kata ta biblia

a blog exploring Christian origins, biblical studies, social/cultural history, method, education and the journey through academia

Prof. David M. Scholer (1938-2008)

Last week, we lost a great New Testament scholar, seminary professor, advocate for women in ministry, and one of the kindest, most beautiful persons I have ever known. Though he lived longer than all expectations, David Scholer passed away on Friday morning after a six-year battle with colorectal cancer. David has had a tremendous influence upon me in my Fuller career and I feel so blessed to have known him. Without knowing it (and even though I took more classes with some other NT professors), David helped me find my “niche” in New Testament studies: social history. His interest in the area is evidenced in the volume he recently edited, Social Distinctives of the Christians in the First Century: Pivotal Essays by E. A. Judge.

David was a lover of books and history. He often told us of his pursuit in finding rare books, particularly those of interest in biblical studies and women’s roles. In his courses, he not only focused on the biblical texts themselves, but also went through the history of interpretation as few people could. He was a noted bibliographer–I have been helped by his Basic Bibliographic Guide for New Testament Exegesis put out by the Fuller Seminary bookstore (see the list of his titles printed by them). He also produced the two volume Nag Hammadi Bibliography (volume one covering 1948-1969 and volume two covering 1970-1994). Some may know him for editing a popular version of the works of Philo.

I do know that David was working with Hendrickson Publishers on publishing his collection of writings on women in the New Testament and early Christianity. This collection has been used in his course, “Women, the Bible, and the Church,” for a number of years. It would truly be a shame if the collection was not made available to a wider audience. I hope we’ll be hearing more from Hendrickson in the near future on this!

I will deeply miss David’s generous spirit. He would always say hello as he passed by, even if he was clearly having a difficult time getting around. He would joke with me about sparring with him in class from time to time, particularly when I would show my Anabaptist leanings. When I had requested his recommendation for doctoral programs and he was not able to fulfill the request while he was in the hospital, he nevertheless composed a brief letter to be sent to all the programs to which I was applying. I will always be deeply grateful for such generosity. I hope my debt to him can be paid, at least in part, by trying to live out his legacy as a humble, but passionate academic educator.

Please remember David’s wife Jeannette, their daughters Emily and Abigail and their daughter’s families in the coming days and weeks. Memorial gifts may be made to the David M. Scholer Scholarship Fund at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA 91182.

Other remembrances of David:

And don’t miss last year’s story on him in the LA Times. If you’d like to get a glimpse of the man in a very moving sermon for Fuller’s 2008 Baccalaureate, you can find it at Fuller’s page on iTunes U. I may upload it to YouTube later, but for now, check it out at iTunes, under “All Seminary Chapel,” entitled “It Is About God . . . Not About Us (Baccalaureate 2008)”.

Update (Same Day): Fuller has posted an excellent tribute to the legacy of David Scholer on its website. If you’d like to keep track of blog posts on David, try this link.

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6 Comments by Patrick George McCullough  /  August 26, 2008  /  Posted in: david scholer, egalitarianism, fuller seminary, women in ministry, women's roles
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  • http://judyredman.wordpress.com Judy Redman

    Pat,

    Thanks for putting this note up. David came to Melbourne (Australia) in 1989 and taught an intensive course in women in leadership in the early church which I attended on study leave as a reasonably newly ordained minister from a country parish. It was really good to go through in a systematic way biblical material that validated what I knew to be true in my own call. Several years later, a group of other women and I in another regional congregation worked through the video series that he and Jeanette did on the same issue – again a real validation of our roles in the church.

  • http://patmccullough.com/ Patrick George McCullough

    Thanks for sharing, Judy. I think David had fond memories of his time in Australia–he told several stories in classes of his experiences there. It’s great to discover that someone I actually know experienced his teaching there!

  • http://www.sbl-site.org Kent Harold Richards

    To understand the exemplary qualities of David Scholer listen to almost any student David had ever taught. You did not need to ask the student about him because once a student knew you were a Biblical scholar/teacher they would ask if you knew David. Almost without permitting you to answer they would begin telling the stories of David’s pedagogy, scholarship, generosity, empathy, and the list of positive qualities exceeds the space I have to comment.

    David was in the most extraordinary way a “gentleman and a scholar.” His voice and spirit remain with all of us who have had the good fortune of knowing him.

    All of his colleagues in the Society of Biblical Literature hold him and his family in our thoughts and prayers.

  • http://petercarino.blogspot.com Peter Carino

    Pat,
    I am a former student of David’s as well (MDiv 2000). I loved his courses and his love for rare books that you mentioned. On on occasion he mentioned an important 19th century Greek Grammar by the German theologian Winer (pronounced “Veener”), translated by Moulton. As it happened, I found a copy in a bookstore soon afterward. I brought it to his office and with glee in his eye he examined my copy. He then brought his copy off the shelf and compared it to mine, which was in much better condition. With a rye smile on his face he said, “Well Peter, it seems that your Winer is in better condition than mine.”

    He was a giant of a man with the most gentle of spirits. His love of people was only surpassed by his love of God and His word! Enjoy your rest David.

  • http://patmccullough.com/ Patrick George McCullough

    Peter, that is hilarious. Thank you so much for sharing. What a sense of humor that man had.