Dr. Robert Weise is a professor emeritus of Practical Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.
He retired in 2014 after 22 years of distinguished service as professor of Practical Theology and the Lutheran Foundation of St. Louis Chair in Pastoral Ministry and the Life Sciences (1992-2014).
He received his Master of Divinity (M.Div.) from Concordia Seminary (1982); a Master of Arts (M.A.) and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (1970, 1973); and a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Ill. (1967).
Before joining the Seminary, he served as instructor at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan. (1972-73); research associate and assistant professor at Wayne State University in Detroit, Mich. (1973-74, 1974-78); pastor at Zion Lutheran Church in Bunker Hill, Ill. (1982-85); and senior pastor at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Springfield, Ill. (1985-92).
He has published several articles in the fields of zoology, clinical pathology and bioethics. He wrote the Bible study series Playing God: Redesigning Life (Concordia Publishing House) and Changing Currents: Embryonic Stem Cell Research with Robert Baker (Concordia Publishing House) and “Transgender Identity in Light of Biblical Identity” in Ethics of Sex: From Taboo to Delight (Concordia Publishing House).
He testified before the National Human Embryo Research Board as well as the National Bioethics Advisory Commission regarding human embryo research and cloning and is a frequent speaker on those topics. His research interests include creation as related to human sexuality and current trends in genetics and artificial intelligence.
He and his wife, Janice, have five daughters and eight grandchildren