Dr. Michael R Whitenton
Temporary Lecturer
Baylor University
One Bear Place #97284
Waco, TX 76798
T (469) 826-8080
[email protected]
EDUCATION
2015 Ph.D. Religion (Biblical Studies/NT). Baylor University. Dissertation: Hearing Kyriotic
Sonship: Rhetoric and the Characterization of Mark’s Jesus. Mentor: Kelly Iverson. 2nd Reader:
Mikeal Parsons. 3rd Reader: David Garland.
2010
Th.M. New Testament. Dallas Theological Seminary. Masters Thesis: After Πίστις Χριστοῦ:
The Faith of Jesus Christ in the Apostolic Fathers. Summa cum laude and Valedictorian.
2006
B.S. Health. Texas A&M University.
EMPLOYMENT
Temporary Full-time Lecturer. Department of Religion / George W. Truett Theological Seminary.
Baylor University / Baylor Interdisciplinary Core. Waco, TX. (2015-Present)
Part-time Lecturer. Department of Religion and George W. Truett Theological Seminary. Baylor
University. Waco, TX. (2014–2015)
PUBLICATIONS
Books
Hearing Kyriotic Sonship: A Cognitive and Rhetorical Approach to the Characterization of Mark’s Jesus. (Biblical
Interpretation Series; series editor Paul Anderson). Leiden: Brill (manuscript accepted).
Configuring Nicodemus: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Complex Characterization. (Library of New
Testament Studies; series editor Chris Keith). London: T&T Clark, Projected 2018.
Journal Articles
2018 “Baptism, Adoption, and the Question of the Authority of Mark’s Jesus” (in progress,
projected 2018).
2017
“Tasting the Kingdom: Teetotalling, Imbibing, and Audience Inference in Mark 15:36” (in
progress, projected 2017).
2016
“Feeling the Silence: A Moment-by-Moment Account of Emotions at the End of Mark
(16:1-8),” Catholic Biblical Quarterly 79.2 (2016): 272–89.
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2016
“The Dissembler of John 3: A Cognitive and Rhetorical Approach to the Characterization
of Nicodemus,” Journal of Biblical Literature 135.1 (2016): 141–58.
2015
“The Moral Development of the Boy Jesus in the Infancy Gospel of Thomas,” Journal for the
Study of the New Testament 38.2 (2015): 219–40.
2012
“Rewriting Abraham and Joseph: Stephen’s Speech (Acts 7:2-16) and Jewish Exegetical
Traditions,” Novum Testamentum 54.2 (2012): 149–67.
2012
“Figuring Joy: Gratitude as Medicine in 1 Thess 2:1-20,” Perspectives in Religious Studies 39.1
(2012): 15–23.
2010
“After Πίστις Χριστοῦ: Neglected Evidence from the Apostolic Fathers,” Journal of
Theological Studies 61.1 (2010): 82–109.
2009
“The Faith of Jesus Christ in Hippolytus’s De Christo et Antichristo: Overlooked Patristic
Evidence in the Πίστις Χριστοῦ Debate,” New Testament Studies 55.4 (2009): 552–562 (with
Michael F. Bird).
Invited Papers and Lectures
2015 “Boys will be Boys: The Moral Character Development of the Child God of the Infancy
Gospel of Thomas (Gs).” Featured Paper for the Second Century Seminar at Texas Christian
University. Fort Worth, TX. April, 2015.
Conference Papers
2016 “Nicodemus and Jesus Walk into a Bar…: Catching the Audience Laughing in John 3.”
Johannine Literature Section. To be presented at the Society of Biblical Literature Annual
Meeting. San Antonio, TX. November, 2016.
2016
“Water-Powered Jesus: Baptism, Adoption, and the Question of the Authority of Mark’s
Jesus.” To be presented at the Synoptic Gospels Section. Society of Biblical Literature
Annual Meeting. San Antonio, TX. November, 2016.
2015
“The Curious Case of the Teetotalling Jesus and Audience Inference in Mark 15:36.”
Performance Criticism of Biblical and Other Ancient Texts Section. Society of Biblical
Literature Annual Meeting. Atlanta, GA. November 2015.
2014
“The Ironical Man of John 3: Nicodemus, Rhetoric, and Ancient Stock Characters.”
Johannine Literature Section. Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting. San Diego, CA.
November, 2014.
2013
“Saving Mark’s Ending: Audience Address, Testimony, and the Silence of the Women in
Mark 16.6-8.” Synoptic Gospels Section. Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting.
Baltimore, MD. November, 2013.
2012
“Trying Jesus: Rhetoric and Testimony in the Markan Passion Narrative.” Synoptic Gospels
Section. Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting. Chicago, IL. November, 2012.
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2011
“The Rhetoric of Kyrios and the Diminution of the Son of David in the Gospel of Mark.”
Mark Group. Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting. San Francisco, CA. November,
2011.
2011
“‘David Himself Calls Him Lord’: The Rhetorical Function of Kyrios Christology in
the Gospel of Mark.” Southwest Commission on Religious Studies (SBL Regional Meeting).
Irving, TX. March, 2011.
2010
“The ‘Faith of Jesus Christ’ in the Apostolic Fathers.” Southwest Commission on Religious
Studies (SBL Regional Meeting). Irving, TX March, 2010.
Book Reviews
2015 Review of A Theory of Character in New Testament Narrative. By Cornelis Bennema. Pp.
xvii+216. Minneapolis, Minn.: Fortress, 2014. Review of Biblical Literature (2016).
2015
Invited Review of Christ Child: Cultural Memories of a Young Jesus. By Stephen J. Davis. Pp. 432.
(Synkrisis) New Haven: Yale University Press, 2014. The Muslim World (2015): 105: 429–32.
2014
Review of Prepare the Way of the Lord: Towards a Cognitive Poetic Analysis of Audience Involvement
with Characters and Events in the Markan World. By Kirsten Marie Hartvigsen. Pp. xiii + 621.
(Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft und die Kunde der älteren
Kirche, 180) Berlin: de Grutyer, 2013. Journal of Theological Studies (2014) 65: 683-86.
2014
Invited Review of Abraham in the Book of Jubilees: The Rewriting of Genesis 11:26–25:10 in the Book of
Jubilees 11:14–23:8. By Jacques T.A.G.M van Ruiten. Pp. xii + 383. (Supplements to the Journal
for the Study of Judaism, 161) Leiden: Brill, 2012. Journal of Theological Studies (2014) 65: 177-79.
COURSES TAUGHT
Undergraduate
Introduction to the Bible (2014, 2015)
Introduction to History of Christianity (2015)
Paul and His Writings (2011) (co-taught with Bruce W. Longenecker)
The Bible and Contemporary Ethical Issues (2016) (co-taught with Ivo Novakovic)
Graduate
Gospels & Acts (2014, 2015)
Romans to Revelation (2015, 2016)
Characters in John’s Gospel (2015)
Critical Theory, Cognition, and Characterization (2016)
ADDITIONAL TEACHING AREAS
Jewish Pseudepigrapha
LXX
Hellenistic World of the New Testament (including Second Temple Judaisms)
The Life of Jesus/the Historians’ Jesus
Early Christian Literature (Apostolic Fathers and Apocryphal Gospels)
New Testament Theology
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Gender, Sexuality, & the Bible
HONORS AND AWARDS
2010–2015
Presidential Scholarship, The Graduate School at Baylor University.
2010–2015
Full Tuition Scholarship, Department of Religion at Baylor University.
2009–2010
W.H. Griffith Thomas Scholarship Award, Dallas Theological Seminary.
2009–2010
Harold Hoehner NT Scholarship Award, Dallas Theological Seminary.
DEPARTMENTAL/UNIVERSITY SERVICE
Faculty Partner, Campus Living & Learning (2014–2015)
Graduate-Undergraduate Mentorship Program (2014–2015)
Panelist, “Moving from Seminar Paper to Conference Presentation to Journal Article” (2012)
Panelist, “Navigating your first year as a Ph.D. Student” (2012)
Committee Member, Graduate Theological Fellowship (2010–2013)
LANGUAGES
Ancient Greek
Classical Hebrew
Aramaic
Latin
German
French
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Society of Biblical Literature
National Association of Baptist Professors of Religion
Catholic Biblical Association
North American Society for the Study of Christian Apocryphal Literature
REFERENCES
Dr. Kelly R. Iverson (Mentor). Associate Professor of New Testament. Department of Religion
Baylor University. One Bear Place #97284. Waco, TX 76798-7284
Email: [email protected]
Prof. Mikeal C. Parsons (2nd reader). Professor of Religion and Macon Chair. Department of
Religion. Baylor University. One Bear Place #97284. Waco, TX 76798-7284
Email: [email protected]
Prof. Bruce W. Longenecker. Professor of Religion & W. W. Melton Chair. Department of Religion.
Baylor University. One Bear Place #97284. Waco, TX 76798-7284
Email: [email protected]
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