Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017, post-publication supplement:

Campbell, Antony, LLS, STL, DD

Scripture scholar, writer; born Christchurch, New Zealand, 24 August 1934; died Melbourne, 2 August 2020, aged 85.

Antony Francis Campbell, the nephew of the Fathers Loughnan, SJ, Basil, and Louis, was educated by the Marist Fathers at St Patrick's College, Silverstream, New Zealand, before entering the Society at Loyola College, Watsonia, 1 February 1953. After a Juniorate year and philosophy, 1955-58, he enrolled in Arts at The University of Melbourne, majoring in Hebrew and Greek. The degree also included three years study of Biblical Archaeology, a subject that became a particular interest for a time. His studies at Melbourne concluded, however, with a Masters degree, awarded in 1963 on points of contact between the epics of Homer and the myths and legends from Ugarit.

Regency was at St Aloysius' College, Milsons Point, 1959, where he taught middle school religion and was an assistant prefect of discipline.

Theology studies were at Fourvière, Lyon, France, 1964-1968, where he was ordained, July 1967. The choice of this theologate stemmed from the leading role played by French theologians in the rediscovery of the Bible in Catholic theology. Campbell experienced the liberation that permeated that institution after Vatican II. Many of its theologians were rehabilitated after being under scrutiny for unorthodox theological views before Vatican II. This experience taught Campbell that any theology claiming to be genuine must submit to a rigorous checking out against the human experience it purports to address.

Post graduate studies in Scripture followed with a Licentiate in Sacred Scripture (LSS) at the Pontifical Biblical Institute, Rome, 1969-70, and continued with doctoral studies, 1971-73 at Claremont graduate University, California, under the direction of Professor Rolf Knierim. His doctorate, awarded 1974, was subsequently published as The Ark Narrative (1 Sam 4-6; 2 Sam 6): A Form-critical and Traditio-Historical Study (Missoula, MT: Scholars Press) in 1975. During these years, which included some teaching at the Jesuit School of Theology, Berkeley, Campbell developed a fascination with biblical narrative which was nurtured and honed into strict scholarly method. This became his lifetime work.

While studying in California, Campbell lived in the university parish of St Mary of the Angels, Claremont, where he was warmly welcomed. He returned to this parish on many occasions in the years ahead to rekindle friendship and companionship.

Tertianship was in Australia, 1978-79, with director Father Frank Wallace, and he was professed, 2 February 1980.

Campbell spent most of his working life as a professor of Old Testament studies at the Jesuit Theological College, Melbourne, interspersed with sabbaticals to California, 1975-2009. Immediately on joining the faculty, Campbell became Dean of the College, a position he held for many years, and he quickly became a force to be reckoned with, modernising the awards, teaching, and preparing new curricula. The idea of an ecumenical theologate was still relatively new and much of his work, first as dean of studies and then as academic principal, involved both ensuring high standards in the new institution (part of the ecumenical Melbourne College of Divinity) and reassuring ecclesiastical authorities at home and abroad of its standards and orthodoxy.

Together with his former graduate and long-time associate, Mark O'Brien OP, Campbell ran a seminar on biblical narrative. These students grew into a collective research team, with publications, notably a study of source criticism, Sources of the Pentateuch, and its later companion, Unfolding the Deuteronomic History, with both leaders as co-authors.

Campbell constantly directed a stream of doctoral candidates. He was appreciated for his gifts for analysis and sense of process. This made him a valued and challenging contributor on boards and in meetings associated with the Melbourne College of Divinity. In recognition of his scholarship and esteem he was awarded a Doctor of Divinity by the Melbourne College of Divinity in 1994.

Campbell always sought to make his scholarship available to a wider audience. His interest in psychology led him to work for many years on an interdisciplinary basis with Professor Edmond Chiu at The University of Melbourne department of psychiatry. He also brought biblical insights to the area of grief counselling, particularly in association with Sister Nicole Rotaru, RSM.

His publication, God first loved us: the challenge of unconditional love, drew on a keen perception of human experience to communicate in engaging and accessible terms, God's unconditional love. Many found this book inspirational.

Colleague Brendan Byrne spoke of Campbell possessing a 'deeply compassionate heart'. His gifts of welcoming, listening, and responding to those that visited him, left them feeling 'heard, understood, and wisely counselled'. In a non-judgmental and non-directive way, he helped those trapped and troubled people find possibilities forward. In these situations, his 'scholarship, priesthood and human qualities flowed together in a rich unity'. Byrne concluded his reflection praising Campbell's 'long commitment to teaching and working on an ecumenical basis, his loyalty to the Catholic tradition and to the Society of Jesus within that tradition'.

When Campbell was granted Emeritus status in late 2009, a testimonial document said in part: 'His teaching has combined evocation and provocation in the best sense of those terms. He has mentored research students with scholarly exactitude and personal care. He has published books of the highest scholarly quality, of engaging readability, and of passionate conviction'. His contribution to the intellectual apostolate of the province was extraordinary.

Campbell retired to Campion House, Kew, in 2010 until the last years of his life when he resided at Nazareth House, Camberwell, Victoria, as he suffered a debilitating and lengthy illness, Binswanger's disease, a subcortical vascular dementia, which robbed him first of movement and finally of speech. All during this time Campbell showed humility and patience, finally unable to do anything for himself.

In their report to Rome, Fathers Justin Glyn and Christopher Horvat wrote that 'there is a stereotype of people from New Zealand's South Island as homely, bluff, rugged and plain-speaking people who abhor hypocrisy and call a spade a shovel. Being a colourful, boisterous character, Campbell did nothing to dispel this'.

A night owl, Campbell wrote voluminously – fourteen books on his own and three in collaboration with his friend, the Dominican Old Testament scholar, Mark O'Brien. He rapidly established himself as a world specialist in the 'historical books', especially Samuel and Kings. His commentaries on 1 and 11 Samuel form Volumes VII and VIII of The Forms of the Old Testament Literature series. He also wrote a great deal on the Pentateuch, on Job and on literary aspects of Old Testament scholarship. Campbell brought all the rigour of the new disciplines of text criticism and literary analysis to his work and, in his usual plain-speaking way, dispatched generations of accumulated sacred cows in Old Testament scholarship. Probably most controversially this included the sources theory of the composition of the Pentateuch.

Campbell once described himself as 'a New Zealander by birth, an Australian Jesuit by choice and a lover of the Older Testament by passion'.

In appreciation of Campbell's life, his friend, Sister Nicole Rotaru RSM said that 'he stretched minds, expanded hearts, and fired spirits'. He was 'an intuitive, compassionate spiritual director', and 'always lived immense, fearsome integrity, and a profound, loving fidelity'.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)