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Marcus J. Borg Papers, 1969-2000

By Finding aid prepared by Elizabeth Nielsen.

Collection Overview

Title: Marcus J. Borg Papers, 1969-2000

Predominant Dates: 1979-2000

ID: MSS Borg

Primary Creator: Borg, Marcus J.

Extent: 5.8 cubic feet. More info below.

Languages of Materials: English [eng]

Abstract

The Marcus J. Borg Papers document the teaching, research, and writing of Borg, a faculty member in religious studies and philosophy at Oregon State University from 1979 until his retirement in 2007.

Reference access to digitized audio in this collection is available upon request. The preliminary container list, on the left of this finding aid, contains additional information about the collection materials.

Scope and Content Notes

The Marcus J. Borg Papers consist of materials generated and assembled by Borg and reflect his career as teacher, scholar and writer, and department chair. The Papers include materials pertaining to curriculum, faculty evaluations and awards, and College of Liberal Arts committees.

Borg's course materials include reading packets for religious studies courses, syllabi, lecture notes, and reference materials. Other records include correspondence with Al Hundere and his family; materials pertaining to the Jesus Seminar and the Society for Biblical Literature; book contracts and agreements; certificates; sermon scripts and notes; and biographical materials.

The collection includes several photographs of Borg; sound recordings (6 audio cassette tapes that have been subsequently digitized by the Special Collections and Archives Research Center) of presentations by other scholars on topics such as "what the Buddha has to teach Christians", " toward a spirituality of peace and justice", and the "green world"; and computer disks with word processing files for the God at 2000 symposium and other events. The collection also includes several nameplates and plaques.

Approximately half of the collection consists of books from Borg's personal library with extensive annotations and notes.

Reference access to digitized audio in this collection is available upon request. The preliminary container list, on the left of this finding aid, contains additional information about the collection materials.

Biographical / Historical Notes

Marcus J. Borg joined the faculty of Oregon State University in 1979 and retired in 2007 as Distinguished Professor in Religion and Culture and the Hundere Endowed Chair in Religious Studies. He is a leading scholar of the life and teachings of Jesus, the author of multiple books, a lecturer, and an outstanding teacher. He organized and lead two nationally televised symposia at Oregon State University in 1996 (Jesus at 2000) and 2000 (God at 2000).

Borg was appointed Chair of the Religious Studies Department in January 1988. The Religious Studies Department was closed at the end of the 1991-1992 academic year and Borg became a faculty member in the Philosophy Department.

The Hundere Chair for Religious Studies was established in 1994 with a gift from Al Hundere, a 1938 graduate of Oregon State College, in recognition of the scholarly work of Borg and Borg was named to the endowed chair.

Borg received numerous teaching awards at Oregon State and was the Chism Distinguished Visiting Professor in the Humanities at the University of Puget Sound during the 1986-1987 academic year. Borg was the first faculty member in the College of Liberal Arts to receive the designation of Distinguished Professor, which he received in 1992.

Borg earned a B.A. from Concordia College in 1964 and a Ph.D. from Oxford University in 1972.

Administrative Information

More Extent Information: 8 photographs; 6 boxes

Statement on Access: Collection is open for research.

Related Materials: Additional materials pertaining to the Religious Studies Department are available in the OSU Memorabilia Collection (MSS MC) and the President's Office Records (RG 013). The Special Collections and Archives Reserach Center holdings also include the Willi Unsoeld Collection (MSS Unsoeld), who was a faculty member in the Department of Religion in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Materials related to the curriculum, policies, and faculty in the humanities and liberal arts at Oregon State University are in the College of Liberal Arts Records (RG 143).

Preferred Citation: Marcus J. Borg Papers (MSS Borg), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Reserach Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Processing Information: This collection is not fully processed; this guide is preliminary.

Other URL: Preliminary container list available online.

Creators

Borg, Marcus J.
Oregon State University. Department of Philosophy
Oregon State University. Department of Religious Studies

People, Places, and Topics

Borg, Marcus J.
Jesus Christ--Historicity.
Oregon State University. College of Liberal Arts
Philosophy--Study and teaching (Higher)--Oregon--Corvallis.
Religion--Study and teaching (Higher)--Oregon.

Forms of Material

Audiocassettes.
Born digital.
Photographic prints.


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.