Dr. Edwin Roels: A Life of Faith and Impact
Dr. Edwin Dale Roels, who served as the fourth president of Kuyper College (then known as Reformed Bible College), lived a life marked by faithful service, global ministry, and a deep commitment to making the truths of Scripture clear and accessible.
Dr. Roels, who was born February 2, 1934, in Zeeland, Michigan, went to his heavenly home on February 20, 2026, at the age of 92.
Devoted husband for 70 years to Bertie (Klamer); dear dad of Dawn (John) Kaptein, Rick, Karen (Bruce) Andres, Dale (Cheryl), and Cheryl Guikema; loving grandpa of 12 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his brothers, Jason and Paul, and sister, Delia (Jonker).
Current Kuyper President Dr. Patricia Harris noted that Roels, after prior posts in churches, college and overseas, became the president of RBC in 1987 during a pivotal time in the institution’s history.
“Drawing on his experience as both a pastor and educator, Dr. Edwin Roels faithfully guided the College through a season of growth and transformation, steadfastly upholding ministry and service as the defining marks of its mission while cultivating broad support for the College among its many constituents,” Dr. Harris said.
Among his many accomplishments was a campus relocation, including the sale of its property on Robinson Road in Grand Rapids to Aquinas College and the purchase of the current campus, while at the same time strengthening the College’s mission and institutional support. His leadership also helped position the college for long-term stability, culminating in accreditation in 1995.
Roels earned his undergraduate degree from Calvin College in 1955, followed by a degree from Calvin Theological Seminary in 1958. He later completed his Doctor of Theology at the Free University Amsterdam in 1962.
Already in those early years, a pattern began to emerge, one that would define his life’s work: a deep understanding of Scripture paired with a desire to share it clearly with others.
Roels spent nine years pastoring churches in Illinois and Minnesota, with a strong emphasis on evangelism, outreach, and prison ministry. His calling soon extended beyond local congregations.
He served internationally as a civilian chaplain to U.S. servicemen in Seoul, Korea, and later as Africa coordinator for the World Home Bible League (later named the International Bible League), where he helped develop and distribute Bible studies and ministry materials.
Roels also devoted significant years to Christian higher education. Before becoming RBC’s president in 1987, he taught Bible and theology at Calvin College and later served at Trinity Christian College, where he was both a faculty member and Dean of Students.
His work in the classroom and in student life reflected a deep investment not only in academic excellence, but in the spiritual formation of those he taught. He wrote extensively throughout his life, contributing materials for ministry organizations and developing correspondence courses for Crossroads Bible Institute, helping bring biblical education to incarcerated individuals.
In 2012, he joined the faculty of Christian Leaders Institute as an “E-Professor,” where his influence expanded even further. His writing and teaching reached thousands of students across more than 150 nations.
His four-book series Christian Basics became a cornerstone of introductory theological training, known for its clarity and faithfulness to Scripture. Students consistently noted his ability to distill complex biblical truths into understandable and practical teaching.
Across five decades of ministry—as pastor, missionary, educator, president, and writer—Roels’ work reflected a consistent calling: to help others understand and grow in their faith. That included his own family.
In a 2024 tribute in The Banner marking his 90th birthday, his family described him as “a beautiful, Christlike example,” giving thanks to God for His faithfulness and gracious blessings over the years, a reflection of a life that, across decades of ministry, teaching, and leadership, consistently pointed beyond itself to the God he so faithfully served.
See Dr. Roels’ obituary here:
https://www.mkdfuneralhome.
