Scot McKnight Joins Northern Seminary
Dr. Scot McKnight, world-renowned speaker, writer, professor and equipper of the Church has been appointed as Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary. His new position will begin on August 1, 2012. At its board meeting on Saturday, April 21, Northern Seminary’s Board of Trustees unanimously voted to appoint Dr. McKnight to this position. Northern’s President, Dr. Alistair Brown, remarked, “Scot McKnight brings unique gifts to an already first-rate faculty team. His deep scholarship, strong communication skills and passion for God’s mission will push Northern forward even faster in its work of equipping the church with excellent leaders.”
Dr. McKnight is a prolific writer whose recent books include The King Jesus Gospel (Zondervan, 2011), a commentary on James (Eerdmans, 2010), and One. Life: Jesus Calls, We Follow, (2010), as well as a new edition of his award-winning book, The Jesus Creed: Loving God, Loving Others, which is called The Jesus Creed for Students (Paraclete, 2011). Dr. Scot McKnight is a recognized authority on the historical Jesus, early Christianity, and the New Testament. His blog, Jesus Creed, is a leading Christian blog. A sought after speaker, he has been interviewed on several radio and television programs as well as spoken at numerous local churches, conferences, colleges, and seminaries in the United States and around the world.
Of the appointment, Dr. McKnight said, “For years teaching and speaking have led me increasingly back to the seminary classroom and my excitement for teaching has been reinvigorated in ways I did not anticipate. The beginning of the school year won’t arrive soon enough for me. Seminary and the preparation of church leaders and pastors have never been so challenging, and the opportunity to participate in Northern’s vision for churches and church leaders humbles me and has driven me to deeper commitments to God’s mission in this world. The administration and faculty at Northern impress me not only academically and professionally but spiritually: I have encountered a joyful family, a fellowship and a team at Northern that genuinely wants to serve the church for the sake of the gospel. I spent time with a number of students at Northern who impressed me in their curiosity, their no-nonsense Christian spirituality and their diversity. Teaching is no longer about downloading information; it’s about collaboration and mutual education.”
Northern is excited to welcome Dr. Scot McKnight. His appointment is the second for Northern this academic year. Dr. Cherith Fee Nordling was appointed as Associate Professor of Theology in November. She, too, will begin teaching in the fall. Dean of Academic Programs, Dr. Karen Walker Freeburg, commented, “As Northern continues to reimagine theological education, our faculty are in a unique position. With the addition of McKnight, the opportunity is wide open for deep integration of the study of Bible and Christian theology in ways that will be light years beyond traditional models of cross-departmental study. McKnight is well-known for his ability to integrate the finest thinking of the academy with a strong understanding of what will make a difference for Christ’s church in this generation. McKnight and Nordling are great additions to a core faculty which has incredible knowledge, experience as church leaders, and a non-negotiable passion for shaping and forming leaders whose very lives embody the message of Christ.”