Spring Break
Distinguished professor will retire in March
Marcus Borg, a best-selling author and lecturer, will speak in a debate tonight
Nick Vardanega
Issue date: 2/20/07 Section: News
Hundere Distinguished Philosophy Professor and best-selling author Marcus Borg will retire at the end of winter term.
Borg is a professor of religion and culture who has been teaching for 41 years, 28 of those at OSU. He has also written several books on the subject of religion and is a renowned lecturer who has given talks across the country as well as internationally.
Tonight at 7 p.m., Borg will participate in his last Socratic Club debate in a discussion titled, "What is the Heart of Christianity?" - a title borrowed from one of Borg's books.
Borg will square off - as he has many times before - against history professor Gary Ferngren. Borg, who is a Liberal Protestant, and Ferngren, who is a an Evangelical Traditional Christian, will present divergent viewpoints about the core values that define the religion.
While the two are very different in their views, Ferngren said he has enjoyed their previous debates and that he has a lot of respect for Borg.
"We've had some good discussions, I've enjoyed his friendship for a number of years," Ferngred said. "He's a good example of someone who reaches out to a lot of different people."
On Monday, Borg was traveling to Los Angeles to be the keynote speaker at a progressive Christian conference and could not be reached for comment.
Kathleen Moore, a philosophy professor who has been a friend and colleague of Borg's for the past 15 years, said his departure would be a loss for the university and called him a "public intellectual" who greatly contributed to the discussion of religion.
"He bridges the gap between intellectual [discussions of religion] and people's real search to live a life they think is honest and ethical," Moore said.
"He is a reasonable man who makes reasoned arguments in a field in which that is refreshing," she added. "He is the kind of person who finds a way to integrate Christian beliefs into the modern world, and does it with reasoned argument."
Borg is a professor of religion and culture who has been teaching for 41 years, 28 of those at OSU. He has also written several books on the subject of religion and is a renowned lecturer who has given talks across the country as well as internationally.
Tonight at 7 p.m., Borg will participate in his last Socratic Club debate in a discussion titled, "What is the Heart of Christianity?" - a title borrowed from one of Borg's books.
Borg will square off - as he has many times before - against history professor Gary Ferngren. Borg, who is a Liberal Protestant, and Ferngren, who is a an Evangelical Traditional Christian, will present divergent viewpoints about the core values that define the religion.
While the two are very different in their views, Ferngren said he has enjoyed their previous debates and that he has a lot of respect for Borg.
"We've had some good discussions, I've enjoyed his friendship for a number of years," Ferngred said. "He's a good example of someone who reaches out to a lot of different people."
On Monday, Borg was traveling to Los Angeles to be the keynote speaker at a progressive Christian conference and could not be reached for comment.
Kathleen Moore, a philosophy professor who has been a friend and colleague of Borg's for the past 15 years, said his departure would be a loss for the university and called him a "public intellectual" who greatly contributed to the discussion of religion.
"He bridges the gap between intellectual [discussions of religion] and people's real search to live a life they think is honest and ethical," Moore said.
"He is a reasonable man who makes reasoned arguments in a field in which that is refreshing," she added. "He is the kind of person who finds a way to integrate Christian beliefs into the modern world, and does it with reasoned argument."
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