Death notice for Dr. Horace Hummel

[Jeremy Loesch]

Hello.  I didn't see this posted yet here, but Concordia St. Louis announced the recent death of OT prof. Horace Hummel.  Here is the release: 

Dr. Horace D. Hummel, professor emeritus at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, entered eternal rest in Jesus Oct. 7 in Vista, Calif. He was 93 years old.

A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. PT Thursday, Oct. 14, at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Escondido, Calif. The service also will be available via Zoom and YouTube. For Zoom connection information, contact Gloria Dei Lutheran Church at 760-743-2478 or office@gdlutheran.org. A second service with internment will be held at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Daykin, Neb., at a date yet to be determined.

Hummel faithfully served the church as a pastor, theological educator and scholar.

"We thank God for the many blessings He has brought to us and to His church through Dr. Hummel's life of service, scholarship and teaching," said Seminary President Dr. Thomas J. Egger. "We eagerly await the great day of reunion and resurrection, when Christ our Savior appears."

Hummel retired from Concordia Seminary in 1995. He joined Concordia Seminary in 1974 as associate professor of Exegetical Theology and was advanced to professor in 1979. He served as chairman of the Department of Exegetical Theology (1981-95) and as an instructor (1956-58). He also served as a guest professor at Seminario Concordia, Porto Alegre, Brazil (1983) and Lutheran Theological Seminary, Novosibirsk, Russia (1997).

Concordia Seminary Emeritus Professor of Exegetical Theology Dr. Andrew Bartelt praised Hummel in a recent issue of Concordia Journal as "a teacher and a colleague who has influenced so many in the study of the Hebrew Scriptures, but also as one who has championed the richness of the biblical record and helped us understand and appreciate the theological heritage that is ours."

Before his 21 years of distinguished service at Concordia Seminary, Hummel served as assistant pastor at Calvary Lutheran Church in Baltimore (1953-55); pastor at St. John's Lutheran Church in Phoenix, Md. (1955-56); assistant professor at Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa (1959-63); associate professor at Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, Ill. (1963-70); pastor-at-large at Notre Dame University in South Bend, Ind. (1970); instructor at Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Ind. (1971-73); and as pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Westville, Ind., and St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Otis, Ind. (1973-74).

Hummel received his Master of Divinity (M.Div.) and Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.) from Concordia Seminary (1951, 1952) and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md. (1955).

His published work includes The Word Becoming Flesh: An Introduction to the Origin, Purpose, and Meaning of the Old Testament (Concordia Publishing House [CPH]), which studies the history, organization, interpreters and critics of the Old Testament. He also authored The Old Testament in Modern Research, with a Survey of Recent Literature with Herbert F. Hahn (Fortress Press) and the two-volume Concordia Commentary on the book of Ezekiel (CPH), which the publisher describes as a "landmark work" in which "every passage bears witness to the Good News that God has reconciled the world to Himself through our Lord's life, death and resurrection."

Hummel served as an editor of the Concordia Study Bible (Concordia Publishing House). In 2002, he was honored by scholarly friends and colleagues with a festschrift titled Hear the Word of Yahweh: Essays on Scripture and Archaeology in Honor of Horace D. Hummel.

His interests extended to archaeological expeditions such as those at Tell Tuneinir, located in Northeastern Syria near the town of Hasake, where he volunteered five seasons during 1988-94.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Ruth Clara, nee Stevenson, daughter Eve Irene, sister Shirley Ann Schoenrock (Ted) and brother Kent D. (Joan, nee Weerts). He was preceded in death by his parents Lester J. and Malinda (nee Meeske) Hummel, son Joel James (Stephanie, nee Hart), sisters Rosalyn J. Nietfeld (Samuel) and Rachael Peters (Stan).

Memorial contributions may be made to Lutheran Theological Seminary, Novosibirsk, Russia, Seminary Endowment through Siberian Lutheran Mission Society or to Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, designating "Student Aid."

Rest eternal, grant him O Lord, and may light perpetual shine upon him.

Jeremy

[peter_speckhard]

Wow. Thanks for posting. That's a big loss.

[Charles Austin]

Dr. Hummel taught me a great deal about the Old Testament, I kept the notes from his classes for decades, used them in preparing sermons, and much of what he taught  is still in my mind today. On two occasions in the 1980s, when I was writing a story that had to do with biblical archaeology, I called him for advice and to check some of the things that I was being told.

[Donald_Kirchner]

Dr. Hummel retired the year I started Sem StL. So, I never had him for a prof (Bartelt and Raabe for OT courses.) But, he preached at Chapel now and then (Thine Be the Glory must have been one of his favorite hymns. We always sang that when he presided/preached.) And I virtually knew him from profs talking about him and especially from my mentor, Lee Maxwell, talking about him. He told me about studying 13 hours for a Hummel final. He, of course, aced the course.  )

An important and glorious contribution to the Church.

[Pastor Bob Pase]

I will always remember his pop Hebrew grammar quizzes.  "If you don't use your Hebrew, you'll lose your Hebrew."

[peter_speckhard]

I will always remember his pop Hebrew grammar quizzes.  "If you don't use your Hebrew, you'll lose your Hebrew."

I can vouch for that.

[Mark Brown]

What I tweeted out when CSL tweeted the death notice.   I never knew the man personally.  But his Ezekiel Commentary is great (it is amazing that there are two great modern Ezekiel commentaries, Jenson being the other, but at least two gospels don't really have a decent commentary), and The Word Became Flesh should be required reading. For one person to write two works that have a chance to still be around in 100 years is an amazing feat. 

[Rev. Edward Engelbrecht]

Hello.  I didn't see this posted yet here, but Concordia St. Louis announced the recent death of OT prof. Horace Hummel.  Here is the release: 

Dr. Horace D. Hummel, professor emeritus at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, entered eternal rest in Jesus Oct. 7 in Vista, Calif. He was 93 years old.

A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. PT Thursday, Oct. 14, at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Escondido, Calif. The service also will be available via Zoom and YouTube. For Zoom connection information, contact Gloria Dei Lutheran Church at 760-743-2478 or office@gdlutheran.org. A second service with internment will be held at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Daykin, Neb., at a date yet to be determined.

Hummel faithfully served the church as a pastor, theological educator and scholar.

"We thank God for the many blessings He has brought to us and to His church through Dr. Hummel's life of service, scholarship and teaching," said Seminary President Dr. Thomas J. Egger. "We eagerly await the great day of reunion and resurrection, when Christ our Savior appears."

Hummel retired from Concordia Seminary in 1995. He joined Concordia Seminary in 1974 as associate professor of Exegetical Theology and was advanced to professor in 1979. He served as chairman of the Department of Exegetical Theology (1981-95) and as an instructor (1956-58). He also served as a guest professor at Seminario Concordia, Porto Alegre, Brazil (1983) and Lutheran Theological Seminary, Novosibirsk, Russia (1997).

Concordia Seminary Emeritus Professor of Exegetical Theology Dr. Andrew Bartelt praised Hummel in a recent issue of Concordia Journal as "a teacher and a colleague who has influenced so many in the study of the Hebrew Scriptures, but also as one who has championed the richness of the biblical record and helped us understand and appreciate the theological heritage that is ours."

Before his 21 years of distinguished service at Concordia Seminary, Hummel served as assistant pastor at Calvary Lutheran Church in Baltimore (1953-55); pastor at St. John's Lutheran Church in Phoenix, Md. (1955-56); assistant professor at Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa (1959-63); associate professor at Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, Ill. (1963-70); pastor-at-large at Notre Dame University in South Bend, Ind. (1970); instructor at Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Ind. (1971-73); and as pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Westville, Ind., and St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Otis, Ind. (1973-74).

Hummel received his Master of Divinity (M.Div.) and Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.) from Concordia Seminary (1951, 1952) and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md. (1955).

His published work includes The Word Becoming Flesh: An Introduction to the Origin, Purpose, and Meaning of the Old Testament (Concordia Publishing House [CPH]), which studies the history, organization, interpreters and critics of the Old Testament. He also authored The Old Testament in Modern Research, with a Survey of Recent Literature with Herbert F. Hahn (Fortress Press) and the two-volume Concordia Commentary on the book of Ezekiel (CPH), which the publisher describes as a "landmark work" in which "every passage bears witness to the Good News that God has reconciled the world to Himself through our Lord's life, death and resurrection."

Hummel served as an editor of the Concordia Study Bible (Concordia Publishing House). In 2002, he was honored by scholarly friends and colleagues with a festschrift titled Hear the Word of Yahweh: Essays on Scripture and Archaeology in Honor of Horace D. Hummel.

His interests extended to archaeological expeditions such as those at Tell Tuneinir, located in Northeastern Syria near the town of Hasake, where he volunteered five seasons during 1988-94.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Ruth Clara, nee Stevenson, daughter Eve Irene, sister Shirley Ann Schoenrock (Ted) and brother Kent D. (Joan, nee Weerts). He was preceded in death by his parents Lester J. and Malinda (nee Meeske) Hummel, son Joel James (Stephanie, nee Hart), sisters Rosalyn J. Nietfeld (Samuel) and Rachael Peters (Stan).

Memorial contributions may be made to Lutheran Theological Seminary, Novosibirsk, Russia, Seminary Endowment through Siberian Lutheran Mission Society or to Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, designating "Student Aid."

Rest eternal, grant him O Lord, and may light perpetual shine upon him.

Jeremy

Thank you for posting this.

We may also add that Horace was an important contributor to The Lutheran Study Bible and the Lutheran Bible Companion.

[Jeremy Loesch]

What I tweeted out when CSL tweeted the death notice.   I never knew the man personally.  But his Ezekiel Commentary is great (it is amazing that there are two great modern Ezekiel commentaries, Jenson being the other, but at least two gospels don't really have a decent commentary), and The Word Became Flesh should be required reading. For one person to write two works that have a chance to still be around in 100 years is an amazing feat.

Just curious, which two gospels do not have a decent commentary?  I agree that Hummel's Ezekiel commentary is good.

Jeremy

[Dave Likeness]

"The Word Becoming Flesh" was an Old Testament Introduction
by Horace Hummel published in 1979 by CPH.  It was intended
to be a textbook for seminarians.  The 679 page volume was a
scholarly presentation and was not a quick read.

"Prepare The Way Of The Lord" was an O.T. Introduction by Reed
Lessing and Andrew Steinmann  published in 2014 by CPH.  It was
also designed for seminary students.  The 559 page volume did not
have the depth of understanding as the Hummel book.

I own both volumes and have used them for study of Old Testament.
In a  phone conversation with Paul McCain I remarked that the 2014
edition seemed watered-down compared to the 1979 book.  McCain
said that was true because seminarians at our LCMS seminaries are
not the same as the ones who came through "The System" in previous
generations.

[Mark Brown]

What I tweeted out when CSL tweeted the death notice.   I never knew the man personally.  But his Ezekiel Commentary is great (it is amazing that there are two great modern Ezekiel commentaries, Jenson being the other, but at least two gospels don't really have a decent commentary), and The Word Became Flesh should be required reading. For one person to write two works that have a chance to still be around in 100 years is an amazing feat.

Just curious, which two gospels do not have a decent commentary?  I agree that Hummel's Ezekiel commentary is good.

Jeremy

I am constantly struggling primarily with John, but Mark is marginal.

Matthew has two solid: France and Gibbs
Luke has one solid: Greene (with a workman like Bock)
Mark has France also, but it feels like Matthew redone.  Joel Marcus is passable.  Myers is a raging lunatic, but man its a great read.
John has Raymond Brown, but only 40% (the final comments) are worth reading because 60% of it is "let's pretend" form-crit/Johannine community. Weinrich's first part of John is the first part of a real solid commentary (unfortunately you don't preach on John 1-7 too often). Michals is passable. Elowsky's edited John books in the ACCS are fantastic.  But that isn't "modern" which is what I was commenting on.

Barclay is a break in case of emergency on all of them. I've got about 3 other shelves of Gospel commentaries that range from unreadable to occasionally insightful but not enough to bother consulting. 

[Donald_Kirchner]

...but Mark is marginal.

Never thought a commentary by one of my favorite profs would be deemed "marginal."   

https://www.cph.org/p-7378-Mark-11-826-Concordia-Commentary.aspx

https://www.cph.org/p-33435-mark-827-1620-concordia-commentary.aspx

I often quipped that, in a Voelz class, often you could virtually feel your brain being stretched. 

I used Just's Luke a lot as well as Gibbs, another favorite prof.

[Mark Brown]

...but Mark is marginal.

Never thought a commentary by one of my favorite profs would be deemed "marginal."   

https://www.cph.org/p-7378-Mark-11-826-Concordia-Commentary.aspx

https://www.cph.org/p-33435-mark-827-1620-concordia-commentary.aspx

I often quipped that, in a Voelz class, often you could virtually feel your brain being stretched. 

I used Just's Luke a lot as well as Gibbs, another favorite prof.

I have to say I never even ordered the 2nd half.  I once put it to a group of peers if anyone had found the key or a good use of it.  Silent murmurs of nothing.

[Dan Fienen]

...but Mark is marginal.

Never thought a commentary by one of my favorite profs would be deemed "marginal."   

https://www.cph.org/p-7378-Mark-11-826-Concordia-Commentary.aspx

https://www.cph.org/p-33435-mark-827-1620-concordia-commentary.aspx

I often quipped that, in a Voelz class, often you could virtually feel your brain being stretched. 

I used Just's Luke a lot as well as Gibbs, another favorite prof.

I have to say I never even ordered the 2nd half.  I once put it to a group of peers if anyone had found the key or a good use of it.  Silent murmurs of nothing.

No accounting for taste, I suppose.

[Mbecker]

I was privileged to have had Dr. Hummel for several classes at Concordia Seminary, all of which I thoroughly enjoyed. I learned a great deal from him.

As I believe I have mentioned in this forum before, he and I once spent a week together in the same hospital room--being treated by the seminary's physician for our respective ailments. I was then taking a class from Dr. Hummel, so I received some additional knowledge/tutoring that week, to say the least. Over the course of those days and nights, we became friends. And we promised each other that we would never tell another soul what we witnessed medically that week. I have kept that promise, as I know he did, too. It was a "bonding experience," to say the least. That was midway through my second year.

Yes, we grew apart theologically later on, but I jokingly reminded him years after my graduation, when our paths crossed again shortly before his retirement, "You were partly responsible for introducing historical-critical methods of biblical study at Concordia Seminary, along with Dr. Scharlemann. And I learned some of that methodology from you, including when we spent some time together in the hospital. So you are partially to blame for opening my eyes to the usefulness of those methods for understanding the Holy Scriptures." Horace smiled that wry smile of his and then proceeded to give a nuanced reply that began with the words, "Well, yes, ah-hem, Matthew, but...." (I have copies of those infamous essays of his from the early 1950s.) I told him then how much I appreciated that one afternoon in the hospital, when we spent a few hours discussing the many ways in which "myth" might be a useful genre-category for understanding the nature of Gen. 2-3.

He was a lot of fun as a professor, as long as you kept up with your Hebrew. One week my fellow students and I had to fight off smirking/laughing at the start of Tues's-Fri's classes, as each of those days he wore the same green suit and tie he had worn on Monday. Later we learned that Horace's wife had been out of town that week, and he simply found it easier to wear the same suit each day. And one always knew when Dr. Hummel was preaching in chapel, as you could smell the incense long before you reached the chapel auditorium....

He was a gift to the church, and, as I say, I will always be grateful for what he taught me.

May he rest in the peace and light of the Lord.

Matt Becker