Willard G. Oxtoby
Encyclopedia
Willard G. Oxtoby studied and taught comparative religion
, and was the founding director of the graduate Centre for Religious Studies at the University of Toronto
.
into a family of scholars. Both his father and grandfather were ministers and teachers of the Old Testament
, and both were deans of San Francisco Theological Seminary
, in San Anselmo, CA.
, Oxtoby completed masters and doctoral degrees within a year of each other at Princeton University
, specializing in pre-Islamic Arabic inscriptions
. From 1958-1960 he worked in Jerusalem as part of the team that studied the Dead Sea Scrolls
.
in Montreal
, Quebec
, where he launched the university's inaugural course on Judaism
. After a few years, he realized he needed to explore the influences on the religion of the Hebrews following their Babylonian exile
, so he undertook two years of post-doctoral work at Harvard University
to study Zoroastrianism
, an ancient faith born in Persia, and possibly the world's first monotheistic religion
.
Oxtoby taught at Yale University
from 1966-1971, before accepting a full professorship at the University of Toronto's Trinity College
, where he taught for 28 years. Driven by his interest in comparative religion, Oxtoby travelled to more than 100 countries and studied more than a dozen languages, including Hebrew, Arabic, Ugaritic and Sanskrit
.
In terms of publications, Oxtoby was probably best known for the two-volume introductory textbook he edited, called World Religions: Western Traditions and World Religions: Eastern Traditions, published by Oxford University Press.
(1934-2001). Oxtoby died of cancer on March 6, 2003.
Comparative religion
Comparative religion is a field of religious studies that analyzes the similarities and differences of themes, myths, rituals and concepts among the world's religions...
, and was the founding director of the graduate Centre for Religious Studies at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
.
Early life
Oxtoby was born on July 29, 1933, in Kentfield, CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
into a family of scholars. Both his father and grandfather were ministers and teachers of the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
, and both were deans of San Francisco Theological Seminary
San Francisco Theological Seminary
San Francisco Theological Seminary is a graduate school affiliated with Presbyterian Church located in San Anselmo, California. Founded in 1871, SFTS is a graduate theological institution that is focused on graduate theological education in the Reformed tradition...
, in San Anselmo, CA.
Education
After graduating with a degree in Philosophy from Stanford UniversityStanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, Oxtoby completed masters and doctoral degrees within a year of each other at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, specializing in pre-Islamic Arabic inscriptions
History of the Arabic alphabet
The history of the Arabic alphabet shows that this abjad has changed since it arose. It is thought that the Arabic alphabet is a derivative of the Nabataean variation of the Aramaic alphabet, which descended from the Phoenician alphabet, which among others gave rise to the Hebrew alphabet and the...
. From 1958-1960 he worked in Jerusalem as part of the team that studied the Dead Sea Scrolls
Dead Sea scrolls
The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of 972 texts from the Hebrew Bible and extra-biblical documents found between 1947 and 1956 on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea, from which they derive their name...
.
Career
Oxtoby's first teaching job was at McGill UniversityMcGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, where he launched the university's inaugural course on Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
. After a few years, he realized he needed to explore the influences on the religion of the Hebrews following their Babylonian exile
Babylonian captivity
The Babylonian captivity was the period in Jewish history during which the Jews of the ancient Kingdom of Judah were captives in Babylon—conventionally 587–538 BCE....
, so he undertook two years of post-doctoral work at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
to study Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of prophet Zoroaster and was formerly among the world's largest religions. It was probably founded some time before the 6th century BCE in Greater Iran.In Zoroastrianism, the Creator Ahura Mazda is all good, and no evil...
, an ancient faith born in Persia, and possibly the world's first monotheistic religion
Monotheism
Monotheism is the belief in the existence of one and only one god. Monotheism is characteristic of the Baha'i Faith, Christianity, Druzism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Samaritanism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism.While they profess the existence of only one deity, monotheistic religions may still...
.
Oxtoby taught at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
from 1966-1971, before accepting a full professorship at the University of Toronto's Trinity College
University of Trinity College
The University of Trinity College, informally referred to as Trin, is a college of the University of Toronto, founded in 1851 by Bishop John Strachan. Trinity was intended by Strachan as a college of strong Anglican alignment, after the University of Toronto severed its ties with the Church of...
, where he taught for 28 years. Driven by his interest in comparative religion, Oxtoby travelled to more than 100 countries and studied more than a dozen languages, including Hebrew, Arabic, Ugaritic and Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
.
In terms of publications, Oxtoby was probably best known for the two-volume introductory textbook he edited, called World Religions: Western Traditions and World Religions: Eastern Traditions, published by Oxford University Press.
Personal life
Oxtoby was married to Layla Jurji (1935-1980) and, after her death from cancer, to Julia ChingJulia Ching
Julia Ching, CM was professor of religion, philosophy and East Asian studies at the University of Toronto.Born in Shanghai in 1934, Ching fled China as a refugee during the Second World War...
(1934-2001). Oxtoby died of cancer on March 6, 2003.