Education
- Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh in Religious Studies, concentrating in Sociology of Religion and modern American Religious History, 1999
- Th.M. (Master of Theology), Dallas Theological Seminary in Semitics and Old Testament Studies and Biblical Languages, 1981
- B.S., Bryan College
What are the main focuses of your research?
- Old Testament including Pentateuch, Biblical narrative (stories)
- Biblical Studies for majority world pastors
- Sociology of Religion, i.e., the interaction of religion and culture
What specific courses or specialties do you teach?
- Scripture and Theology—Christian Life 1 (Old Testament): This course, required for all GCC students, focuses on the Old Testament, exploring the content of significant biblical texts, their theological themes, and their contributions to the Christian life in the contemporary world. The content of the course and its learning outcomes revolve around three key questions: Who is God? What does it mean to be human? More specifically, what does it mean to be the people of God? And what is God’s mission and my role within it?
- Genesis and Hebrew Narrative Literature: Since 1968 interest in Hebrew narrative literature has blossomed, including its characteristics as literature written to an oral culture and its artistic devices. Genesis is a stellar example of such literature.
- The Torah: Judaism has always considered the Torah (the Christian “Pentateuch”) the heart and soul of the Jewish Scriptures. Assuming this is true for the entire Christian Bible, this course draws from Jewish and Christian scholarship to investigate the structure and argument of the Torah and how Christians can profit from it.
- Deuteronomy — How to Love God and Neighbor: an analysis of the book arguing that it is the Bible’s premiere exposition of the Ten Commandments, which are about loving God (Commandments 1-4) and loving neighbor (Commandments 6-10).
- Samuel —The Life and Lessons of King David: this rich and fascinating Biblical narrative book instructs Christians in godly living, pitfalls to flee, and makes important contributions to a Biblical theology of hope and of government.
- Social Problems: A survey of American and global problems, including such issues as race, poverty, divorce, drugs, crime, population, the environment, and religion and public life. Data, Christian perspectives and solutions are discussed on these vital issues.
- Sociology of Religion: Examining religion from a sociological perspective adds helpful perspectives for believers and non-believers alike as the relation of religion and global culture continue to present fascination and challenge.
What is the most important piece of advice you give students to help them succeed?
Work hard in college but remember that academic success is only one important aspect of life; satisfying relationships are more important than success in your work, and being a person who serves others and works for the common good are central aspects of living out your faith.
Selected Publications
- Loving God and Neighbor: A Guide to Reading, Teaching and Preaching Deuteronomy, co-authored with Rev. Derek Van Pelt Campbell (Wipf & Stock, August, 2024.
- Invitation to the Torah: A Guide to Reading, Teaching, and Preaching the Pentateuch (Wipf & Stock, 2020).
- “Structure, Themes, and Theology in Ezra-Nehemiah,” Bibliotheca Sacra 174 (October, 2017): 394-41.
- “Resisting Religious Violence with Religious Resources: The Case of Christianity,” in The Review of Faith & International Affairs 9:3 (Fall, 2011), 45-50.
- “Religion and the Phases of Globalization,” pp. 281-302 in Religion, Globalization and Culture, Peter Beyer and Lori Beaman, eds. (Brill Academic Publishers, 2007).
- Everything You Know Seems Wrong: Globalization and the Relativizing of Tradition (University Press of America, 2005).
- "Religion and Culture: Challenges and Prospects in the Next Generation," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, June, 2000.
Is there any additional personal experience you would like to share?
I lived in the (late, great) Panama Canal Zone for three years when my father was a mechanical engineer there, learned to speak Spanish, and was certified as a scuba diver. My wife and I have visited all 50 states, 10 other countries, every significant Civil War battle site, and love musical theater.