Yes. Fred and I were colleagues from 1954 till his retirement in about
1988, first at Concordia Seminary, then at Christ Seminary Seminex (both in
greater St. Louis), and finally at the Lutheran School of Theology at
Chicago. Fred moved back to St. Louis on retirement. I see him now and then
here in Chicago or in St. Louis.
When we were both graduate students, majoring in classical philology, we
had some seminars together. I remember one on Cicero's DE NATURA DEORUM in
which he and I were the only students with Prof. Philip H. De Lacy. While
Fred's doctorate came from the University of Chicago (under Gertrude Smith,
as I recall), mine was at Washington University in St. Louis, with Phil De
Lacy as my advisor. Fred wrote on Greek tragedy, I on philosophy in the
Early Roman Empire. We share a commitment to the values of wide reading in
Greco-Roman literature as a valuable--if not indispensable--too for
interpreting the New Testament. I would add to that a special interest in
classical archaeology and art history, having spent almost 17 years in the
excavation of Caesarea Maritima in Israel. My first mentor in archaeology
was a marvelous teach, George Emmanuel Mylonas at Washington University.
[Was he still active when you came to Washington University, Carl?]
If you are interested in knowing more of Fred Danker read his commentary on
Luke (JESUS AND THE NEW AGE), HIS COMMENTARY ON 2 CORINTHIANS, and his
major annotated translation of Greek and Latin inscriptions useful for
understanding the concept of benefactor (EUERGETHS) in the NT world. I had
the benefit of many years of conversation over coffee, wine, etc., of many
long walks in the evening at SBL and SNTS meetings, and of hearing him try
out his ideas in our biblical department meetings (8 OT and 8 NT
professors).
I am sending this also to b-greek simply because Fred is so important in
the philological study of the Greek language. If you have never seen it, by
the way, read his A CENTURY OF GRECO-ROMAN PHILOLOGY. Atlanta: Scholars
Press, 1988. It is full of anecdotal material as well as marvelous
scholarship.
For example, the story about Paul Shorey, great Platonist at the University
of Chicago in the 20s and 30s. He is suppose to have said that most books
should have been articles, most articles footnotes, and most footnotes
should never have been written at all. Or (from Fred, p. 192) Arnold Jones
in the preface to his THE CITIES OF THE EASTERN ROMAN PROVINCES, who wrote
that he was grateful for the suggestions and corrections offered to him by
the great epigraphist Louis Robert, but would not thank him for the manner
in which he presented them!
Fred, by the way, occasioned many such bon mots himself. When asked once by
a student favoring women's ordination [in the days before Lutherans
ordained women] what he felt about it, Fred responded "I'm against it. But
then I'm also against ordaining men, since the NT knows nothing of it."
Students called him "Red Fred," because of the color of his hair; his
brother William, who taught comparitive religion and missiology was called
"Black Bill" for obvious reasons. That way the Professors Danker were not
confused.
Sorry to run on like this, but Fred deserves a book of his own. He is
legendary to some 40 years of seminary students, to say nothing of his many
friends and colleagues in the craft.
Peace, Ed Krentz
******************************************************
*Edgar Krentz, Prof. of New Testament *
* Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago *
* 1100 East 55th Street *
* CHICAGO IL 60615 *
* TEL.: 773-256-0752 FAX: 773-256-0782 *
* Office: ekrentz@lstc.edu OR HOME: emkrentz@mcs.com *
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