D.Phil. (Oxon), D.D. (Melbourne)
Regius Chair In Humanity
- About
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- Email Address
- john.behr@abdn.ac.uk
- School/Department
- School of Divinity, History, Philosophy & Art History
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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Irenaeus' Gratitude and Derrida's Gift: Time, Death, Life
Philosophy, Theology and the Sciences, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 519-36Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1628/ptsc-2022-0003
Reading from the End, Looking Forward
Oxford Handbook of the Bible in Orthodox Christianity. Pentiuc, E. (ed.). Oxford University Press (OUP), pp. 519-538, 19 pagesChapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190948658.013.24
What is Church?
The Wheel, vol. 30, pp. 19-23Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] https://www.wheeljournal.com/30-behr
'Since the Saviour Pre-exists': A Reconsideration of Irenaeus AH 3.22.3
Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Conference Proceedings- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv27vt5hv
From Synthesis to Symphony
The Living Christ: The Theological Legacy of Georges Florovsky. Chryssavgis, J., Gallaher, B. (eds.). Bloomsbury, pp. 279-288, 10 pagesChapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: ChaptersReading the Scriptures Anew
Pro Ecclesia, vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 266-274Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1063851220921352
Flesh Invested with the Paternal Light: St Irenaeus on the Transfiguration of the Body
Jewish Roots of Eastern Christian Mysticism: Studies in Honor of Alexander Golitzin. 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
John the Theologian: Appreciation of Responses
Pro Ecclesia, vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 190-197Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1063851220906525
Killing the Human Being Within: Irenaeus and Moral Injury
Moral Injury and Beyond: Understanding Human Anguish and Healing Traumatic Wounds. Papadopoulos, R. K. (ed.). 1 edition. Routledge, pp. 68-78, 11 pagesChapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315230573
The Son of Man in the Gospel of John
Christ Unabridged: Knowing and Loving the Son of Man. Westhaver, G., Vince, R., Williams, R. (eds.). 1 edition. SCM Press, pp. 37-50, 14 pagesChapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters- [ONLINE] Link to the publisher
