Matthias Henze

Matthias Henze is the Isla Carroll and Percy E. Turner Professor of Biblical Studies and Founding Director of Rice University’s Program in Jewish Studies, where he has taught since 1997. His work bridges Hebrew Bible scholarship, early Jewish literature, and Syriac studies, focusing on texts outside the canonical Bible such as the Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha, and Dead Sea Scrolls.

• Ph.D., Harvard University (1997)
• M.A., Harvard University (1996)
• Master of Divinity, University of Heidelberg (1992)

Research Interests

Dr. Henze’s research centers on the literary history of early Judaism, apocalyptic literature, biblical ethics, textual transmission, and the history of biblical interpretation. He emphasizes the interconnections between canonical and non-canonical texts from the Second Temple period (4th century BCE–2nd century CE).

Key Academic Contributions

He has authored and edited nine major works, including a critical commentary on 2 Baruch and a three-volume analysis of the textual history of the Deuterocanonical scriptures. His publications reflect a commitment to making ancient texts accessible to modern audiences while maintaining scholarly rigor.

Awards & Recognition

• George R. Brown Award for Superior Teaching (2009, 2010, 2015)
• Phi Beta Kappa Teaching Prize (2003)
• Graduate Student Association Teaching and Mentoring Award (2015)
• John Freeman Faculty Teaching and Mentoring Award (2022)
• Faculty Award for Excellence in Research, Teaching, and Service (2019)

Leadership & Innovation

In 2009, he founded Rice’s Program in Jewish Studies, fostering interdisciplinary research on Jewish cultures from antiquity to the present. He co-founded the Joan and Stanford Alexander South Texas Jewish Archives in 2017 to preserve regional Jewish heritage and has led initiatives on antisemitism studies.