Jonathan M. Watt


alt-txt

Professor of Biblical Studies and Chair, Department of Bible Christian Ministries & Philosophy

Office Phone: 724-847-6725
jwatt@geneva.edu

Degrees Received

  • Ph.D. Linguistics, 1995, University of Pittsburgh
  • M.A., Linguistics, 1987, University of Pittsburgh
  • M.Div., 1982, Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary
  • B.S. Magazine Journalism (minor: German), 1978, Syracuse University

Courses Taught

  • Anthropology / Sociology & Adult Education

ANT 201 - Cultural Anthropology         
MIN 224 - Multiculturalism & Globalism
MIN 491 - Cross-Cultural Conflict         
CMN 401 - Dynamics of Groups 
CMN 430, 432, 434, 438 - Research Methods
CMN 445 - Theory and Practice of Adult Learning          
HMT 411 - Humanities (Intro)
BBL 408 - Foundations of Christian Thought                    
CMN 470 - Senior Seminar
CMN 403 - Personal Leadership and Development          
CMN 406 - Church in Community
CMN 404 - Old Testament Principles of Ministry
CMN 407 - New Testament Principles of Ministry
BBL 409 - Christianity in Dialogue (Apologetics)
CMN 409 - Principles of Family Ministry
CMN 410 - Leadership for Mission and Ministry  

  • Biblical Studies

BIB 112 - Old Testament Introduction   
BIB 113 - New Testament Introduction 
BIB 301 - OT Prophets: Daniel              
BIB 303 - OT Poetry: Psalms
BIB 303 - OT: Pentateuch                     
BIB 308 - OT Wisdom Literature
BIB 312 - NT: Pauline Epistles               
BIB 318 - NT: Book of Hebrews
BIB 312 - NT: Gospel of Matthew           
BIB 314 - NT: Book of Romans
BIB 311 - NT: First Corinthians               
BIB 314 - NT: Catholic Epistles
BIB 340 - Inter-Testamentary Period       
BIB 341 - Biblical Archaeology

  • English

ESL 430 - Advanced ESL Reading           
ENG 101 - English Composition
ENG 113 - Research Writing      
ENG 328 - English Grammars/Ling.
ENG 382 - History of English Language   
ENG 491 - English Dialects
COM 101 - Principles of Communication

  • History

BIB 491 - Early Church Experience        
BIB 491 - Pat. & Med. Church History
BIB 491 - Reformed Presbyterian History
HUM 118, 119 - Humanities I & II

  • Languages

GRK 101, 102 - Hellenistic Greek Grammar I and II
GRK 201 - Intermediate Greek Reading   
GRK 202 - Greek Exegesis
GRK 491 - Septuagint Greek Reading      
GRK 493 - Adv. Greek Reading
GRK 491 - Directed Readings in Patristic Church Greek

  • Linguistics

LIN 219 - Linguistics       
LIN 220 - Applied Linguistics
LIN 491 - Sociolinguistics      
LIN 491 - Historical Linguistics
LIN 491 - Language and Religion     
LIN 491 - Languages of the World

  • Religious Ministry Studies

MIN 491 - World of Islam     
MIN 491 - Jihad vs. McWorld
MIN 491 - 20th Century Jewish Experience / Judaeo-Christian Heritage
MIN 225 - Missions and Culture
HUM 304 - Judaism & Islam in the Modern Middle East

  • Theology & Ministry

MIN 219 - World Christian Movement      
BIB491 - Cultures of Biblical Times
MIN 491 - Liberation Theology       
CMN 408 - Church and Mission
MIN 491 - Spiritual Formation      
BBL 491 - Grief & Crisis Ministry 
BBL 408 - Perspectives on Faith

  • Research Writing

MIN 491 - Research in Missions & Culture
Directed Undergraduate - Level Applied Research Project
IDM 491 - Undergraduate Honors Projects - Various Topics 

Selected Presentations/Publications

  • 2017

“Jewish Classical Education and the American Home Schooling Movement.” 2017. Shanghai (Chinese language version)

“Gregory of Nazianzus on Language.” In: Denecker, Tim, M. Lamberigts, G. Partoens, P. Swiggers, and T. Van Hal (eds.). 2017. Language and Culture in Early Christianity: A Companion. Leuven: Peeters.  

IAKWBOU Contra Mundum: Anti-Language and the Epistle of James.” Chapter in: James Dvorak (ed.). Gems from ‘Straw’: Linguistic Criticism and the Epistle of James. Wipf and Stock, 2017.

“Getting Along: Politeness Theory and the Gospels.” In: Andrew Pitts and Craig Blomberg, (eds.).  Festschrift for Stanley E. Porter. E.J. Brill, 2017.

Exegetical/Critical Commentary on Colossians and Philemon. Brill Exegetical Commentary Series. Stanley E. Porter and Andrew W. Pitts (General Editors).  Leiden: E.J. Brill.  Forthcoming.    

  • 2016

“From Adams (1885) to Zimmermann (2009): In, With and Under the Substance of Prepositions” Biblical and Ancient Greek Linguistics – Vol.6/7 (2016 or 2017)

“Jewish Classical Education” and “The American Home Schooling Movement.” Papers presented at graduate seminars - Nanjing Normal University, China – March 28 & 29, 2016.

“Deep vs. Surface Culture: Language Ideology in the Ancient Near East and Jewish Antiquity.” Paper presented at graduate seminar – Xiamen University, China – March 30, 2016.

“Anthropological Models of Culture and Language.” Paper presented at graduate seminar of Foreign Language Institute, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China – April 5, 2016.

  • 2015

“From Adams (1885) to Zimmermann (2009): In, With and Under the Substance of Prepositions” Paper for presentation to the Biblical Greek and Linguistics Section of the Society of Biblical Literature, Atlanta, GA – November.

“The Living Language Environment of Acts 21:27-40.” Biblical and Ancient Greek Linguistics 4(2015):30-48.

“Patristic Conceptions of Language Universals.” Paper presented to the Perspectives on Language and Culture in Early Christianity.  KU, Leuven, Belgium – Sept.10-12.

  • 2014

“Idiolect, Candy Bars and ‘Artisan English′ Orthography.” Paper presented to the 14th International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, at Vienna, Austria, July 2014

“The Living Language Environment of Acts 21:27-40.” Paper presented to the Greek Language and Exegesis Section of the Evangelical Theological Society, San Diego, CA, November 2014.

“The Principle of Universality in Sociolinguistics With Implications for Acts 22:2.” Paper presented to the Biblical Greek Language and Linguistics Section at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, San Diego, CA, November 2014.

“Anti-Language and the Epistle of James.”  Chapter in edited book on the Greek text of the Epistle of James and Persuasion Theory.  James Dvorak (Co-editor).  Forthcoming.

  • 2013

Review of Language and Religion: A Journey into the Human Mind by William Downes (Cambridge, 2011).  In:   Language and Society Vol.42(3): June 2013

Exegetical/Critical Commentary on Colossians and Philemon. In the Brill Exegetical Commentary Series.  Stanley E. Porter and Andrew W. Pitts (General Editors). Leiden: E.J. Brill.  Forthcoming.

A Cross-Linguistic Study of Greek Diminutives – BAGL – Fall Issue

  • 2012

“Missionaries and Language Maintenance and Language Shift: Language Policy, Social Forces or Historical Accident?” (with Christina B. Paulston) Paper for presentation to the 7th Annual Conference on Missionary Linguistics. Bremen, Germany, Feb.29-Mar.2.

“Is There a Diminutive Proto-Type in the House?  Paper for presentation to the Biblical Greek Language and Linguistics Section of the Society of Biblical Literature, Chicago, IL, Nov.17-20.

Internal book and manuscript reviews for Oxford University Press and Wadsworth Cengage Learning.  

  • 2011

The Leader′s Bible – New Testament. Editor/translator for Synoptic Gospels, Acts and I, II Thessalonians. 400th Anniversary Edition of KJV / MEV.

“The Community Diminutive.” Paper for presentation to the Biblical Greek Languages and Linguistics Section of the Society of Biblical Literature, Annual Meeting,  San Francisco, Nov.19.

Critical review of Tope Omoniyi (ed.), The Sociology of Language and Religion. Palgrave/MacMillan, 2010.   In: Language Policy, Vol.11, Issue 2 (2012):205-207.

  • 2010

“Language Policy and Religion.”  Ch.18 in Spolsky, Bernard (Ed.).  Cambridge Handbook of Language Policy. Cambridge University Press. (with Christina B. Paulston), 2012.

“A History of Greek with Reference to the New Testament” and “Some Implications of Bilingualism for New Testament Exegesis.”   Two chapters in: Stanley E. Porter & Andrew W. Pitts, Eds. Studies in the Language of the New Testament, Vol.1. Leiden: E.J. Brill. – Forthcoming

“A Short Study of Greek Diminutives.” Paper presented to the Biblical Greek Language and Linguistics Section of the Society of Biblical Literature, Atlanta, Nov.20.

  • 2009   

“Hermeneutic Implications of Bilingualism with Reference to Matt.5:22.”  Paper for presentation to the Biblical Greek Language and Linguistics Section of the Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting, New Orleans, Nov.21-24.

“The Contribution of Bilingualism to an Understanding of the Nature of New Testament Greek with Implications for the Exegesis of Phil.2:6-11.”  Paper for presentation to the New Testament and the Greek Language Section of the Evangelical Theological Society annual meeting, New Orleans, Nov.18-20.

“Talking with the Dead: Linguistics and Pedagogy of Hellenistic Greek.”  In: S.B. Porter and M.B. O′Donnell (Eds.).  The Linguist as Pedagogue: Trends in the Teaching and Linguistics Analysis of the Greek New Testament.  New Testament Monographs, 11. Sheffield Phoenix Press (2011).

“Religion as a Domain of Intercultural Discourse.” Ch.23 in Kiesling, Scott,        Elizabeth Rangel and Christina B. Paulston (Eds.).  Blackwell Handbook of Intercultural Discourse and Communication.  Blackwell Publishing (2012).

Awards & Distinctions

  • Excellence in Scholarship Award, Geneva College, 2004-2005
  • Moderator of 174th Synod (2005) of Reformed Presbyterian Church

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

  • Society of Biblical Literature
  • Evangelical Theological Society

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

  • Born in Sydney, Australia; raised in England, United States, Australia and Hong Kong before permanently immigrating to United States in 1967 (citizenship granted in 1975). Enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking and camping; experienced in remodeling and refinishing furniture and refurbishing houses; like to spend time conversing with college students, including organizing and participating in variety of international travels.