# Ellsworth Kalas

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**J. Ellsworth Kalas** (February 14, 1923 – November 12, 2015) was a president and a professor of [Asbury Theological Seminary](/source/Asbury_Theological_Seminary) in [Wilmore](/source/Wilmore,_Kentucky), [Kentucky](/source/Kentucky). He also served as pastor for 38 years in the Wisconsin and Ohio Conferences of the [United Methodist Church](/source/United_Methodist_Church) and was associated for 5 years with the World Methodist Council.

## Education and career

Kalas obtained his Bachelor of Science at [University of Wisconsin–Madison](/source/University_of_Wisconsin%E2%80%93Madison) in 1951; his Bachelor of Divinity at [Garrett Theological Seminary](/source/Garrett_Theological_Seminary) in 1954; and did additional graduate studies at University of Wisconsin–Madison (1954–1955), and [Harvard University](/source/Harvard_University) (1955–1956). Dr. Kalas also held honorary degrees from [Lawrence University](/source/Lawrence_University), [Asbury Theological Seminary](/source/Asbury_Theological_Seminary), and [Kentucky Wesleyan College](/source/Kentucky_Wesleyan_College).

Kalas' tenure with Asbury began in 1993 and he had taught Preaching there since 2000. He was the author of multiple Bible Studies published by the [United Methodist Publishing House](/source/United_Methodist_Publishing_House) as well as a groundbreaking study called "Christian Believer" which attempts to teach Methodist laity systematic theology.[1]

His addition to the field of [homiletics](/source/Homiletics) is the concept of the *Biographical Sermon*, teaching a doctrine or biblical concept through the story of a real person's life. Biographical preaching can model methods for dealing with suffering and pain by telling the story of an exemplar's struggle with suffering and pain.

## Death

Kalas died on November 12, 2015. He was 92, the same age as Asbury Seminary – both born in 1923.[2]

## Works

Kalas authored over 35 different books and many additional published articles. As well as 13 adult study quarterlies for the United Methodist Publishing House.

### Books

- *Parables from the Back Side: Bible stories with a twist*. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press. 1992. ISBN 978-0-687-30062-4. [OCLC 24467259](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/24467259)
- *If Experience is Such a Good Teacher, Why do I keep repeating the course?*. Nashville, TN: Dimensions for Living. 1994. ISBN 978-0-687-18650-1. [OCLC 29468634](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/29468634)
- *Old Testament Stories from the Back Side*. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press. 1995. ISBN 978-0-687-00466-9. [OCLC 32199231](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/32199231)
- *The Grand Sweep: 365 Days from Genesis Through Revelation*. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press. 1996. ISBN 978-0-687-72053-8.
- *The Ten Commandments from the Back Side*. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press. 1998. ISBN 978-0-687-00524-6. [OCLC 37694194](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/37694194)
- *The Thirteen Apostles*. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press. 2002. ISBN 978-0-687-09721-0. [OCLC 48038107](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/48038107)
- *Preaching from the Soul: Insistent Observations on the Sacred Art*. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press. 2003. ISBN 978-0-687-06630-8. [OCLC 50942065](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/50942065)
- *Preaching about People: the power of biography*. St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press. 2004. ISBN 978-0-827-23002-6. [OCLC 55286280](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/55286280)
- *Preaching the Calendar: celebrating holidays and holy days*. Louisville, KY: Westminster, John Knox Press. 2004. ISBN 978-0-664-22714-2. [OCLC 53462180](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/53462180)
- *More Parables from the Back Side*. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press. 2005. ISBN 978-0-687-74041-3. [OCLC 56730143](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/56730143)
- *Grace in a Tree Stump: Old Testament stories of God's love*. Louisville, KY: Westminster, John Knox Press. 2005. ISBN 978-0-664-22900-9. [OCLC 56413575](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/56413575)
- *Longing to Pray: how the Psalms teach us to talk with God*. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press. 2006. ISBN 978-0-687-49512-2. [OCLC 62118269](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/62118269)
- *Strong Was Her Faith: Women of the New Testament*. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press. 2007. ISBN 978-0-687-64121-5. [OCLC 71507217](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/71507217)
- *All Creation Sings: the voice of God in nature*. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press. 2010. ISBN 978-1-426-70791-9. [OCLC 457160571](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/457160571)
- *Genesis*. Immersion Bible Studies. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press. 2011. ISBN 978-1-426-71623-2. [OCLC 707887006](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/707887006)
- *Faith from the Back Side: a different take on what it means to believe*. Back Side Series. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press. 2011. ISBN 978-1-426-74173-9. [OCLC 721883754](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/721883754)
- *Being United Methodist: What it Means Why it Matters*. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press. 2012. ISBN 978-1-4267-5234-6. [OCLC 811964723](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/811964723)
- *I Love Growing Older, but I'll never grow old*. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press. 2013. ISBN 978-1-426-75592-7. [OCLC 811964723](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/811964723)
- *Preaching in an Age of Distraction*. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Books. 2014. ISBN 978-0-830-84110-3. [OCLC 871219537](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/871219537)
- *Heroes, Rogues, and the Rest: lives that tell the story of the Bible*. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press. 2014. ISBN 978-1-426-77562-8. [OCLC 859232121](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/859232121)
- *The Parables of Paul: the master of the metaphor*. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press. 2015. ISBN 9781630882532. [OCLC 900867812](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/900867812)

### Chapters

- ["The Quest for Effective Biblical Preaching"](https://archive.org/details/incandescencelig0000with). *Incandescence: Light Shed through the Word*. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. 2006. pp. xvi-. ISBN 978-0-802-83208-5. [OCLC 63703828](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/63703828)

## References

1. ["Dr. J. Ellsworth Kalas"](https://web.archive.org/web/20151117015529/http://asburyseminary.edu/person/dr-j-ellsworth-kalas/). *Asbury Theological Seminary*. Archived from [the original](http://www.asburyseminary.edu/person/dr-j-ellsworth-kalas/) on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015.

1. ["Passing of Dr. J. Ellsworth Kalas"](http://asburyseminary.edu/news/ellsworth-kalas-passing/). *Asbury Theological Seminary*. 12 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015.

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