Robert Wise is, first and foremost, a storyteller. Growing up as a child adopted from a Jewish family that knew the Nazi Concentration Camps Robert was always intrigued by stories of injustice. In an attempt to bridge the gap between secular and Christian markets, Robert writes to motivate his readers not only to empathy and compassion, but also to act and join the struggle against injustice.
Robert attended Phillips University, the University of Central Oklahoma, Phillips Seminary and the California Graduate School of Theology eventually earning a Masters of Divinity and a PhD. He has enjoyed a diverse career, including teaching at the University of Victoria, ministering as an archbishop in the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches, serving as the Senior-Vice President of Feed the Children, as well as publishing more than thirty books.
With four grown children and sixteen grandchildren, Robert currently resides in both Colorado and Oklahoma with his wife. As a fundamentally creative person, he continues to enjoy writing as well as painting, ceramics, gardening and wine making.
Poke around, read some great blogs on the Middle East.
Please leave your comments as I would love to interact with you all.
Best.
Robert
Dr. Robert L. Wise 
Robert, I just found you on Facebook to my delight. Several years ago I spoke with you on the phone regarding a Devine revelation I received as I was awoken from my sleep. I was on a renewed quest to find my faith agaiin and spiritual heritage that I had left behind in my youth. The message (the revelation) I received form the Lord was a simple and profound one: “READ ROBERT WISE”. Well, I had never heard of you or even if you had written something. Now my quest led me to some investigating after an “audible voice” commanded me to search you out. There was no Internet back then, so I went to a bookstore in the mall and requested they look up an author by the name Robert Wise. To my astonishment the clerk pulled up a list of books you had written and the latest was the series “People of the Covenant”. I had absolutely no idea what I was about to read or the adventure I was about to embark but I was so excited that the Lord had spoken to me and actually told me what I was to do. I remember feeling so humbled and blessed that he chose me to tell this story to. What would it all mean and where would it take me. Now I knew I was on a Devine mission but for what? To make a very long story short, I devoured the books and that series changed my life forever. The Lord gave me a “heart for the Jewish people” and because of that I’ve not stopped questing for more and more. Because of your gifts of knowledge, wisdom, and writing skills and a Devine message of obedience given to me, I have been challenged and tested, and proved to be a lover and supporter of GOD’s chosen people and the land of Israel. Thank you for the most exciting journey of a lifetime. Cheril
Cheril: I’m a little late in responding (3 hrs.) but I am so grateful for you thoughts. You have blessed me! Thank you.
Robert L. Wise
Dr. Wise, Several weeks later members of the Genesis class are still discussing your presentation. It was a big hit. You answered questions for a lot of us and kept the class mesmerized with your breath of knowledge. Everyone would like to have you back again. Many thanks for taking the time with us and peace to you on your upcoming journey to the middle east.
Genesis Class
John, Forgive my delay please . Been out of the country. You probably know that I work with the Pope now and that has kept me busy. Be delighted to speak to your class again.
Robert L. Wise
Robert,
keep writing…I am still one of your great fans… You are the greatest teacher . I was healed when you and MAX laid hands on me,
Love to you,, Be blessed, my dear friend,
ANN PATTON
Ann, Wonderful to hear from you. Bless you. Forgive my delay. I’m out of the country alot — guess you know I work with the Pope these days.
Thanks again for the affirmation.
Robert L Wise
UNCLE VERNON AND “RED WING”
October 24, 2013
I had an uncle, Vernon Cox. He lived with my grandparents and I in a little stucco house on East Harris St. in San Angelo, Texas. This was in 1944. I was a bit of an orphan whose parents had another life to live and left me with my grandparents to raise me.
Uncle Vernon loved me. He brought me gifts from old Mexico, a little red apron which hangs on the wall of my daughter’s home even now. A gaily painted clay bank in the shape of a bull that I called, Ferdinand, and even held onto the broken pieces of that bull for many years.
Sometime in early 1944, Uncle Vernon, at age 35, was called into service for WWII. He left our little home to go for training and eventually went from England into France and Belgium to enter the battle itself. He went missing in action on Nov. 18, 1944. It was sometime before we learned he had been killed when stepping on a land mine and his body was buried at a National Cemetery near Liege, Belgium. This was after many hours of waiting out at Goodfellow Air Force Base in our town in hard chairs in the hallway sitting with Granny and Papaw while they tried to learned what had happened to him. They learned very little.
At age 3 years and 8 months, I was with them through this very intense time of suffering and grief. As a little girl, I know I must have missed my Uncle Vernon who loved me and had lived with us. I know now that the heaviness of that time with such suffering and grief, must have affected me as well.
Now, in October of 2013, 69 years later, I checked out a book from the local library, a historical novel on WWII. The book was titled “Twilight of Courage” by a couple named Bodie and Brock Thoene. I had not read anything by them previously, but somehow decided I wanted to read something about the 1940 era. Within minutes this book made a huge impact on my life.
It began to describe a true battle in Germany and how horrific this particular battle was and how many lives were lost. The name Liege, Belgium was mentioned and it struck a chord of memory in me. I wondered if this might be the time or battle my Uncle Vernon as involved in as the dates and description seemed to coincide with what little I knew of his death.
Immediately, I got up and dug through an old box of letters that my grandparents had received from both my Uncle Vernon on his way to war and my own father, who was in training for navy service in Gulfport, Mississippi. In each of the few letters from Uncle Vernon, he ended each one with saying, “Kiss Clarice for me”. In contrast, my father’s letters only mentioned me once and I began to realize who loved me.
When I was about thirteen or fourteen, I heard an old man, Mr. Moses, grandfather of my good friend, Donnell, play a song on his fiddle called “Red Wing”. I fell in love with the melody and words of this sad song about an Indian maiden who lost her love when he went to war and how she grieved for him. For the rest of my life, I have requested “Red Wing’ from old fiddle or harmonica musicians at musical events, even dance halls. It became a known fact about me, that I loved “Red Wing” so much that when I walked into one of these events, Donnell’s uncle, Coy Moses, who had learned “Red Wing’ from his father, would play it for me when he saw that I was there. I even made the foolish statement to God saying if I ever married again, I wanted it to be to a man who could appreciate “Red Wing” with me. (I’ve met several now over the last sixty years, but didn’t marry any of them.)
Back to the book: I couldn’t read far in “Twilight of Courage” without running to the computer and googling WWII battles.
What I found out was truly amazing. There was a fierce battle fought in the Hurtgen Forest just inside border of West Germany during the time period of Nov. 16, l944 through about Dec. 1 st . Many men died in this dense forest due to land mines and other hidden missles. Most of them were new recruits and this was their first actual battle. In reading my grandparents letters, my father had written them to try to help them find information about my Uncle Vernon. He told them that Uncle Vernon was in Company “C” of the 4 th Infantry Division. By googling this knowledge, I discovered that this division had been in that particular battle. I now believe from what I read in Uncle Vernon’s letters that he left England either in August or Sept. (letters were censored then as to times and some places) to head to Germany. It’s possible he came in through France and he mentioned seeing the beaches of Dunkirk and how strongly he felt the sufferings there. I believe he came on through Belgium and was in his company in the battle of the Hurtgen Forest. My grandparents would have given so much to have had this information, where and how he died, and now after 69 years, I stumbled onto it just because a book stirred my memory. I found quite a bit about this battle on the internet and along with knowing where and how my Uncle died, I learned a small bit of trivia. The company he was in “Ivy” they were called, had to have new code names for this battle so they used for their code word “Red Wing”. Is it possible that an older country boy from West Texas suggested that code name? Even if not, it still is the Code Name under which my uncle died serving his country.
Tonight I looked up the words to “Red Wing”. She loved her warrior bold, that Indian maid of old. The second verse ends with “When all the braves returned,
The heart of Red Wing yearned,
Far far away her warrior gay,
Fell bravely in the fray.”
I have lived under a shadow of depression since I was a very young girl. Could it be that I missed my uncle who loved me and that I suffered along with his parents during a time of great heaviness and grief that left it’s impression on me for a very long time?
Now, after 69 years, I have grieved and wept over the loss of this precious uncle who loved me and I have grieved over the lives of hundreds of thousands who fell in battle that the evil reigns be destroyed. I am recognizing the sufferings and terrible losses of life because of such evil. I am beginning to appreciate those who gave their lives that we might be free.
I am thankful my Uncle, Vernon Cox, was one of these. I’ve missed him without realizing it for nearly 70 years. I have now grieved his death and our loss along with the greater grief and suffering that wars bring. Even now, being able to grieve and knowing why, is setting me free from years of sadness I did not understand.
I hope someday in this life, to be able to stand over his grave in Liege, Belgium, to honor his life along with many others.
I thank God, our Father, who in my own life has allowed music and books to trigger memories and teach truth to me. God is so Good
Sorry I did not get to meet you at Van’s service. My husband Bill worked with Van at OU Health Science Center. We are and were very fond of Ellen and Van. Thank you for the lovely service at St Luke’s. The church I grew up in.
Ann Hayes is a dear friend too.
I’ve also enjoyed reading a couple of your books. Be blessed, Dana
Robert,
I left you a couple of messages on FB. Hope you got them. Thank you for your wonderful letter. Always your friend,
Nonie
I have always been blessed by your teachings! Miss you! 🙂
Judy and Irmon
Hello Dr. Wise,
This is Bill Price’s daughter. I was not sure if Connie had told you, but my father has passed away last December 13th, 2019. I am heart broken.