Luke Timothy Johnson

Luke Timothy Johnson
Born	(1943-11-20) November 20, 1943 Park Falls, Wisconsin
Nationality	American
Occupation(s)	Robert W. Woodruff Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins at Candler School of Theology
Known for	Theologian, historian, scholar, former priest
Spouse	Joy Randazzo (1974 - present)
Awards	2011 University of Louisville Grawemeyer Award in Religion
Academic background
Education	Notre Dame Seminary, Saint Meinrad School of Theology, Indiana University
Alma mater	Yale University (Ph.D.)
Academic work
Discipline	New Testament studies
Institutions	Candler School of Theology, Emory University
Notable works	The Real Jesus: The Misguided Quest for the Historical Jesus and the Truth of the Traditional Gospels

Luke Timothy Johnson (born November 20, 1943) is an American New Testament scholar and historian of early Christianity. He is the Robert W. Woodruff Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins at Candler School of Theology and a Senior Fellow at the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University. Johnson's research interests encompass the Jewish and Greco-Roman contexts of early Christianity (particularly moral discourse), Luke-Acts, the Pastoral Epistles, and the Epistle of James.

Early life

A native of Park Falls, Wisconsin, Johnson was educated in public and parochial schools. A Benedictine monk and priest at St. Joseph Abbey, St. Benedict, Louisiana from 1963 to 1972, he received a B.A. in Philosophy from Notre Dame Seminary in 1966, a M.Div. in Theology from Saint Meinrad School of Theology in 1970, an M.A. in Religious Studies from Indiana University, and a Ph.D. in New Testament from Yale University in 1976. He has taught at St. Meinrad, Saint Joseph Seminary College, Yale Divinity School, and Indiana University.

Academic career

Johnson is a critic of the Jesus Seminar, having taken stances against Burton Mack, Robert Funk and John Dominic Crossan in discussions of the "historical Jesus". Johnson objects to the Seminar's historical methodology. He is also a proponent of an early dating for the Epistle of James, arguing:

"The Letter of James also, according to the majority of scholars who have carefully worked through its text in the past two centuries, is among the earliest of New Testament compositions. It contains no reference to the events in Jesus' life, but it bears striking testimony to Jesus' words. Jesus' sayings are embedded in James' exhortations in a form that is clearly not dependent on the written Gospels."

In some areas, Johnson disagrees with Roman Catholic teaching. He has publicly declared his support for women's ordination and he has expressed concern for what he perceives to be the Roman Catholic Church's overemphasis and singling out of homosexual partnerships amidst the myriad of other sexual sins condemned in the Bible.

Johnson has produced lectures on early Christianity and ancient Greek philosophy for The Teaching Company.

Recognition

He is the recipient of the 2011 University of Louisville Grawemeyer Award in Religion.

Personal life

Johnson married Joy Randazzo in 1974 and is stepfather to six children and father of one.

Publications

• Johnson, Luke Timothy (1973). Teaching Religion to Undergraduates. Society for Religion in Higher Education.
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (1977). The Literary Function of Possessions in Luke-Acts. Dissertation series (Society of Biblical Literature). Vol. 39. Missoula, MT: Scholars Press. ISBN 978-0-8913-0200-1. OCLC 3327240. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (1980). Invitation to the Letters of Paul III: Ephesians, Colossians, Pastorals. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help) (Commentary)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (1980). The Writings of the New Testament: An Interpretation (1st ed.). Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press. ISBN 978-0-800-61886-5. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (1981). Sharing Possessions: Mandate and Symbol of Faith. Overtures to Biblical Theology. Vol. 9. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press. ISBN 978-0-800-61534-5. OCLC 7553096. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (1981). Some Hard Blessings: Meditations on the Beatitudes in Matthew. ISBN 978-0-8950-5058-8. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (1982). Luke-Acts: A Story of Prophet and People. ISBN 978-0-8199-0524-6. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (1983). Decision Making in the Church: A Biblical Model. ISBN 978-0-800-61694-6. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (1987). 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus. ISBN 978-0-8042-3242-5. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (1990). Faith's Freedom: A Classic Spirituality for Contemporary Christians. ISBN 978-0-800-62428-6. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (1991). The Gospel of Luke. Sacra Pagina series. Vol. 3. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press. ISBN 978-0-8146-5966-3. OCLC 23733531. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help) (Commentary)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (1992). The Acts of the Apostles. Sacra Pagina series. Vol. 5. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press. ISBN 978-0-8146-5968-7. OCLC 26800134. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help) (Commentary)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (1993). Proclamation 5: Interpreting the Lessons of the Church Year. ISBN 978-0-800-64184-9. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (1995). The Letter of James: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. Anchor Bible. Vol. 37a. New York: Doubleday. ISBN 978-0-3854-1360-2. OCLC 31374078. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help) (Commentary)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (1996). The Real Jesus: The Misguided Quest for the Historical Jesus and the Truth of the Traditional Gospels. San Francisco, CA: HarperSanFrancisco. ISBN 978-0-0606-4166-5. OCLC 32625131. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (1996). Scripture and Discernment: Decision Making in the Church. ISBN 978-0-6870-1238-1. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (1996). Letters to Paul's Delegates: A Commentary on 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy and Titus. New Testament in Context. Valley Forge, PA: Trinity Press International. ISBN 978-1-5633-8144-7. OCLC 35360799. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help) (Commentary)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (1997). Reading Romans: A Literary and Theological Commentary. Reading the New Testament Series. New York: Crossroad Pub. ISBN 978-1573122764. OCLC 35151248. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help) (Commentary)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (1998). Religious Experience: A Missing Dimension in New Testament Studies. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press. ISBN 978-0-800-63129-1. OCLC 39079005. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (1999). Living Jesus: Learning the Heart of the Gospel. San Francisco, CA: HarperSanFrancisco. ISBN 978-0060642839. OCLC 39050865. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy; Crossan, John Dominic; Kelber, Werner H. (1999). The Jesus Controversy: perspectives in conflict. Rockwell Lecture Series. Harrisburg, PA: Trinity Press International. ISBN 978-1-5633-8289-5. OCLC 41628131. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (2001). The First and Second Letters to Timothy: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. Anchor Bible. Vol. 35a. New York: Doubleday. ISBN 978-0-3854-8422-0. OCLC 43657061. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help) (Commentary)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (2002). The Writings of the New Testament: An Interpretation (2nd revised ed.). Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press. ISBN 978-0-334-02911-3. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy; Kurz, William S. (2002). Future of Catholic Biblical Scholarship: A Constructive Conversation. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. ISBN 978-0-802-84545-0. OCLC 49902174. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (2002). Septuagintal Midrash in the Speeches of Acts. Père Marquette lecture in theology. Milwaukee: Marquette University Press. ISBN 978-0-8746-2582-0. OCLC 49011355. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (2003). The Creed: What Christians Believe and Why it Matters. New York: Doubleday. ISBN 978-0-385-50247-4. OCLC 51534973. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (2004). Brother of Jesus, Friend of God: Studies in the Letter of James. ISBN 978-0-802-80986-5. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (2006). Hebrews: A Commentary. New Testament library. Louisville, KY: Westminster, John Knox Press. ISBN 978-0-6642-2118-8. OCLC 62738718. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help) (Commentary)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (2009). Among the Gentiles: Greco - Roman Religion and Christianity. Anchor Yale Bible Reference Library. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-14208-2. OCLC 444387833. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (2010). The Writings of the New Testament: An Interpretation (3rd ed.). Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press. ISBN 978-0-800-66361-2. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (2010). The New Testament: A Very Short Introduction. Very short introductions. Vol. 229. Oxford ; New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-199-73570-9. OCLC 438055743. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (2011). Prophetic Jesus, Prophetic Church: The Challenge of Luke-Acts to Contemporary Christians. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. ISBN 978-0-802-80390-0. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (2013). Contested Issues in Christian Origins and the New Testament: Collected Essays. Supplements to Novum Testamentum. Brill. ISBN 978-9-0042-4290-6. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help)
• Johnson, Luke Timothy (2015). The Revelatory Body: Theology as Inductive Art. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. ISBN 978-0-8028-0383-2. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |authormask= ignored (|author-mask= suggested) (help)

Johnson is also the author of a large number of scholarly articles, encyclopedia, anthology and popular articles, book reviews, and other academic papers and lectures.

External links

• Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Religion Senior Fellow
• Emory University Faculty Home Page