John Barclay Burns

John Barclay Burns

John Barclay Burns

Emeritus Faculty

Religious Fundamentalism; Religions of the Near East; Ancient Israel; Religion and Mythology; Acting and Drama

Professor John Barclay Burns: Dr. Burns is Associate Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies. Though retired he continues to take a keen and sympathetic interest in the department. Retirement provides a welcome freedom from meetings, budgets, student enrollments and bureaucratic interference, but allows him to continue to teach which he enjoys and hopes that he makes some useful contribution.

Born, raised and educated in Scotland at the Universities of St. Andrews and Glasgow, his areas of study are the Religion and History of Ancient Israel, the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, the religions and culture of the Ancient Near East. Languages include Biblical Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek and Latin. Along the way he created courses in Religion, Imagination and Fantasy, Religion and Literature, Death and the Afterlife in World Religions and various others.

Beyond GMU he is an active member of several local community theatre groups and still gets cast, though not as young male leads. He regularly gives talks in Encore Learning at the Mason Square campus. He travels as much as possible and often to Scotland. He has dual US/UK citizenship.

Working with his students continues to be an enriching and stimulating experience as, he hopes, it is for them.