Education

Ph. D. (1997)
The Graduate School, Vanderbilt University
Dates of Study: 1990-1997
Passed exams "with honors" in April, 1993
Field of Study: Homiletics and the Christian Scriptures

M. A. (1993)
The Graduate School, Vanderbilt University
Dates of Study: 1992-93
Field of Study: Homiletics and the Christian Scriptures

M. Div. (1986)
The Divinity School, Vanderbilt University
Dates of Study: 1983-86

Foreign Study
Universität Bonn, Germany
Dates of Study: 1981-82

B. A. (1983)
Concordia College, Moorhead, MN
Dates of Study: 1979-83
Awarded degree summa cum laude
Majors: German, psychology; Minor: classical Greek

Academic Awards

Recipient of WLU "Initiatory Grant" for research projects on introductory texts in worship and preaching, April, 2009.

Recipient of WLU "Book Preparation Grant" for Kairos Preaching, December, 2008.

Fellow, Cathedral College (formerly the "College of Preachers"), National Cathedral in Washington, DC for work on "Preaching in Times of Public Crises," November, 2005.

Visiting Professor of Practical Theology through the German-Canadian Commission at the Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Summer, 2001

Recipient of Wabash Research Grant, "Getting Words Across: Preaching and Biblical Studies," for research on exegetical methods and homiletics ($7,000 US), January, 2001

Recipient of stipends for "2000 Workshop on Teaching and Learning for Theological School Faculty" ($2,700 US) at the Wabash Center, Wabash College, July, 2000-July, 2001.

Recipient of WLU "Book Preparation Grant" for Preaching Luke-Acts, April, 2000

Recipient of WLU "Initiatory Grant" for research on Luke-Acts book, May, 1999

Recipient of WLU "Book Preparation Grant" for Preaching in the New Creation, April, 1999

Recipient of WLU "Initiatory Grant" for research on apocalyptic book, September, 1998

University Graduate Fellow at The Graduate School, Vanderbilt University for Ph. D. work (full tuition scholarship + $12,000 US annual stipend), 1990-94

Brandon Honors Scholar at The Divinity School, Vanderbilt University (full tuition scholarship for M. Div. degree), 1983-86

Summa cum laude graduate of Concordia College July, 1983

"High Honor," American Classical League's Attic II National Greek Exam, 1983

"Third Place," koine Greek Translation, Eta Sigma Phi National Competition, 1983

Federation of German-American Clubs Scholar for year's study at the Universität Bonn, Germany (funds provided by province of Nordrhein-Westfalen), 1981-82

Employment Experience

2007-Present
Full Professor, Waterloo Lutheran Seminary, Ontario

2006-Present
Doctoral Faculty in Homiletics, Toronto School of Theology

2004
Adjunct Professor, Th.D. Programme in Homiletics, Emmanuel College, Toronto School of Theology

2001-2007:
Associate Professor, Waterloo Lutheran Seminary, Ontario

2001 (Summer):
Visiting Professor of Practical Theology, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Germany

1997-2001:
Assistant Professor, Waterloo Lutheran Seminary, Ontario

1996-97:
Lecturer, Waterloo Lutheran Seminary, Ontario

1995-96:
Pastor, First United Methodist Church, New Johnsonville, TN

1991-94:
Teaching Fellow in Worship and Preaching Courses,
The Divinity School, Vanderbilt University

1990-92:
Editorial Assistant, United Methodist Book of Worship Project

1986-90:
Associate Pastor, First United Methodist Church, Pierre, SD

1985:
Intern Community Organizer, Nashville Communities Organized for Progress, TN

1984-85:
Pastoral Intern, East End United Methodist Church, Nashville, TN

Professional and Learned Society Activities

2010-
Member, Nominations Committee, Academy of Homiletics

2008-
Steering Committee, Homiletics and Biblical Studies Section, Society of Biblical Literature

2007-
Founding Editor, TST Homiletics Seminar, an electronic journal at the Toronto School of Theology

2006-
Founder, TST Homiletics Seminar: Colloquium for Doctoral Students at Toronto School of Theology

2006-
Member, North American Academy of Liturgy

2004-2006
Chair, Homiletics and Biblical Studies Consultation, Society of Biblical Literature

2003-
Founding Editor, Homiletix e-Forum, the electronic journal of the Academy of Homiletics

2003-2005
Executive Board (At-Large Member), Academy of Homiletics

2001-
Editorial Board, Preaching Great Texts

2001-
Editor, Academy of Homiletics Web Site

2001
Web Designer, Proposed Academy of Homiletics Web Site

1998-2005
Book Review Editor, Consensus: A Canadian Lutheran Journal of Theology

1991-
Member, Society of Biblical Literature

1991-
Member, Academy of Homiletics

Publications

Books:

Kairos Preaching: Speaking Gospel to the Situation, co-authored with Robert Allen Kelly, (Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress Press, 2009).

New Proclamation: Year C, 2007, Easter through Pentecost, co-author, (Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress Press, 2006).

Preaching Luke-Acts, co-authored with Dr. Günter Wasserberg, (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2001).

Preaching in the New Creation: The Promise of New Testament Apocalyptic Texts (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1999).

As Seeing the Invisible: The Cosmic Scope of Apocalyptic Preaching (Ann Arbor, MI: UMI, 1997). [published dissertation]

Papers, Articles, and Chapters of Books:

"Schola Prophetarum: Prophetic Preaching Toward a Public, Prophetic Church," Homiletic 34:1 (2009), 12-21.

"Schola Prophetarum: Prophetic Preaching Toward a Public, Prophetic Church," Papers of the Annual Meeting, Academy of Homiletics, 2008, 124-33.

"Schola Prophetarum: Prophetic Preaching Toward a Public, Prophetic Church," TST Homiletics Seminar E-Journal 2:2 (Summer, 2008), 12-21.

"Apocalyptic," in The New Interpreter's Bible Handbook of Preaching (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2008).

with Robert Kelly, "Preaching the Wedding Sermon: Toward a Theology of Marriage for the Pulpit," The Clergy Journal LXXXIV:5 (March, 2008), 43-44.

"Proclaiming the Gospel in Situations: Theological Commonplaces for Occasions in Ministry and Life," TST Homiletics Seminar E-Journal 1:1 (Winter, 2007), 14-18.

"Introduction to Kairos Preaching," read at the TST Homiletics Seminar colloquium meeting on December 8, 2006, at Emmanuel College, Victoria University, University of Toronto.

Articles Editor, "Preaching the Gospel in Canada in the 21st Century," Consensus 31:1 (Winter, 2006) 7-105

"Homiletical Exegesis and Theologies of Revelation: Biblical Preaching from Text to Sermon in an Age of Methodological Pluralism," in Systematisch Praktisch: Festschrift für Reiner Preul (Eds. W. Härle, B-M Haese, K. Hansen, and E. Herms; Marburg: N. G. Elwert Verlag, 2005), 449-461.

"A Response to Gail Ramshaw's Treasures Old and New: Images in the Lectionary," read at the Word in Worship Seminar, North American Academy of Liturgy Annual Meeting in Louisville, January 8, 2005.

"Sermon" entry, in David Herman, Manfred Jahn, and Marie-Laure Ryan, eds. The Routledge Encyclopedia of Narrative Theory
(London: Routledge, 2005).

"Sermon on Micah 4:1-7," in Charles Aaron, Preaching Hosea, Amos, and Micah (St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2005), 107-110.

"Luke 2:22-40," in Seasons of Preaching (J. Rottman and P. Wilson, eds.; New Berlin, WI: Liturgical Publications, 1996), 53-54.

"Preaching and Praise," Preaching, September/October 1995, 21-22.

"A Pauline Apocalyptic Topos: Rhetoric and Genre in 1 Thes 4:13-5:11," read at the Rhetoric of the NT Section, SBL Annual Meeting in Chicago, November 20, 1994.

"Prophecy, Discernment, Word of God: An Apocalyptic Prolegomena for Post-Enlightenment Theologies of the Word," Papers of the Annual Meeting, Academy of Homiletics, 1992, 46-56.

Published Interviews:

Audio-taped interview on Preaching in New Creation, Preaching Luke-Acts, and developing work on preaching and Biblical studies with Prof. Ronald Allen for the Walter Scott Society, December 7, 2002.

"The end of the world; Stories of the apocalypse offer 'invitation to mystery'" (Newspaper interview on apocalypticism) with reporter Rose Simone for the Kitchener-Waterloo Record, December 31, 1999.

Reviews of Books:

Review of Knowing the Context in Consensus, 33:1, 135-37.

Review of The Gospel of Justification in Christ: Where Does the Church Stand Today? in Consensus, 32:1, 155-56.

Review of To Act According to the Gospel in Consensus 32:1, 147-48.

Review of Christ in Our Context: Jesus and the Suffering World in Consensus 31:2, 175-76.

Review of Imagining Redemption in Consensus, 31:2, 172-74.

Review of A Matter of Life and Death: Preaching at Funerals in Consensus, 31:2, 176-77.

Review of Christ in Our Context: Jesus and the Suffering World in Consensus, 31:2, 175-76.

Review of The Imaginative World of the Reformation in Consensus, 31:1, 175-77.

Review of Preaching God's Compassion in Consensus, 30:2, 141-43.

Review of Worship as Meaning in Consensus, 30:2, 145-46.

Review of Treasures Old and New: Images in the Lectionary in Consensus 30:1, 135-37.

Review of Beyond the Worship Wars in Consensus 30:1, 139-41.

Review of Anamnesis as Dangerous Memory in Consensus 30:1, 141-43.

Review of Testimony: Talking Ourselves into Being Christian in Homiletix e-Forum 2:1 (Spring, 2005).

Review of Speaking Jesus: Homiletic Theology and the Sermon on the Mount in Interpretation 58:4 (2004), 424.

Review of Historical Dictionary of Lutheranism in Theologische Literaturzeitung 128:3 (2003), 309-10.

Review of Trouble with Jesus: Women, Christology, and Preaching in Homiletic XXV:2 (2000), 16-17.

Review of Preaching Hard Texts in the Old Testament in Encounter 60:4 (1999), 597-98.

Review of Imagination Shaped in Pro Ecclesia VII:1 (1998), 120-22.

Review of The Apocalypse in Homiletic XXII:2 (1997), 32-33.

Review of Jesus Christ in the Preaching of Calvin and Schleiermacher in Consensus 23:2, 143-44.

Review of Ethics of Biblical Interpretation in Encounter 58:1 (1997), 114-16.

Review of Conflict and Community in Corinth in Homiletic XXI:2 (1996), 29-31.

Review of The Cross and Human Transformation in Homiletic XXI:2 (1996), 25-26.

Review of Poststructuralism and the New Testament in Encounter 57:3 (1996), 301-03.

Review of Hard Living People and Mainstream Christians in Homiletic XXI:1 (1996), 52-54.

Review of Rhetorical Criticism in Homiletic XXI:1 (1996), 31-32.

Review of U.S. Lifestyles and Mainline Churches and Ministry in an Oral Culture in Homiletic XX:2 (1995), 52-53.

Review of In Search of Wisdom in Homiletic XX:2 (1995), 35-36.

Review of Liberating Paul in Encounter 55:1 (1995), 207-09.

Review of Peculiar Speech in Homiletic XVIII:1 (1993), 16-17.

Review of Four Codes of Preaching in Theology Today XLIX:2 (1992), 274-76.

Published Sermons and Worship Helps

Published Sermons:

"Freedom from Death's Thrall (All Saints Day Sermon on John 11:32-44)," Consensus 32:1, 137-40.

"The Coming of the Pierced One (Rev 1:4b-8)," Biblical Preaching Journal 13:4 (2000).

"Come as You Are (Gal 6:11-16)," Consensus 25:2, 89-93.

"Least, not Last (Matt 25:31-46)," Biblical Preaching Journal 12:4 (1999), 22-23, 26.

"Joseph Was a Righteous Man (Matt 1:18-25)," Pulpit Digest November/December 1998, 47-52.

"Not a Non-Prophet Organization (Jer 1:4-10)," Biblical Preaching Journal 11:1 (1998), 14-16.

"Freedom and Fireworks (Gal 5:1, 13-25), " Preaching July/August 1997, 52-53.

"Render Unto God...Yourself (Matt 22:15-22)," Pulpit Digest March/April 1997, 25-28.

"More Than Enough (Isa 11:1-10)," Pulpit Digest November/December 1996, 31-35.

"Together Forever (Ps 139:1-12, 23-24)," Biblical Preaching Journal 9:3 (1996), 8-10.

"In the Company of Greatness (Heb 11:29-12:2)," Pulpit Digest May/June 1996, 34-37.

"On the Tips of Our Tongues," Pulpit Digest September/October 1995, 62-66.

"Lights, Camera...(Rev 5:11-14)," Biblical Preaching Journal 8:2 (1995), 12-14.

"Next Year...in New Jerusalem (Rev 21:1-6)," Biblical Preaching Journal 8:1 (1995), 2-4.

"Strangers Bearing Gifts? (Gen 18:1-10)," Pulpit Digest July/August 1994, 58-60.

"We've Got Spirit (Rom 8:18-30)," Biblical Preaching Journal 7:2 (1994), 25-27.

"My Lord, What a Morning, When the Stars Begin to Fall! (Mark 13:24-37)," Biblical Preaching Journal 6:4 (1993), 27-29.

"Breathless (Ezek 37:1-14)," Biblical Preaching Journal 6:1 (1993), 40-42.

Published Sermon Helps:

"Biblical Commentary" and "Homiletical Helps," in Gathered in My Name: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2006. Toronto: Canadian Council of Churches and Novalis, 2006, 22-23.

"Proper 18," Word and Witness (05:5), 21-25..

"Preaching the Lesson," Lectionary Homiletics (June, 2000), 5-6, 13-14, 20-21,29-30.

"Preaching the Lesson," Lectionary Homiletics IX:2 (Jan. 1998), 5-6, 15-16, 22-23, 29-30.

"Epiphany 4," Word and Witness 96:1 (January 28, 1996), 45-48.

"Lent 1," Word and Witness 95:2 (March 5, 1995), 69-72.

"Preaching the Lesson," Lectionary Homiletics V:12 (Nov. 1994), 4-5, 11-12, 20, 27-28.

"Pentecost 2," Word and Witness 94:4 (June 5, 1994), 141-44.

"Christmas 1," Word and Witness 94:1 (December 26, 1993), 25-28.

"Pentecost 15," Word and Witness 16:7 (September 20, 1992).

Worship Resources:

with Cindy Schnasa Jacobsen, "The Fullness of the Word (January 1-4, 1998)," The Upper Room Disciplines 1998 (Nashville: Upper Room Books, 1997) 13-16.

with Cindy Schnasa Jacobsen, "The Fullness of the Word (December 29-31, 1997)," The Upper Room Disciplines 1997 (Nashville: Upper Room Books, 1996) 376-78.

"Prayer for the Season after the Epiphany," United Methodist Book of Worship (Nashville: UMPH, 1992) 311.

"For Those Who Are Unemployed," United Methodist Book of Worship (Nashville: UMPH, 1992) 541.

Workshops and Lectureships

Workshops:

"Prophetic Preaching" workshop at WLS' Luther Hostel, Waterloo, ON, June 9-12, 2008.

"Lay Preaching" workshop for the Upstate New York Synod of the ELCA at Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora, NY, August 6-10, 2007.

"Das Lukasevangelium – als theologischer Roman gelesen. Exegetische und theologische Entdeckungen im 3. Evangelium mit einer neuen Methode," workshop at the Theologisches Studienseminar of the German Evangelical Lutheran Church (VELKD) at Pullach, Germany, June 4-8, 2007.

"Lay Preaching" workshop at WLS' Luther Hostel, Waterloo, ON, June 13-17, 2005.

"The Issue of Language in Same Sex Blessings" workshop (co-taught with Prof. Harold Remus) at Caring Conversations VI, St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Kitchener, ON, April 16, 2005.

"Training Youth as Scripture Readers in Church" workshop at WLS Youth Day, Waterloo, ON, February 5, 2005.

"Preaching Freedom" workshop at WLS Youth Day, Waterloo, ON, February 7, 2004.

"Preaching the Hard Texts" workshop for Caring Conversations II, St. John's Lutheran Church, Waterloo, Ontario, February 22, 2003.

"Lay Preaching" workshop, Eganville, Ontario, November 9, 2002.

"Lay Preaching" workshop for the Atlantic conference of the Eastern Synod, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, October 19, 2002.

"New Developments in Preaching" workshop for pastors in the Atlantic Conference, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, October 18, 2002.

"Preaching with the Lectionary in Advent," workshop with Drs. Sarah Dille and Tim Hegedus, at the Eastern Synod Bishop's Conference, Niagara Falls, Ontario, October 16, 2001.

"So That You May Know with Assurance: Lukan Narrative Theology for Preaching" workshop with Dr. Günter Wasserberg, WLS, Waterloo, Ontario, April 23, 1998.

"Justify My Love: Preaching and Theologies of the Gospel," workshop with Dr. Bob Kelly given at WLS Youth Day," Waterloo, Ontario, February 1, 1998.

"Preaching Apocalyptic Texts," workshop given at the Eastern Synod Bishop's Retreat, Carmelite Retreat Centre, Niagara Falls, Ontario, October 21, 1997.

"Preaching Apocalyptic Texts," workshop given at the Georgian Bay Pastors' Conference, Inverhuron, Ontario, May 20, 1997.

"Proclamation and Response," workshop given at The National Convocation of the Fellowship of UMs in Worship, Music, and Other Arts, July 19-24, 1993.

Special Lectures:

"Liturgy and Meaning Making," given at the series Lenten Lunch Discussions: In the Beauty of Holiness at Waterloo Lutheran Seminary, March 16, 2009.

"Preaching Gospel in the Face of Injustice," given at the meeting of the Board of Governors of Waterloo Lutheran Seminary, May 11, 2007.

"Preaching in Times of Public Crises," given at Cathedral College, National Cathedral, Washington, DC, November 22, 2005.

"Preaching Luke-Acts: Theology and Narrative in Proclamation," given at Emmanuel Bible College, Kitchener, Ontario, February 5, 2002.

"Predigen unter postmodernen Vorzeichen" given for the Proseminar: Homiletic I, Protestant Theological Faculty, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, July 25, 2001.

"Basic Course in Preaching," given for pastoral interns in Lima, Peru, April 1999

Personal

Service to Church:

• Frequent supply preacher at English and German-speaking ELCIC and UCC churches, 1996-
• Frequent supply preacher at UMC, PCUSA, Disciples and ELCA churches, 1990-95
• Teacher, East End UMC Neighborhood Children's Outreach Program, 1991-95
• President, Pierre/Ft. Pierre (South Dakota) Ministerial Association, 1990
• Member, Conference Board of Church and Society (SDAC), 1989-90
• Western District Youth Coordinator (SDAC), 1988-90
• Member, Conference Council on Youth Ministries (SDAC), 1988-90
• Coordinator, Annual Conference Prayer Services (SDAC), 1988-89
• Member, Bread for the World

Ecclesial Relationships:

• attend St. Mark's Lutheran Church, Kitchener, Ontario
• "appointed beyond the local church" to Waterloo Lutheran Seminary, August, 1996-Present
• ordained Elder at South Dakota Annual Conference of UMC in June, 1988
• ordained Deacon at South Dakota Annual Conference of UMC in June, 1985

PNC Endorsements

PNC Review by Paul S. Wilson