J. Frederick Holper is currently professor of preaching and worship at McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois. Before coming to McCormick in 1998, Fred taught for six years as professor of liturgics and homiletics at Union Seminary in Virginia. Before Union Seminary, he served on the faculty of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary as assistant and associate professor of homiletics and liturgics. While completing his doctoral graduate work at the University of Notre Dame he served two interim pastorates in South Bend, Indiana, and for three years as pastor at The Presbyterian Church in Orland Park, Illinois. Early in his career, he held positions as a newspaper reporter for The Milwaukee Journal and the Chicago Tribune.
In addition to his professional positions, Fred has done extensive work with the Presbyterian Church (USA) in the areas of liturgy, ministry, and ordination. Currently he is a consultant for the task force that is developing a Book of Occasional Services for the denomination, and he serves on the Presbyteries' Cooperative Committee on [Standard Ordination] Examinations. Together with a colleague, he is writing a handbook on the 1993 Book of Common Worship, for which he was a member of the final editorial committee.
Born in Wood River, Illinois, Fred received the Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the Master of Divinity degree from McCormick Theological Seminary, and the Master of Arts and the Doctor of Philosophy degrees from the University of Notre Dame. While at McCormick, Fred won the Bernadine Orme Smith Fellowship for General Excellence.
Over the course of his career, Fred has produced numerous published articles, lecture series and workshops in such subjects as ministry and ordination, the sacraments, worship and Christian education, new directions in Presbyterian worship, and daily prayer.
Fred is married to Cynthia Campbell and has two children: Lisel Marie Holper and Randall Gerard Holper.
Education
B.A. University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee
M.Div. McCormick Theological Seminary
M.A., Ph.D. University of Notre Dame
Courses
M 314: Introduction to Christian Worship
M 315: Introduction to Preaching
M 401: Leading and Preaching Services of Pastoral Care
M 402: Worship and Social Justice
M 412: Christian Daily Prayer
M 450: Sacraments in the Life of the Congregation
M 451: Worship and Sacraments in the Reformed Tradition
