Barbara THIERING

What an amazing lady! Just the fact that she was not emotionally driven in her research to subconsciously steer herself toward (a) predetermined conclusion(s) is important enough to serve as an intellectual beacon, of sorts, that calls for others to follow up and retrace her steps. Once she is classified as primarily a historian, another important perspective on her work is achieved. All moments of insight bring smiles to those experiencing such, and Barbara certainly enabled those experiences for many.
--From Davis, California, USA

I learned about her work several years ago, when I began to do research about Jesus, after seeing documentaries on the Da Vinci Code. Her discoveries changed my life. I think she has greatly contributed to our understanding of what happened in Israel 2000 years ago. Thank you Barbara, you opened our eyes and also found proof of Jesus existence.

I was saddened to learn of Barbara's passing. I was a Divinity student at the University of Sydney, and I graduated in 1990 which was close to the time when the Divinity school came to an end. I was taught by her in both my first and third years of the degree in Old Testament studies, and also learned directly from her about her position on the Dead Sea Scrolls. I read 5 of her books in this topic as well as many of her journal essays. In class we would hear of her difficulties in ensuring that the ABC TV documentary on the riddle of the scrolls came to completion in terms of post-production processes.

To her great credit, she always insisted that divinity students become thoroughly immersed in reading the Biblical text (for some students that was a novel experience!).

I admired her tenacity, and to her great credit she was greatly interested in the students more so than the university regulations.

Although I did not agree with her position on the Scrolls and the origins of Christianity, I always found her to be very respectful and attentive to students. She offered me some helpful hints at a time when I was looking for some part-time employment near the end of my studies. She encouraged her students to think hard about lots of questions. I am sure that she felt well rewarded that many of her students pursued post-graduate studies.

Have carefully read and kept most of her books and am sad that she didn't complete more. I remember my visit to her Mosman house and I thank her.

I'm proud to have kept Barbara Thiering's 'Qumran Origins of the Christian Church' as one of my treasured possessions.