IN MEMORIAM: HELMUT KOESTER

Helmut Koester, John H. Morison Professor of New Testament Studies and Winn Professor of Ecclesiastical History Emeritus, died on New Year’s Day, 2016, at age 89. Koester was a leading scholar in the history of Christianity, New Testament exegesis and theology, the religions of the ancient Roman world, and archaeology.

Koester was assistant professor at the University of Heidelberg (1956–59) when he came to Harvard to join the faculty as a tenured associate professor. He was named John H. Morison Professor of New Testament Studies in 1963 and Winn Professor of Ecclesiastical History in 1968. He retired in 1998 but continued to be active in advising and teaching until 2014 and in research and writing until his death.

Koester was editor of Harvard Theological Review from 1975 until 1999. His lengthy bibliography includes Trajectories through Early Christianity (1971, with James M. Robinson); History, Culture, and Religion of the Hellenistic Age (1982); History and Literature of Early Christianity (1987); Ancient Christian Gospels: Their History and Development (1990); From Jesus to the Gospels (2007); and Paul & His World (2007). In addition to authoring numerous books and articles, Koester was editor of the Encyclopedia of Archeology in the Biblical World and editor of many volumes in the Hermeneia commentary series.

The list of Koester’s publications cannot adequately communicate the breadth and impact of his work. From the beginning of his career, his interest in the New Testament was developed alongside research into noncanonical texts, resulting from his ability to ground the texts of the New Testament within a broad context of literary and documentary works.

“Helmut Koester was a man of tremendous intellectual breadth and generosity,” said Laura S. Nasrallah, Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity. “He forged connections between archaeologists and scholars of the New Testament, creating interdisciplinary connections before the term was even popular. Those intellectual connections resulted in life-long collegial connections and friendships into which he drew his own students.”