In the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Biblical Studies program students develop a major in either Hebrew Bible or New Testament and a minor in the other testament or another area of the theological curriculum, e.g., theology, ethics, church history (Roman era), to name a few.
Our program combines critical historical study of the Bible (through grammatical-historical, cultural, socio-rhetorical, literary, and other approaches) and contemporary hermeneutical theory and method to provide students with wide-ranging exposure to the discipline in its current diversity and to afford them a rich engagement with interdisciplinary avenues of inquiry.
Yichen Liang is a PhD student focusing on the New Testament. Her research interests include the Johannine literature, particularly the Gospel of John and its reception history, metaphorical expressions, and the cross-cultural interpretation of the New Testament from her Chinese perspective. Her master’s thesis discussed the metaphor of light in the Gospel of John in dialogue with the Chinese classic text, Zhuangzi.
The Doctor of Philosophy in Biblical Studies is a 40-credit hour degree program.
3 Foundational Courses (7-credit hours)
3 Core Biblical Studies Courses (9-credit hours)
3 to 4 Courses in Major (9- to 12-credit hours)
2 to 3 Courses in Minor (6- to 9- credit hours)
2 to 3 Elective Courses (6- to 9- credit hours)
Research Languages
Qualifying Exams
Dissertation Proposal
Dissertation and Defense
To add a focus in African American/Black Religious Studies, a student would take a minimum of
fifteen hours of courses with specific African American/Black content, as selected by the
student in consultation with their advisor. Persons opting for this focus would have an African American/Black advisor or consulting co-advisor, or as a committee member. At least one of the student’s Qualifying Examination questions would be on a dimension of African American/Black religion. The student’s dissertation would incorporate some element relating to African American/Black religious life and thought.
Biblical interpretation is more than listening to and engaging the chirographic text (the written biblical document and other ancient documents) but also listening to and engaging the divine presence in creation and social relations.
Dr. Kenneth Ngwa
Donald J. Casper Professor of Hebrew Bible and African Biblical Hermeneutics
My abiding fascination with the potency of “story” is the common thread in my research and teaching in the Old Testament. In the texts of ancient Israel one encounters a world where identity is formed, re-formed, remembered, and cherished through the telling of stories.
Dr. Julie Duncan
Associate Professor of Old Testament
The important thing to me as a teacher is to cultivate in my students an informed love for the details of the Hebrew Bible and of biblical studies, and for active communicative facility with biblical languages.
Dr. Brooke Lester
Associate Professor of Hebrew Scripture
In particular, my pedagogy seeks to proclaim the Gospel in ways that are liberating, critical, and de/re-constructive. I do so by engaging the New Testament with critical interpretive lenses such as postcolonialism, gender and sexuality, socio-economic, race and ethnicity, ableism, and posthumanism/eco-justice among other perspectives.
Rev. Dr. Dong Hyeon Jeong
Assistant Professor of New Testament Interpretation
Over the last twenty years, my teaching and research have focused on culture and the Bible, with a special emphasis on the tasks of building nations, transforming local communities, fulfilling the ideals of culture, saving individuals from chaos, meaninglessness, injustice, and violence and moving them toward wholeness/shalom and beauty/glory.
Dr. K.-K. Yeo
Harry R. Kendall Professor of New Testament
Graduates of this program will be able to:
Garrett accepts applications from students with:
Applications are due by January 10th for the following fall.
