Past Talks and Lectures

Week-long intensive course on 1 Samuel and the ethics of power for the Upper House Christian study center, at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, July 10–14, 2023.

“The Vocation of the Christian Scholar: Called to Image God” and “Teaching towards a Vision: A New Heaven and a New Earth.” Keynote lectures on the Christian worldview at the International Network for Christian Higher Education (INCHE) conference for Asia and Oceania, at Handong Global University, Pohan, South Korea, June 20–22, 2023.

“Voices from the Ragged Edge.” Workshop on lament psalms for the Rebuild conference, co-sponsored by the Barna Group in conjunction with Northeastern Seminary / Roberts Wesleyan University, Rochester, NY, June 12, 2023.

“Prophet on a Short Leash: An Ironic Reading of 1 Samuel 16.” Paper for the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies annual meeting, York University, Toronto, ON, May 27–29, 2023.

Response to a panel discussion on “Reckoning and Reimagining ‘the God of the Bible’: A Conversation About ‘Classical Theism.’” Paper for the Canadian-American Theological Association annual meeting, York University, Toronto, ON, May 28, 2023.

“Herod as Pharaoh? Jesus as David?: A Political Reading of the Prophets in Matthew’s Infancy Narrative.” Paper for the Canadian-American Theological Association annual meeting, York University, Toronto, ON, May 28, 2023.

“Ascent or Incarnation? Reconfiguring Transcendence via Biblical Theology.” Paper for Secularism and the Pursuit of Transcendence conference at McMaster Divinity College, Hamilton, ON, April 27, 2023.

“Holy Places, Holy People: Reflections on a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land.” Talk given at Community of the Savior, Rochester, NY, February 19, 2023.

“The Subversive Spirituality of Reggae: ‘Resisting against the System’ in the Music of Bob Marley and the Wailers.” Presentation for Reggae Month and Black History Month, sponsored by the Rochester Jamaica Organization, at the Joy Gallery, Rochester, NY, February 17, 2023.

“In the Footsteps of Jesus: A Journey from the Holy Land to the Ends of the Earth.” Talk given at the Golisano Community Engagement Center, Roberts Wesleyan University, Rochester, NY, January 20, 2023.

Respondent to a panel review of Abraham’s Silence: The Binding of Isaac, the Suffering of Job, and How to Talk Back to God, by Jewish and Christian biblical scholars, sponsored by the Theology of the Hebrew Scriptures and the National Association of Professors of Hebrew, at the Society of Biblical Literature, Denver, CO, November 21, 2022.

“Your Way Was through the Sea: From Despair to Hope in Psalm 77.” Paper for the Biblical Hebrew Poetry program unit, at the Society of Biblical Literature, Denver, CO, November 20, 2022.

“Theology of Ascent or Incarnation? A Tale of Two Theological Frameworks.” Paper presented at a conference on “Catholicity as Gift and Task,” at St. Bernard’s School of Theology and Ministry, Rochester, NY, October 2, 2022.

“The Gospel of the Flesh.” Kickstart chapel talk for Roberts Wesleyan University, September 19, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIwWPmc89Ow

“Calling: Being Human in a Sacred World.” Keynote lecture for “Agents of Transformation,” the Culminating Conference of the Higher Pursuits Project of the Consortium of Christian Study Centers, at Upper House, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, July 28, 2022.

“Portrait of a Disgruntled Prophet: Samuel’s Resistance to God and the Undoing of Saul.” Haverim Lectures: three presentations on the ethics of leadership from 1 Samuel 1–15, Center for Judaic-Christian Studies, Dayton, OH, June 18, 2022.

“The Imago Dei and the Coming of the Shekinah: A Narrative-Sacramental Theology of Being Human.” Keynote paper with two respondents (Michelle Knight and Beth Felker Jones), Dabar 2022 Conference, sponsored by the Carl F. H. Henry Center for Theological Understanding, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, May 18–21, 2022.

“Where We Have Been and Where We Could Go from Here: Reflections of a CATA Past President.” Invited presentation for the (virtual) annual meeting of the Canadian-American Theological Association, May 15, 2022.

Respondent to a panel review of Abraham’s Silence: The Binding of Isaac, the Suffering of Job, and How to Talk Back to God, by Christian and Jewish biblical scholars and theologians, at the (virtual) annual meeting of the Eastern Great Lakes Biblical Society, March 17, 2022.

“Living on God’s Good Earth: Our Place in a Sacred Cosmos.” Keynote lecture for “Death and Mortality: Engaging the Culture,” the eighth annual Rethinking Hell conference (held virtually), December 30, 2021.

“The Curse of Canaan in Genesis 9:20–27 and Intertextuality.” Paper for Difficult Texts in the Old Testament research group, Institute for Biblical Research, San Antonio, TX, November 19, 2021.

“Did Abraham Pass the Test in Genesis 22? Unbinding the Aqedah from the Straitjacket of Tradition.” “IBR Unscripted” presentation (TED-X talk) for the Institute for Biblical Research, San Antonio, TX, November 20, 2021.

“How and Why Does God Change? Exploring the Logic of the Divine Shift after the Golden Calf.” Paper for the Theology of the Hebrew Scriptures and National Association of Hebrew Professors of Hebrew joint-program, Society of Biblical Literature, San Antonio, TX, November 22, 2021.

“Voices from the Ragged Edge: The Gritty Spirituality of the Psalms for a Broken World.” Webinar for pastors and lay leaders in the Churches of God Eastern Conference, Findlay, OH, December 6, 2021.

“The Wisdom of God in a Sacred Cosmos.” Keynote lecture for Summit II of a consortium of Christian Study Centers on “Wisdom and Technology,” Upper House, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, October 22, 2021.

“The Bible and the Stars.” Keynote address for a Science and Theology Conference, entitled “The Heavens Declare the Glory of God: A Science and Theology Dialogue,” Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA, October 19, 2021.

“Being Human in a Sacred World: Biblical Foundations of Creation Care.” Keynote lecture for Creation Care Summit, BioLogos, Grand Rapids, MI, October 9, 2021.

“Did Abraham Pass the Test in Genesis 22? Unbinding the Aqedah from the Straitjacket of Tradition.” Paper presented at a conference on “Interpretation of Scripture and Ecclesial Exegesis: The Search for an Integrated Theology,” at St. Bernard’s School of Theology and Ministry, Rochester, NY, September 18, 2021.

Panel respondent to Fr. David Vincent Mechoni, “The Word Must Become Flesh: An Exhortation to Integrate Scripture, Sacraments and Sanctity,” at the conference on “Interpretation of Scripture and Ecclesial Exegesis: The Search for an Integrated Theology,” at St. Bernard’s School of Theology and Ministry, Rochester, NY, September 18, 2021.

“The Glory of God in Creation: A Response to Michelle Knight, “God Saw That It Was Tov,” virtual presentation for the Dabar 2021 Conference, sponsored by the Carl F. H. Henry Center for Theological Understanding, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, June 10, 2021.

“Beyond Eurocentrism: Envisioning a Future for Canadian Biblical Studies.” Presidential address, Canadian Society of Biblical Studies, virtual presentation, May 31, 2021.

“Did Abraham Pass the Test? Unbinding the Aqedah from the Straitjacket of Tradition.” Keynote Lecture (given virtually) at “From the Rising to the Setting Sun,” the third annual conference of the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence, Bristol, UK, May 25, 2021.

“Did Abraham Pass the Test? Unbinding the Aqedah from the Straitjacket of Tradition.” Symposium (given virtually) for graduate students, South African Theological Seminary, March 26, 2021.

“Did Abraham Pass the Test? Unbinding the Aqedah from the Straitjacket of Tradition.” Paper presented virtually at the annual meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Region–Society of Biblical Literature, March 12, 2021.

“Broadening the Vision of Theology and Science: A Roundtable Session with the Authors of T&T Clark Handbook for Christian Theology and the Modern Sciences.” Joint presentation (with eight of the authors) for the Science, Technology, and Religion program unit, American Academy of Religion virtual meeting, December 7, 2020.

“Herod as Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar: A ‘Political’ Reading of the Prophets in Matthew’s Infancy Narrative.” Paper presented in The Relationship between the Old Testament and the New Testament research group, Institute for Biblical Research virtual meeting, December 1, 2020.

Two presentations as theological consultant for a Science for Seminaries Curriculum Summit (held virtually), Azusa Pacific University and Seminary, June 23–24, 2020.

Chair and organizer of a book review panel on Shai Held, The Heart of Torah, 2 vols. (Jewish Publication Society, 2017). Six reviewers, Jewish and Christian, with Rabbi Held responding. Co-sponsored by the Theology of the Hebrew Scriptures and National Association of Hebrew Professors program units, Society of Biblical Literature, San Diego, CA, November 24, 2019. (Papers to be published as a theme issue of the Canadian-American Theological Review.)

A series of lectures on eschatology for the Fall Discipleship Weekend, plus Sunday sermon, Church of the Apostles (Anglican), Columbia, SC, October 4-6, 2019.

Lecture (along with J. P. Moreland) for a Symposium on the Intermediate State, at the Carl F. H. Henry Center for Theological Understanding, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, IL, January 17, 2019.

“Is Samuel among the Prophets? Samuel as “Legendary Intercessor” in Michael Widmer’s Standing in the Breach (Eisenbrauns, 2015).” Paper for the Book of Samuel program unit, Society of Biblical Literature annual meeting, Denver, CO, November 18, 2018

“What Christians Can Learn from Jewish Interpretation of the Aqedah: Reading Genesis 22 with Moses and the Rabbis.” Paper for Jewish Interpretation of the Bible program unit, Society of Biblical Literature annual meeting, Denver, CO, November 18, 2018

“The Dynamics of Responsible Biblical Interpretation: Toward a Creational Pneumatic Hermeneutic.” Invited paper for the Pneumatic Hermeneutics research group, Institute for Biblical Research annual meeting, Denver, CO, November 16, 2018

“It Seemed Good to the Holy Spirit and to Us” (Acts 15:28): Toward a Creational Pneumatic Hermeneutic.” Paper given at the Canadian-American Theological Association joint-conference with Wycliffe College, Toronto, ON, October 20, 2018.

“Origins, Self, Soul.” Joint lecture with geneticist Praveen Sethupathy on evolution and Christian faith. Sponsored by Chesterton House, the Cornell Graduate Christian Fellowship, and BioLogos, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, September 21, 2018.

“Human Distinctiveness and the Origin of Evil in Biblical and Evolutionary Perspectives.” Keynote address for the 2018 Conference of the Canadian Scientific & Christian Affiliation, entitled “From Sea to Sea . .  to Sky! Science & Christianity in Canada,” at Trinity Western University, Langley, BC, May 11–14, 2018.

A series of four talks on lament prayer in the Bible for the 35th anniversary of the Center for Judaic-Christian Studies, Dayton, OH, July 26–27, 2018

“Death, Immortality, and the Curse: Interpreting Genesis 2–3 in the Context of the Biblical Worldview.” Keynote paper for the Dabar Conference on “Reclaiming Theological Anthropology in an Age of Science,” at the Carl F. H. Henry Center for Theological Understanding, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, June 13–16, 2018.

“What Makes Us Human? Lessons from Genetics and Genesis.” Joint talk with Praveen Sethupathy (geneticist of Cornell University). Sunday Night Theology series, sponsored by The Journey Church; 5:00-6:30 pm, in the Philips Autograph Library, West Chester University, West Chester, PA, April 8, 2018. Audio available (to listen or download).

“In the Beginning God Created the Heavens and the Earth: Responsible Interpretation of Genesis 1 in Ancient and Contemporary Contexts.” Talk for the Nickel City Forum (Anglicans of Western New York), Buffalo NY, February 8, 2018. Audio and handout available.

“Far as the Curse is Found: The Healing of the Human-Earth Relationship in the Eschaton.” Keynote paper for the Ecological Ethics and Biblical Studies research group, Institute for Biblical Research, Boston, MA, November 17, 2017.

“For God So Loved the Cosmos: The New Creation in Ecological Perspective.” Paper presented in the Ecological Hermeneutics program unit, Society for Biblical Literature, Boston, MA, November 18, 2017.

Joint talk with geneticist Praveen Sethupathy entitled “Are We More Than Our Genes?: A Geneticist and Theologian Discuss Human Origins and Identity.” Sponsored by BioLogos and the Christian Union campus ministry, Brown University, Providence, RI, December 4, 2017.

“The Inclusive Vision of Isaiah 56 and Contested Ethical Practices in Scripture and the Church: Toward a Canonical Hermeneutic of Discernment.” Paper presented at a theology conference on Biblical Interpretation for Caribbean Renewal hosted by the Jamaica Theological Seminary (co-sponsored by the Caribbean Graduate School of Theology and the United Theological College of the West Indies), Kingston, Jamaica, September 8-9, 2017 (see conference schedule here).

Theological respondent along with scientist Praveen Sethupathy on “Genes, the Self, and the Soul.” An Evening Conversation of the Trinity Forum, co-sponsored with BioLogos, at the National Press Club Ballroom, Washington DC, June 26, 2017. Click here for further information.

Respondent to William J. Abraham’s paper, “God as an Agent.” at the Dabar 2017 Conference, “Affirming the Doctrine of Creation in an Age of Science,” at the Carl F. H. Henry Center for Theological Understanding, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Chicago, IL, June 15, 2017. Click here for further information.

Speaking Tour of the United Kingdom, April 20–May 4, 2017

St. Andrews – Two lectures sponsored by the Logos Institute for Analytic and Exegetical Theology and the School of Divinity (St. Mary’s College), at the University of St. Andrews.

  • April 20 – “A New Heaven and a New Earth: For God So Loved the World.” Thursday afternoon lecture (4:00 pm), St. Mary’s College, University of St. Andrews.
  • April 21 – “Voices from the Ragged Edge: The Gritty Spirituality of the Psalms for a Broken World.” Friday afternoon lecture (4:00 pm), St. Mary’s College, University of St. Andrews.

Aberdeen

Durham

  • April 25 – “Unbinding the Aqedah from the Straightjacket of Tradition: An Inner-Biblical Interpretation of Abraham’s Test in Genesis 22.” Old Testament research seminar for postgraduate students in the Department of Theology and Religion, Tuesday afternoon (4:00-5:30 pm), Seminar Room C, Abbey House, Palace Green, Durham University.

Mirfield

Leeds – Two lectures in the Life Matters series, Thinking Faith Network, Leeds.

  • April 28 – “Why Are We Here? Our Sacred Calling in God’s World.” Friday evening lecture (7:30-9:00 pm),  Quaker Meeting House, 188 Woodhouse Lane, Leeds.
  • April 29 – “Voices from the Ragged Edge: The Gritty Spirituality of the Psalms for a Broken World.” Saturday morning lecture (10:00 am-12:00 noon), Quaker Meeting House, 188 Woodhouse Lane, Leeds. Click here for a flier about both talks.

Oxford

Cambridge

Oxford

Cheltenham

Bristol

“New Creation Has Begun.” The Haverim Lectures (on Eschatology), Center for Judaic-Christian Studies, Dayton, OH, March 18, 2017.

The J. J. Theissen Lectures (three lectures on lament prayer in the Psalms, the silence of Abraham in Genesis 22, and the protest of Job), Canadian Mennonite University, Winnipeg, MB, October 25-26, 2016.

Visiting Theologian-in-Residence in Australia, at St. Barnabas College, Adelaide (Sept. 18-Oct. 1, 2016) and St. Mark’s National Theological Centre, Canberra (Oct. 2-15, 2016), member schools of Charles Sturt University.

  • Paper on the Aqedah (Gen 22) and response paper to Michael Trainor, “The Lament of the Gospel,” at a symposium on Lament in Scripture and Life, St. Barnabas College, Sept. 22-23, 2016.
  • “Sane Action in a Crazy World,” sermon preached at St. Peter’s Cathedral, Adelaide, Sept. 25, 2016.
  • Public lecture on lament psalms, at St. Peter’s Cathedral, Adelaide, Sept. 30, 2016; and at St. Mark’s National Theological Centre, Canberra, Oct. 5, 2016.
  • “Reflections on Being a Theological Scholar,” presentation to Postgraduate Research Seminar, St. Mark’s National Theological Centre, Canberra, Oct. 5, 2016.
  • Seminar paper on creation theology and suffering in Job, St. Mark’s National Theological Centre, Canberra, Oct. 7, 2016.
  • Respondent to Mona Sidiqqui, “Love and Law in Christianity and Islam,” Centre for Public and Contextual Theology, Charles Sturt University, Canberra, Oct. 13, 2016.

Respondent (along with Tremper Longman) to C. John Collins’s paper on “Reading Genesis 1-11 in Biblical and Social Context” at the Dabar 2016 Conference, “Reading Genesis in an Age of Science,” at the Carl F. H. Center for Theological Understanding, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Chicago, IL, June 9, 2016.

“God’s Loyal Opposition: Psalmic and Prophetic Protest as a Paradigm for Faithfulness in the Hebrew Bible.” Paper for the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies annual meeting, at the Congress of Humanities and Social Sciences, Calgary, AB, May 30, 2016.

“The Psalms of Lament in Life and Ministry,” Seminar at Pearce Memorial Church,, Rochester, NY, April 21, 2016.

“A New Heaven and a New Earth—For God So Loved the World.” Public lecture in “Windows on the World” lecture series, Eastern University, St. Davids, PA, March 11, 2016.

“Unbinding the Aqedah from the Straightjacket of Tradition: How Abraham Lost His Son.” Paper presented in the Genesis program unit at the Society of Biblical Literature annual meeting, Atlanta, GA, November 22, 2015.

“Resistance to ‘Babylon’ in the Music of Bob Marley and the Wailers: Biblical and Theological Strategies.” Paper presented in the Islands, Islanders, and Scriptures program unit at the Society of Biblical Literature annual meeting, Atlanta, GA, November 21, 2015.

“A Psalm against David? A Canonical Reading of Psalm 51 as a Critique of David’s Inadequate Repentance in 2 Samuel 12.” Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Institute for Biblical Research (IBR), for the Research Group on Biblical Theology, Hermeneutics, and the Theological Disciplines, November 20, 2015.

“A New Heavens and a New Earth: For God So Loved the World” Invited paper for the Biblical Theology program unit at the Evangelical Theological Society, Atlanta, GA, November 19, 2015.

“To Love What God Loves: Understanding the Cosmic Scope of Redemption.” Talk sponsored by Chesterton House and the Asian-American IVCF group at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, September 25, 2015.

“The Bible as One Coherent Story: Understanding the Book that Grounds Our Lives.” Seminar at Pearce Memorial Church, Rochester, NY, September 16, 2015.

Preached for the annual worship service celebrating Jamaican Independence (Proud and Free, Jamaica 53), at Genesee Baptist Church, Rochester, NY, July 26, 2015.

“Is God Fickle? The Theological Significance of Interpretive Conundrums in YHWH’s Judgment on the Elide Priesthood (1 Samuel 2-3).” Paper presented at the annual Congress meeting of the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, May 30, 2015.

“A Psalm against David? A Canonical Reading of Psalm 51 as a Critique of David’s Inadequate Repentance in 2 Samuel 12.” Paper presented at the annual Congress meeting of the Canadian Evangelical Theological Association,” University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, May 31, 2015.

Respondent to an evening (7:00 pm) panel discussion on A New Heavens and a New Earth: Reclaiming Biblical Eschatology, sponsored by the Canadian Evangelical Theological Association at Sunnyside Wesleyan Church, Ottawa, ON, May 31, 2015.

“Faith Seeking Understanding: Reflections on Narratival Biblical Hermeneutics from a Canadian Immigrant Perspective.” Paper presented at the annual Congress meeting of the Canadian Theological Society, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, June 1, 2015.

Online interview (via Google Hangout) on “Creation, Violence, and the God of the Old Testament,” with William Brown, Professor of Old Testament, Columbia Theological Seminary, and Matt Lynch, Dean of Studies of the Westminster Theological Centre, UK, May 13, 2015.

“Herod as Pharaoh: Matthew’s Subversive Use of Old Testament Quotations in the Infancy Narratives.” Keynote talk for conference entitled From Interpretation to Preaching, sponsored by the Rochester Consortium of Theological Schools, held at St. Bernard’s School of Theology and Ministry, Rochester, NY, May 21, 2015.

“A Spirituality of the Ragged Edges: The Lament Psalms as a Resource for Faith in Times of Trouble.” Seminar at Pearce Memorial Church, Rochester, NY, May 6, 2015.

“Reading Genesis 3 Attentive to Human Evolution: Beyond Concordism and Non-Overlapping Magisteria.” Keynote Lecture at “Re-Imaging the Intersection of Evolution and the Fall” conference, arising from a research group sponsored by the Colossian Forum, at Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary, Evanston, IL, March 26-28, 2015.

Talk on Old Testament spirituality for a Presbyterian Clergy Luncheon, at Twelve Corners Presbyterian Church, Rochester, NY, March 12, 2015.

Keynote talk on “Restoration” (fourth in a series of talks: creation, fall, redemption, restoration) at “This Changes Everything,” the annual Jubilee Conference in Pittsburgh, PA, February 22, 2015.

“A Sacred Call for Sacred Work.” Keynote talk at the “Making All Things New” conference, Center for Faith & Work, Redeemer Presbyterian Church, New York City, November 8, 2014.

“Abraham’s Journey: The Role of Abraham in the Biblical Story.” Opening message in a sermon series on the Abraham story, at Artisan Church, Rochester, NY, October 26, 2014.

“Living Eucharistically: A Journey of Faith, Doubt, and Learning.” Guest lecture in the Scripture, Faith, and Scholarship seminar series, Institute for Christian Studies, Toronto, ON, October 17, 2014.

“Reading Genesis 3 Attentive to Human Evolution.” Public presentation at Roberts Wesleyan College, Rochester, NY, October 1, 2014.

“Is Christianity a Straightjacket? Why I am Still a Christian.” A talk given in a series on Doubt at Browncroft Community Church, Rochester, NY, June 4, 2014.

Presidential Address: “CETA—A Vision for the Future.” Presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Evangelical Theological Association, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, May 25, 2014.

“Can We Trust God with Radical Disappointment? (Jeremiah 20:7-18)?” Chapel Talk, Greenville College, Greenville, IL, February 12, 2014.

“Does God Come to Praise Job or to Bury Him? The Significance of the LORD’s Second Speech from the Whirlwind (Job 40:6-41:34).” The V. James and Florence Mannoia Lecture, Greenville College, Greenville, IL. February 12, 2014.

“The Bible’s Best Kept Secret.” Keynote Address at the “New Creation” Theology Conference of the Canadian Evangelical Theological Association, co-sponsored with Northeastern Seminary, Rochester, NY October 19, 2013.

Respondent to Keynote Address by J. Gordon McConnville on Biblical Anthropology, Institute for Biblical Research, Baltimore, MD, November 22, 2013.

“Good Theology, Bad Motives in Samuel’s Farewell Speech? The Characterization of the Prophet in 1 Samuel 12.” Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, June 3, 2013.

“The Deceptive Simplicity of Babel: Questioning the Literary Text and Social Reality of Genesis 11:1-9.” Paper presented in the Genesis Consultation at the annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, Chicago, IL, November 18, 2012.