Brent Nongbri

Brent Nongbri is a Professor of History of Religions at MF, specializing in early Christianity and ancient manuscripts. He leads the Research Council of Norway-funded EthiCodex project (2021–2026), focusing on codex methodology and ethics. His 2018 book God's Library won major awards. He teaches courses like Theories of Religion (AVH5080) and Religious Heritage for Sale (SAM5010).

Education includes a PhD from Yale University (2008), with prior roles as a DECRA Fellow and Macquarie University Research Fellow (2008–2018). His research spans early Christian manuscripts, Dead Sea Scrolls, and papyrology. Collaborative projects include work with MF’s L-MaSDR lab on gospel harmonies.

Key achievements: Award-winning publications, radiocarbon analysis studies of Dead Sea Scrolls, and co-authorship of Working with Manuscripts (2025). Awards include the DeLong Book Prize and Biblical Archaeology Society honors. Active in debates over manuscript ethics and palaeographic methods.

Recent research highlights: Radiocarbon analysis challenging traditional palaeography, discoveries like the Ostia mikveh, and analysis of ancient writing tools like pumice usage. Engages in public scholarship via his Variant Readings blog and peer-reviewed journals.