It is with deep sorrow that we share the news of the passing of our President Emeritus, Rev. Dr. Robert R. Cunville, who has been called home to his heavenly Father. We invite the entire Bible institute family to keep his beloved wife, Carol, and the entire Cunville family in prayer. In the midst of our deep sorrow, we also offer thanksgiving for a life of faithfulness and service to Christ.

The Rev. Dr. Cunville had a long and rewarding relationship with United Bible Societies (UBS), serving as its President for twelve years. His leadership was characterized by deep faith, wisdom, and humility. He will be remembered with love and gratitude as a true servant of God, as well as a trusted friend, mentor, and spiritual father within the UBS Fellowship. We rejoice in the hope and confidence that he now rests in peace with the Lord whom he loved so much and served so faithfully.

In recognition of his exemplary leadership, Rev. Dr. Cunville was elected President of UBS in 2010 and re-elected in 2016 for a second six-year term. In 2023, he was awarded the title of President Emeritus in honor of his continued contributions to the  global movement for the ministry of the Good News.

Rev. Dr. Cunville also made a profound impact on the wider church through his service as President of the Indian Bible Society of India from 1994 to 2000. During this time, he strengthened the mission of Bible translation, publishing, and distribution throughout the country.

Born in India in 1939, Rev. Dr. Robert R. Cunville received the Christian faith in his youth through the preaching of a village evangelist in his hometown of Shillong, an encounter that decisively shaped the course of his life. Although his parents wished him to study law in England, he chose to remain in India and pursue theological education at Serampore College, the historic institution founded by pioneering missionary William Carey.

Dr. Cunville was ordained a minister in 1966 by the Presbyterian Synod of North East India, and began his ministry as a lecturer in New Testament studies at the Theological College in North East India. He later served as Pastor of Union Chapel of the Church of North India in Calcutta. In recognition of his leadership gifts and ecumenical vision, he was appointed as one of the National Secretaries of the Council of Churches in India, a role he served with dedication for four years.

In 1972, Dr. Cunville met Billy Graham; an encounter that paved the way for a remarkable global evangelistic ministry. In 1978, he was invited by Dr. Graham to join the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association as an Associate Evangelist. For more than three decades, Dr. Cunville preached the gospel in evangelistic services in various parts of the world, and through his faithful preaching of the gospel, countless people came to faith in Christ.

From June 1975 to 1976, he spent a year in Fort Lauderdale assisting D. James Kennedy in building the international wing of Evangelism Explosion III, as well as equipping churches around the world for effective evangelistic ministry.

Throughout his life, Rev. Dr. Robert Cunville was known for his unwavering commitment to Christ, his intellectual depth, and his profound humility. His legacy lives on through the many lives transformed by his teaching, preaching, and leadership, as well as through the ongoing impact of the institutions and ministries he faithfully served.

He will be greatly missed, fondly remembered, and forever honored by the God he served.