Dr. Crowe Promoted!
July 31, 2011
Rev. Dr. Brandon Crowe has been promoted to assistant professor of New Testament!
Dr. Crowe graduated with an MDiv from Reformed Theological Seminary in 2007, and with a PhD from University of Edinburgh in 2010. He has been teaching at Westminster Theological Seminary as a lecturer in New Testament since 2009, and has just been promoted to Assistant Professor of New Testament.
See below for an interview with Dr. Crowe.
Who has been the greatest influence on your academic career?
This is a very difficult question to answer since I am indebted to so many people. I might point to pastors from whom I have learned so much (including Westminster board members Frank Barker and Harry Reeder). Certainly my doctoral supervisors (Paul Foster, Larry Hurtado) have sharpened my thinking, and some of my own seminary professors instilled in me the need to serve the church (Richard Pratt) and the importance of careful exegesis and historical research (Charles Hill). I have also become acquainted with many other exegetes and theologians (both past and present) through the written word who have shaped the way I understand the biblical texts. I also could not leave out friends, fellow students, and colleagues (such as Vern Poythress) through the years who have instructed, challenged, and encouraged me in a number of ways.
How do you hope to minister to students in the classroom as you teach?
One of my goals is to help students see the practical side of what they are studying, both for themselves and for those to whom they will be ministering. For example, textual criticism does not have the reputation for being the most interesting subject, but I think it is quite exciting as we try to make sure we know exactly what words God has given us. It also provides great opportunities for helping others understand the confidence we can have in God's Word. Another goal I have is to help bring alive the first century world into which the New Testament was written. If we can gain a better understanding of the real people behind the texts, I am convinced that the familiar stories and letters of the New Testament will come alive as we see that their lives were not that different from our own.
What is your prayer for Westminster students as they prepare for ministry?
My prayer is that the students would take full advantage of the opportunities they have to study God's Word in-depth while in seminary, and their hearts as well as their minds would be filled with love for God, that they may be equipped to minister in whatever challenging contexts they may find themselves down the road.
Within New Testament studies, what is a particular area of interest for you?
Probably the main area (right now) is the Gospels, but I also have a keen interest in a number of other areas (happily, these coincide with many of the classes I currently teach). These include the epistles of Hebrews through Jude, the early church fathers, textual criticism, and the book of Acts.
How many bow ties do you own?
I think about 9 or 10. In addition to providing a dapper look, I find that it is much more difficult to spill something on a bow tie than a regular tie.
