Ebook
The intention of this biography is--on the one hand--to describe what happened as Peder Borgen (b. 1928) grew up and tried to establish himself as a theologian and a New Testament scholar in his Norwegian and Lutheran state-church context. On the other hand, it also describes how his development and life as a student of the New Testament and Philo of Alexandria were influenced by his minority background and the borders he had to cross to achieve his goals. Crossing Borders is thus a description of the life and work of a Norwegian Methodist, scholar, church politician, ecumenist, and an internationally acclaimed writer on the Gospel of John and Philo of Alexandria. Students of both the New Testament and Philo of Alexandria should feel enlightened by this volume of how context may influence both a person and his scholarly achievements.
“In this impressively researched account, Torrey Seland
illuminates the personal and professional challenges faced by
world-renowned New Testament and Philonic scholar Peder Borgen.
Borgen’s status as a ‘dissenter’ in Norway because of his Methodist
affiliation greatly impacted his life and work and led him to cross
borders between nations, denominations, religions, academic
disciplines, and other aspects of society and culture. As Seland
shows, though, Borgen is more than a border-crosser; he’s also a
bridge-builder!”
—Ellen Birnbaum, author of The Place of Judaism in Philo’s
Thought
“Peder Borgen has been an inspiration as a New Testament and
Philonic scholar, a Methodist churchman, and a committed ecumenist.
Torrey Seland’s informed account of his long and rich life provides
readers with countless insights, enabling them to understand how he
could cross many borders and in so doing inspire many others. I
enjoyed the book very much and warmly recommend it.”
—David Runia, editor of The Studia Philonica Annual
Torrey Seland is professor emeritus in New Testament studies at VID Specialized University, Stavanger, Norway. He has published several studies on 1 Peter and Philo of Alexandria. He is the editor of Reading Philo: A Handbook to Philo of Alexandria (2014) and the author of a Norwegian biography of Peder Borgen (2020).