Professor of New Testament Studies and Christian Ethics

Ph.D. Princeton Theological Seminary

M. Div. Bethel Theological Seminary

B. A. Bethel College

Study: University of Tubingen (Germany),
Instituto Superior Evangelico De Estudios Teologicos (Buenos Aires, Argentina),
Chicago-Kent College of Law (Chicago)

Background

Dr. Cosgrove grew up in the Chicagoland area. He is married to Debbie Fredericks and has a daughter Katherine. Dr. Cosgrove attended Bethel College (St. Paul) from 1972-1976, where he majored in Biblical and Theological Studies and minored in Music and Greek. From 1976-1979 he pursued an M. Div. Degree at Bethel Theological Seminary (St. Paul), where he majored in New Testament. During these years, he served as youth director and later as choir director at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis. In 1985, Dr. Cosgrove received his Ph.D. in New Testament from Princeton Theological Seminary. During his years of doctoral study, he and his wife lived in Princeton, New Jersey, and later in Tubingen, West Germany. While at Princeton, Dr. Cosgrove served as choir director of Collingswood Presbyterian Church (Collingswood, N. J.). Dr. Cosgrove came to Northern in 1984.

Dr. Cosgrove offers Christian adult education series and workshops in various settings. He also directs choirs, both youth and adult, as well as perform in brass groups and other instrumental ensembles for worship.

He is an accomplished jazz trombonist.

Books by Cosgrove:

The Cross and the Spirit: A Study in the Argument and Theology of Galatians

Church Conflict: The Hidden Systems Behind the Fights (with Dennis Hatfield)

The Kingdom Also Rises: Sermons Preached at St. Peter's Church, 1989-1991,

Elusive Israel: The Puzzle of Election in Romans

Appealing to Scripture in Moral Debate (Eerdmanns)

Research Interests:

Paul's letters and the Gospel of John
Biblical theology
Ethics
African-American history and thought
Hermeneutics (the science of interpretation)
Ancient Christian Worship
Music in the Early Church