A Tribute to Dr. Wayne Spear, RPTS Professor Emeritus of Systematic Theology
When I came to Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary back in 1988, I was still a fairly young believer. Converted in college, I had been a Christian for five years and had been in the Reformed Presbyterian Church for only three. We moved from West Lafayette, Indiana, to Pittsburgh so I could begin the Master of Divinity program at RPTS. To say the least, I was quite intimidated to enroll in seminary.
Yet in the kindness of God's grace, I entered the seminary in what, looking back, were certainly glory days of the Lord's special presence at RPTS. Why? Because of the pastor-professors here at the time. These men not only taught me, but loved me and formed lasting impressions of the type of godliness the Reformed faith should produce. Dr. Bruce Stewart, the president, taught pastoral theology with experience and warmth that directed my feet into ministry. Dr. Clark Copeland opened my eyes to covenant theology and the wonder of seeing Christ extensively in the Old Testament. Dr. Renwick Wright taught Greek and the New Testament with passion and prayer that warmed my heart. And Dr. Wayne Spear brought clarity to my mind through his teaching of systematic theology with precision and humility.
Dr. Spear, my last living RPTS professor, passed into glory on Wednesday. He had struggled with Parkinson's for many years, doing so with grace and without complaint. This past fall, the RPTS Board and Administration honored him by naming our newly completed Welcome Center after him and his wife, Mary. During the ceremony and ribbon cutting, I said of Dr. Spear, "He was the quintessential professor—brilliant in his field, crystalline in his teaching, genteel in his manner, and pastoral with his students." I will always remember Dr. Spear as the Gentleman Theologian. How blessed countless other students and I were to learn the great doctrines of the faith sitting at the feet of Dr. Spear during his 35 years of teaching at RPTS.
When I think of the word "dignity," Dr. Spear will always be the prime example in my mind. He was a man whose presence was not only seen, but felt. He was firm in conviction yet loving, sober-minded yet with a ready smile, and holy yet gracious - consistently. He listened carefully to others, especially students and people in the church, with interest and concern when he could have easily overpowered them with his intellect or position. His quiet manner tempered him, whether in the classroom, in conversations, in the church, or in its courts. In the latter, especially, Dr. Spear was a man of few words. At Synod, he practiced what he taught, which we called Spear's Law: "If you wait long enough, someone else will say what you want to say better than you could say it." When he eventually did rise to speak, you could hear the silence come over the room as everyone paid attention. We knew we were going to hear something insightful and weighty. Often, Dr. Spear's words brought the light that the debate needed to reach a proper conclusion.
Dr. Spear deeply felt the truths he taught. Consequently, you left his classroom sensing the glorious weight of what you had just heard. I still return regularly to my notes from more than three decades ago when I want to clarify my thinking on a theological subject. Even this week, as I stood in the mahogany-paneled walls of our Melville Classroom here at Rutherford Hall, I remembered the hours I had sat there under his instruction. The former dining room of this old mansion, how we feasted on the Lord from his lectures in that room.
Though a self-controlled man not given to undue displays of emotion, I recall two occasions when I sat there and heard Dr. Spear's voice break and saw tears well up in his eyes. One time, he was speaking about how horribly sin has marred this world. As one who kept horses, he told of how a beautiful draft horse he owned had tragically died recently. The effect of this fallen world, seen in that way, caused his eyes to well. The other time was when Dr. Spear spoke of Mary. Describing the wondrous gift that Eve must have been to Adam, I remember him speaking of his wife as "an exquisite creature" he was unworthy to have, with quiet tears running slowly down his cheeks.
Speaking of Mary, she worked at RPTS for many years, her secretarial and receptionist work taking place in the office I now occupy. She served the RPTS community with such warmth, greeting you with a smile and eagerness to help each time you walked through the door. Dr. and Mrs. Spear embraced this new Reformed Presbyterian minister-in-training and helped enfold me into the life and theology of the church.
In 2016, I was asked to preach for two months at Grace Reformed Presbyterian Church while Pastor Jeff Stivason was on sabbatical. During that time, Miriam and I were blessed by the happy providence of attending the class that followed, which was taught by Dr. Spear on the Heidelberg Catechism. As I sat once again in his classroom, I was transported back to my RPTS days, enjoying the richness of his teaching. Though not part of the original plan, I felt the Lord had arranged this situation more for my benefit than for the congregation's. As I was dealing with a particular issue in completing my doctoral work, insights from Dr. Spear helped me reach a conclusion regarding this matter. This student was still learning from the master teacher.
Sadly, my last time to see Dr. Spear was a few weeks ago, at the funeral of his last RPTS President and my predecessor, Jerry O'Neill. As these men, who were so influential on the church and the academy, are now gone, I sense ever more the truth of the psalmist when he said, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones" (Ps. 116:15).
I know the RPTS community and God's people throughout the world join me in giving great thanks to the Lord for the life and legacy of Dr. Wayne Spear, Professor Emeritus of Systematic Theology. "The memory of the righteous is a blessing" (Prov. 10:7).
Please see Dr. Spear's obituary with details on the visitation and funeral here.
