John J. Pilch

John J. Pilch (1936–2016) was an American biblical scholar who earned his Ph.D. from Marquette University in 1972. From 1993 to 2011, he taught the Cultural World of the Bible at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and also lectured in the Odyssey Program at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Pilch served as associate editor of Biblical Theology Bulletin from 1976 until his death in July 2016 and as Book Review Editor for more than twenty years. A founding member of the Context Group, he was a leading scholar in applying social-scientific methods and medical anthropology to biblical interpretation. His numerous books and articles explored biblical texts within their sociohistorical and cultural contexts, including healing practices, Mediterranean cultural values, and the interpretation of Scripture for the Church’s lectionary.