In Memoriam: Edward F. "Ted" Campbell
JANUARY 17, 2025
Edward F. "Ted" Campbell, scholar, editor, teacher, and administrator, passed away on the morning of January 13.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 1,
at 10:30 am EST. You can view the live stream at https://www.youtube.com/live/UfEQZaAhS94.
Ted Campbell brought insight and grace to his work. After graduating from Yale College, he entered McCormick's M.Div. (then called a B.D.) program, where he studied under G. Ernest Wright. He later moved to Baltimore to complete a Ph.D. with William F. Albright at Johns Hopkins University and began teaching at McCormick in 1958.
An adept scholar of biblical texts, Ted was also a skilled and respected field archaeologist. He held successive leadership roles in the American Schools of Oriental Research. As a Professor of the Old Testament, he inspired generations of students to love studying the Scriptures, to engage critically with historical methods, and to be attentive to Near Eastern culture, politics, and geography.
With extensive "on-the-ground" training in field archaeology, Ted participated in significant excavation projects over a span of forty years, perhaps best known for his work at Tell Balatah/Shechem. His career unfolded during the challenging and tumultuous years following the British Mandate and the founding of the State of Israel, marked by evolving access and collaboration protocols. He also witnessed and documented the ongoing and often contentious debates surrounding the legacy of Biblical Archaeology and Biblical Theology.
Ted Campbell was a generous and exacting teacher, a friendly and creative colleague, and a mentor throughout his forty-year teaching career at McCormick. Alongside his close colleague Robert Boling, he contributed significantly as a conscientious Christian expositor of the Hebrew Bible. Ted was a staunch advocate for hiring new voices, methods, and perspectives, and he welcomed new faculty members and the insights they brought.
An ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and a member of the Chicago Presbytery, Ted and his wife, Phyllis Kleitzien Campbell, were pillars of the Lakeview Presbyterian Church community. He was a strong advocate for the ordination of gay and lesbian Christians in his denomination and worked to advocate for Palestinians within the Presbytery.
During his retirement in Maine, Ted and Phyllis enjoyed family time and a strong community at Piper Shores. Phyllis Campbell passed away in May 2024, and now Ted is reunited with his beloved spouse.
The McCormick community greatly benefited from Ted Campbell's enduring dedication and influence. We celebrate the remarkable lives and contributions of both Ted and Phyllis Campbell, and we extend our heartfelt love and condolences to their family, especially to their son Tom and daughter Sarah, who grew up on the Lincoln Park campus. The Campbells' legacy will always inspire us!