
Reverend Professor John Behr
D.Phil. (Oxon), D.D. (Melbourne)
Regius Chair In Humanity
- About
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Biography
I was appointed to the Regius Chair in Humanity at the University of Aberdeen in the summer of 2020, having taught at St Vladimir’s Seminary since 1995, serving there as Dean from 2007–17. My early work was on asceticism and anthropology, focusing on St Irenaeus of Lyons and Clement of Alexandria (OUP 2000). I am writing a series of books on “The Formation of Christian Theology”, two volumes of which have already appeared: vol. 1, The Way to Nicaea (SVS Press 2001) and vol. 2 The Nicene Faith (SVS Press 2003). On the basis of these two volumes, I published a synthetic work, The Mystery of Christ: Life in Death (SVS 2006). This was followed by an edition and translation of the fragments of Diodore of Tarsus and Theodore of Mopsuestia, setting them in their historical and theological context (OUP 2011). More recently I have published a more poetic and meditative work entitled Becoming Human: Theological Anthropology in Word and Image (SVS Press, 2013) and a full study of St Irenaeus: St Irenaeus of Lyons: Identifying Christianity (OUP, 2013). Most recently I have completed a new critical edition and translation of Origen’s On First Principles, together with an extensive introduction, for OUP (2017), and John the Theologian and His Paschal Gospel: A Prologue to Theology (OUP 2019).
- Research
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Research Overview
My research interests cover the wide range of Early Christianity (Patristics), especially scriptural interpretation and anthropology, questions of life and death, and the hermeneutics of reading texts, together with the intersection of issues arising from this field with contemporary hermeneutics and phenomenology (especially that of Michel Henry), as well as modern Eastern Orthodox theology.
Current Research
I am currently working on a new edition and translation of On the Making of the Human Being by Gregory of Nyssa and a new edition and translation of the works of Irenaeus; I am also preparing a study on the intersection of Christology, ecclesiology, and anthropology.
- Publications
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Flesh Invested with the Paternal Light: St Irenaeus on the Transfiguration of the Body
Jewish Roots of Eastern Christian Mysticism. Orlov, A. (ed.). Brill, pp. 118-127, 10 pagesChapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004429536_008
The Son of Man in the Gospel of John
Christ Unabridged. Westhaver, G., Vince, R., Williams, R. (eds.). SCM Press, pp. 37-50, 14 pagesChapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters- [ONLINE] Link to the publisher
Synchronic and Diachronic Harmony: St Irenaeus on Divine Simplicity
Modern Theology, vol. 35, no. 3, pp. 428-441Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/moth.12502
John the Theologian and his Paschal Gospel: A Prologue to Theology
Oxford University Press (OUP), Oxford. 416 pagesBooks and Reports: Books- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198837534.001.0001
St Irenaeus of Lyons and the School of John
Phronema, vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 1-33Contributions to Journals: ArticlesThe Cross
The Oxford Handbook of Early Christian Biblical Interpretation. Blowers, P., Martens, P. (eds.). Oxford University Press (OUP), pp. 626-636Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: ChaptersUnveiling the Pathos of LIfe: The Phenomenology of Michel Henry and the Theology of John the Evangelist
Journal of French and Francophone Philosophy, vol. 26, no. 2, pp. 104-126Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.5195/jffp.2018.861
- [OPEN ACCESS] http://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/2164/14991/1/Behr_JFFP_VOR.pdf
The Glory of God: A Living Human Being
Saint Irénée et l'humanité illuminée. Ayroulet, E. (ed.). Cerf, pp. 93-116, 24 pagesChapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: ChaptersOne God Father Almighty
Modern Theology, vol. 34, no. 3, pp. 320-330Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/moth.12419
Origen: on first principles
Vol. 1, 2, Oxford University Press (OUP), Oxford. 664177 pagesBooks and Reports: Books