STRENG, Frederick John. Seguin, Texas 30.9.1933 — Dallas 21.6.1993 (when 59). U.S. Scholar of Religion. Son of a Lutheran minister, Adolph C. Streng, and Elizabeth M. Hein. Studies at Texas Lutheran College (B.A. 1955), Southern Methodist University (M.A. 1956) and University of Chicago (B.Div. 1960, under Eliade et al.), also at Benares Hindu University. Ph.D. 1963 University of Chicago. In 1963-66 Assistant Professor at University of Southern California in Los Angeles. From 1966 teaching at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas: 1966-74 Associate Professor, then full Professor until death. Died of cancer. Married 1955 Ruth Helen Billnitzer (divorce 1977) and 1981 Bette Sue Blossom, two sons and two daughters. He was particularly interested in Buddhism and Mīmāṁsā philosophy.
Publications: Diss. rev. as Emptiness: A Study in Religious Meaning. 252 p. Nashville 1967.
– “The Buddhist doctrine of two truths as religious philosophy”, JIPh 1:3, 1971, 262-271; other articles.
– Understanding religious man. 132 p. Belmont, CA 1969; Understanding Religious Life. 1976, new ed. 11+276 p. Belmont, CA 1985.
– With P. O. Ingman: Buddhist-Christian Dialogue. 248 p. Honolulu 1986.
Sources: Obituary in www.nytimes.com/1993/06/26/obituaries/frederick-j-streng-59-led-religious-groups.html; D.W. Chappell, Philos. East & West 44, 1994, 111-114; *R. Nadeau, “F.S., Mādhyamika, and the Comparative Study of Religion”, Buddhist-Christian Studies 16, 1996, 65-76; Wikipedia; prebook.com.