OREGON: Marcus Borg named canon theologian at Trinity Cathedral in Portland

July 17, 2009 [Trinity Cathedral] Marcus Borg, internationally known biblical scholar, was installed on May 31 as the first canon theologian at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland, Oregon. Borg will present public lectures, teach adult courses within the parish, preach occasionally, and serve as a consultant for parish education programs.

"Adult theological re-education at the congregational level is an urgent need within American churches today," Borg says. "It is essential to Christian formation. And from my own experience and from a number of studies, I know that it has been a source of re-vitalization in hundreds of congregations around the country."

Borg has been a parishioner for almost 20 years at Trinity, where his wife, Marianne, is a priest on the staff. "I am honored and excited to have been chosen by my congregation for this task," he said. "It fits my vocation perfectly."

As a lecturer and author, Borg travels about 100,000 miles a year. He was the Hundere Chair of Religion and Culture at Oregon State University until his retirement in 2007. He is the author of 18 books, including best-sellers Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time (1994), Reading the Bible Again for the First Time (2001), The Heart of Christianity (2003), and the New York Times bestseller Jesus: Uncovering the Life, Teachings and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary. (2006). His most recent books, both published this year, are The First Paul, co-written with John Dominic Crossan, and Conversations with Scripture: Mark. His next book will be a novel, Time After Time, to be published in early 2010.  His books have been translated into 11 languages.

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. He is a past president of the Anglican Association of Biblical Scholars and a regular columnist for "Beliefnet."

Borg grew up as a Lutheran in North Dakota and Minnesota. After graduating from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, he did graduate study at Union Seminary in New York City and Oxford University in England, where he received his doctor's degree. He is a confirmed Episcopal layperson.

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