Robert North was a former member of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). They educated him in the classics, history, the humanities, and philosophy. After he left that order of priests and brothers, he earned a Ph.D. in Counseling at the University of Florida. While working in several colleges and universities, and while working as an independent management consultant, he continued the scripture scholarship that he began as a Jesuit. His focus has been on discovering the Semitic Principles used by the authors of the Bible and the Gospel of Thomas to organize their works.