Celebrating a Life of Faithfulness

On Thursday, November 5, our beloved Dr. James E. Rosscup entered his heavenly rest. He fell asleep yesterday afternoon and passed peacefully into the presence of his Savior. He was 86 years old.

Dr. Rosscup taught in the Bible Exposition Department at The Master’s Seminary beginning in 1987, with a specific focus on hermeneutics and prayer. Prior to coming to TMS, he taught at Talbot Seminary beginning in 1965. As a professor, mentor, colleague, and friend, he left an unforgettable mark on the hearts and minds of both his students and fellow faculty members. Dr. Rosscup was a compelling example of fervent devotion to Christ, evidenced in his passion for biblical truth and unwavering commitment to prayer. For all who knew him, his contagious love for the Savior serves as a lasting legacy to his enduring impact. We will miss him greatly, but rejoice in knowing he is now in the presence of his Lord.

Several years ago, the seminary held a chapel service in Dr. Rosscup’s honor, upon his retirement from full time teaching in 2005. That service included tributes from a number of faculty and staff. To listen to that chapel service, please click here.

During his teaching career, Dr. Rosscup published a number of works, including a multi-volume survey of prayer in Scripture. That monumental work, entitled An Exposition of Prayer in the Bible. can be found here.  The Logos page includes a link to a bio about Dr. Rosscup, which is reprinted below:

Beginning in high school and continuing throughout his educational career, Dr. Rosscup has received recognition for his writing skills. He has received awards for journalism, feature writing, essays, and Th. D. dissertation. After completing his Master of Theology program at Dallas Theological Seminary in 1961, he served on the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ for one year, with responsibilities for their Collegiate Challenge magazine. He earned his Th. D. degree in Bible at Dallas Theological Seminary, 1966, and his Ph. D. in New Testament at King’s College, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, 1976. From 1965 to 1987 Dr. Rosscup served as chairman of the department of Bible Exposition at Talbot Theological Seminary. Dr. Rosscup has also served as an adjunct faculty member for Grace Theological Seminary in its doctoral prorgam. Dr. Rosscup has written a number of articles and books, among which are Abiding in Christ: Studies in John 15 (Zondervan, 1973) and Commentaries for Biblical Expositors (Grace Book Shack, 1993). Dr. Rosscup is active in his local church, and has spoken often in conference and church ministries throughout the Southwest. Dr. Rosscup joined the faculty of The Master’s Seminary in 1987. He retired from full-time teaching in June 2005, but continues to teach a course or two each semester.