttered, "MISTER Montgomery". Cutting me to the quick as an ontological false advertisement. The next day, head to toe in black cotton and linen myself, the roles were reversed. Shamed and sweating, I was exiting the Close and he was returning -- in what can only be described as a dashiki! I looked him up and down, and with curled lip addressed him as "Swami Wright". Loved him and miss him deeply.
Prof. Donn Mitchell, ’91: Fr. Wright was my advisor when I was a student at General in the late 80s. I had known of his esteemed reputation long before I met him. The greatest blessing of living on Chelsea Square, in my opinion, is the ability of students and professors to get to know each other really well, so much so that mutual understandings might supplant the need for detailed discussion. I remember one such instance from a class in which Fr. Wright had emphasized that Christianity in England was essentially developed by Benedictine missionaries and that, unlike later mendicant orders on the Continent, the evangelical counsels of the Benedictines were not poverty, chastity, and obedience. Instead, they were stability, obedience, and conversion of life. As the class ended, I thought about how non-Anglicans are often baffled by our tradition. Are we ancient or modern, Catholic or Protestant, formal or flexible, liberal or conservative, and so on? Still seated near the door of the second-floor classroom in Sherred, I was the lone student remaining as Fr. Wright made his way to the door. In a moment of spontaneity, I said, “Father, if the first value was stability, that explains everything, doesn’t it?” Without missing a beat, he responded with the aplomb only a historian of his stature would dare. “Yes, it does,” he said, then went out the door!
Dame Mary Tanner ‘91: Professor Wright was a close and dear friend for many, many years. We worked together in the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches in the 1970's and 80's. I remember a very significant
contribution Father Wright made at the final session of the meeting in Lima when what was to prove to be perhaps the most important ecumenical text of the ecumenical century was agreed. We also served together on many meetings of committees and theological conferences of the Anglican Communion and were members of the Second Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission. We became close friends.
It was largely due to Bob's suggestion, I suspect, that I was invited in 1988 and then in '98 to become a Visiting Professor at General. I valued my time being part of the community of teachers and students and sharing in a life grounded in prayer. I am proud to be an honorary graduate of General, again, I suspect supported by Bob's nomination.
Bob often visited us in England and I remember the time when he presented me with a copy of the lovely photo that is produced in the Alumni News with Bob resting his arm on a pile of books he had written. He explained to me that he had an agreement with the photographer that each time he wrote another book it would be put on the pile and his arm raised and somehow the photographer would insert this into the picture. I never knew if that was a joke or whether this ever happened. He was a great scholar and teacher and faithful friend to myself and my family. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.
Receiving General’s Doctor of Divinity, Honoris Causa, in 2010
The Rev. Canon Dr. Kevin J Moroney, ’92: In August of 1990, at the celebration for the end of CPE in the old Seabury’s Bottom, I was approached by the looming figure of J. Robert Wright, who commented that he had heard of my interest in Ireland and asked if I would be interested in spending the next Summer working in the Church of Ireland. I could not believe my ears and jumped at the chance. Fr. Wright arranged for the whole thing through a friend of his, John Paterson, whom he knew from ARCIC (Anglican/Roman Catholic International Dialogue) and who was the Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin. The three months I spent in Ireland in 1991 were the most transformative part of my entire formation and, in many ways, set the arch for my priesthood. While in Ireland that Summer I met the Principle of their Theological College, John Bartlett, who knew General Seminary and took an interest in me, eventually hiring me and mentoring me through a doctorate in liturgy. This, in turn, led me back to teach liturgy at General, where I became reacquainted with Fr. Wright by bringing him communion. Through sublime irony, I was in Ireland a few weeks ago visiting my extremely ill mentor John Bartlett when I heard of Fr. Wright’s passing. It was a “full-circle” kind of moment. One thing I know is true is that I would not be the priest or professor that I am today if J. Robert Wright, our J-Bob, had not seen some ability and taken some interest in me as a student. I will never be able to thank him, or God, enough.
The Rev. Eric Williams ’92: Thirty years later I still hear his voice when I encounter a patristic saint in the calendar. His meticulous notes helped me through GOEs. And of course he was without peer as a basketball coach. Our team trips to Los Angeles and Toronto were memorable.
Fr. Wright with Canon Carl Gerdau ‘59 (l) at the reception celebrating his icon collection in 2014.
The Rev. Canon Elizabeth Rankin Geitz ’93: He was my mentor on my book, Gender and the Nicene Creed. When I told him my topic he said he didn’t think it could ever be enough for a book, but nonetheless agreed to help me. (The original title was Feminism and the Nicene Creed). Long story short, he ended up urging me in the Epilogue to call for another council to discuss the Creed! Needless to say that has never occurred, but his support of my work was critical, unwavering, and even included his positive review in ATR. I will never forget Dr. Wright’s boundless generosity.
The Rev. Tobias Stanislas Haller ’97: Somehow I managed to miss studying with him while at GTS — because of a sabbatical on his part, and my own odd schedule issues — which I always regretted. But one fond memory is seeing him at a diocesan event shortly after the Archbishop of Canterbury awarded him the St Augustine's Cross. The two of us were alone in the sacristy of the church where the event was taking place. He was so proud! He was like a little boy who'd just received a prized toy; literally giddy. He leaned over and whispered, smiling ear to ear, "You know... I slept with it on my pillow last night!"
The Rev. Canon Gayanne Silver ‘97: I took several classes with him while at General including 'mass class', but my story actually comes from a few years after ordination. I was serving at Trinity Wall Street on 9/11 and during the tumultuous year that followed One year later I was in charge of organizing the anniversary liturgies at Trinity and St. Paul's Chapel. It was a daunting job but perhaps the one thing that terrified me the most was putting together the processional line-up into Trinity Church. There was a former presiding bishop, other bishops, members of the English House of Commons, political leaders of New York, the Rector and Curate of Trinity and other priests and dignitaries. Who goes where?
I called Father Wright and we talked for an hour and a half, me with poised pen to take notes and he with a collection of many stories resembling my predicament but each with a little different outcome from the preceding one. As our call ended he said "so you see Gay, you can do whatever you think is best, and I know you'll do well. Great to talk to you...bye" And he was gone.
After I got over being stunned that he'd not told me what to do, I realized that what he did do was so Father Wrigt. Through his stories he taught me there was not just one answer to this dilemna. He'd given me examples of what had been done in other varying circumstances and then set me loose to make my own decision.
In a nutshell... class over, go and do! He was always the teacher.I took several classes with him while at General including 'mass class', but my story actually comes from a few years after ordination. I was serving at Trinity Wall Street on 9/11 and during the tumultuous year that followed One year later I was in charge of organizing the anniversary liturgies at Trinity and St. Paul's Chapel. It was a daunting job but perhaps the one thing that terrified me the most was putting together the processional line-up into Trinity Church. There was a former presiding bishop, other bishops, members of the English House of Commons, political leaders of New York, the Rector and Curate of Trinity and other priests and dignitaries. Who goes where?
The Rev. Canon John Perris ’98: In my first year at the General Seminary, Fr. Wright learned that I had lived and worked in Europe before beginning my seminary studies. When I started his class on the Episcopal Church and its ecumenical relations, Fr. Wright remembered my interests and suggested that I write my course paper on the Old Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht. I was fascinated by what I learned about this communion of churches that identifies as Catholic and yet not as Roman Catholic.
When I graduated from General, my family responsibilities did not permit me to follow Fr. Wright’s suggestion to continue my studies at an Old Catholic seminary in Europe, but I remained strongly interested. When I became the Rector of the Episcopal Church in Frankfurt am Main, my interest led me to attend the summer course in Old Catholic Theology and Ecumenical Relations in Utrecht, to rebuild the long-term partnership with the local Old Catholic parish in Frankfurt, and to contribute in a few small ways to strengthening the relationship between the Old Catholic Churches and the Episcopal Church in Europe. Such is the lasting impact of Fr. Wright’s teaching.
The community paid tribute during Matriculation Homecoming 2019
The Rev. Canon Cathie Caimano ’99: The Battle of the Milvian Bridge: Oct 28, 312, Is one of the few church history dates burned indelibly in my brain. Thank you, Fr. Wright.
The Rev. Anthony Dinoto ’99: Who among us could forget: "Teddy the Mop"? aka Theodore of Mopsuesta.
The Rev. Matthew Moretz ’06: The story goes that during the short span of time when he was shaking hands with John Paul II, he brightly encouraged him to ordain women to the priesthood, receiving only an awkward snort in return.
The Very Rev. Benjamin Thomas, Th.D. ’07, ’11: Sometime during my doctoral research, I came across a scholarly footnote that acknowledged “the most comprehensive private collection of Anglican Prayer Books known to the author was that of the Rev. Dr. J. Robert Wright….” Anyone who ever set foot in Bob Wright’s apartment in the Moore building could readily attest the truth of this observation. In addition to the prayer books, Fr. Wright’s treasures included an impressive lot of icons, crosses, prayer cards, and every other sort of ecclesiastical memorabilia. These were sacramental reminders, that is outward and visible signs, of the things that he held dear: the tradition of Anglican worship, his ecumenical relationships, the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and above all, the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Fr. Wright downsized in retirement, and he handed many treasures on to others’ keeping. His icons went to a former student and collector (who recently returned many in a bequest to the seminary), his prayer book collection went to the New York Public Library, and countless other items found new homes. When asked to create a slide show for a gathering in his honor, I wondered what artifacts might remain. I found a Madonna and Child in a window overlooking 9th and 21st, a well-thumbed prayer book in a somewhat less dusty place near his chair, and a great collection of photographs on the kitchen table of his new apartment. Our conversation about these cherished belongings reminded me of what Bob taught to hundreds of seminarians, namely that we can always rely on the goodness of God, the faith of the church, and our friends in Christ, and that finally, we can do no better than to share these treasures now and then to hand them over to the next generation of Christians.
John Robert Wright signed the Matriculation Book in 1960.
The Rev. Joanne Izzo ’13: I met Fr. Wright for the first time as most did walking on the close. His walk was a slow gait, a little shaky, but his facial expression with eyes alive and alert for an encounter and conversation. One conversation led to another and another and another. Working together to create his Icon exhibition and catalog cemented our relationship as friends. On the evening of the opening, dressed in his best and in his wheelchair, his good friend Cardinal Egan next to him, Bishop Mark Sisk standing at his side with a leader from the Serbian Orthodox community, I saw a living Icon to Ecumenism. Fr. Wright was seeing an icon as it was being written and being seen by Author of Unity. That moment was a response to Our Lord’s prayer; it was pure grace. As the years rolled by, our conversations took place at a leisurely pace on Sunday afternoons as often as I was able. He would tell me with joy of former students, friends and colleagues who called or visited. For my part I would be sure to have a story or question that would get his wheels turning or belly laughing. Invariably our visits would conclude with a question: “Did you bring the Boss?” Ever the priest bent on unity of community, he was careful to ensure his care takers would be included if they chose. The last time I saw Bob was on the Feast of St. Andrew. He engaged deeply in conversation. After prayer and communion, he did something he hadn’t done before; he asked me for my blessing. Retrospectively I think somewhere inside he knew his time was drawing near. Our last conversation was short and over the phone when he returned from hospital. Saying each other’s names, affirming a loving friendship, praying for each other and we would see each other soon.
The Rev. Dr. Miguel Hernandez ’13: Father Wright was very special: a teacher, a mentor, and friend. While at GTS I took about 5 courses with him, most on Church History and Anglicanism. Father Wright had encouraged me to continue with my theological studies. When I started the STM program at GTS, he gave me an additional assignment so that some extra credits that I had accumulated for the MDIV could be applied toward the STM degree. Before his move into the building on 9th Avenue, we gave a gift -- a figure of St. Anthony. By the way, Father Wright renamed my wife Leonor as Miguelina. The memories of Father Wright will remain in me forever!
The Rev’d Fr William L. Ogburn, SCP ’14: One year Michael Foley and I were Fr Wright’s guests at a fundraiser for the Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of St Sava. In addition to being a great ecumenist, Fr Wright was also a dear friend of Dr Zorka Milich, who belongs to St Sava’s. Michael and I had strict instructions to wear our cassocks, which we did. Fr Wright called 777-7777 to hire a car service and instructed them to be outside at 6:30 pm, which was 30 minutes before he wanted to leave. He was greatly annoyed when he found out this was an added cost by the minute! We all arrived in our cassocks and had a marvelous dinner followed by festive Serbian dancing. Even Fr Wright had a brief time on the dance floor!
The Rev. Ryan Bennett ’21: Canon Wright was a large presence in a room. Not just physically, but intellectually and personally as well. I shared pastoral ministry for Bob on behalf of Saint Thomas, Fifth Avenue along with Fr. Moroney from GTS and longtime friend, Mthr. Joanne Izzo. On taking Holy Communion to Bob, he was always grateful to have the opportunity to share in the Sacrament. In this recent wave of Covid, I had to postpone his Christmas communion visit - then discovering that he had tested positive for Covid. His strength of body and spirit enabled Bob to rally and return home - miraculous. In our visits, I felt he would look straight through me, his perceptive mind making assessments and subsequently asking enquiring questions. There was a natural intuition in Bob, coupled with his outstanding intellect - making him a large presence in any room. His knowledge of the Anglican Communion was vast and was interested to know about the life of the Australian Church from which I came. He struck me as a resolute thinker who knew his own mind and capacity, and yet, had a keen desire to share this with others - a natural teacher. It was good for Bob to die in his own home on his own terms. I believe his ultimate wish! Bless you, J.Bob!
Carleton P. Jones, OP: Though I am not a GTS alumnus, I was from 1965-68 one of Bob Wright’s first students at Episcopal Theological School after he returned from Oxford with his D.Phil. He was my tutor and like so many of his students I became his friend. After our middle year at ETS, Bob organized a wonderful tour for me and another of his students (Terry Burton) of many sites of liturgical, ecumenical and theological renewal throughout Europe, ending with a month-long conference in Rome on the documents of Vatican II for Protestant seminarians. He helped us raise the money to spend two months travelling before the conference and obtained a scholarship for us from the Rockefeller Fund for Theological Education. This was a most formative experience for me, all thanks to Bob. When I was a Cowley Father from 1972-82, I visited General to hear confessions and give spiritual direction with my confrere, later bishop, Tom Shaw, and most of our visits included an evening with Bob in his apartment, full of books, icons, and all kinds of mementos of his eventful life. Bob was not offended when I “crossed the Tiber” and joined the Order of Preachers in 1982. I continued to visit him when I was in New York, and he gave me a relic of Pope St. John XXIII (making it clear that he favored that pope over John Paul II). He invited me to a book party for one of his last publications, and before COVID hit I spent a couple of enjoyable afternoons with him in his apartment near the Close. I am exceedingly grateful for Bob’s friendship. Through all the tumults and changes of the last 50 years and more, Bob remained (like God) always the same (semper idem); rich in learning and affection. God bless you. Yours ever in the Lord.
(if you would like to add a remembrance, or share a photo for the gallery, please email alumni@gts.edu)
Dean Michael’s announcement the morning after Father Wright’s death
January 13, 2022
Dear Friends,
With great sadness, I am writing to inform you of the death of Father Wright.
The Rev. J. Robert Wright, M.Div., D.Phil., D.D., D.Cn.L., Th.D., St. Mark's Church In The Bowery Professor Of Ecclesiastical History, Emeritus, died yesterday, January 12, 2022, around 5:00 p.m. in his home in New York City with caregivers present. He was reading a book in his chair, fell asleep peacefully, and went to God. He was 85 years old.
According to his pastoral counsel, he will be privately cremated today or tomorrow, according to his wishes. His ashes will be interred at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. A public thanksgiving of his life will be scheduled later.
From his time as a student at GTS, through his time as professor and mentor, Father Wright was an inspiring teacher of church history and ecumenism at General for decades. In that role he also supported the Episcopal Church as an official historiographer and in his relationship with the Old Catholic Churches and the Iglesia Filipina Independiente. His passion for the legacy and future of Christian History was thorough and all encompassing; an inspiration and a standard in one way or another for all who studied with him. As the Saint Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery Professor of Ecclesiastical History (emeritus), and Honorary Associate at Saint Thomas Church (Fifth Avenue) in New York City, Wright taught at General Seminary since 1968 and was a Fulbright scholar at Oxford University. He has either authored or been the editor of 17 books. He is the holder of five honorary degrees, including one from General at commencement on May 19, 2010 shortly before his retirement. The stories he could tell and that others could tell about him.
Details on the public memorial are forthcoming. Faculty and staff are already in discussions on how we may honor his memory and give space for generations of alumni to pay tribute to a great man and close friend.
Faithfully,
The Very Rev. Michael W. DeLashmutt, Ph.D.
Acting Dean & President,
Associate Professor of Sacred Theology