Introducing myself to readers who may not know me

For my readers who may not know me or may know little about me, perhaps it would be helpful if I were to offer a brief vita to give some indications of my diverse interests. Serving as a professor of biblical studies in an undergraduate institution tends to constrain one to engage a broader range of subjects than if one were a professor in a graduate theological school. I have taught at both levels. Teaching graduate theological studies required a narrower focus for me.

The broader demand of undergraduate studies suits my interests well. I believe it makes me a more well-rounded thinker. All my work in the biblical text has a theological interest, as a result. "What does it matter?" is a question that I always engage in all my work in the biblical text. If I do not move toward answering this question, my work would be significantly short-sighted and pointless.

Here, then, is a vita that reflects many of my interests biblically and theologically speaking.

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I have been teaching at Northwestern College since 1992, when I joined the faculty after having taught at Trinity International University (Deerfield, Illinois) and at Grace Theological Seminary (Winona Lake, Indiana).

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Education:

• Advanced Studies, Jerusalem University College, Jerusalem, Israel.


• Ph.D., Theological Studies— New Testament Exegesis and Theology, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois.


• Th.M., Theology— Systematic Theology with a New Testament Concentration, Grace Theological Seminary, Winona Lake, Indiana.


• M.Div., Pastoral Studies— Biblical Exegesis Concentration, Grace Theological Seminary, Winona Lake, Indiana.


• B.A., History, Bryan College, Dayton, Tennessee.

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Selected Publications:

• “Is Theological Truth Functional or Propositional? Postconservatism’s Use of Language Games and Speech-Act Theory,” Reclaiming the Center: Evangelical Accommodation in a Post-Theological Era, edited by Millard J. Erickson, Justin Taylor, and Paul Kjoss Helseth. Wheaton: Crossway, 2004.
  




• “Christ’s Baptism and Crucifixion as Anointing and Enthronement of God’s Son: Narrative Significance of Ironic Inclusio in Mark’s Gospel,” The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology, 8:3 (Fall 2004).
  




• “Forum Discussion on Race and Racism,” The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology, 8:2 (Summer 2004).
  




• “Sacred Imagination and the Gospel: A Review of ‘The Passion of the Christ’” on two internet sites: Bible.org and Minnesota Apologetics Project.
  




• “Keeping an Open Mind: How Open Theists Interpret the Bible,” Areopagus Journal 4:2 (2004): 14-18.
  




• "When Reading Is Better Than Being There: Following Jesus by Hearing His Voice in the Gospels," Miqra, 2:4 (Fall 2003).
  




• "Veiled Glory: God's Self-Revelation in Human Likeness--A Biblical Theology of God's Anthropomorphic Self-Disclosure," pages 149-199 in Beyond the Bounds: Open Theism and the Undermining of Biblical Christianity, ed. John Piper, Justin Taylor, Paul Kjoss Helseth. Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway, 2003.
  




• “Critical Comments on an Open Theism Manifesto,” Trinity Journal 23 NS (2002): 103-107.
  




• Review of The Way of Wisdom: Essays in Honor of Bruce K. Waltke. Edited by J. I. Packer and Sven K. Soderlund. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000, 332 pp., $29.99 cloth, in Reformation & Revival Journal 11:2 (2002).
  




• The Race Set Before Us: A Biblical Theology of Perseverance and Assurance (Downers Grove, Illinois: Inter-Varsity, 2001). Co-authored with my good friend, Tom Schreiner, Professor of New Testament, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky.
  




• "God in the Image and Likeness of Adam--Clark Pinnock's Use of Scripture in His Argument: 'God Limits His Knowledge,'" Journal of Biblical Apologetics, 2 (2001): 20-27.
  




• "How Can a Sinner Be Saved?" Review of Getting the Gospel Right: The Tie that Binds Evangelicals Together by R. C. Sproul, in Modern Reformation 10:3 (May-June, 2001): 43-45.
  




• "The Implausible God of Open Theism: A Response to Gregory A. Boyd's God of the Possible," Journal of Biblical Apologetics, 1 (2000): 66-87.
  




• “Alpha and Omega,” “Branch,” “Sleep,” “Sign,” in Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000).
  




• “Putting God at Risk: A Critique of John Sanders’ View of Providence,” Trinity Journal 20 (1999): 131-163.
  




• “Mark’s Provocative Use of Scripture in Narration: ‘He Was with the Wild Animals and Angels Ministered to Him,’” Bulletin for Biblical Research 9 (1999): 19-36.
  




• “He Wrote in Parables and Riddles: Mark’s Gospel as a Literary Reproduction of Jesus’ Teaching Method,” Didaskalia 10:2 (1999): 35-67.
  




• “‘Evangelical Inclusivism’ and the Exclusivity of the Gospel: A Review of John Sanders’ No Other Name: The Destiny of the Unevangelized, The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology 1:4 (1997): 24-39.
  




• “Redeemed from the Curse of the Law”: The Use of Deut 21:22-23 in Gal 3:13,” Trinity Journal NS 10 (1989): 185-209.
  




• “Qoheleth: Enigmatic Pessimist or Godly Sage?” Grace Theological Journal 7 (1986): 21-56.
  

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Selected Recent Papers Presented at Professional Meetings:

• Read at Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, November 16-18, 2005— "The Ox and the Man: Law as Wisdom?"
  




• Read at Annual Meeting of the the Upper Midwest Region of the Society of Biblical Literature, Luther Seminary, Saint Paul, Minnesota: April 1-2, 2005– “'They exchanged the glory of God for the immage of man'–Echoes of Adam and of Israel in Romans 1:21-25"
  




• Read at Annual Meeting of the Upper Midwest Region of the Society of Biblical Literature, Luther Seminary, Saint Paul, Minnesota: April 2004— “'Christ has become a servant of the circumcision on behalf of God’s truthfulness'—Jesus as Isaiah’s Servant of the Lord in Romans 15:8?"
  




• Read at Annual Meeting of the Midwest Region of the Evangelical Theological Society, Northwestern College, Saint Paul, Minnesota: March 2003— "Veiled Glory: God's Self-Revelation in Human Likeness--A Biblical Theology of God's Anthropomorphic Self-Disclosure."
  




• Read at Annual Meeting of the Midwest Region of the Evangelical Theological Society, College Church, Wheaton, Illinois: March 2002— "'Save Yourself and The People Who Hear You:' Preaching the Bible’s Admonitions and Warnings for Christians to Persevere."
  




• Read at Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society, Opryland Hotel, Nashville, Tennessee: November 2000— God Revealed in Human Form: Biblical Foundations for Theology.
  




• Read at Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society, Danvers, Mass.: November 1999— Belief, Doing Good, and Resurrection unto Eternal Life: Divine Judgment Now and Not Yet–The Structure and Function of Eschatology in John 5:24-30.
  




• Read at Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society, Orlando, FL: November 1998— “He Wrote in Parables and Riddles: Mark’s Gospel as a Literary Reproduction of Jesus’ Teaching Method.” (Published in Didaskalia, see above.)
  




• Read at Annual Meeting of the Upper Midwest Region of the Society of Biblical Literature, Saint Paul, MN: April 1997— “Mark’s Provocative Use of Scripture in Narration: ‘He was with the wild animals and angels ministered to him.’” (Published in the Bulletin for Biblical Research, see above.)
  




• Read at Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society, Jackson, MS: November 1996— “Luke’s Use of the Filling and Fullness Metaphor Concerning the Holy Spirit.”
  




• Read at Annual Meeting of the Upper Midwest Region of the Society of Biblical Literature, Saint Paul, MN: April 1996— “Mark’s Inclusio as a Supra-Framing Device.”
  




• Read at Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society, Philadelphia, PA: November, 1995— “Galatians 3:22ff as a Crux Interpretum for PISTIS CRISTOU in Paul’s Thought.”
  

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Professional Memberships:

• Institute for Biblical Research


• Evangelical Theological Society


• Society of Biblical Literature


• Center of the American Experiment


• National Association of Scholars


• Minnesota Association of Scholars


• Intercollegiate Studies Institute


• Theta Alpha Kappa

Thomas R. Schreiner and A. B. Caneday, The Race Set Before Us: A Biblical Theology of Perseverance and Assurance. InterVarsity Press. Downers Grove, Illinois. 2001.

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Advisory Roles at Northwestern College:

• Advisor & Coordinator of Alpha Zeta Omicron, the local chapter of Theta Alpha Kappa, National Honor Society for Religious Studies & Theological Studies


• Campus Representative and Faculty Associate member of Intercollegiate Studies Institute

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Service to Other Organizations:

• Associate Editor, Reformation & Revival Journal, Reformation & Revival Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois