Honorary Life Members of the IAHR

The International Committee of the IAHR decided during its meeting in Mexico City on August 9, 1995 to honor colleagues who have distinguished themselves through life-long service to the history of religions. The status of "Honorary Life Member of the IAHR" is conferred in recognition of their scholarship and service to our discipline. Their contributions to the study of religion have brought enlightenment and inspiration, and the International Committee hopes that this small gesture of recognition will serve to encourage them in their future activities.The following is the list of persons currently appearing in this roll of honor.

Current Honorary Life Members


Professor Dr. Peter Antes

Hannover, Germany

Professor Brian Bocking
Cork, Ireland

Professor Giovanni Casadio
Salerno, Italy

Professor, Director Kong Fan
Beijing, China

Professor Dr. Giulia Sfameni Gasparro
Messina, Itlay

Professor Armin Geertz
Århus, Denmark

Professor Ingvild Sælid Gilhus
Bergen, Norway

Professor Rosalind Hackett
Tennessee, USA

Professor Gerrie ter Haar 
The Hague, The Netherlands

Professor Mihály Hoppál (Budapest, Hungary)
Budapest, Hungary

Professo Morny Joy
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Professor  Hans Kippenberg
Bremen, Germany

Professor Mar Marcos
Santander, Spain

Professor  Luther Martin
Vermont, USA

Professor Russell T. McCutcheon
Alabama, USA

Dr. Jan G. Platvoet
Bunnik, The Netherlands

Professor Michael Pye
Marburg, Germany

Professor Susumu Shimazono
Tokyo, Japan

Professor Hubert Seiwert
Leipzig, Germany

Professor Abdulkader Tayob
Cape Town, South Africa

Professor Y. González Torres
San Ángel, Mexico

Professor Dr. Akio Tsukimoto
Tokyo, Japan

Former Honorary Life Members


Professor Michio Araki
Japan

Professor Louise Bäckman
Solna, Sweden

Professor J. Omosade Awolalu
Ibadan, Nigeria

Professor M. André Caquot
Paris, France

Professor Carsten Colpe
Berlin, Germany

Professor Lauri Honko
Turku, Finland

Professor Åke Hultkrantz
Stockholm, Sweden

Professor J. Leclant
Paris, France

Professor Manuel Marzal
Lima, Peru

Professor G. C. Oosthuizen
Westville, South Africa

Professor Julien Ries
Namur-Suarlee, Belgium

Professor Kurt Rudolph
Marburg, Germany

Professor Annemarie Schimmel
Bonn, Germany

Professor Eric Sharpe
Sydney, Australia

Professor Ninian Smart
Lancaster, England

Professor Jonathan Z. Smith 
Chicago, IL USA

Professor Noriyoshi Tamaru
Tokyo, Japan

Professor Jacques Waardenburg
Switzerland

Professor R. J. Zwi Werblowsky
Jerusalem, Israel

Professor Geo Widengren
Uppsala, Sweden

Professor Donald Wiebe
Canada, Toronto
Prof. Wiebe was an Honorary Life Member from 2015 to 2019. He resigned on Sep. 26, 2019.