212 Forest Brook Drive  Cary, NC 27519
PHONE: (919) 387-8658 (home)  (919) 274-3467 (cell)
E-MAIL: [email protected]
KENNETH L. VANDERGRIFF,
PH.D.
EDUCATION__________________________________________________________________
1977-1988
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Ft. Worth, Texas
 Ph.D. in Old Testament, July 1988
 Master of Divinity, May 1981
1986
Texas Christian University
 Additional study in New Testament
1974-1976
Florida State University
 Bachelor of Science in English Education,
June 1976
1972-1974
St. Petersburg Community College
 Associate of Arts, May 1974
Ft. Worth, Texas
Tallahassee, Florida
St. Petersburg, Florida
TEACHING EXPERIENCE_____________________________________________________
1996--present
Campbell University
Buies Creek, North Carolina
 Adjunct Faculty, Department of Religion and Philosophy,
Buies Creek, RTP, and Pope Air Force Base Campuses
1988-1995
Wayland Baptist University,
San Antonio Campus
 Adjunct Faculty, Department of Religion
San Antonio, Texas
1989
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary,
San Antonio Extension Campus
 Adjunct Faculty, Old Testament
San Antonio, Texas
1984--1987
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
 Teaching Fellow in Old Testament
Ft. Worth, Texas
1976-1977
Heritage High School
 English teacher
Conyers, Georgia
CHURCH EXPERIENCE________________________________________________________
1996
Woodhaven Baptist Church
Apex, North Carolina
 Interim Minister of Education
1989-1995
Northwest Hills Baptist Church
 Minister of Education
San Antonio, Texas
1991-1995
San Antonio Baptist Association
 Served on various committees and
on the Executive Board
San Antonio, Texas
1990
Ministerial Ordination
Northwest Hills Baptist Church
San Antonio, Texas
PUBLICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES________________________________
Co-coach, Campbell University Ethics Bowl team, 2007--present.
The team participates each year in the Atlantic regional ethics bowl sponsored by the Association for
Practical and Professional Ethics, and beginning in 2012 the team also participates in the ethics bowl
sponsored by the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities.
Faculty Senate, extended campus representative, 2007--2009.
Member of Campbell University Faculty/Staff committee preparing for campus visit
by the Soulforce (gay-rights) organization, Spring 2010. Presentation to the university
community, “Campbell University Soulforce Forum: Issues of Law and Theology,”
February 22, 2010.
Presentation to the Campbell University community regarding North Carolina’s
Amendment One proposal to amend the state constitution to prohibit recognition of
gay marriage, February 27, 2012.
“When Tolerance and Intolerance Collide: The Limits of Tolerance in a Liberal
Democracy.” Presentation: Oxford Round Table Conference on “Religion,
Education and the Role of Government.” Lincoln College, Oxford University, August
7-12, 2005.
“Illness and Death in the World’s Religions.” Two presentations to the medical staff
of Western Wake Hospital, Cary, North Carolina, September 2002.
“Re-Creating David: The David Narratives in Art and Literature.” Review and
Expositor 99 (Spring 2002): 193-205.
Review of Paul Boyer, When Time Shall Be No More: Prophecy Belief in Modern
American Culture (Cambridge: Belknap Press, 1992). Baptists Today 15 August 1996:
21.
Research assistant to Tony Cartledge, for Cartledge, 1 & 2 Samuel, Smyth & Helwys
Bible Commentary (Macon, GA: Smyth & Helwys, 2001).
Unpublished dissertation: “The Messianic Significance of the ‘Seed of Abraham’
Concept in Pre-Christian Judaism.” Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Ft.
Worth, Texas. Supervisor: Dr. David Garland.
In the light of the New Testament’s presentation of Jesus the Messiah as the “seed
of Abraham” (Gal. 3:16 and Matt. 1:1), in my dissertation I conducted a
traditio-historical investigation to determine if the seed of Abraham concept had
been associated with the messianic hope in pre-Christian Judaism. Two New
Testament scholars, Max Wilcox and F. F. Bruce, had suggested that it had, on the
basis of a few enigmatic texts in early Jewish literature.
After a thorough review of the seed of Abraham concept in the writings of
early Judaism--including the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, the LXX, Philo,
Josephus, the Qumran literature, the Targums, Mishnah, Midrashim and Talmud--I
concluded that the exegetical move identifying the Messiah as the seed of Abraham
had no prior history in Jewish thought. Therefore that exegetical move should be
considered a sui generis development by the New Testament writers, caused by the
exigencies of the Gentile mission.
PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING___________________________________________________
My philosophy of Christian educational ministry has been particularly shaped by statements
from two Christian educators. Thomas Groome has focused my attention on the role of
education in creating the future. According to Groome, “if we are to have a usable future,
we must educate toward it. . . The reason we attend to the present and the past is that we
may intend the future” (Christian Religious Education). I have tried to allow that to shape my
teaching. Teaching the narratives of the past, found in the biblical narratives, shapes the
future of students’ lives in intentional ways and thereby creates a distinctive future. To
accomplish this, a professor of theology has the task of leading students to discover the
nature of theological questions, to understand the relationship between theology and other
fields of study, and to grasp the relevance of theology to their developing sense of self and
vocation. This is as important for those students who are not pursuing a vocation in
Christian ministry as it is for those who are.
Not only individual lives are being shaped in theological education, but the nature of our
churches as well, which brings me to the second influence on my educational philosophy.
Edward Farley states that for the contemporary church “a very different kind of church
teacher will be called for. . . The educator on the church staff will have to be a
theologian-teacher” (The Fragility of Knowledge: Theological Education in the Church and the
University). Our churches need theologians, not merely program administrators. I have had
the privilege, even in teaching undergraduates at Wayland Baptist and Campbell universities,
to teach many students who were pursuing a Christian vocation. One aim has been to push
them to be theologians. Christian theological education should prompt students to think
through not only what they believe but why they believe it. Furthermore, since students will
live and serve in a postmodern, pluralistic environment, being a theologian means that
responsible Christian scholarship must be brought into dialogue with the scientific,
philosophical, social and theological questions being raised today.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS_________________________________________________
 Society of Biblical Literature

American Academy of Religion
CONFERENCES_______________________________________________________________
 2005:
* March: SECSOR (Southeastern Commission for the Study of Religion)
* August: Oxford Round Table Conference on "Religion, Education
and the Role of Government." Lincoln College, Oxford University
* November: SBL/AAR Annual Meeting, Philadelphia

2009:
* March: SECSOR
* April: “The Politics of Love,” Postmodernism, Culture and Religion 3, Syracuse
University

2010:
* March: SECSOR

2013
* March: SECSOR
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES______________________________________________________
 Active in numerous areas of church life (Bible study teacher; deacon; moderator;
Church council chairman; pastor search committee co-chair)

Triangle Area Chapter of Christians for Biblical Equality, Steering Committee
member, 1999-2001
AWARDS_____________________________________________________________________
 Who’s Who in the World, 2000

Who’s Who in Religion, 1992-1993

Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities, 1979-80 and
1984-85

Stella Ross Award in Old Testament Studies, Southwestern Baptist Theological
Seminary, May 1981

Magna cum laude graduate, Florida State University, June 1976
REFERENCES_________________________________________________________________
Dr. Glenn Jonas
Chairman, Department of Religion and Philosophy
Campbell University
Buies Creek, North Carolina 27506
Rev. Brent Rector
Minister of Education, Woodhaven Baptist Church
4000 Kildaire Farm Road
Apex, North Carolina 27539
(919) 362-0127
Mr. Philip Ledford
Interim Director, Campbell University RTP Campus
808 Aviation Parkway, Suite 1100
Morrisville, North Carolina 27560
(919) 468-8844