Dr. Suzanne McDonald

Dr. Suzanne McDonald was born and brought up in Australia and came to faith as an undergraduate through studying English 16th & 17th century literature. After postgraduate studies in literature at Oxford, she lived in the UK from 1998 until 2007. While there, she began training for ordained ministry in Cambridge, but an inspiring professor and mentor encouraged her to consider whether she might have a calling to theological teaching and writing. He was the catalyst for Dr. McDonald to discover that this is indeed the calling that holds her deepest joys and best gifts together.

She did her Ph.D. at the University of St. Andrews on the doctrine of election and then taught for a year as an interim professor of theology at her former seminary in Cambridge before joining the Religion Department at Calvin College in 2007. She taught there for seven years until joining WTS in 2014.

Dr. McDonald is ordained in the Christian Reformed Church and is the author of two books and numerous essays and articles on topics in systematic and historical theology, in particular the work of the 17th century theologian, John Owen.

In her spare time, you’re likely to find Dr. McDonald watching and photographing birds or curled up with a book. If it isn’t a theology book, it’s probably British 17th century history, poetry, a novel, or a book about birds. She is also a life-long cricket fan – not an easy sport to follow in the US!

Areas of Expertise 

Dr. McDonald is often asked to speak at churches. Some of her most frequently requested topics include:

Dealing Faithfully With Dementia (2 part series)

In the End, What…? Thinking Well About Eschatology  (2-4 part series)

Creation Care: Why Should Christians Care?

Praying Through Poetry: George Herbert

Holy Saturday: Insights from a Neglected Day in Holy Week

Exploring the Reformation (2 part series)

Who’s Afraid of the Canons of Dordt? (1 or 2 talks on the doctrine of election and the Canons of Dordt)

Re-Presenting Election (a talk on the doctrine of election more broadly)

John Knox: Then and Now

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