• B.A., Oklahoma Baptist University
• M.F.A., Trinity University (in conjunction with the Dallas Theater Center)
• M.A.R., Christian Theological Seminary
• Ph.D., Northwestern University

Prior to coming to Phillips, Richard F. Ward was Associate Professor of Preaching at the Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Colorado.  He brings to the study of preaching a rich background in performance studies and practices. He is particularly interested in the arts of storytelling and oral interpretation of scripture as they inform and enrich the ministry of preaching. Dr. Ward is the author of Speaking from the Heart: Preaching with Passion and Speaking of the Holy: The Art of Communication in Preaching and a number of contributions and articles for the disciplines of homiletics, performance theory, and communication studies. He is also the co-editor of Craddock Stories with Mike Graves and Fred Craddock, also published in 2002. At present, Dr. Ward serves on the Editorial Board for Feasting on the Gospels after serving on the board for Feasting on the Word: A Lectionary Commentary Series for Westminster John Knox Press.

Ordained in the United Church of Christ, Dr. Ward holds memberships in the Academy of Homiletics, where he has served as facilitator for the Performance Studies Group. He has also held memberships in the National Communication Association, the Religious Communication Association, and the  International Network of Biblical Storytellers.

Dr. Ward has served on the faculties of the Candler School of Theology at Emory University, Yale Divinity School where he was the first occupant of the Clement-Muehl Chair in Communication Arts.

He is the father of two sons, Dylan (23) in Seattle Washington and Colin (19) in Denver, Colorado.