Evangelicals Now
Christian news worldwide
magnifying glass Search archives
home Home check the archives Archives Subscribe Subscriptions Advertising Information & booking of classifieds Adverts Find a local evangelical Church Find a church for the search engines and extremely curious! About us Contact us Site Map
Printable
Version

Professor Donald Wiseman, 1918-2010

Obituary

The name D(onald) J(ohn) Wiseman appears as an editor of standard publications, such as the New Bible Dictionary (1962, 1982, 1996), The Illustrated Bible Dictionary (1980) and the Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries.

These are a few of the Christian projects and publications he energetically fostered that continue to serve God’s church. As a member of the NIV translation panel and as organiser of the NIV Anglicisation committee his knowledge and experience has its widest impact.

Babylonian antiquities

When Wiseman’s father, Air Commodore P.J. Wiseman, served in Iraq, he brought home Babylonian antiquities which intrigued the young Donald. After beginning a course in History in London, he was persuaded that studying the biblical world would be more useful to the church, so turned to Hebrew and Assyriology. After distinguished war service (OBE military, American Bronze Star), he studied at Oxford and was appointed to the British Museum in 1948. There, cataloguing cuneiform tablets, he published a significant discovery, part of the Babylonian chronicle giving the precise date when Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem and young king Jehoiachin, March 15-16, 597 B.C.

London professor

From 1961 to 1982 he was Professor of Assyriology at London University’s School of Oriental and African Studies, teaching doctoral students from many countries, notably Iraq and Israel, guiding them with kindly and careful scholarship. Throughout his life, he was eager to promote the gospel and encourage Christians. He and his wife Mary, who died in 2006, held Bible studies in their home where they hospitably entertained a wide variety of visitors, Christians and others alike.

Inter-Varsity Fellowship

He was involved in IVF (UCCF) activities from his university days, attending the inauguration of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students at Harvard in 1948. Seeing the value of studying the Bible in its ancient context, he committed himself to the work of Tyndale House, Cambridge, the UCCF centre for Biblical Studies, encouraging young Christian scholars to faithful, positive research, serving as Chairman of its Council from 1957 to 1986. He served on the SGM Council, being its Chairman for several years, and worked on the Bible Society’s Translation Committee.

Those who, like the writer, benefitted from his academic knowledge and his spiritual guidance thank God for him. The Christian world rejoices in the life of a valiant, devoted servant, a humble and truly wise man.

Alan Millard,
Emeritus Rankin Professor of Hebrew & Ancient Semitic Languages,
The University of Liverpool

A thanksgiving service will be held at All Souls Church, Langham Place, London, on Friday June 4 at 2.30 pm.