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In Memoriam Archive
The SBL Necrology List is read  aloud at the Annual Business Meeting at the Annual Meeting. The list runs from November to November. Send in names of members who have passed away to Manager of Member Relations and Administration so they can be included in this SBL tradition.

2024 Necrology (November 2023-November 2024)
Norbert Lohfink (1928-2024) Obituary and Tribute (from Bernard M. Levinson)

Elaine Mary Wainwright (1948-2024) Obituary and Tribute (from Emily Colgan, Anne Elvery, Jione Havea, Anita Munro, and Kathleen Rushton)

Daniel Patte (1939-2024) Tribute (from Vincent L. Wimbush)

Karl Jacobsen (1969-2024)

David Balch (2024) Tribute (from Carolyn Osiek, RSCJ)

David Winston Suter (2024)

M. Eugene Boring (1935-2024)

Daniel Paul Bailey (1957-2024)

Samuel E. Balentine (1950-2024) Obituary and Tribute (by Walter Brueggemann)

Patrick H. Alexander (2024)

Alan Millard (1937-2024)

Philip D. Stern (1957-2024)

David Konstan (1940-2024) Obituary and Tribute (from John T. Fitzgerald)

Ronald E. Clements (1929-2024) Obituary and Tribute (from Paul M. Joyce)

Sara Japhet (1934-2024) Obituary and Tribute (from Marc Zvi Brettler and Tamara Cohn Eskenazi)

Norman Richard Petersen, Jr. (1933-2024) Obituary and Tribute (from Kristen Petersen and George Nickelsburg)


John T. Willis (1933-2023)


J. Kenneth Kuntz (1934-2023)

David Sim (1957-2023)

Gay L. Byron (1961-2023) Obituary and Tribute (from Vincent L. Wimbush)


Dale B. Martin (1954-2023)


2023 Necrology (November 2022-November 2023)
Veronica Koperski (1940-2023)

Mike Beggs (1960-2023)

Lamar Cope (1938-2023)

Robert A. Kraft (1934-2023)
President of SBL 2006



Alice L. Laffey (1944-2023)

Roy A. Harrisville (1922-2023)

Wolfgang Stegemann (1945-2023)

Paul D. Hanson (1939-2023)


Michael S. Heiser (1963-2023)



Peder Johan Borgen (1928-2023)

James K. Aitken  (1968-2023)

A. Wendell Bowes (1945-2023)


Ramsay MacMullen (1928-2022)

Amélie Kuhrt (1944-2022)

James H. Fladland (1953-2022)

Wayne A. Meeks (1932-2022)

Frederick E. Brenk (1929-2022)

David J.A. Clines (1938-2022)
President of SBL 2009

David Winston (1927-2022)

Ernst Jenni (1927-2022)

Bilha Nitzan (1933-2022)

Alice Bach (1942-2022)

E.P. Sanders (1937-2022) Obituary and Tribute (from Stephen Hultgren)


2022 Necrology (November 2021-November 2022)
Donald Senior (1940-2022)

John P. Meier (1948-2022)

Burton MacDonald (1939-2022)

Gordon Fee (1934-2022)

George Kennedy (1928-2022)

Richard A. Freund (1955-2022)

Joseph Aviram  (1916-2022)

Anthea McCall  (1961-2022)

Howard H. Cox (1924-2022)

Barry Crawford (1947-2022)

Paul Mosca (1945-2022)


Lester B. Singleton (1942-2022)

Jeffrey M. Dale (1992-2022)

Joseph Blenkinsopp (1927-2022)

Norman K. Gottwald (1926-2022)
President of SBL 1992

Burton L. Mack (1931-2022) Obituary and Tribute (from Vincent L. Wimbush)

Gary Yamasaki (1956-2022)

André LaCocque (1927-2022)


David R. Cartlidge (1932-2021)

Monica Lyn Walsh Brady (1968-2021)

Ralph W. Klein (1936-2021)

Baruch A. Levine (1930-2021)


Charles H.Talbert (1934-2021)

Albert J. D. Aymer (1936-2021)

John T. Greene (1944-2021)

Martin Kessler (1927-2021)


John Paul Sampley (1935-2021)
 

2021 Necrology (November 2020-November 2021)

George F. Bass (1932-2021)

Elizabeth A. Clark (1938-2021)

Robert Goldenberg (1942-2021)

Robert L. Jewett (1933-2020)

Jan A. du Rand (1945-2021)

Paul Peeters (1965-2021)

Gary Gilthvedt (1941-2020)

Saul Levin (1921-2021)

Hershel Shanks (1931-2021)

John "Jack" Elliot (1935-2020)

Edgar McKnight (1931-2020)

 
Richard D. Weis (1949-2021)
This loss is felt deeply by many and felt closely by SBL. Dr. Richard D. Weis was a member of the SBL team updating the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, serving as the book editor for Jeremiah 21-52.


2020 Necrology (November 2019-November 2020)
 
Allen Myers (1945-2020)

Harold E. Remus (1928-2020)

Terence E. Fretheim (1938-2020)

James A. Sanders (1927-2020)
President of SBL 1978
Ann Johnston (1932-2020)

Hans M. Barstad (1947-2020)
 
Tom Olbricht (1930-2020)

 
 
Robert K. Englund (1952-2020)
 
 
Philip Amidon (1943-2020)
 
John T. Townsend 1927- 2020

Francis I. Andersen (1925-2020)


Meindert Dijkstra 1947- 2020

Thomas O. Lambin (1927-2020)

Patrick D. Miller Jr. (1935-2020)

Philip J. King (1925-2019)
President of SBL 1988
tribute by David Vanderhooft

Klaus Koch (1926 – 2019)

Judith E. McKinlay (1938-2019)

Lamin Sanneh (1943-2019)

Gary N. Knoppers (1956-2018)

Keith Small (1959-2018)



2018 Necrology (November 2017-November 2018)
David Peabody (1947 – 2018)

Andries Bernhardus Du Toit (1935-2018)
 
David Andrew Kille (1950-2018)

Gene Davenport (1936-2018)

Philip R. Davies (1945-2018)

Birchfield Aymer (1944-2018)

James H. Cone (1938-2018)

J. Harold Ellens (1932-2018)

Gene M. Tucker (1935-2018)
SBL President 1996

Jonathan Z. Smith (1938-2017)
SBL President 2008
 
Lawrence E. Stager (1943-2017)
 
Ernest John Revell (1934-2017)

Otto Kaiser (1924-2017)


2017 Necrology (November 2016-November 2017)
David Bartlett (1941-2017)

Dennis E. Smith (1944-2017)


Leo Garrett Perdue (1946-2017)

Susan Wolfe (1955-2017)

Thomas Lindeman (1933-2017) 

Louis H. Feldman (1926-2017)

Edgar Conrad (1942-2017)

John H. Sailhamer (1946-2017)

Giovanni Garbini (1931-2017)

Huston Smith (1919-2017)

Joseph Fitzmyer, S.J. (1920-2016)
 1979 SBL President 

Martin A. Klopfenstein (1931-2016)

Andrew Rippin (1950-2016)



2016 Necrology (November 2015-November 2016)
Yolanda Smith  (1957-2016)

Turid Karlsen Seim  (1945-2016)

A. Thomas Kraabel  (1934-2016 )

Peter Flint  (1952-2016)

Jacob Neusner  (1932-2016)


Elmer Mar­tens  (1930-2016)

John (Jack) Holladay  (1930-2016)

Barnes Tatum  (1938-2016)

Jack Bartlett Rogers  (1934-2016)

William Lee Holladay  (1926-2016)

D. Moody Smith Jr.  (1931 - 2016)
1999 SBL President 

George Landes  (1928 - 2016)

James M. Robinson  (1924 - 2016)
1981 SBL President 

Trude Dothan  (1922 - 2016)

Jack T. Sanders  (1935 - 2016)

Heikki Räisänen (1941 - 2016)

Helmut Koester (1926 - 2016)
1991 SBL President 

I. Howard Marshall (1934 - 2015)

Dietmar Neufeld (1949-2015)


2015 Necrology (November 2014-November 2015)
Terry Vaughn (1947 - 2015)

John R. Kohlenberger (1951 - 2015)

Frank Ritchel Ames (1955 - 2015)

Dale Patrick (1938 - 2015)

Millard Lind  (1918-2015)

J. Louis Martyn 1925-2015

Menahem Haran  (1924-2015)

Harry Hoffner (1934-2015)

Charles Cranfield (1915-2015)

Fred B. Craddock  (1928-2015)

Luise Schottroff  (1934-2015)


Marcus Borg (1942-2015)

Roger S. Boraas (1926-2014)

Charles Cousar (1933-2014)


2014 Necrology (November 2013-November 2014)
Edwin M. 'Ted' Good (1928-2014)

Dan Via (1929-2014)

Hans Heinrich Schmid  (1937-2014)

Ellen B. Aitken (1961-2014)

Robert M. Grant (1917-2014)

Maurice Casey (1942-2014)

Rolf Rendtorff (1925-2014)


Rowan A. Greer III (1934-2014)

William Larkin (1945-2014)
A Tribute to Daniel Harrington from colleague Chris Matthews

 


2013 Necrology (November 2012-November 2013)
Ernest S. Frerichs ( 1925-2013)

SBL has learned that Pauline scholar Jerome Murphy-O'Connor, O.P. of the École Biblique in Jerusalem has died.

SBL has learned of the loss of another scholar and colleague: Robert Dean Kysar(1934-2013)
The Candler School of Theology, Emory University, has posted this notice.
A tribute to Robert Kysar

A tribute to François Bovon (1938-2013)
The Harvard Divinity School has posted this notice

A tribute to Thomas Hoyt, Jr (1941-2013)

Sean Freyne passed away August 5, 2013.
See Larry Hurtados's notice here.

Paul W. Meyer, the Helen H. P. MansonProfessor Emeritus of New Testament Literature and Exegesis at PrincetonTheological Seminary. 

Bernard Grossfeld 1933 - 2013

John D. W. Watts 1921- 2013



Robert Culley 1932- 2013
died June 14, 2013, whilst in palliative care, surrounded by his family after an heroic fight against skin cancer. Dr. Culley was Professor of Old Testament Studies / Hebrew Bible at McGill University (Faculty of Religious Studies and Presbyterian College) from 1966-1997. He was also a past President of CSBS serving in 1981-82. In addition to many articles, monographs, and being the long-time editor of Semeia, Dr. Culley was best known for his writings on the Psalms.
Montreal Gazette notice

Colleagues have sadly learned of the passing of one of the most influential scholars in biblical studies, Professor Geza Vermes(1924-2013). Posts about this loss to humanities, friends, family, and colleagues are listed here:
PaleoJudaica.com
NT Blog
The Times of London


Paul J. Achtemeier, (1927- 2013)
1989 SBL President 

A tribute to Avigdor (Victor) Hurowitz (1948-2013), by Shalom M. Paul

Peter R. Burton (1952- 2012)



2012 Necrology
Frank Moore Cross, Jr.  (1921-2012)
1974 SBL President

A tribute to Frank Moore Cross  by Peter Machinist
Hershel Shanks honors Frank Moore Cross in an article published this week by Biblical Archaeology Review, reproduced here with permission.
A tribute to Frank Cross, written by Jonathan Rosenbaum, is available on the ASOR Blog


Abraham J. Malherbe (1930–2012)

Itamar Singer (1946-2012)

Marvin W. Meyers (1948- 2012)

Walter Harrelson (1919-2012)
1972 SBL President

 Renowned Vanderbilt Old Testament scholar dies: a tribute in the Vanderbilt News by Ann Marie Deer Owens
Obituary in The Tennessean
A Remembrance By KERRY M. KING for Wake Forest Magazine



Roy Bowen Ward, Jr. (1934-2012)

Walter Wink (1935-2012)

Louis Stulman has written a memorial for SBLmember A. R. Pete Diamond, on the one-year anniversary of his passing.

Jane Schaberg (1938-2012)

Helmer Ringgren 1917- 2012

Milton Schwantes (1946-2012)

David B. Weisberg (1938-2012)

Hans Engler (1927- 2011)

A.F.J. Klijn (1923- 2012)

Wilfred Lambert 1926-2012

The following is a paper by Victor Avigdor Hurowitz delivered at a mini-conference held in Lamberts memory at the Hebrew University:

2011 Necrology
Justin Ukpong 1940-2011

C. K. Barrett

W. Boyd Barrick

Hendrikus W. Boers

Simon J. DeVries

Thomas W. Gillespie
A tribute written by President Ian Torrance has been posted on the PTS website.

Friedemann Walter Golka

Brian Hesse

Timothy Dale Howell

Marshall D. Johnson

John McGovern

James Russell Morton

Frederick J. (Rick) Murphy
 News of his passing is available at Holy Cross and in the Boston Globe 


Herbert Opalek

Lee Perry

Anson F. Rainey 
Audio Interviews from the Israel National Radio show: LandMinds

Anson Rainey Memorial (Part I):

Anson Rainey Memorial (Part II)Interview with Dr. Paul Wright

Anson Rainey Memorial (Part III)Interview with Dr. Yigal Levin

Anson Rainey Memorial (Part IV)Interview with Prof. Aharon Demsky
Robert K. Rapa

B. Elmo Scoggin

Alan F. Segal
SBL members and staff alike have shared many warm and remarkable stories about our colleague Alan Segal (1945- February 13, 2011). He left light and learning behind. May he rest in peace.
Joe Klein, TIME's political columnist, has written a lovely post about Alan Segal.
Larry Hurtado, one of Alan Segal’s many, close colleagues has also posted this reflection.


2010 Obituaries
 
 
 
 
Clark Pinnock 1937- 2010
 
Gerald Hawthorne 1925- 2010
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2009 Obituaries

Martin Hengel 1926-2009

An uncut interviewis made available here in Hengel's honour courtesy of John Dickson who conducted this television interview for a 2008 historical documentary.

Obituary in English, from The Telegraph
Harold W. Hoehner 1935- 2009
Obituary offered by Daniel B. Wallace
 

Burton H. Throckmorton 1921- 2009
Bangor Theological Seminary News

Moshe Weinfeld 1925–2009
Obituary offered by Nili Wazana


 
 2008 Obituaries

 Joseph M. Baumgarten1928-2008
Obituary contributed by Lawrence H. Schiffman 

David L. Dungan 1936-2008
Knoxville News Sentinel Obituary

Avraham Biran 1909-2008
New York Times 

Henry Chadwick, 1920-2008
Obituary by Andrew Louth

Krister Stendahl, 1921-2008
Harvard University Obituary
The New York Times Obituary
Stendahl's 1983 SBL Presidential Address

David Noel Freedman 1922 – 2008
Obituary by William Propp
Freedman's 1976 SBL Presidential Address
 
Roy Melugin 1937- 2008
Obituary by Marvin A. Sweeney

2007 Obituaries

Hendrikus W. Boers 1928-2007

Brevard S. Childs, 1923-2007

Dame Mary Douglas, 1921-2007

Reginald H. Fuller, 1915- 2007

J. Alan Groves, 1952-2007

Bruce Manning Metzger, 1914-2007

Paul S. Minear, 1906-2007

C.F.D. Moule, 1908-2007

Rev. Robert North, S.J., 1916-2007

Michael Patrick O'Connor, 1950-2007

William L. Petersen, 1950-2006

James F. Ross, 1927 - 2007

John Strugnell, 1930-2007

Thomas F. Torrance, 1913-2007

Edwina Maria (Wyn) Wright, 1946–2007 
 
 


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