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L. Michael White is Professor and Ronald Nelson Smith Chair in Classics and Religious Studies at the University of Texas at Austin, where he also serves as Director of the Institute for the Study of Antiquity and Christian Origins (ISAC), which he founded in 2001. He holds affiliate status with CMES and serves as Director of Graduate Studies and Graduate Adviser in Religious Studies. White came to UT Austin in 1996-97 to found what is now the Department of Religious Studies, having previously served as Chair of the Department of Religion at Oberlin College.
White earned his Ph.D. in Religious Studies from Yale University. His academic journey reflects a deep commitment to understanding the historical and social contexts of early religious movements, particularly focusing on the Greco-Roman world.
Dr. White specializes in the Religions of the Roman Empire, with particular focus on the social context of Jews and Christians in the Greco-Roman world. His research blends historical, literary, and sociological approaches with traditional biblical studies and archaeological field work. White's work emphasizes understanding early Christian communities within their broader cultural contexts rather than treating them as isolated religious phenomena. His approach reveals how Christianity developed from a Jewish messianic movement into a world religion through complex interactions with Greco-Roman culture.
White serves as Project Director of the Ostia Synagogue Area Excavations (OSMAP), an archaeological field project examining the ancient synagogue of Ostia Antica, the port city of classical Rome. This work represents his commitment to integrating archaeological evidence with textual analysis in understanding religious history.
Dr. White has received significant recognition for his scholarly contributions through media appearances and documentary work. He served as consultant and co-writer for two PBS/Frontline documentaries: 'From Jesus To Christ: The First Christians' (which became the most watched Frontline program of all time on PBS) and 'Apocalypse! Time, History, and Revolution.' These documentaries reflect his ability to translate complex academic research for broader public understanding.
White is an active member of the academic community, having served as an executive officer and Head of the Finance Committee of the Society of Biblical Literature, the international professional society for biblical studies. He is also a member of the Philosophical Society of Texas.
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