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 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.
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 cassette tapes) 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.
Collection is open for research.
Marcus J. Borg Papers, Oregon State University Archives, Corvallis, Oregon.
This collection is not fully processed; this guide is preliminary.
Additional materials pertaining to the Religious Studies Department are
available in the