Wooster mourns passing of Charles Louis Kammer III, emeritus professor of religious studies
Charles “Chuck” Louis Kammer III, professor emeritus of religious studies at The College of Wooster, passed away on June 5, 2025, at the age of 78. His career at the College spanned 31 years, beginning in 1990 until his retirement in 2020.
Kammer’s dedication to showing his students and the campus community a wide range of perspectives in theology took his passion far outside of the religious studies department. His expertise in liberation theology, the church in society, economic justice, ethics and foreign policy, religion and violence and African religions informed the many articles he wrote and his two books in religion on social ethics: The Kingdom Revisited and Ethics and Liberation.
Under Kammer’s leadership, the religious studies department was restructured to strengthen curriculum on religion, literature, and the arts. He hosted and developed the programming of the Lay Academy of Religion lecture series, which presents varied views on religion and the prophets of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He also gave several lectures at the series. The annual Academy of Religion speaker series was stewarded by Kammer through its 50th year of lectures. He brought in notable voices from all over the country in his time leading the talks, highlighting topics like Indigenous spirituality and ways to heal the world.
Kammer’s dedication to his students extended far outside of the classroom. An annual spring break service trip to West Virginia served as an opportunity for Kammer to connect to his students and deepen their awareness of global and human interdependence and connection. An article in Wooster magazine notes that after the day’s work, he would lead a daily group reflection and encourage shared experiences with the volunteers. He also served as a mentor for the Posse Program, supporting a group of the scholarship’s recipients throughout their time at the College. Kammer was also passionate about providing a living wage for the College’s hourly workers. His Just Work religious studies course invited students to work alongside college employees in food services, housekeeping, and grounds, and to write about and share their experiences. He also volunteered alongside his students, leading by example.
Kammer graduated from Colgate University in 1968 with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, received a Master of Divinity degree at Duke University Divinity School in 1971, and completed his Ph.D. at Duke in 1977. A celebration of his life open to all will take place on Saturday, Aug. 30 at 2 p.m. in Gault Recital Hall inside the Scheide Music Center at the College. Kammer’s full obituary can be found here.
Posted in News on June 16, 2025.
