Two PhD students at Samford University’s Beeson Divinity School and a host of professors across campus will present proposals and moderate discussions at two major theological conferences in November.
Scott Willis and Theo Siu, part of the inaugural cohort of Beeson’s PhD in Theology for the Church, will present their paper abstracts at the annual meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS), Nov. 18-20 in Boston.
Willis’ article is titled “Double Fulfillment?: The Theology of Psalms 2 and 24 in the Matthean Passion Account.”
Willis said having his proposal accepted is a relief and lays the foundation for future article publication. He said his work likely will form part of a chapter of his future dissertation.
“All of that is useful for ministry in that it's more biblical exposition and theological reflection from which I can draw,” he said. “It's material for sermons and Sunday school lessons. It’s also personally edifying. My doctoral program is intentionally ecclesial in its focus; academics is never divorced from my spiritual life.”
Presenting at the conference helps sharpen the presenter’s studies.
“The experience of presenting is useful in that it makes you focus on communicating your idea effectively and efficiently,” Willis said. “The feedback at the conference generally is helpful too.”
Siu’s proposal is titled “The Spirit, the Son, and the Surprising Bond of Union: Jonathan Edwards and the Hypostatic Union.”
His research has helped him in his role as assistant pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Chicago.
“Although it is sometimes hard to imagine how your late hours studying various historical primary sources connect with your next sermon or counseling session, I have found that the people in my church are hungry to learn more about our common faith and heritage,” Siu said. “Having hard-earned answers for difficult questions has often strengthened my church's faith and confidence in the Gospel. It shows them that the Christian life is not simply another cultural fad but rather a deep tradition that is rooted in the person and work of Jesus Christ himself.”
Siu said he is honored to be able to contribute to theological conversations and that he considers himself “a small fish in a great ocean of academic geniuses.”
“As small as my contribution may be, I hope that I can be part of a larger movement of practicing pastors who are working to shape the theological vision of the church at large,” he said.
Siu hopes to represent Beeson well and to demonstrate that “pastors are important conversation partners for the greater theological project of the church.”
Along with Willis and Siu, several faculty across Samford’s campus will take part in both ETS and the annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, also held in Boston from Nov. 22-25. See the full list of faculty and the names of their proposals, papers or other contributions below.
Evangelical Theological Society
- Mark Gignilliat, professor of divinity and director of the PhD program, Beeson
- “OT Perspective”
- Timothy Tennent, professor of divinity and Methodist Chair of Divinity, Beeson
- “Creedal Christianity Through Hindu Eyes”
- Matt Burford, adjunct professor in Samford’s Core Texts program, Howard College of Arts and Sciences
- Moderating the session, “New Testament: Studies in Luke-Acts”
- J. D. Payne, Thomas Welby Bozeman Chair of Christian Ministry in the School of the Arts
- “Contemporary Definitions of Evangelism: Historical Survey and Theological Critique”
- “A Response to Reading 1 Peter Missiologically”
- Timothy Hall, professor of history, Howard College of Arts and Sciences
- “Contrasting Experiences in Samson Occom’s and Nathaniel Whitaker’s English Charity Tour, 1766-1768”
- Chip Hardy, associate professor of divinity, Beeson
- Moderating the session, “Hebrew Language”
- Stefana Dan Laing, associate professor of divinity and director of the Center for Women in Ministry,Beeson
- “Historical/Patristics Perspective”
- Moderating the session, “Patristic and Medieval History”
Society of Biblical Literature
- Jeffery Leonard, professor, Howard College of Arts and Sciences
- Chairing two sessions, “Biblical Hebrew Poetry” and “Voicing in Biblical Poetry”
- Osvaldo Padilla, professor of divinity, Beeson
- Presenting at the session, “1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus (Pastoral Epistles)”
- Chip Hardy, associate professor of divinity, Beeson
- “The Man Became a Living Soul: Reconceiving nefeš ḥayyah in View of Recent Scholarship and Bible Translations,” with co-author, Fausto Liriano, translator with Unites Bible Societes
- Alex Kirk, assistant professor of divinity, Beeson
- “What Does the Ox Say? Proverbs 14:4 and the Analogical Imagination”