John D. Turner (15 July 1938 in Glen Ridge - 26 October 2019) was the Cotner Professor of Religious Studies and Charles J. Mach University Professor of Classics and History Classics & Religious Studies at the University of Nebraska.[1] He was well known for his translations of the Nag Hammadi library.
After graduating from Dartmouth College in 1960, Turner served a stint in the Army, then worked as an actuary and a car salesman before entering the Union Theological Seminary in Virginia, seeking to become a Presbyterian minister. Although he earned a master's degree in theology in 1966, he decided against the ministry and instead entered Duke University's religious program, seeking a doctorate in early Christianity. While at Duke, he joined a team of about 20 young American scholars assembled by James M. Robinson to edit and translate the Nag Hammadi library.
His expertise was in Biblical studies, New Testament, Hellenistic and Graeco-Roman religion and philosophy, Gnosticism, later Platonism and Neoplatonism, Coptic language and literature. He had expertise in the study of ancient Gnosticism, in particular the restoration, conservation, translation, and interpretation of the thirteen fourth-century papyrus codices from Nag Hammadi.
Turner had contributed to research into the relationship between Neoplatonism and Gnosticism, including a study of the use of terms and concepts by the author or authors of the Sethian Allogenes text.
Ph.D. with Highest Distinction, Duke University (Religion), 1970
Worksedit
The Book of Thomas the Contender from Codex II of the Cairo Gnostic Library from Nag Hammadi (CG II,7). Missoula 1975, ISBN0-89130-017-1.
with Anne McGuire: The Nag Hammadi Library after fifty years. Proceedings of the 1995 Society of Biblical Literature commemoration. Leiden 1997, ISBN90-04-10824-6.
Sethian gnosticism and the Platonic tradition. Québec 2001, ISBN2-7637-7834-8.
with Liv Ingeborg Lied and Christian H. Bull: Mystery and secrecy in the Nag Hammadi collection and other ancient literature. Ideas and practices. Studies for Einar Thomassen at sixty. Leiden 2012, ISBN978-90-04-21207-7.
Commemorative publicationsedit
Corrigan, Kevin; Rasimus, Tuomas, eds. (2013). Gnosticism, Platonism and the late ancient world: essays in honour of John D. Turner. Leiden: Brill. ISBN978-90-04-25476-3. OCLC 857800490.
john, turner, july, 1938, glen, ridge, october, 2019, cotner, professor, religious, studies, charles, mach, university, professor, classics, history, classics, religious, studies, university, nebraska, well, known, translations, hammadi, library, born, 1938, j. John D Turner 15 July 1938 in Glen Ridge 26 October 2019 was the Cotner Professor of Religious Studies and Charles J Mach University Professor of Classics and History Classics amp Religious Studies at the University of Nebraska 1 He was well known for his translations of the Nag Hammadi library John D TurnerBorn 1938 07 15 July 15 1938Glenridge New Jersey U S DiedOctober 26 2019 2019 10 26 aged 81 Lincoln Nebraska U S NationalityAmericanAcademic backgroundAlma materDartmouth CollegeUnion Presbyterian SeminaryDuke UniversityAcademic workDisciplineHistory and classicsReligious studiesInstitutionsUniversity of Nebraska Contents 1 Life 2 Education 3 Works 4 Commemorative publications 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksLife editAfter graduating from Dartmouth College in 1960 Turner served a stint in the Army then worked as an actuary and a car salesman before entering the Union Theological Seminary in Virginia seeking to become a Presbyterian minister Although he earned a master s degree in theology in 1966 he decided against the ministry and instead entered Duke University s religious program seeking a doctorate in early Christianity While at Duke he joined a team of about 20 young American scholars assembled by James M Robinson to edit and translate the Nag Hammadi library His expertise was in Biblical studies New Testament Hellenistic and Graeco Roman religion and philosophy Gnosticism later Platonism and Neoplatonism Coptic language and literature He had expertise in the study of ancient Gnosticism in particular the restoration conservation translation and interpretation of the thirteen fourth century papyrus codices from Nag Hammadi Turner had contributed to research into the relationship between Neoplatonism and Gnosticism including a study of the use of terms and concepts by the author or authors of the Sethian Allogenes text Education editB D Th M Union Theological Seminary in Virginia 1966 Ph D with Highest Distinction Duke University Religion 1970Works editThe Book of Thomas the Contender from Codex II of the Cairo Gnostic Library from Nag Hammadi CG II 7 Missoula 1975 ISBN 0 89130 017 1 with Anne McGuire The Nag Hammadi Library after fifty years Proceedings of the 1995 Society of Biblical Literature commemoration Leiden 1997 ISBN 90 04 10824 6 Sethian gnosticism and the Platonic tradition Quebec 2001 ISBN 2 7637 7834 8 with Liv Ingeborg Lied and Christian H Bull Mystery and secrecy in the Nag Hammadi collection and other ancient literature Ideas and practices Studies for Einar Thomassen at sixty Leiden 2012 ISBN 978 90 04 21207 7 Commemorative publications editCorrigan Kevin Rasimus Tuomas eds 2013 Gnosticism Platonism and the late ancient world essays in honour of John D Turner Leiden Brill ISBN 978 90 04 25476 3 OCLC 857800490 See also editPlato Plotinus NeoplatonismReferences edit Obituary John D Turner External links editThe Platonizing Sethian Texts from Nag Hammadi in Their Relation to Later Platonic Literature Obituary nbsp This biography of an American historian is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte nbsp nbsp This biography about a translator from the United States is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John D Turner amp oldid 1214213081, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
