William J. Schmidt remembered by WCC

William J. Schmidt, a Presbyterian theologian and ecumenical historian who often volunteered to serve as a public face of the World Council of Churches (WCC) at church assemblies, died on Monday 10 August 2009 following a lengthy illness. His wife of more than 60 years, Jean Schmidt, spent her career as financial officer of the WCC’s office in New York. Following their retirement, Bill and Jean Schmidt regularly served as managers of exhibitions on the work of the WCC and the US national council of churches at conferences and conventions of their member churches.

In a tribute to Bill Schmidt, WCC general secretary Samuel Kobia commented, “It is a gift to the World Council of Churches when volunteers have such a deep commitment and detailed knowledge of council programmes, ministries and history. Our prayers are with Jean and with Bill’s many friends.”

Schmidt was a retired professor at St Peter’s College, the Jesuit college of New Jersey, where he became the first ordained Protestant scholar called to teach theology. He served as an officer of the North American Academy of Ecumenists and was the author of two biographies of US ecumenical pioneers: Architect of Unity: A Biography of Samuel McCrea Cavert, and What Kind of Man?: The Life of Henry Smith Leiper.