Tim Vivian

Tim Vivian is Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies at California State University Bakersfield and a retired priest in the Episcopal Church. In 2018 he received an honorary doctorate of divinity (D.D.) from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP, Episcopal) for his scholarship and work for social justice. Tim is the author of numerous books, articles, and book reviews on early Christian monasticism. Volume 1 (of two) of "Sayings and Stories of the Desert Fathers and Mothers" appeared in 2021 and volume 2 is forthcoming (2023). The Very Revd. Prof. John A. McGuckin of Oxford University says about the volume: "A wonderful book. The introduction, on its own, ought to be required reading in all theological schools and for those interested in literature generally. This collection of the Sayings of the Desert Fathers and Mothers (vol. 1. A-E) is an edition that is destined to become a classic standard." With Maged S. A. Mikhail, he is editor and translator of "The Life of Bishoi: The Greek, Arabic, Syriac, and Ge’ez (Ethiopic) Lives," published by the American University in Cairo Press, due out mid-2021. A link to Tim's articles on the web: https://scholarworks.calstate.edu/catalog?f%5Bcreator_sim%5D%5B%5D=Vivian%2C+Tim&locale=en In 2020 he published two books of poetry (Wipf & Stock): "Other Voices, Other Rooms: Reflections on Scripture," and "Poems Written in a Time of Plague: Further Reflections on Scripture." In 2023 he published a third volume, "A Doorway into Thanks" (Austin Macauley). In 2021 he published The Sayings of the Desert Fathers and Mothers, vol. 1 of 2 (https://www.amazon.com/Sayings-Stories-Desert-Fathers-Mothers/dp/0879071095/ref=sr_1_2?crid=BMK6H1E84DD6&keywords=vivian+sayings&qid=1644499625&s=books&sprefix=vivian+sayings%2Cstripbooks%2C112&sr=1-2). Volume 2: https://www.amazon.com/Sayings-Stories-Desert-Fathers-Mothers/dp/087907292X/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1WLKMWV7D5F50&keywords=tim+vivian+sayings&qid=1683209856&s=books&sprefix=tim+vivian+sayings%2Cstripbooks%2C158&sr=1-2. In 2022 he published, with Maged S.A. Mikhail, The Life of Bishoi (https://www.amazon.com/Life-Bishoi-Arabic-Syriac-Ethiopic/dp/1617979996/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1O6IGRYIIARY9&keywords=vivian+mikhail+bishoi&qid=1644499781&s=books&sprefix=vivian+mikhail+bishoi%2Cstripbooks%2C118&sr=1-1). With Lisa Agaiby, Door of the Wilderness: The Greek, Coptic, and Copto-Arabic Sayings of St. Antony of Egypt An English Translation, with Introductions and Notes(https://www.amazon.com/Door-Wilderness-Copto-Arabic-Introductions-Christianity/dp/9004471863/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1644499845&refinements=p_27%3AUniversity+of+Divinity+Melbourne+andATim+Vivian&s=books&sr=1-1&text=University+of+Divinity+Melbourne+andATim+Vivian). Tim has a B.A. in English (UC Santa Barbara), an M.A. in American Literature (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo), an M.A. in Comparative Literature (Greek, Latin, German, and Spanish) (UC Santa Barbara), an interdisciplinary Ph.D (History, Classics, and Religious Studies) (UC Santa Barbara), an M.Div. (CDSP), and was a Luce Post-doc fellow at Yale Divinity School (1988-1990). He and his wife, Miriam (a History professor), live in Bakersfield. They have three grown children: Meredith, John, and David. Semi-retired, Tim reads, writes, naps, gardens, and obeys two cats.