Anthony Charles Thiselton, FBA (1937-2023)

Anthony Charles Thiselton

The University of Nottingham Department of Theology and Religious Studies is sad to announce the death of Anthony Charles Thiselton, who was Professor of Christian Theology and Head of Department (1992-2001) and later part-time Professor (2006-11).

Anthony Thiselton gained degrees from King’s College, London (BD, MTh) and Sheffield (PhD). He taught in five universities (Bristol, Sheffield, Durham, Nottingham, and Chester) across a range of theological sub-disciplines (New Testament, Systematic Theology, Philosophy of Religion) and was Visiting Professor at seminaries in North America and Korea. His service and scholarship were recognised by honorary degrees from Durham, Chester, and Lambeth and fellowships including becoming Fellow of the British Academy.

In 2013 a Festschrift was published in his honour, and as the title Horizons in Hermeneutics suggests he was best known for his work in hermeneutics. His first book, The Two Horizons (1980), had wide influence in the English-speaking world and beyond, as did his third book, New Horizons in Hermeneutics (1992). It was because of such works that he attracted PhD students from across the globe to study with him in Nottingham.

Thiselton’s rigorous scholarship was combined with pastoral concerns, readily discerned in his 1500-page commentary on The First Letter to the Corinthians (2000). To make his scholarship more widely available, this was rewritten as A Shorter Exegetical & Pastoral Commentary (2006). Indeed, he did his utmost to make his scholarship as accessible as possible through writing popular and semi-popular works, speaking to church groups, and regular preaching.

Thiselton channelled his industry not only into scholarship and wider education but also into administration. Not only was he Head of Department at the University of Nottingham, but he had previously acted as Principal of St John’s College, Nottingham (1985-88) and St John’s College, Durham (1988-92). He served on many Church of England committees (e.g. the Doctrine Commission), and his wider service was exemplified by his work in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.  

In 2015 Thiselton wrote a short autobiography, A Lifetime in the Church and the University, in which he explains how his entry into academia was through ordination into the Church of England ministry. His first post was as curate at Holy Trinity, Sydenham (1960-63), and this was followed by a teaching post at Tyndale Hall Theological College, Bristol (1963-70). It was from this beginning that Thiselton’s vocation as a theologian developed. However, this may never have materialised. Anthony suffered from serious eye problems from his early school days. When he applied for ordination, he failed his medical. His bishop explained to him: “The specialist says that you will never be able to read enough books to exercise a useful parish ministry.” Thiselton responded that he had been able to read many books despite his eye problems. He did though admit to using a magnifying glass to discern Hebrew vowels! There and then the bishop set aside the medical report and decided to recommend him for ordination. Thiselton comments: “This was providence indeed. My whole future, not to mention my sense of God’s call, had hung in the balance.” And so began Thiselton’s service to the Church and to the universities in which he worked. He will be greatly missed.

Professor Richard H. Bell