Robert David Preus (October 16, 1924 – November 4, 1995) was an American Lutheran pastor, professor, author, and seminary president.

degree and thereafter entered Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, where his uncle Herman Preus served as a professor.

In 1957, Preus was appointed instructor of systematics (creeds and confessions) and philosophy at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri.

Also in 1957, Preus' book The Inspiration of Scripture: A Study of the Theology of the Seventeenth Century Lutheran Dogmaticians was reissued by the publishing house of the ELS.

Preus' work came at a time when controversies over the inspiration of Scripture were confronting Lutheranism in America, and specifically, in the LCMS at Concordia Seminary.

The Seminex controversy involving the doctrine of Biblical inspiration was met by Preus (among a minority of four others at Concordia Seminary) and his brother, Jack, who was at that time the president of the LCMS.

Preus refused to teach or use the historical-critical method of Biblical interpretation, a stance reaffirmed and adopted by the LCMS in its New Orleans Convention in 1973.

Preus never regained the presidency, and died in 1995, months before he was scheduled to preach at the chapel at Concordia Theological Seminary.