Carroll D. Osburn

Academic career

From 1973-1983, Osburn served as Professor of Greek and New Testament at Harding School of Theology. Students came primarily from Churches of Christ, among whom the predominant approach to scripture was proof-texting apart from context. Instead, Osburn emphasized literary and historical controls to biblical interpretation. Eugene Nida urged him to serve as translation consultant for Bible translators working among pre-literate people. Utilizing discourse analysis, he conducted numerous short-term, one-book translation workshops in Central and South America in the 1970s and 1980s. He also developed sensitivity to humanitarian needs in the Developing World. Adding discourse analysis to literary and historical method in the classroom led to Greek classes formerly of five or six numbering fifty or sixty. He became a popular speaker at seminars and retreats in the U.S. and around the world. In 1980, he was Visiting Professor at St. Mary’s College, University of St. Andrews, and in 1983, was named “Educator of the Year” by 20th Century Christian.

Osburn became Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Pepperdine University 1983-1987. Urged by Kurt Aland and Bruce Metzger, he concentrated attention on ancient manuscripts underlying the Greek New Testament, and chaired the New Testament Textual Criticism Section of the Society of Biblical Literature 1984-90.

In 1987, Osburn was invited to Abilene Christian University, where he was Carmichel-Walling Distinguished Professor of New Testament Language and Literature until 2004. He was named “Honors Professor of the Year” in 1992 and 1996, and was Chair of the Faculty Senate in 1999-2000. He was on the Steering Committee of the International Greek New Testament Project on John (Birmingham, England) and co-editor of Acts of the Apostles in Novum Testamentum Graecum Editio Critica Maior (Institüt für neutestamentliche Textforschung; Münster, Germany) until 2004. He was Visiting Professor at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens in 1989, at Universität Münster in 2003, and at Claremont School of Theology in 2008. He did archaeological work with Hebrew University of Jerusalem at the Philistine city of Ekron [Tel Miqne] in 1993. In 2004, he published The Text of the Apostolos in Epiphanius of Salamis. Osburn was invited frequently to lecture at universities in Europe, Canada, Africa, and South America. He was a member of Association Internationale d’Études Patristiques and continues membership in Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas.

In addition to challenging fundamentalists to rethink polemical interpretation of biblical texts, Osburn also worked to expand boundaries of exclusiveness. He was a pioneer within his religious heritage, tackling difficult issues such as dogmatic sectarianism and gender inequality. He initiated and hosted the annual Carmichael-Walling Lectures at ACU, which brought renowned scholars from around the world to the campus for stimulating lectures and discussion beyond traditional thinking. His challenges to rethink crucial issues met forceful opposition, but with passing of time were accepted by increasing numbers of moderates. In 2001, Osburn disavowed denominational affiliation. A festschrift was presented to him on his sixty-fifth birthday, composed of essays by noted scholars from around the world, some his former students.