New Faculty Publications

At Western Theological Seminary, whether in-person or online, our faculty are renowned for their enthusiasm for subject matter, dedication to teaching, and high student engagement and development standards. WTS professors are respected not only within our institution but also widely recognized as thought leaders in the broader academic community. Within the past year, several WTS faculty members have published new books and resources:

Dr. Travis West, Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament – The Art of Biblical Performance: Biblical Performance and the Drama of Old Testament Narratives

The Bible’s identity as a book has been taken for granted for centuries. In recent decades, however, scholars have explored the oral origins of the Hebrew Bible, and many now accept its oral transmission. Yet, for many, this understanding remains largely intellectual, without practical application. This volume seeks to address that gap, arguing that ancient drama and performance are integral to the biblical texts. It suggests these texts reach their fullest interpretive potential when re-enacted through voice and body before an audience. A deeper understanding of Israel’s performance tradition will enhance appreciation of its dramatic and theological achievements.

Dr. David Komline, Professor of Church History – The Church Speaks: Papers of the Commission on Theology Reformed Church in America 2001–2020

Dr. Chuck DeGroat, Professor of Pastoral Care and Christian Spirituality – Healing What’s Within: Coming Home to Yourself–and to God–When You’re Wounded, Weary, and Wandering

Readers are invited on a compassionate journey inward to return and retune to the life God created you to live. Along the way, readers will discover how to:

• Gently consider and confront what’s keeping you stuck and blocking the path to joy and flourishing
• Better understand the relationship between your body and your emotions
• Experience God as a compassionate witness to your trauma―and his unconditional kindness to wherever you find yourself
• Discover real rest and renewal as you reconnect with God, others, and yourself.

Dr. Ruth Padilla DeBorst, Associate Professor of World Christianity – Reading the Bible Latinamente: Latino/a Interpretation for the Life of the Church

The Bible is important to Latino/a Christians living in America, playing a central role in their lives and churches. These believers’ unique experiences and backgrounds influence how they read, understand, and apply Scripture. The authors discuss biblical interpretation from the Latino/a diaspora and provide examples from both New and Old Testament texts. Topics include reading in community and wrestling with identity and mission in the diaspora. Latino/a students and lay readers will be encouraged in their reading of the Scripture and their contributions to the North American and global church, while believers from other backgrounds will benefit from the perspectives and contributions of their Latino/a brothers and sisters.

Dr. Wesley Hill, Associate Professor of New Testament – Easter: The Season of the Resurrection of Jesus (Fullness of Time) Available for Pre-Order

Each volume in the Fullness of Time series invites readers to engage with the riches of the church year, exploring the traditions, prayers, Scriptures, and rituals of the seasons of the church calendar. This volume of the Fullness of Time series offers readers:

• An accessible, digestible introduction to the history and practice of the season of Easter
• Practical application of the Scriptural story and theology of Easter to our own spiritual formation
• A helpful contextualization of the Easter season into the context of the rest of the church calendar