REMEMBERING MARCUS BORG

Marcus Borg, Bible, Jesus Seminar, University of Puget Sound

Alas, the "Oregonian" newspaper reports that the well-known Biblical scholar Marcus Borg died on Wednesday, January 21. Here's a link to the story.

Marcus Borg, speaking in Mansfield College chapel
Published under Creative Commons license via Wikipedia

What the "Oregonian" report omitted is a bit of Marc's biography that I fondly recall and wish to share.  Marc taught in the University of Puget Sound Religion department for one or two years, I think during the 1977-78 time frame. Marc filled in for our permanent New Testament professor, Dr. John Phillips, during John's sabbatical. I was privileged to know Marc well and to relate to him as a colleague during this short, but great, span of time.

 
During his months in Tacoma, Marc shared with me that he would like to stay on the U.P.S. faculty. I asked him why so. He replied that he was attracted to the liberal arts college environment as a place to teach and think. Unfortunately, we had no position opening available for him, so he had to look elsewhere. Fortunately, but oddly, perhaps, considering his attraction to the small liberal arts college, he was hired into the philosophy department at Oregon State University, an agricultural college grown up to a substantial size. Oregon State served Marc for many years as a platform for his classroom as well as national teaching and publishing projects.

 
I know that many of you will be interested to learn that the well-known Marcus Borg once taught in a U.M.C.-related liberal arts college. Please remember the Rev. Marianne Wells Borg, Marc's spouse, in your thoughts and prayers.