Calvin Miller, author, pastor, professor and storyteller, best known for “The Singer Trilogy,” a mythic retelling of the New Testament story in the spirit of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, died in Birmingham, Ala., Aug. 19, 2012, due to complications after heart surgery. He was 75.

Miller’s The Singer, published in 1975 by InterVarsity Press (IVP), sold more than 1 million copies and introduced the trilogy, which includes The Song and The Finale. IVP published 10 of his books in total, including such recent books as Letters to Heaven, The Path of Celtic Prayer and Letters to a Young Pastor.

“IVP was proud to have put Calvin on the map of the publishing world with his surprisingly successful ‘mythic retelling’ of the gospel story,” said Andy Le Peau, associate publisher for IVP and editor of several of Miller’s books. “I enjoyed sitting side by side with him as we worked through his prose, sometimes line by line.”

Bob Fryling, publisher for IVP, spoke of The Singer as “a work of great biblical, spiritual imagination,” and said that “we will miss Calvin, but his writings continue with beauty and wisdom.”

Miller was the author of more than 100 titles, The Book of Jesus (Touchstone Faith), Into the Depths of God (Bethany House/Baker Publishing Group), The Empowered Leader (B&H Academic) and Letters to Heaven (Worthy Publishing).

Thomas Nelson published his memoirs, Life Is Mostly Edges, in 2008. Matt Baugher, vice president and publisher at the company, said Miller's “legacy and the God he served so well are an ongoing inspiration to me and untold thousands of others. Several members of the Nelson team admitted that ‘Calvin truly made some dynamic contributions to the development of my heart.’ ”

With sales of more than 4 million copies worldwide, Miller’s books encompassed a variety of genres, including fiction, devotional, leadership, children’s picture books, poetry, specialty Bibles, Bible study guides and books on the deeper life. His final book, tentatively titled The Vanishing Evangelical, is set to release in March from Baker Books/Baker Publishing Group, and at the time of his death, he was working on a book about the kingdom of God.

Miller also garnered respect and praise throughout his career from peers like Luci Shaw, Max Lucado and Philip Yancey.

“As a writer, Calvin Miller offered that rare combination of preacher and artist,” Yancey said. “He looked with the eyes of an artist, sensitive to story, beauty and human empathy; then he wove it all together in a message of deep Christian hope.”

“We are all shocked and heartsick by his sudden passing,” said his longtime literary agent and friend, Greg Johnson of WordServe Literary. “He was a true renaissance man if there ever was one. Few knew that he was also a fabulous painter, a wonderful piano player … he lived to create.

“He was also an insightful and entertaining speaker with a great sense of humor,” Johnson added. “He continued to travel more than 30 weekends a year to speak at churches and seminaries. He will be greatly missed by the kingdom and all of us who had the privilege of knowing him well.”

Born Aug. 28, 1936, in Enid, Okla., Miller was a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University and Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. From 1991 to 1998, he was a professor of communication and ministry studies and writer-in-residence at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. In 1999, he became a writer-in-residence and mentor to students through his preaching and pastoral ministry classes at Samford University Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, from where he retired just a few years ago.

Miller's first full-time pastorate was Plattsmouth Baptist Church, Plattsmouth, Neb., from 1961 to 1966. Thereafter, he served Westside Church in Omaha, Neb., as senior pastor for 25 years. During his pastorate, the congregation grew from 10 to more than 2,500 members.

Miller is survived by his wife, Barbara Miller; two children, Melanie Sloger and Timothy Miller; and four sisters.

• Prev
• Next