Patrick W. Skehan

Patrick William Skehan (30 September 1909 – 9 September 1980) was an American Old Testament semitic scholar.[1][2]

Patrick W. Skehan
Born30 September 1909 
New York 
Died9 September 1980  (aged 70)
Washington, D.C. 
EducationDoctor of Sacred Theology 
Alma mater
OccupationUniversity teacher, Old Testament scholar, director, linguist, theologian 
Employer

Life

Patrick W. Skehan was born on September 30, 1909 in New York City.[3] Skehan died on September 9, 1980.[3]

Education

Skehan received his B.A. from Fordham University (1929), and studied theology at St. Joseph's Seminary (known as Dunwoodie). He studied Scripture and Semitic Languages at Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, where he earned his doctorate and obtained an Doctor of Sacred Theology in the Old Testament (1938).[4] His doctoral advisor was Edward P. Arbez, and his dissertation for his doctorate in Sacred Theology was entitled The Literary Relationship Between the Book of Wisdom and the Protocanonical Wisdom Books of the Old Testament. His dissertation was published in the Catholic University monographic series Studies in Sacred Theology (no. 54).

Religious order

He was ordained as a priest in the Catholic Church.[3] Skehan was ordained a priest at St. Joseph's Seminary on September 23, 1933.

Academic work

He was the Chair of the Department of Semitic and Egyptian Languages and Literatures at The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC.[5] He was appointed Secretary of the Advisory Committee for the Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium (C.S.C.O.).[6]

Teaching

He taught Hebrew Hebrew, Aramaic, and Syriac at the Department of Semitic and Egyptian Languages and Literatures at the Catholic University of America,[5] and a visiting professor at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome.[6]

Editorial work

Skehan participated in the translation of the New American Bible. He was associate editor on several occasions of the Catholic Biblical Quarterly, associate editor of Old Testament Abstracts, and editor of the association's monograph series (1973-75). He also worked on the New Catholic Encyclopedia.

The Catholic University of America describes five series within the articles of Patrick W. Skehan:

  1. General Correspondence
  2. Business Records
  3. Subject Files
  4. Photographs
  5. Manuscripts with Marginalia.

Archaeological

In 1947, when William Foxwell Albright conducted an archaeological exploration in Egypt, he asked Skehan to be a visiting lecturer in his place at Johns Hopkins. He agreed and did this for Albright on other occasions between 1947 and 1956. Skehan was also a guest professor during the 1969-1970 academic year at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome.

In 1953, Skehan was chosen as a member of the Dead Sea Scrolls editorial team, along with Frank Moore Cross, John Allegro, John Strugnell, Dominique Barthélemy, Jean Starcky, Claus-Hunno Hunziger, Josef T. Milik, and Roland de Vaux who was the project director.[7]

Organizations

Skehan was involved with many organizations and their projects including the Catholic Biblical Association, the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, the American Schools of Oriental Research, the American Oriental Society, and the Pontifical Biblical Commission.

Recognitions and distinctions

Skehan's work and contribution to the study of Scripture was recognized and honored by the Holy See. He was named Monsignor by Pope Pius XII on June 17, 1954, appointed Domestic Prelate by Pope John XXIII on December 2, 1958, and awarded Benemerenti Medal by Pope Paul VI on December 29, 1964.

Skehan had the respect and friendship of his students and colleagues. In 1974 The Catholic Biblical Quarterly issued a festschrift in his honor, edited by one of his students, Roland E. Murphy, O.Carm. One of his students, Alexander A. Di Lella, O.F.M, wrote a tribute to him published in The Catholic Biblical Quarterly. Of his teacher Di Lella says: "He was more than a dedicated teacher and scholar. He was above all a loyal churchman and devout priest, a Christian gentleman, and a superlative human being."

Works
  • Patrick W Skehan (1938). The literary relationship between the Book of Wisdom and the Protocanonical Wisdom Books of the Old Testament. Catholic University of America, School of Sacred Theology, studies in sacred theology. Vol. 54. Washington, Catholic University of America Press. OCLC 371202.
  • Patrick W. Skehan (1971). Studies in Israelite poetry and wisdom. Catholic biblical quarterly: Monograph ser. Vol. 1. Washington, DC: Catholic Bibl. Assoc. of America. OCLC 254205957.
  • Patrick W Skehan (1971). Studies in Israelite poetry and wisdom. Catholic Biblical quarterly: Monograph series. Washington: Catholic Biblical Association of America. ISBN 9780915170005. OCLC 154986.
  • Patrick W Skehan; Roland E Murphy (1974). Patrick W. Skehan festschrift. Catholic Biblical quarterly. Vol. 36. Washington, D.C.: Catholic Biblical Association of America. OCLC 12984798.
  • Patrick W Skehan; Alexander A Di Lella (1987). The Wisdom of Ben Sira: a new translation with notes by Patrick W Skehan. Bible. Vol. 39. New York: Doubleday. ISBN 9780385510042. OCLC 13525398.
  • Patrick W Skehan; Alexander A Di Lella (1987). Anchor Bible. A new translation with notes. Bible. Vol. 39. New York: Doubleday. ISBN 9780385135177. OCLC 643612966.
  • Patrick W Skehan; Eugene Ulrich; Judith E Sanderson; P J Parsons (1992). Qumran cave 4. IV: Palaeo-Hebrew and Greek biblical manuscripts. Discoveries in the Judaean desert. Vol. 9. Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 9780198263289. OCLC 27900865.
  • Patrick W Skehan; Eugene Ulrich; Judith E Sanderson; P J Parsons (1992). Qumran cave 4. Discoveries in the Judaean desert. Vol. 9. Clarendon. ISBN 9780198263289. OCLC 28747304.
  • Patrick W Skehan; John Marco Allegro; Elisha Qimron (1996). Qumran cave 4. 13 The Damascus document (4Q266-273). Discoveries in the Judaean desert. Vol. 18. Oxford Clarendon Press.
  • Patrick W Skehan. Studies in israelite poetry and wisdom. The catholic biblical quarterly. Monograph series, 1. OCLC 489867231.

See also

References
  1. "Skehan, Patrick W." Encyclopedia.com.
  2. "Descriptions of Manuscript Collections, L-Z". University Libraries. The Catholic University of America.
  3. "Skehan, Patrick W." Oxford Reference. University of Oxford.
  4. "The American Priest: Patrick William Skehan". Biblical Archaeology Society. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  5. "Studies in Israelite Poetry and Wisdom". Hopkins Fulfillment Services Books. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  6. "Patrick W. Skehan". Digital Exhibits: American Catholic History Research Center and University Archives. The Catholic University of America.
  7. "An inventory of the Patrick W. Skehan Papers at The American Catholic History Research Center and University Archives". University Libraries. The Catholic University of America.

Bibliography
  • Alexander A. Di Lella, O.F.M. (October 1980). "Patrick William Skehan: A Tribute". The Catholic Bibical Quarterly. 42 (4): 435–437.
  • "Studies in Israelite Poetry and Wisdom". The Catholic Bibical Quarterly MS 1. Wash., D.C.: 254–260 1971.
  • "Bibliography of the Published Works by Patrick William Skehan". The Catholic Bibical Quarterly. Catholic Biblical Association. 43 (1): 96–98. 1981. JSTOR 43715980.
  • "Patrick W. Skehan Festschrift". The Catholic Biblical Quarterly. 36 (4). October 1974.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.