The Revd Professor Ronald Clements: 1929-2024

Baptist minister, Old Testament scholar and theologian who taught at Cambridge University and served as Professor of Old Testament Studies at King's College London

Ronald Ernest Clements was born on 27 May 1929 and educated at Buckhurst Hill Grammar School. He spent his National Service in the Royal Air Force. A member of South Woodford Baptist church (Essex), he entered Spurgeon’s College in 1951, having done all the preparatory work, including Hebrew, in evening classes and personal study. He graduated BD in 1954 and in 1956 BA (First Class) at Christ’s College, Cambridge.

There followed two pastorates — Southey Green in Sheffield and Stratford-on-Avon. He began doctoral studies under F. F. Bruce in Sheffield and by the time he was awarded PhD in 1961, he was Assistant Lecturer on Old Testament Language, Literature and Theology at the University of Edinburgh (1960-67), then Old Testament Lecturer at the University of Cambridge (1967-84) and finally Samuel Davidson Professor of Old Testament at Kings College, London (1984-92). 

Ron was a prolific author and editor of books on the Old Testament, including commentaries on Exodus, Deuteronomy, Isaiah and Ezekiel, many books of study on the Old Testament, including A Century of Old Testament Theology. And many generations of students have benefitted from his careful and thoughtful appreciation of the texts. 

He served as Foreign Secretary of the Society of Old Testament Studies (1973-83) and was President in 1985. In 1979, he was awarded DD by the University of Cambridge. He was a Fellow of Fitzwilliam College. In 2013, ‘in recognition of special services to Biblical Studies’ he was awarded the Burkitt medal by the British Academy. In this recognition he followed three other Baptist Old Testament scholars of the 20th century: Theodore Robinson, H. Wheeler Robinson and H. H. Rowley. 

Ron Clements died on 2 April 2024, aged 95. 
 

Stephen Copson