Academic Dean
schwest@bethanyseminary.edu [1]
Office: 765-983-1815
Biographical Sketch:
I have had an eclectic spiritual journey. I was born into an observant Catholic family, my parents joined the Assembly of God when I was in 8th grade. Through high school and college, I remained an active member in the Assemblies of God. After college, Jill and I were married. We attended a Pentecostal non-denominational church in St. Paul for five years. In 2000, we moved to South Bend, Indiana and began attending Prince of Peace Church of the Brethren. During this time, our three children (Luke, Anna, and Benjamin) were born and I completed my degree at Notre Dame. I taught at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Indiana for three years as Assistant Professor of Old Testament. After nine years in that congregation in South Bend, we moved to Richmond, when I became Academic Dean at Bethany. We currently attend Cedar Grove Church of the Brethren in the Southern Ohio District.
Education:
- University of Notre Dame , Notre Dame, IN, Ph.D. in Theology (Christianity and Judaism in Antiquity, Secondary Emphasis in Literary Theory), 2005.
- University of St. Thomas , St. Paul, MN, M.A. in Theology (Hebrew Bible, Minor in Patristics) , 1997.
- North Central University , Minneapolis, MN, B.A. in Christian Studies (Biblical Studies & Cultural Studies, Minor in Biblical Languages), 1995.
Courses Recently Taught:
Bethany Theological Seminary (Fall 2009 - Present):
- BS 111-112: Hebrew I & II
- B314: Exegesis of Chronicles and Ezra-Nehemiah
Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary (Fall 2006 - Spring 2009):
- BIB 500: Reading the Bible
- BIB 501: Beginning Hebrew, Ruth
- BIB 531: Psalms
- BIB 532: Job and Wisdom Literature
- BIB 536: From Daniel to Jesus: Early Judaism in the Second Temple Period
- BIB 537: Identity & Community in Postexilic Israel, Chronicles-Ezra-Nehemiah
- BIB 538: Pentateuch
- BIB 601: Hebrew Readings, Prophets
- BIB 653: War and Peace in the Bible
- BIB 654: Biblical Foundations of Peace and Justice
- BIB 669: Seminar in Biblical Studies: Methodological Approaches to Scripture
- BIB 669: Seminar in Biblical Studies: The Septuagint
Recent Publications:
Books:
- Ezra-Nehemiah. Believers Church Bible Commentary. Scottdale, Penn.: Herald Press, under contract.
- Reading Utopia in Chronicles . Library of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies 442. London: T&T Clark International, 2007.
Essays:
- “The Concept of Shalom in the Book of Chronicles.” In Struggles for Shalom. Studies in Peace and Scripture series, ed. L. Brenneman and B. Schantz. Eugene, Ore.: Wipf& Stock, forthcoming.
- “The Genealogies of 1 Chronicles 1-9: Purposes, Forms, and the Utopian Identity of Israel.” In The Book of Chronicles and Early Second Temple Historiography, ed. T. Williams and P. Evans. Winona Lake, Ind.: Eisenbrauns, forthcoming.
- “The Egyptian Goddess Ma‘at and Lady Wisdom in Proverbs 1-9: Reassessing their Relationship.” Pages 113-32 in vol. 1 of A Teacher for All Generations: Essays in Honor of James C. VanderKam. Journal for the Study of Judaism Supplement 153, 2 vols., ed. E. Mason et al. Leiden: Brill, 2012.
- “The Temple in Samuel-Kings and Chronicles.” Pages 123-38 in Rewriting Biblical History: Essays on Chronicles and Ben Sira. Festschrift Pancratius Beentjes , ed. H. van Grol and J. Corley, Berlin: de Gruyter, 2011.
- “Judging a Book by its Citations: Sources and Authority in Chronicles.” Pages 37-65 in What was Authoritative in Chronicles? , ed. E. Ben Zvi and D. Edelman. Winona Lake, Ind.: Eisenbrauns, 2011.
- “Exploring the Utopian Space of Chronicles: Some Spatial Anomalies.” Pages 141-56 in Constructions of Space I: Theory, Geography, and Narrative . Library of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies 481, ed. J. L. Berquist and C. V. Camp, London: T&T Clark International, 2007.
- “Utopia and Utopian Literary Theory: Some Preliminary Observations” and “Visions of the Future as Critique of the Present: Utopian and Dystopian Images of the Future in Second Zechariah.” Pages 13-26 and 249-67 in Utopia and Dystopia in Prophetic Texts , Publications of the Finnish Exegetical Society 92, ed. E. Ben Zvi, Helsinki: Finnish Exegetical Society, 2006.
Articles:
- “1-2 Chronicles,” “Cyrus the Great,” “Sheshbazzar,” “Tobiah,” and “Zerubbabel.” Pages 486-69, 504-506, 1225-6, 1313-4, 1359-60 in The Dictionary of Early Judaism (DEJ) , ed. J. J. Collins and D. Harlow. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2010.
- "Biblical Sexual Ethics." Brethren Life and Thought 55 no. 1-2 (2010): 1-9.
- “Biblical perspectives on Sexuality.” Vision: A Journal for Theology and Church 9, no.2 (2008): 13-24.
- “Mythology in the Old Greek of Isaiah: The Technique of Translation.” Catholic Biblical Quarterly 66 (2004): 214-30.
- “The High Priest in Chronicles: An Anomaly in a Detailed Description of the Temple Cult.” Biblica 84 (2003): 388-402.
Memberships and Activities
- Colloquy for Theological School Deans, Wabash Center, Summer 2010, Winter 2011, Winter 2012
- Chief Academic Officers Society Advisory Committee, Association of Theological Schools, 2011-Present
- Society of Biblical Literature, Chronicles-Ezra-Nehemiah Section, Co-Chair, 2011-Present
- Catholic Biblical Association, 2002-Present
- Society of Biblical Literature, 1996-Present
Websites of Interest:
- Bethany Theological Seminary - http://www.bethanyseminary.edu [2]
- Association of Theological Schools - http://www.ats.edu/ [3]
- Brethren Life and Thought - http://www.bethanyseminary.edu/blt [4]
- Brethren Life and Thought Blog - http://www.brethrenlifeandthought.org/ [5]
- Early Christian Writings - http://earlychristianwritings.com/ [6]
- Journal of Hebrew Scriptures - http://www.jhsonline.org/ [7]
- Christian Classics Ethereal Library - http://www.ccel.org/fathers.html [8]
- Wesley Center Online (Noncanonical Literature) - http://wesley.nnu.edu/sermons-essays-books/noncanonical-literature/noncanonical-literature-ot-pseudepigrapha/ [9]
For a complete listing of accomplishments: Curriculum Vitae [10]