H/02/02/02 eSenate: January 2012 The University of Edinburgh ...

Special Minute
Professor Larry W. Hurtado, BA, MA, PhD, FRSE
Larry Hurtado joined the Faculty of Divinity as Professor of New Testament Language,
Literature and Theology in August 1996 and he formally retired from his Chair in September
2011.
A native of the American Midwest, Larry earned his BA in Biblical Studies from the Central
Bible College in Springfield, Missouri, in 1965, and his MA in New Testament from Trinity
Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois, in 1967. He proceeded to doctoral work in
New Testament and Christian Origins at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland,
Ohio, where he received his PhD in 1973. Larry taught at Regent College, Vancouver,
Canada, from 1975 to 1978 and at the University of Manitoba, Canada, from 1978 to 1996.
At Manitoba, he served as acting Head of the Department of Religion, 1983­84 and 1991­92,
and he was the founder and first director of the University of Manitoba Institute for the
Humanities.
On joining the University of Edinburgh in 1996, Larry immediately made his presence felt.
He founded the University of Edinburgh Centre for the Study of Christian Origins in 1997,
and served as its Director until his retirement. Under his leadership, the Centre has
promoted research at the interface of New Testament studies and early Church history. In
his teaching in New Testament, he brought fresh approaches and new directions. His
teaching has been characterised by a profound learning in languages, theology and history,
combined with a relaxed manner, an avoidance of academic jargon, a warm sense of
humour, and what can only be described as direct, ‘down home’ language. He has
supervised exceptionally large numbers of PhD students over the years, many of whom are
developing distinguished academic careers.
He has also demonstrated exceptional gifts as an academic leader. He served very
effectively as Vice­Dean of the Faculty of Divinity in 2001­2002, Deputy Head of the School
of Divinity, 2002­2003, Director of Postgraduate Studies in the School of Divinity, 2006­
2007, and Head of the School of Divinity, 2007­2010. As Head of School, he oversaw a
number of initiatives, including new efforts and achievements in fund­raising, new links with
China, and the re­development of the New College Garden. Above all, he helped to
maintain confidence amidst a global economic crisis. Many in the larger University will recall
his regular contributions to discussions and debates at University Senatus. Cogent,
frequently critical, but always well­mannered and collegial, these contributions did much to
preserve the influence and authority of the Senatus within University governance. He also
served the University on numerous committees and working parties.
He has made a significant international impact through his research activities. He is the
author of nine solely­authored books, another five edited books, and nearly ninety
substantial learned journal articles and contributed book chapters. Among his major works
are his lengthy Lord Jesus Christ: Devotion to Jesus in Earliest Christianity (2003) and his
God in New Testament Theology, which appeared in 2010. His books have been translated
into a number of languages, and he has been invited to lecture widely around the world,
including, most recently, a number of lecturing visits to China. He has served on editorial
boards, selection panels, and governing committees of learned societies. One of Larry’s
particular strengths as a scholar has been his openness to new technologies. Not long ago,
he established a personal blog, on which he can expound on his ideas and muse about his
discipline. In his first year, his blog received a staggering 160,000 hits, meaning that over
400 people a day read his latest thoughts. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of
Edinburgh in 2008.