Mark S. Goodacre | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1967 (age 58–59) Leicestershire, England, U.K. |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | Oxford University |
| Academic work | |
| Discipline | Theology |
Sub-discipline | |
| Institutions | |
Mark S. Goodacre (born 1967 in Leicestershire, England) is a New Testament scholar and Professor at Duke University's Department of Religion. He has written extensively on the Synoptic Problem; he defends the Farrer hypothesis,1 and thus accepts Markan priority but rejects Q.
Biography
Mark Goodacre’s first job was a paperboy at age 11.2
Goodacre received his MA, M.Phil, and DPhil at the University of Oxford, and has been at Duke University since 2005. 3
Goodacre has written extensively on the Synoptic Problem; he defends the Farrer hypothesis,1 and thus accepts Markan priority but rejects Q. He is the author of The Case Against Q: Studies in Markan Priority and the Synoptic Problem and Thomas and the Gospels: The Case for Thomas's Familiarity with the Synoptics.3 Goodacre’s book The Fourth Synoptic Gospel: John’s Knowledge of Matthew, Mark, and Luke argues that John was aware of and utilized all three Synoptics.45
He has also been a consultant for numerous television and radio shows related to the New Testament, such as the 2001 BBC series Son of God and the 2013 mini-series The Bible.6
Reception
Goodacre has been described as the leading advocate of the Farrer Hypothesis, which is currently enjoying growing popularity among Biblical scholars.78 Simon Joseph writes that The Case Against Q brought an end to the “exuberant hegemony” of the Two-source hypothesis.9 Hugo Mendez credits Goodacre with transforming the way a generation of scholars view the Synoptic Gospels, the Gospel of Thomas, and the Gospel of John.10
Works
- Goodacre, Mark S. (1996). Goulder and the Gospels: An Examination of a New Paradigm. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press. ISBN 1-85075-631-7.11
- ——— (2001). The Synoptic Problem: A Way Through the Maze. London: T & T International. ISBN 0-567-08056-0.12
- ——— (2002). The Case Against Q: Studies in Markan Priority and the Synoptic Problem. Harrisburg, PA. ISBN 1-56338-334-9.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)13 - ——— (2012). Thomas and the Gospels: The Case for Thomas' Familiarity with the Synoptics. London & Grand Rapids, MI: SPCK & Eerdmans. ISBN 978-0-80286-748-3.
- ———. The Fourth Synoptic Gospel: John's Knowledge of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Grand Rapids, MI: SPCK & Eerdmans. ISBN 9781467462716.
References
References
- Mark Goodacre: Fatigue in the Synoptics, New Testament Studies, volume 44
- Roth, Bryan (8 February 2016). "A Professor Who Almost Wasn't | Duke Today". today.duke.edu. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- "Mark S. Goodacre | Scholars@Duke profile". scholars.duke.edu. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- "The Fourth Synoptic Gospel". Eerdmans Publishing Co. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- "Add to Wishlist The Fourth Synoptic Gospel: John's Knowledge of Matthew, Mark, and Luke". BARNES & NOBLE. Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Inc. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
- Mark Goodacre: Media Consultancy and Participation
- Runesson, Anders (2021). Jesus, New Testament, Christian Origins. Eerdmans. p. 80. ISBN 9780802868923.
- Kirk, Alan (2019). Memory and the Jesus Tradition. T&T Clark. p. 156. ISBN 978-0567690036.
- The Synoptic Problem 2022: Proceedings of the Loyola University Conference. Peeters Pub and Booksellers. 2023. p. 51. ISBN 9789042950344.
- Mendez, Hugo (2025). The Gospel of John: A New History. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0197686126.
Among so many scholars, however, I'd like to spotlight one figure for special thanks: Mark Goodacre. Mark's work on the Synoptic Gospels, the Gospel of Thomas, and John has transformed how a generation of scholars, including me, think about all these texts.
- Goodacre, Mark S.; Goodacre, Mark (December 1996). Goulder and the Gospels: An Examination of a New Paradigm. A&C Black. ISBN 9781850756316. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
- Goodacre, Mark (15 June 2004). The Synoptic Problem: A Way Through the Maze. A&C Black. ISBN 9780567080561. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
- Goodacre, Mark (February 2002). The Case Against Q: Studies in Markan Priority and the Synoptic Problem. A&C Black. ISBN 9781563383342. Retrieved 7 May 2019.