Mahlon Smith
Professor Emeritus, Rutgers University
March 2, 1939 - November 27, 2025
• A.B., Rutgers University • B.D., Drew University • M.S.L., Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies, Toronto
Mahlon H. Smith founded the program in religious studies at Rutgers College. Upon consolidation of Rutgers & Douglass Colleges, he was elected first chair of the united Department of Religion on the main campus of Rutgers—the State University of New Jersey. He was a Charter Fellow of the Jesus Seminar and served as a program chair, especially coordinating sessions on the deeds of Jesus. His draft report on the Q sayings provided the basis for the commentary in The Five Gospels. Besides contributing many papers to Westar debates, he has pioneered electronic publications in the field of religion and is author of several award-winning academic websites.
• Cardinal Cushing Fellowship, Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies
• Pilling Postgraduate Traveling Fellowship, Drew Theological School
• Ezra Squire Tipple Scholarship, Drew Theological School
• Henry Rutgers Scholar, Rutgers University
• Associate Professor of Religion, Rutgers University, 1978–2006
• Assistant Professor of Religion, Rutgers University, 1972–1978
• Lecturer in Religion, Rutgers University, 1969–1972
• Program Chair, Deeds Conference of the Jesus Seminar 1991–1996
• Chair, Department of Religion, Rutgers University, 1980–1985
• Founder, Department of Religion, Rutgers College, 1970
