His university studies were at Zurich and at Basel under professors Karl Barth, Oscar Cullman, Eduard Thurneysen, and Emil Brunner.
When Rissi joined the faculty of the Union Theological Seminary in Richmond in 1963, he brought wide pastoral experience gained through work in five parishes of the Reformed Church of Switzerland.
He also had substantial experience as a teacher; for nine years he had been a lecturer at the Theological Faculty of the University of Basel under his mentor Karl Barth.
In 1966, three years after joining the faculty in Richmond, Va, Rissi was elected Walter H. Robertson Professor of New Testament.
Rissi retired after 24 years on the faculty in 1987 and moved with his wife to Stonington, Maine where he continued to publish books and articles.