John Barton
John Barton (born 17 June 1948) is a British Anglican priest and biblical scholar. From 1991 to 2014, he was the Oriel and Laing Professor of the Interpretation of Holy Scripture at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Oriel College. In addition to his academic career, he has been an ordained and serving priest in the Church of England since 1973.
Also recorded as Barton, John
John Barton
- Name
- John Barton
- Born
- 17 June 1948
- Birthplace
- London, England
- Nationality
- United Kingdom
- Occupation
- theologian · university teacher · writer · priest · biblical scholar
- Fields
- Quranic studies · Church of England · theology · biblical studies
- Education
- Merton College · Keble College
- Honours
- Fellow of the British Academy
- Languages
- English
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
John Barton (born 17 June 1948) is a British Anglican priest and biblical scholar. From 1991 to 2014, he was the Oriel and Laing Professor of the Interpretation of Holy Scripture at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Oriel College. In addition to his academic career, he has been an ordained and serving priest in the Church of England since 1973.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for John Barton. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q1193040
In this article
Biography
Biography
His research interests and extensive publications have been in the areas of the Old Testament prophets, the biblical canon, biblical interpretation, and Old Testament theology. From 2010 to 2013, he researched Ethics in Ancient Israel, having been funded by a Leverhulme Major Research Fellowship. Barton is a foreign member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters and has been a Fellow of the British Academy since 2007.
John Barton studied at Merton College and Keble College. The recorded working language is English. The field of work recorded is Quranic studies, Church of England and theology. Employment is recorded with University of Oxford and Oriel College. Distinctions recorded are Fellow of the British Academy.
Key facts
Key facts
• Honorific Prefix — The Reverend • Name — John Barton • Born — 17 June 1948 • Birthplace — London, England • Title — Oriel and Laing Professor of the Interpretation of Holy Scripture (1991–2014) • Discipline — Biblical studies • Sub Discipline — * Old Testament studies • Old Testament prophets • biblical canon • biblical interpretation • Old Testament theology • Alma Mater — University of Oxford • Workplaces — University of Oxford
Early life and education
Early life and education
John Barton was born on 17 June 1948 in London, England. He was educated at Latymer Upper School, a private school in Hammersmith, London. He studied theology at Keble College, Oxford, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1969: as per tradition, his BA was promoted to a Master of Arts (MA) degree in 1973. He moved to Merton College, Oxford, to undertake postgraduate research, and completed his Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) degree in 1974. His doctoral thesis was titled The Relation of God to Ethics in the Eighth Century Prophets. He was awarded a Doctor of Letters (DLitt) degree, a higher doctorate, by the University of Oxford in 1988.
Academic career
Academic career
Barton was a Junior Research Fellow at Merton College, Oxford, between 1973 and 1974. In 1974, he was elected a Fellow of St Cross College, Oxford, and made a university lecturer in theology (Old Testament) at the University of Oxford. He was promoted from lecturer to Reader in Biblical Studies in 1989. In 1991, he was made Oriel and Laing Professor of the Interpretation of Holy Scripture and therefore elected a Fellow of Oriel College, Oxford. From 2010 to 2013 he held a Leverhulme Major Research Fellowship for work on a project entitled Ethics in Ancient Israel. He stepped down as Oriel and Laing Professor in 2014, and was made an Emeritus Fellow of Oriel College. Since 2014, he has been a Senior Research Fellow of Campion Hall, Oxford, a Jesuit-run permanent private hall of the University of Oxford.
Additional roles
Additional roles
He has been a Delegate of Oxford University Press since 2005. From 2004 to 2010 he was joint editor of the Journal of Theological Studies and is one of two Anglophone editors for the German monograph series Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft, published in Berlin.
Ordained ministry
Ordained ministry
In 1973, Barton was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon and priest. Concentrating on his academic career, he did not hold an ecclesiastical position until 1979 when he was made chaplain of St Cross College, Oxford. He continued this ministry until he left St Cross College for Oriel College, Oxford in 1991. In addition to his professorial appointment, he served as Canon Theologian of Winchester Cathedral between 1991 and 2003. He assists in services and other activities in the parish of Abingdon, in which he resides. From 2000 to 2005 and from 2009 to 2010 he served on the church's General Synod, representing the clergy of the University of Oxford. He sits on the Governing Body of Ripon College Cuddesdon, and was elected President of Modern Church in 2011. In 2013, Barton resigned from the office due to ill health, but he continues to serve on the editorial board of the periodical, Modern Church.
Research interests
Research interests
Barton's research interests have included the Old Testament prophets, the biblical canon, biblical interpretation, Old Testament theology, as well as biblical ethics.
Sole authorship
Joint authorship
Edited
Edited
# # # • - English version Revelation and Story: Narrative Theology and the Centrality of Story # # # # # # #
Festschrift
Festschrift
#
Personal life
Personal life
In 1973, Barton married Mary Burn. Together they have one daughter. Barton lives in the parish of Abingdon.
Career and activity
Career and activity
John Barton worked in Quranic studies, Church of England, theology, biblical studies and literary activity. He was employed by University of Oxford and Oriel College. He belonged to Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters and British Academy.
Identity
Identity
John Barton is recorded with the occupation university teacher. Recorded with the occupation biblical scholar. Recorded with the occupation Anglican priest. Recorded as theologian, university teacher, writer, priest and biblical scholar.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1948
John Barton was born on 17 June 1948.
Where the work is held
Holdings and surviving copies
Where material relating to John Barton is held.
Honours
In 2007, Barton was elected a Fellow of the British Academy (FBA), the United Kingdom's national academy for the humanities and social sciences. He is also a Corresponding Fellow of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters. In 1998, Barton was awarded an honorary Doctor of Theology (Dr. theol.) degree by the University of Bonn. A History of the Bible: The Book and Its Faiths was shortlisted for the 2020 Wolfson History Prize and won the 2019 Duff Cooper Prize. It was adapted for radio and broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 2020.
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
authority record
General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 18 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Books
38,988 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- John BarnesAuthor
- John BarrAuthor
- John BarrowAuthor
- John BarthAuthor
- John BascomAuthor
- John Bates ClarkAuthor
- John BatkiAuthor
- John BaylissAuthor
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by John Barton?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.