Frederick Borsch

The Rt. Rev. Frederick Houk Borsch (born September 13 1935) is an American Episcopal bishop. He was Bishop of Los Angeles from 1988 to 2002, served as interim dean of Berkeley Divinity School at Yale University and serves as chairman of Anglican studies at Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. Remembered particularly for the development of Spanish-speaking congregations, his leadership in environmental stewardship, the building of the Cathedral Center of St. Paul, and advocacy for the living wage and other social justice issues while bishop in Los Angeles, he also served for twelve years as the Chair of the House of Bishop’s Theology Committee and as a member of the design and steering teams for the 1988 and 1998 Lambeth Conferences, chairing the major section “Called to be a Faithful Church in a Plural World” in 1998.

Educated at Princeton, Oxford and the General Theological Seminary, his Ph.D. degree is from the University of Birmingham in England. In addition to teaching posts in England, at Seabury-Western and the General Theological Seminary, he was formerly Dean, President, and Professor of New Testament at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific. He was Dean of the Chapel with rank of Professor of Religion at Princeton University where he taught in the Program in the History, Archaeology and Religions of the Ancient World.

Contributor of essays, articles and poetry to a number of journal and newspapers, he is the author or editor of some 20 books. He has been a conference leader and given university and seminary lectures at institutions in this country and abroad. In 1985, for thirteen weeks, he was the preacher for the Protestant Hour. For further biography see “The Other Bishop” in Los Angeles Times Magazine, April 11, 1999.

Bibliography

The Spirit Searches Everything: Keeping Life’s Questions (Cowley Publications: 2005)

New Proclamation, Year B, 2002-3, with J.M. Childs, P.H. Pfatleicher, M.F. Connell (Fortress Press: 2002)

The Magic Word: Stirrings and Stories of Faith and Ministry* (Cathedral Center Press: 2001)

Outrage and Hope: A Bishop’s Reflection in Times of Change and Challenge (Trinity Press International: 1996)

Christian Discipleship and Sexuality (Forward Movement: 1993)

Editor, The Bible’s Authority in Today’s Church (Trinity Press International: 1993)

Proclamation 4, Epiphany 1 (Fortress Press: 1989)

Many Things in Parables: Extravagant Stories of New Community (Fortress Press: 1988)

Jesus: The Human Life of God* (Forward Movement Publication: 1987)

Proclamation 3, Pentecost 1 (Fortress Press: 1985)

Editor, Anglicanism and the Bible (Morehouse-Barlow: 1984)

Power in Weakness: New Hearing for Gospel Stories of Healing and Discipleship* (Fortress Press: 1983)

Coming Together in the Spirit (Forward Movement Publication: 1980)

Proclamation, Series II-A, Advent-Christmas, with D. Napier (Fortress Press, Philadelphia: 1980)

Introducing the Lessons of the Church Year: A Guide for Lay Readers and Congregations (Seabury Press, New York: 1978; Trinity Press International: 1991)

God’s Parable (SCM Press: 1975; Westminster: 1976)

The Christian and Gnostic Son of Man (SCM Press: 1970)

The Son of Man in Myth and History (SCM Press, Westminster Press: 1967)

* Also in audio publication by the Episcopal Media Center.

External links

* [http://www.frederickborsch.com/ Spirit Searching, Frederick Borsch's personal Web site]
* [http://www.ltsp.edu/faculty/borsch/index.html Biography at LTSP]
* [http://www.ladiocese.org/OLD%20PAGES/bioborsch.htm Biography on Diocese of Los Angeles Web site]
* [http://www.ltsp.edu/news/2002-2003/0306borsch.html News release about appointment to LTSP]