Education

• University of California–Los Angeles, Ph.D., History – Christian Origins, estimated 2013 [in progress]. Primary research in social identity formation and apocalyptic thought within early Judaism and Christian origins.
• Fuller Theological Seminary, M.Div., 2008. Primary curriculum in New Testament studies, participated in several doctoral-level seminars.
• Messiah College, B.A., Bible, 2002

Teaching Experience

• Guest Instructor, on Ignatius and second-century persecutions, for the undergraduate seminar course “The Earliest Christian Documents in Historical Context,” University of California, Los Angeles, May 27, 2010. See my reflections on this experience here.
• Teaching Assistant, to Professor Kathryn Norberg in “Introduction to Western Civilization: History of Europe from the Year 1000 to 1715,” University of California, Los Angeles, Spring 2010
• Guest Lecturer, “Second Temple Judaism and Jesus of Nazareth,” in the course “Introduction to Western Civilization,” Department of History, University of California, Los Angeles, February 17, 2010.
• Guest Lecturer, “Hebrew Civilization: The History of Israel and Emergence of Judaism,” in the course “Introduction to Western Civilization,” Department of History, University of California, Los Angeles, January 13, 2010.
• Teaching Assistant, to Professor Claudia Rapp in “Introduction to Western Civilization: Ancient Civilizations, Prehistory to Circa A.D. 843,” University of California, Los Angeles, Winter 2010
• 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
• 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 Experience

• Graduate Research Mentorship, under Professor Ra’anan Boustan, University of California, Los Angeles, 2010-2011
• Graduate Student Research Mentorship, under Professor S. Scott Bartchy, University of California, Los Angeles, Summer 2010
• Research Assistant, to Professor Ra’anan Boustan on the subsequently published 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
• Research Assistant, to College Pastor Dennis P. Hollinger on subsequently published book, Choosing the Good: Christian Ethics in a Complex World (Baker Academic 2002), Messiah College, Spring 2001. Dr. Hollinger now serves as President at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

University and Other Academic Service

• Organizer and Presider, “Finding Your ‘Niche’ in Biblical Scholarship.” Panel planned for the annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, hosted by the Student Advisory Group. Panelists include April D. DeConick, Paula Fredriksen, Mark Goodacre, Christopher B. Hays, Dale B. Martin, and Katherine Doob Sakenfeld. Atlanta, Ga., November 2010.
• Society of Biblical Literature, Pacific Coast Regional Representative and Member (appointed), Student Advisory Group, 2009–present
• Technical Specialist and Graduate Researcher, Center for the Study of Religion, University of California, Los Angeles, 2009–present
• Society of Biblical Literature On-Campus Student Representative (appointed), University of California, Los Angeles, 2009
• History of Religion Graduate Student Representative (appointed), University of California, Los Angeles, 2008-present
• Society of Biblical Literature On-Campus Student Representative (appointed), Fuller Theological Seminary, 2007-2008

Awards and Fellowships

• Graduate Research Mentorship, University of California, Los Angeles, 2010-2011
• Graduate Summer Research Mentorship, University of California, Los Angeles, Summer 2010
• Teaching Assistantship, University of California, Los Angeles, 2009–2010
• Graduate Summer Research Mentorship, University of California, Los Angeles, Summer 2009
• Readership, University of California, Los Angeles, 2008–2009

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

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 (March 2009)
• 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

• “Parousia as Identity: First Thessalonians as a Case Study in Eschatology, Imperial Power, and Identity Formation,” paper presented at the Enoch Graduate Seminar: Studies in Second Temple Judaism and Christian Origins (Budapest, Hungary), July 23, 2010
• “The Agents of Jesus Meet ‘All the Nations’: Adapting Jesus’ Cultic Reform for the Eschaton,” presented 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, 2005-2008
• Anabaptist-Mennonite Scholars Network, 2005-Present
• Society of Biblical Literature, 2005-Present

Research Interests

Social historical issues in the New Testament and Christian origins, including social identity, family structure, gender roles, slavery, violence, and Jewish-Christian relations; apocalyptic thought and 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