Former Duke Divinity dean Richard Hays, renowned New Testament Scholar, dies at 76

Richard Hays, George Washington Ivey distinguished professor emeritus of New Testament, died Friday at his home in Nashville, Tennessee, following a decade-long battle with pancreatic cancer.

Hays, 76, served as the dean of the Duke Divinity School from 2010 to 2015. Throughout his career, he became a renowned scholar for his work combining biblical criticism and literary studies to study how early Christian writers understood Israel’s scripture. Hays’ work on the letters of Paul, the Gospels and New Testament theology has also been recognized internationally.

“Richard was an influential scholar, educator and leader who shaped theological education and practice both here at Duke and far beyond our campus,” wrote President Vincent Price in a Monday email to The Chronicle. “I extend my sincere condolences to Richard’s wife, Judy, and their children, as well as to the many friends, colleagues and students who benefited from Richard’s presence in their lives.”

Hays was particularly known for his 1996 book, “The Moral Vision of the New Testament,” where he claimed that same-sex relationships were “among many tragic signs that we are a broken people, alienated from God’s loving purpose.” The book — which was named by Christianity Today as one of the 100 most important Christian books in the 20th century — was cited by many like-minded Christian leaders over the years, contributing to anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment within the church.

However, in his most recent book, “The Widening of God’s Mercy: Sexuality Within the Biblical Story” published in September 2024, Hays shared a revised perspective and publicly recognized that his scholarship harmed the LGBTQ+ and Christian communities. He attributed his changing perspective to his experience teaching “gay and lesbian students in [his] classes … who were very clearly committed to the church and to Christian faith.”

“What I came to think over time is that what the Bible shows is not some isolated proof texts or isolated statements of law, but it shows us a much bigger picture of God as a God who continually surprises us … with the scope of generosity and grace and mercy,” Hays said in an interview with Peter Wehner published by The New York Times in November. “And that bigger picture is the context in which we ought to think about same-sex relationships in our time.”

Hays was born in Oklahoma and earned his bachelor’s degree in English literature at Yale University in 1970. A few years after his graduation, he returned to Yale — this time the Yale Divinity School — where he earned his Master of Divinity in 1977, after which Hays completed his doctorate in the New Testament at Emory University. Hays returned to Yale where he taught the New Testament from 1981 to 1991, then moving to Duke’s divinity school until his retirement in 2018.

Throughout his career, Hays lectured across the globe including Australia, Europe, Israel, New Zealand and Hong Kong. As an ordained United Methodist minister, he also preached in locations ranging from rural Oklahoma to the Westminster Abbey in London.

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