In Memoriam: Burton L. Mack

The CST community mourns the loss of Professor Emeritus Burton L. Mack, who died on Wednesday, March 9, 2022, at the age of 90. Professor Mack served as CST’s John Wesley Professor of Early Christianity from 1973-1996 and was an important figure in the study of the New Testament.

“Professor Mack had a very distinguished career at CST and impacted the lives of many students over the years. We hold his entire family in our hearts, thoughts, and prayers as they grieve his passing,” shared CST President Jeffrey Kuan.

A prolific writer and beloved teacher, Professor Mack’s academic career began after earning his PhD from the University of Göttingen in Göttingen, Germany in 1967. His scholarship explored the origins of Christianity in novel, and sometimes controversial, ways, and his approach to the Gospels won both admiration and argument from others in the field. 

“Burton Mack was my senior New Testament colleague when I first came to CST in 1992,” recalled Professor Emeritus Dr. Gregory J. Riley. “He was always friendly and encouraging, making my early years less stressful. He was a very good scholar, although he and I differed fundamentally on several major issues. We argued over those issues quite sharply at times, but the more we argued, the better friends we became. I will miss his honesty, insights, and lively conversation.”

Professor Mack was admired and respected by his students — not just for his scholarship but for his warm smile, generous spirit, and dedication to their learning. His teaching style and approach to the study of Early Christianity allowed students to critically examine the Christian testament alongside and apart from their faith. 

Marvin Sweeney, CST Professor of Hebrew Bible, remembers, “He was a scholar and teacher who was willing to break new ground in the study of theology and the social dimensions of the New Testament and Hellenistic-period Judaism.”

Professor Mack modeled life-long learning and earnest scholarship. He continued to publish long after his retirement; his most recent book, titled The Myth of Christian Supremacy: Restoring Our Democratic Ideals, was published by Fortress Press in January of this year. Other works include A Myth of Innocence: Mark and Christian Origins; Who Wrote the New Testament? The Making of the Christian Myth; The Lost Gospel: The Book of Q and Christian Origins; Christian Mentality: The Entanglements of Power, Violence and Fear; and Myth and the Christian Nation: A Social Theory of Religion.

“When I came to interview for my position back in 1989, I had faculty interviews with all of the faculty, mostly in clusters of 2-4, but Burton requested a private interview,” Professor Frank Rogers recalls. “When I got to his office, he suggested that we get out for a change of scenery and took me for a walk through the botanical gardens, stopping beside a stately oak that he patted like it was an old friend. He had an impish sense of humor, a streak of the maverick, a passionate commitment to the critical exploration of religion, and a firm belief that colleagues should celebrate each other’s research in all of its unique particularity.”

Professor Mack is survived by his wife, Bonnie J. Mack; his daughter, Barbara Mack (John McCleod); sons Curtis Mack (Diane Evans) and Rainer Mack (Mariam Mack); granddaughters Rachel Fisher, Zoe Mack, and Helena Mack; and a sister, Lori Freeberg. He was preceded in death by a son, Burt Mack Jr.