{{Short description|American biblical scholar and professor (1908–2000)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox person | name = Jack Finegan | birth_date = {{birth date|1908|7|11}} | birth_place = Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2000|7|15|1908|7|11}} | death_place = Oakland, California, U.S. | education = {{plainlist| * Drake University (BA, MA, BD) * Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School (BD, MTh) }} | occupation = {{hlist|Biblical scholar|professor}} | spouse = {{marriage|Mildred Meader|September 4, 1934}} | children = 1 }}
'''Jack Finegan''' (July 11, 1908 – July 15, 2000) was an American biblical scholar and Professor of New Testament History and Archaeology at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California. While a professor at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, he published ''Light from the Ancient Past'' in 1946. He was notable for his views on biblical chronology.<ref>''Chronos, kairos, Christos: nativity and chronological studies'' Page 287 Ray Summers, Jerry Vardaman - 1998 "Various scholars, such as Ernest Martin, have accepted Wacholder's conclusions, but Finegan opts for Zuckermann's older work and chronological conclusions, as I would follow, but with exceptions, since Zuckermann's chronology in places ..." Page ix "Jack Finegan: A Tribute, Bastiaan Van Elderen: ..A brief look at his Handbook of Biblical Chronology (1964) astounds one at the detailed research.."</ref>
== Early life and education == Jack Finegan was born on July 11, 1908 in Des Moines, Iowa to Henry Mentor Finegan and Clarissa Atemisha Chestnut.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jack Finegan in the U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 |url=https://www.ancestry.com/offers/join?dbid=60901&gsfn&gsln&h=22593384&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ancestry.com%2Fsearch%2Fcollections%2F60901%2Frecords%2F22593384 |access-date=December 27, 2025 |website=Ancestry.com}}</ref>
He attended Drake University receiving a B.A. in 1928, a M.A. in 1929, and a B.D. in 1930. He then attended the Colgate Rochester Divinity School, receiving a B.D. 1931 and a M.Th. in 1932.
== Career == Finegan taught religion and biblical studies at Iowa State College (now Iowa State University) in Ames, Iowa, where he served as a professor of religion and later as head of the Department of Religion.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Earl Lectures |url=https://www.psr.edu/alumnx/earl-lectures/ |access-date=2025-12-27 |website=Pacific School of Religion |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> During this time, he was also active in church ministry, serving as pastor of First Christian Church of Ames.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Jack Finegan |url=https://library.biblicalarchaeology.org/auth/jack-finegan/ |access-date=2025-12-27 |website=The BAS Library |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":1" />
He later joined the faculty of the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California, where he served as Professor of New Testament History and Archaeology and was eventually named professor emeritus.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> His teaching and scholarship focused on New Testament history, archaeology, and biblical chronology. Finegan was also associated with the Palestine Institute of Archaeology, contributing to the study of the historical geography of the Bible.<ref>{{Cite web |last=ADMIN |first=Araceli-as |date=2020-03-02 |title=MARCH 2020 |url=https://www.hillsideclub.org/post/march-2020 |access-date=2025-12-27 |website=hillsideclub |language=en}}</ref>
Alongside his academic career, Finegan was an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and served as pastor of University Christian Church in Berkeley.<ref name=":2" />
== Personal life and death == Finegan married Mildred C Meader on September 4, 1934.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Jack Finegan in the New York, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1847-1849, 1907-1936 |url=https://www.ancestry.com/offers/join?dbid=61377&gsfn&gsln&h=1029130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ancestry.com%2Fsearch%2Fcollections%2F61377%2Frecords%2F1029130 |access-date=December 27, 2025 |website=Ancestry.com}}</ref> Together they had a son, Jack Richard Finegan.<ref>{{Cite news |date=Jul 27, 2000 |title=Finegan |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/857156140/?match=1&terms=%22Jack%20Finegan%22 |url-access=subscription |access-date=December 27, 2025 |work=Oakland Tribune |pages=18 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
He died on July 15, 2000 in Oakland, California.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2020-08-22 |title=FINEGAN, Jack – Persons of Indian Studies by Prof. Dr. Klaus Karttunen |url=https://whowaswho-indology.info/14228/finegan-jack/ |access-date=2025-12-27 |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Works== * ''Light from the Ancient Past-The Archaeological Background of the Hebrew-Christian Religion'', J. Finegan, 1946, 2nd ed. 1959<ref>American Society of Church History/ Volume 15 / Issue 03 / September 1946, pp 235-237</ref> * ''Chronology of the New Testament'', W. Armstrong and J. Finegan, ISBE * ''The Archeology of World Religions'', J. Finnegan, 1952 * ''Handbook of Biblical Chronology: Principles of Time Reckoning in the Ancient World and Problems of Chronology in the Bible'', 1964, 2nd ed. 1998 * ''Encountering New Testament Manuscripts: A Working Introduction to Textual Criticism'' * ''Hidden Records of the Life of Jesus'' * ''Discovering Israel Archaeological Guide to the Holy Land'' * ''The Archaeology of the New Testament: The Mediterranean of the Early Christian Apostles'', 1981 * ''Beginnings in Theology'', Jack Finegan, 1956
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Finegan, Jack}} Category:1908 births Category:2000 deaths Category:20th-century American biblical scholars