The Bernhard W. Anderson Manuscript Collection

1916

Born in Dover, Missouri to Arthur Lincoln Anderson, an itinerant preacher, and Grace (Word) Anderson. September 25.

1936

B.A., College of the Pacific. Married Joyce Griswold.

1937-1941

Pastor of Sunnyvale Methodist Church in California

1938

M.A., Pacific School of Religion

1939

B.D., Pacific School of Religion. Ordained in the United Methodist Church

1944-1946

Pastor at Millbrae Methodist Church

1945

Ph.D., Yale University

1946-1948

Instructor in the department of Philosophy and Religion, Colgate University

1948-1950

James A. Gray Associate Professor of Biblical Literature, University of North Carolina

1950-1954

Joseph B. Hoyt Professor of Old Testament Interpretation, Colgate Rochester Divinity School

1954-1963

Henry Anson Buttz Professor of Biblical Theology, Drew University

1957

Publication of Understanding the Old Testament

1960

Honorary D.D., Pacific School of Religion

1961

Honorary S.T.D., University of the Pacific

1963-1964

Annual Professor, American School of Oriental Research, Jerusalem

1965

Honorary D.D., Colgate University

1969-1983

Professor of Old Testament Theology, Princeton Theological Seminary

1984

Professor of Old Testament Theology, Princeton Theological Seminary

2007

Death. December 26.

Bernhard Word Anderson was born September 25, 1916, in Dover, Missouri to parents Arthur Lincoln Anderson, an itinerant preacher, and Grace Word Anderson. In 1936 Anderson earned a B.A. from the College of the Pacific. From there he went on to earn an M.A. (1938) and B.D. (1939) from the Pacific School of Religion, where he studied under James Muilenberg. In 1939 he was ordained in the United Methodist Church and pastored Methodist churches in California, specifically Jamestown, Pittsburg, Sunnyvale, Millbrae, and Congregational churches in Wauregan and Central Village, Connecticut.

In 1945 Anderson earned a Ph.D. from Yale University and began a career in academia. From 1946 to 1948 he worked as an instructor in the Department of Philosophy and Religion at Colgate University. From 1948 to 1950 he was James A. Gray Associate Professor of Biblical Literature at the University of North Carolina and from 1950 to 1954 he was Joseph B. Hoyt Professor of Old Testament Interpretation at Colgate Rochester Divinity School. In 1954 Anderson began working at Drew University. He was employed as the Henry Anson Buttz Professor of Biblical Theology, a position he held until 1968. From 1954 to 1963 he was Dean of the Theological School at Drew University. In 1957 he published Understanding the Old Testament.

Anderson was deeply interested in archaeology and in 1956 he, together with George Ernest Wright, launched the Drew-McCormick Archaeological Expedition to excavate the city of Shechem. From 1963 to 1964 Anderson served as the Annual Professor at the American School of Oriental Research in Jerusalem. From Drew, Anderson went on to be a Professor of Old Testament Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary from 1969 to 1983 and later as an adjunct professor of Old Testament Theology at the Boston University School of Theology 1984 to 1996.

During the course of his life Anderson was awarded a variety of honorary degrees. In 1960 he was awarded an honorary D.D. from the Pacific School of Religion. In 1961 he was awarded an honorary S.T.D. from the University of the Pacific, and in 1965 he was awarded an honorary D.D. from Colgate University.

Anderson and his first wife Joyce (Griswold) Anderson married in 1936 and had four children: Carol Joyce born in 1937, Sylvia Joan born in 1940, Ronald Bernhard born in 1949, and Ruth Ann born in 1954. Anderson had 6 grandchildren. He later married Monique Anderson. Anderson passed away on December 26, 2007 at the age of 91.