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James V. Brownson

James and Jean Cook Professor of New Testament

A.B. University of Michigan

M.Div. Western Theological Seminary

Ph.D. Princeton Theological Seminary

"I try to teach the New Testament in a way that helps students understand the gospel more deeply. That means understanding both the central message of Christian faith and the different ways in which that faith was lived out in the New Testament church. Understanding the unity and diversity of the New Testament is critical to understanding how Christians are to minister today."

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The Promise of Baptism: An Introduction to Baptism in Scripture And the Reformed Tradition (Eerdmans, 2007)

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StormFront: The Good News of God (Co-author) (Eerdmans, 2003)

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Speaking the Truth in Love: New Testament Resources for a Missional Hermeneutic (Trinity Press International, 1998)

    • BF100 New Testament Greek
        An introduction to New Testament Greek vocabulary, grammatical forms, and sentence structure using inductive learning methods, with a view to New Testament Greek as a resource for ministry.
    • BF101 New Testament Translation and Interpretation
        Continues BF100, with special emphasis upon syntax and translation. Introduces the tools and principles of biblical interpretation. Emphasis given to engaging the New Testament in its own linguistic, historical, and canonical context. Prerequisite: BF100.
    • BF102 New Testament Life and Witness
        An introduction to the content, history, and theological dynamism of the writings of the New Testament. Emphasis is placed upon missiological interactions among gospel, culture, and tradition in the New Testament writings as the foundation for the church's witness.
    • BF529 Gospel According to Matthew
        An overview of the theology and narrative shaping of the first gospel, using close readings of selected texts. Particular attention is paid to Matthew's vision for discipleship, the church, and Christian life and witness. Prerequisite: BF102 or equivalent
    • BF531 Seminar in the Synoptics
        Explores the major approaches to interpreting the synoptic gospels, along with deeper study of one synoptic gospel. Prerequisite: BF100, BF101 & BF102 or equivalent.
    • BF532 The Gospel According to John
        Considers important historical, literary, hermeneutical, and theological issues in the Gospel of John, with exegesis of selected passages in Greek. Prerequisite: BF100, BF101 & BF102 or equivalent.
    • BF535 Interpreting the Parables
        A survey of recent approaches to interpreting the parables of Jesus provides the context for considering hermeneutical issues in preaching and teaching the parables. Prerequisite: BF102 or equivalent.
    • BF547 The Bible, Gender, and Sexuality
        A survey of major biblical texts on sex and sexuality in general, with a view toward developing an overall framework for understanding biblical teaching on these themes. Within this overall framework, particular attention also will be given to exploring the questions of gender roles and homosexuality. Prerequisite: BF100, BF101, & BF102.
    • BF613 Greek Reading
        Maintains and enhances Greek language skills through weekly translation practice. Pass/fail, 1 credit.
    • BF617 The Ordination of Women: Exploring Biblical Authority and Church Order
        In-depth biblical exegesis and focused theological and hermeneutical reflection around the ordination of women - in an attempt both to assist students to clarify their understanding of this particular issue and to provide handles and tools for wrestling with the use of Scripture in the ordering of the church's life more generally. A full range of views on the topic will be explored. 1.5 credits.

Background

What is the gospel, and how does it address and transform our lives? This is the question that has shaped Jim Brownson's academic and theological work. Jim's teaching and thinking tends to move between close and careful readings of the biblical text and wide-ranging exercises in theological imagination that bring the biblical text into conversation with life in the modern and postmodern world.

His passion is to equip students to understand the gospel both in its stunning simplicity and in its incredibly diverse applications to our lives. His scholarly and teaching interests include the Gospel of John, the Synoptic Gospels, biblical hermeneutics, contextual theology, and theology in service to the church. Dr. Brownson served Western eight years as Academic Dean and has contributed significantly to recent revisions in Western's M.Div. curriculum.

He is deeply involved in service to the Reformed Church in America, both in theological scholarship and in theological education. He is a long-standing member of the Gospel and Our Culture Network and a contributor to its ongoing research and publication. He often contributes to a variety of journals and magazines as well.

Adult Education Courses

Dr. Brownson is prepared to lead the following Adult Education courses at your church:
  • The Bible, Women, and Leadership (4-6 sessions)
  • Exploring Baptism (2-6 sessions)