Education

• University of California–Los Angeles, Ph.D., History – Christian Origins, 2013 [in progress]
• Fuller Theological Seminary, M.Div., 2008
• Messiah College, B.A., Bible, 2002

Teaching and Research Experience

• Teaching Assistant, to Professor Patrick Geary in “Introduction to Western Civilization: Ancient Civilizations, Prehistory to Circa A.D. 843,” University of California, Los Angeles, Fall 2009
• Research Assistant, to Professor Ra’anan Boustan on the forthcoming book Violence, Scripture, and Textual Practices in Early Judaism and Christianity (Brill 2009), University of California, Los Angeles, Summer 2009
• Graduate Student Research Mentorship, under Professor Ra’anan Boustan, University of California, Los Angeles, Summer 2009
• Reader, to Professor Ronald Mellor in “History of Rome: Death of Caesar to Time of Constantine,” University of California, Los Angeles, Winter 2009
• Reader, to Professor S. Scott Bartchy in “History of Early Christians,” University of California, Los Angeles, Fall 2008
• Teaching Assistant, to Professor Love Sechrest in “New Testament 2:Acts-Revelation,” Fuller Theological Seminary, Spring 2008
• Teaching Assistant, to Brian Pounds in “Beginning Greek,” Fuller Theological Seminary, Winter 2008 through Spring 2008
• Teaching Assistant, to Professor James T. Butler in “Exegesis of Jeremiah,” Fuller Theological Seminary, Fall 2007
• Teaching Assistant, to Professor Michael R. Cosby in “Fundamentals of Greek I” and “Fundamentals of Greek II,” Messiah College, 2001-2002
• Research Assistant, to College Pastor Dennis P. Hollinger on subsequently published book, Choosing the Good: Christian Ethics in a Complex World, Messiah College, Spring 2001. Dr. Hollinger now serves as President at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

Academic Volunteer Experience

• Society of Biblical Literature On-Campus Student Representative, University of California, Los Angeles, 2009-2011
• History of Religion Graduate Student Representative, University of California, Los Angeles, 2008-present
• Society of Biblical Literature On-Campus Student Representative, Fuller Theological Seminary, 2007-2008

Ministry Experience

• Hunger Advocacy Intern, Bread for the World (Pasadena, Calif.), Summer 2007
• Pastoral Intern, Pasadena Mennonite Church, 2006-2007
• Pastoral Intern, Grantham Brethren in Christ Church (Grantham, Pa.), 2001-2002
• Chaplain (for Junior class), Messiah College, 2000-2001

Professional Experience

• Technical Specialist and Graduate Researcher, Center for the Study of Religion, University of California, Los Angeles, 2009–present
• Claim Benefit Specialist, Aetna Healthcare (Seattle, Wash.), 2004-2005
• Integrated Service Specialist, Coventry Healthcare (Harrisburg, Pa.), 2002-2004

Recent Publications

• “Christ,” “Matthew, Gospel of,” “New Jerusalem,” “New Testament,” “Parousia,” “Second Coming,” in The Dictionary of the Bible and Western Culture (ed. M. Gilmour and M.A. Beavis; Baylor University Press, forthcoming 2009).
• “The Good (and Bad) News about Niche Bibles,” In Part [forthcoming]
• Review of Stanley Hauerwas, Matthew (Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible). Brethren in Christ History and Life [forthcoming].
• Review of Brian McLaren, A New Kind of Christian; The Story We Find Ourselves in; The Last Word and the Word after That. Brethren in Christ History and Life 29, no 1 (2006): 96-100.
• Assorted articles in the SEMI (Fuller Theological Seminary community publication)
• Assorted articles in The Swinging Bridge (Messiah College student newspaper)

Presentations

• “The Agents of Jesus Meet ‘All the Nations’: Adapting Jesus’ Cultic Reform for the Eschaton,” paper accepted for presentation for the Construction of Christian Identities program unit at the 2009 Annual Meeting for the Society of Biblical Literature (New Orleans, La.), November 24, 2009
• “Judging Compassionate Acts: Matthew 25:31-46 in Light of Second Temple Literature,” paper presented at WECSOR (Western Commission for the Study of Religion, Pacific Coast regional meeting for SBL) (Pasadena, Calif.), March 31, 2008.

Associations

• American Academy of Religion, 2005-Present
• Anabaptist-Mennonite Scholars Network, 2005-Present
• Society of Biblical Literature, 2005-Present

Research Interests

Social issues in the New Testament and Christian origins, including family structure, gender roles, slavery, social cohesion, violence, and Jewish-Christian relations; apocalyptic discourse in early Christianity and Second Temple Judaism; history and texts of Second Temple Judaism; history of biblical interpretation; ethical/social implications of biblical hermeneutics