J. Blair Wilgus Ph.D.

Chair, Online Undergraduate Ministry Program; Professor of Biblical Studies

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EDUCATION:
Ph.D., Hebrew Bible & Old Testament Studies, University of Edinburgh, Scotland
M.A., Old Testament, Lincoln Christian Seminary, Lincoln, IL
M.Div., Lincoln Christian University, Lincoln, IL
B.A., Preaching, Johnson University, Knoxville, TN

COURSES:

• History and Literature of Ancient Israel – our introduction to the Old Testament
• Pentateuch – an upper-division survey of the first five books of the Bible
• Prophets - an upper-division survey of Israel’s prophetic literature
• Violence in the Old Testament and Today – an in-depth investigation of violence in the Old Testament and what that means for believers today
• Old Testament Theology – a focused look at theological topics as they are presented in the Old Testament alone

AFFILIATIONS:

• Society of Biblical Literature, member

PUBLICATIONS:

• Deuteronomy, the Prophets, and the Life of the Church: A Festschrift in Honor of Dr. Gary Hall. Prestson, Victoria: Mosaic, 2013. Co-edited with Jason T. Lecureux and James Riley Estep, Jr.
• “Amos 4: An Exercise in Old Testament Exegetical Methodology.” Pages 86-104 in Deuteronomy, the Prophets, and the Life of the Church: A Festschrift in Honor of Dr. Gary Hall. Prestson, Victoria: Mosaic, 2013.
• “Bethel” in The Dictionary of the Bible and Western Culture: A Handbook for Students (Baylor University Press, forthcoming)
• Several book reviews published in Expository Times, Restoration Quarterly, and Stone-Campbell Journal

ACADEMIC INTERESTS:

My academic career started in my Ph.D. program, where I examined the literary unity of Amos 3-6. I still enjoy reading the Hebrew prophets and looking at connections and differences between their concerns and our own. Social justice in the prophets remains a relevant topic of concern today, and this topic continues to interest me both in the classroom and in real life.

I also love the field of Old Testament theology. I’m fascinated with the discussion about the difference between the Old Testament as a record of the beliefs of ancient Israel vs. theology for believers today. One particular area where I am especially involved is with the discussion about the violence of God in scripture. Violence in society today has brought renewed interest (and even revulsion!) in the violence perpetrated by God in the Bible. I love reading, writing, and discussing this topic.

HOBBIES/INTERESTS: 

I am originally from the east coast of Maryland and my wife is from Pennsylvania. We have a three-year-old daughter who was born here in California. We love traveling through the States and Europe (Germany especially!). We enjoy discovering new places, seeing new sights, and especially eating local cuisine. Still, it’s hard to turn down a movie in the cinema or a day spent on a California beach.