Marcus Borg

Marcus J. Borg (March 11, 1942–January 21, 2015) was an American New Testament scholar, theologian, lecturer, and author whose work brought historical Jesus research into sustained conversation with church life and contemporary Christianity. He became a prominent voice in progressive Christianity, writing for both general and academic audiences about Jesus, the Bible, God, and Christian language.

Borg earned a doctorate at the University of Oxford and taught at Oregon State University from 1979 until his 2007 retirement as the Hundere Endowed Chair of Religion and Culture. He subsequently served as Canon Theologian at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland, Oregon. His professional service included chairing the Society of Biblical Literature’s Historical Jesus Section, co-chairing its International New Testament Program Committee, and participating as a Fellow of the Jesus Seminar.

His accessible books included Jesus: A New Vision, Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time, Reading the Bible Again for the First Time, and The Heart of Christianity. He also collaborated with N. T. Wright on The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions and with John Dominic Crossan on several books. The latter work received the Association of Theological Booksellers’ Best General Interest Book of 1999 award. After Borg’s death, the Marcus J. Borg Foundation was established to continue study and discussion informed by his historical and biblical work.