Dr. Rod Rosenbladt, emeritus faculty member at Concordia University Irvine, entered his eternal rest on Friday, February 2, 2024.
IRVINE, CA, February 5, 2024 — Dr. Rod Rosenbladt, emeritus faculty member at Concordia University Irvine, entered his eternal rest on Friday, February 2, 2024.
For generations of young theologians, Dr. Rosenbladt had a significant influence in molding and shaping their worldview, helping them to understand the freedom found in Christ Jesus. Joining the faculty soon after Concordia’s, then Christ College, founding, he taught courses in Christian doctrine, Christian apologetics, philosophy, and classical Christian thought.
“Dr. Rosenbladt was a true scholar, a passionate and sharp thinker,” recalls The Rev. Dr. Steve Mueller, Concordia’s Chief Mission Officer. “He had a heart for people who are sometimes overlooked or disconnected from the church. He understood the skeptic. He was a challenging professor, who had a profound concern for students. Countless people recall the personal care and support that he quietly and humbly provided. I was truly blessed to have Dr. Rosenbladt as a professor, and to serve as his colleague.”
In the classroom, on radio, and in podcasts, Dr. Rosenbladt was at the forefront of an apologetics movement that profoundly influenced his students and the broader body of Christ. He inspired generations of budding theologians and philosophers to pursue apologetics and graduate studies. He also participated in the White Horse Inn radio show, and after retiring from teaching at Concordia, helped found 1517, a nonprofit organization dedicated to declaring and defending the gospel of Christ Jesus through podcasts, publishing, and academic resources.
Tributes and memories for Dr. Rosenbladt’s family are being collected on 1517’s Remembering Rod website.
UPDATE (February 8, 2024): The family of Dr. Rod Rosenbladt invites you to celebrate his life and his entry into eternal glory with a service on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at 2:30pm on the Turtle Rock Campus of Concordia University Irvine. The service will be held in the CU Center, and a light reception will follow. Livestream information will be made available.