Princeton University Class of 1957

Frederick Houck Borsch

Our classmate Fred Borsch is a multiple-talented man with a wide range of leadership positions and experiences that defy a short introduction – perhaps one that is unnecessary to most in this group. Nevertheless, let me recite a few of his positions, before proceeding to one or two stories you may not know.

First of all you should know that Fred is native to the Chicago suburbs. He was raised and attended high school in Hinsdale, not too far from where Ruth and I lived in Downers Grove. And he first served as a priest in Oak Park. He’s still a White Sox fan, he says.

When Fred retired as Bishop of Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles in 2002, he was called upon to help our Yalie friends by serving as the Interim Dean of the Yale Divinity School. Presently he is Professor of New Testament and Chair of Anglican Studies at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia.. And, of course, we recall that he was Dean of the Chapel and taught at Princeton.

Fred has written 17 books, including an early ground breaking scholarly treatment of the "Son of Man” sayings in the New Testament that is still cited approvingly in modern biblical interpretation. On the other hand, most of his books are more accessible to folks like us – for instance, a book of more recent vintage, Outrage and Hope – A Bishop’s Reflections in Times of Change and Challenge. A reviewer of this book, Jack Miles, Contributing Editor of the Atlantic Monthly, writes that "Fred Borsch is a columnist disguised as a bishop. As a former editorial writer of the Los Angeles times I stand in awe of his ability to combine a scrap of story, a few well chosen facts, and just the right line of scripture in a call to moral action or reflection that never leaves the reader feeling morally snubbed.” The president of the University of California, Steven B. Sample, writes, "Fred Borsch is a man who genuinely loves all of God’s children, and it shows.”

Now, contrary to all this ‘loving bishop’ stuff, I believe I have found evidence of a violent streak in Fred – actually in the book that is the topic of our retreat seminar. Thanks to the literary and historical critical skills that professor Bellinzoni is teaching us in his book, I have found a passage in The Spirit Searches Everything that I think Fred needs to explain up front, before proceeding with his presentation on "Keeping Life’s Questions.”

Those of you who have Fred’s book in front of you please turn to page 132. In the last paragraph on that page, Fred writes, "In my poem, "Scars,” I remembered my falling out of the tree, when Lefty socked me ....” and so on. Then in the actual poem on page 133, about the third stanza down:

"As I think, too, of scars

engraved on the bone of leg and arm,

how a cheekbone cracking in a fight mars

now not at all (I laugh), nor the nose harmed.”

Fred, tell us the story. Who is this Lefty guy and why were you fist fighting?

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