Harry O. Maier

Dr. Harry O. Maier is Professor of New Testament and Early Christian Studies at Vancouver School of Theology since 1994, with ongoing fellowships at the Max Weber Center for Advanced Cultural and Social Studies at the University of Erfurt since 2017. His academic career spans over 25 years with significant contributions to understanding early Christianity within the context of the Roman Empire.

His educational background includes a D. Phil from Oxford University (1987), Master of Divinity from Lutheran Theological Seminary (1989), and B.A. from Pacific Lutheran University (1981).

Maier's research focuses on the intersection of New Testament studies, early Christianity, and spatial theory within the Roman Empire. His work examines how early Christian communities navigated urban spaces, constructed religious identity, and engaged with imperial ideologies. He has pioneered approaches that analyze biblical texts through spatial theory, examining how geography, urban structures, and neighborhood dynamics shaped early Christian thought and practice. His research particularly emphasizes the Book of Revelation, the Shepherd of Hermas, and Pauline literature, with attention to how these texts engaged with Roman imperial culture.

His scholarly contributions include significant publications such as New Testament Christianity in the Roman World (Oxford University Press, 2018) and Picturing Paul in Empire (Bloomsbury, 2013), which won recognition for their innovative approaches to understanding early Christian texts within their socio-spatial contexts.

• Canadian Christian Writers Association Award for Best Book in Philosophy and Christian Leadership (2003) for Apocalypse Recalled: The Book of Revelation after Christendom
• Canadian Corportation of Religion Award for Best Dissertation in Religion (1990) for The Social Setting of the Ministry as Reflected in the Writings of the Shepherd of Hermas, Clement and Ignatius

Maier has organized numerous academic conferences including "The Shepherd of Hermas and Religious Experience" (2018), "Religion of Quarters" (2018), and "Locating Martyrs and Space/Time" (2017). He serves on editorial boards for several prestigious publications including as associate editor for the Bryn Mawr Classical Review since 2016 and co-editor of the Christian Religion and Public Life book series since 2020. His external reviewing work includes major academic presses such as Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press.

As founder and co-organizer of The Greater Vancouver Biblical Colloquium since 2008, Maier has fostered interdisciplinary dialogue among scholars of biblical studies and related fields. His academic leadership extends to professional societies including the Society of Biblical Literature and the North American Patristics Society.