About

Marcus J. Borg is Canon Theologian at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland, Oregon.  Internationally known in both academic and church circles as a biblical and Jesus scholar, he was Hundere Chair of Religion and Culture in the Philosophy Department at Oregon State University until his retirement in 2007.

He is the author of nineteen books, including Jesus: A New Vision (1987) and the best-seller Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time (1994); The God We Never Knew (1997); The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions (1999);Reading the Bible Again for the First Time (2001), and The Heart of Christianity (2003), both best-sellers. His newest books are Jesus: Uncovering the Life, Teachings and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary (2006), a New York Times Best-Seller;  Conversations with Scripture: Mark (2009),  and three books co-authored with John Dominic Crossan, The Last Week (2006), The First Christmas (2007), and The First Paul (2009).

His novel, Putting Away Childish Things, was published in April, 2010.

Described by The New York Times as “a leading figure in his generation of Jesus scholars,” he has appeared on NBC’s “Today Show” and “Dateline,” PBS’s “Newshour,” ABC’s “Evening News” and “Prime Time” with Peter Jennings, NPR’s “Fresh Air” with Terry Gross, and several National Geographic programs. A Fellow of the Jesus Seminar, he has been national chair of the Historical Jesus Section of the Society of Biblical Literature and co-chair of its International New Testament Program Committee, and is past president of the Anglican Association of Biblical Scholars.

His work has been translated into eleven languages: German, Dutch, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Indonesian, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, and French.  His doctor’s degree is from Oxford University, and he has lectured widely overseas (England, Scotland, Austria, Germany, Belgium, Hungary, Israel and South Africa) and in North America, including the Chautauqua and Smithsonian Institutions.

• In addition to the nineteen books he has authored or co-authored, he is the editor or co-editor of: The Lost Gospel Q (1996) Jesus and Buddha: The Parallel Sayings (1997) God at 2000, co-edited with Ross Mackenzie (2000).
• Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time (1994) is the single best-selling book by a contemporary Jesus scholar.
• The God We Never Knew was named “one of the ten best books in religion in 1997″ byPublishers Weekly.
• The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions, co-authored with N. Thomas Wright, a well-known British New Testament scholar from the conservative side of the spectrum. It won the “Best General Interest Book of 1999” award from the Association of Theological Booksellers.
• Reading The Bible Again for the First Time (2001) has made Publishers Weekly “ten best selling books in religion.”
• The Heart of Christianity (2003) has been a group study book in hundreds of churches.
• Jesus: Uncovering the Life, Teachings and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary is a New York Times best-selling book.
• A very useful study guide for The Heart of Christianity is published by HarperOne and authored by Tim Scorer. 160 pages long, it teaches “Heart” in twelve sessions, with suggestions for small group formation and activities, a DVD that includes handouts, visuals, and some video.  Similar study guides for Reading the Bible Again for the First Time and Jesus are also available from Wood Lake Books. For more information, click on Study Resources.