Office Phone: 724-847-6703
bgcurtis@geneva.edu

Dr. Byron G. Curtis is a Christian theologian, pastor, and professional scholar specializing in Old Testament studies, with a focused interest in late Old Testament prophecy, the Persian period in Palestine, and the history of biblical interpretation. He is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). He and his wife, Sue Ann, have two children, Nathan and Naomi, and one granddaughter, Psyche Ariel.

Disciplines/Field of Instruction

• Biblical Hebrew
• Old Testament studies
• Christian theology
• History of Christianity
• Visiting Professor, Jerusalem University College, Israel, Fall Semester, 2011.

Degrees Received 

• Ph.D. in Biblical Interpretation, 2005, Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia
• Graduate studies in Hebrew Bible and Semitic languages, Duke University
• M.Div., 1980, Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, MS
• B.A., Biblical Studies, Magna Cum Laude, 1976, Geneva College
• Ordained, Presbyterian Church in America, 1985

Ministry Experience

• Frequent guest minister, teacher, and church conference speaker           
• Assistant Pastor/Associate Pastor, Peace Presbyterian Church (PCA), Cary, NC, 1985–1991
• Associate Campus Minister, LaRoche College/Coalition for Christian Outreach/Reformed Presbyterian Church of North Hills, 1980–83

Courses Taught

• Hebrew 101–102, Elementary Biblical Hebrew
• Hebrew 201, Intermediate Biblical Hebrew
• Hebrew 202, Hebrew Exegesis: Haggai-Zechariah 1-8
• Hebrew 202, Hebrew Exegesis: Haggai-Zechariah
• Hebrew 202, Hebrew Exegesis: Malachi
• Hebrew 491, Advanced Hebrew Reading
• Hebrew 491, Psalms
• Hebrew 491, Rabbinics
• Hebrew 491, Zechariah 9-14
• Bible 112, Old Testament Survey
• Bible 301, Old Testament Prophets
• Bible 302, Wisdom Literature
• Bible 303, Old Testament Studies (variable topics)
• Bible 304, The Book of Psalms
• Bible 306, The Book of Daniel
• Bible 307, Judah’s Exile and Restoration
• Bible 320, Special Topics in Theology
• Bible 324, Introduction to the Reformed Tradition
• Bible 325, Biblical Theology
• Bible 341, Archaeology and Geography of Israel
• Bible 350, History of the Christian Church
• Bible 351, Church History I: Beginnings to 1500 AD (in development)
• Bible 352, Church History II: 1500 AD to the Present (in development)

Independent Studies Taught (BIB 491)

• African Church History
• Corporate Judgment and the Individual
• Biblical Theology: Geerhardus Vos
• Biblical Theology: Meredith Kline
• Historical Theology: Luther

Seminary Courses Taught

• OT Introduction: Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry, Ambridge, PA
• OT History and Theology: Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and the Coalition for Christian Outreach, Spring Institute
• Biblical Theology: OT and NT: Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and the Coalition for Christian Outreach, Spring Institute

Books

• Up the Steep and Stony Road: The Book of Zechariah in Social Location Trajectory Analysis. Academia Biblica 25. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2006. [Revised doctoral dissertation]
• Up the Steep and Stony Road: The Book of Zechariah in Social Location Trajectory Analysis. Ph.D. dissertation, Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia. Ann Arbor, MI: University Microforms. 2005.
  Dissertation advisor: Dr. Peter Enns.

Current Projects

• Editor and contributor: Calvin and the Prophets of Israel: A Legacy in Exegesis. Forthcoming. Very little has been published by Old Testament scholars regarding John Calvin's seminal contributions in his commentaries on the Old Testament prophets, published between 1551 and 1565. What does Calvin have to say about Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and the Twelve? In this book, six co-authors and I seek to evaluate Calvin's contributions to our understanding of this portion of the OT canon.
• Zechariah’s Gospel/The Gospel’s Zechariah: How to Teach and Preach the Book of Zechariah as Christian Gospel (tentative title). This forthcoming book, written for pastors and Bible study leaders, seeks to show with clarity and simplicity how the Old Testament prophetic book of Zechariah can be preached and taught by Christians as Christian gospel. The first part of this book expounds in brief and vivid chapters the main points of Zechariah’s message, passage by passage. Then I attempt to explain how the book of Zechariah was used by Jesus and the authors of the New Testament as they proclaimed the gospel. A final chapter shows the enduring relevance of Zechariah for Christian believers. This manuscript is in preparation.
• The Book of Zechariah: A History of Interpretation (tentative title). This long-term project traces the main lines of the interpretation and use of Zechariah from the Septuagint and intertestamental writings, through the Dead Sea Scrolls, the New Testament, Patristic writers, Rabbinic sources, Medieval commentators, Reformation and Post-Reformation exegetes, historical critics, and down into the modern period.

Other Recent Publications

• “The Mas’ot Triptych and the Redaction of the Book of the Twelve.” In Perspectives on the Formation of the Book of the Twelve. Series: Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft. Edited by Jakob Wöhrle, Rainer Albertz, and James Nogalski. Forthcoming, 2012.
• “Hosea 6:7 and Covenant-Breaking like/at Adam.” Pages 170-209 in The Law is Not of Faith: Essays on Works and Grace in the Mosaic Covenant. Edited by Bryan D. Estelle, John V. Fesko, and David VanDrunen. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R, 2009.
• “Early Christianity: Controversy over Christ.” Reformed Theological Journal 24 (November, 2008): 34–50.
• “After the Exile: Haggai and History.” Pages 300–20 in Giving the Sense: Understanding and Using Old Testament Historical Texts. (Eugene H. Merrill Festschrift). Edited by David M. Howard and Michael A. Grisanti. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2004.
• “The Zion-Daughter Oracles: Evidence on the Identity and Ideology of the Late Redactors of the Book of the Twelve.” Pages 166–84 in Reading and Hearing the Book of the Twelve. Edited by Marvin A. Sweeney and James D. Nogalski. SBL Symposium Series. Atlanta: Scholar’s Press, 2000.
• “Orthodoxy and the Enlightenment.” Semper Reformanda 6 (1998): 131-46.
• “Colossians 2:16 and the Supernumerary Sabbath.” Semper Reformanda 6 (1997): 35-42.
• “‘Private Spirits’ in the Westminster Confession of Faith §1.10 and in Catholic–Protestant Debate (1588–1652).” Westminster Theological Journal 58 (1996): 257–66.

Presentations

• “The Mas’ot Triptych and the Redaction of the Book of the Twelve.” Paper for the conference, Perspectives on the Formation of the Book of the Twelve. University of Münster, Germany, 2011
• “Calvin’s Haggai.” Paper prepared for, but not given, at The Calvin 500 Conference. Geneva, Switzerland, 2009.
• “Hosea 6:7—A Janus Solution to a Crux Interpretum.” Israelite Prophetic Literature Section. Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting, Boston, MA, 2008
• “Hosea 6:7 and the Republication Thesis: A Janus Solution to a Crux Interpretum.”Evangelical Theological Society Annual Meeting, Providence, RI, 2008
• “And Now a Word from Our Sponsor.” Alpha Chi Honor Society Induction Ceremony keynote speech, Geneva College, November 5, 2008
• “The Unity of Zechariah: New Methods and New Arguments.” Evangelical Theological Society Annual Meeting, San Diego, 2007
• “Jean Cauvin: Qui Est-ce Qui?” Faculty Paper, Geneva College,
• December 4, 2007
• “Cultivating the Intellectual Virtues.” Alpha Chi Honor Society Induction Dinner lecture, Geneva College, October 10, 2007
• “Israelite Wisdom and the Quest for Knowledge: An Interdisciplinary Study in the Rise of Natural Science.” Faculty Integration Paper, Geneva College, 2005
• Invited Respondent to Dr. A. Joseph Everson on “The Canonical Location of Habakkuk.” Formation of the Book of the Twelve Seminar. Society of Biblical Literature, Annual Meeting, Toronto, 2002
• “The Zion-Daughter Oracles: Evidence on the Identity and Ideology of the Late Redactors of the Book of the Twelve.” Pages 166–84 in Reading and Hearing the Book of the Twelve. Edited by Marvin A. Sweeney and James D. Nogalski. SBL Symposium Series. Atlanta: Scholar’s Press, 2000.
• “Orthodoxy and the Enlightenment” Presented at “Minds and Souls: The Enlightenment and Christian Higher Education” Sesquicentennial Celebration Academic Conference, Geneva College, 1997
• “Charismata as Hermeneutical Help?” Evangelical Theological Society Annual Meeting, Chicago, 1994
• Invited Respondent to Dr. Jörg Jeremias on the theology of Hosea and Amos Consultation on the Formation of the Book of the Twelve. Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting, Chicago, 1994
• “Social Location and Redaction History in the Haggai-Zechariah-Malachi Corpus.” Israelite Prophetic Literature Section. Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C., 1993
• “Eschatological Expectation and the Date Formulae in Haggai and Zechariah 1–8.”  Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting, San Francisco, 1992
• “Reassessing Weber on Prophetic Charisma: Center and Periphery.” Association of Christians Teaching Sociology Annual Meeting, Beaver Falls, PA, 1992
• Invited Respondent to Dr. Russell Heddendorf on “Theology and Sociology.” Association of Christian Teaching Sociology Annual Meeting, Beaver Falls, PA, 1992

Awards & Distinctions Received

• Who’s Who in America, 2008
• Excellence in Scholarship Award, Geneva College, 2006–2007
• Excellence in Teaching Award, Geneva College, 1996–97
• Faithful Service Award, Peace Presbyterian Church, Cary, NC, 1988
• Nominated for the Arlin G. Meyer Prize in the Humanities, Lilly Fellows Program in the Humanities and the Arts, 2007

Affiliations, e.g., membership in professional organizations, etc.

• Member, Association for the Sociology of Religion
  Manuscript reviewer for Sociology of Religion
• Member, Evangelical Theological Society
• Member, Society of Biblical Literature
• Member, Eastern Carolina Presbytery, Presbyterian Church in America
• Faculty Representative for Geneva, Christian Scholar’s Review
• Faculty Representative for Geneva, Jerusalem University College
• Occasional consultant, National Geographic magazine
• Consultant, “Mysteries of the Bible,” A&E Network, The History Channel, 1997–98

Miscellaneous, e.g., hobbies, sports, personal info, etc.

• Music: I perform on piano (classics and jazz), on hammered dulcimer (folk music of the British Isles and the Appalachians). I am a member of “The Village Singers” (Tenor II), of the Tri-County Choral Institute. I also compose choral music, especially choral settings of the Psalms.
• Reading: I read voraciously, especially history and biography, but also novels. My favorite author of fiction is J.R.R. Tolkien.
• Sports: I love bicycle-riding, especially the downhill part.