KEENER, Craig S. 1960-

PERSONAL:

Born July 4, 1960, in Massillon, OH; son of John W. and D. Gail (Keuper) Keener; married Medine Moussounga (an educator), March 13, 2002. Ethnicity: "White." Education: Central Bible College, B.A., 1982; Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, M.A., 1985, M.Div., 1987; Duke University, Ph.D., 1991. Religion: "Charismatic Baptist."

ADDRESSES:

Office—Eastern Seminary, 6 Lancaster Ave., Wynnewood, PA 19096. E-mail—drckeener@yahoo.com.

CAREER:

Hood Theological Seminary, Salisbury, NC, began as associate professor, became professor of New Testament studies, 1992-96; Eastern Seminary, Wynnewood, PA, visiting professor, 1996-99, professor of New Testament studies, 1999—. Eron Tabernacle Baptist Church, associate minister, 2000—.

MEMBER:

Society of Biblical Literature, Institute for Biblical Research.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Christianity Today Book Awards, 1995, for The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, and 1999.

WRITINGS:

… And Marries Another: Divorce and Remarriage in the Teaching of the New Testament, Hendrickson Publishers (Peabody, MA), 1991.

Paul, Women, and Wives: Marriage and Women's Ministry in the Letters of Paul, Hendrickson Publishers (Peabody, MA), 1992.

The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, InterVarsity Press (Downers Grove, IL), 1993.

(With Glenn Usry) Black Man's Religion: Can Christianity Be Afrocentric?, InterVarsity Press (Downers Grove, IL), 1996.

(With Glenn Usry) Defending Black Faith, InterVarsity Press (Downers Grove, IL), 1997.

The Spirit in the Gospels and Acts, Hendrickson Publishers (Peabody, MA), 1997.

Matthew, InterVarsity Press (Downers Grove, IL), 1997.

A Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, William B. Eerdmans Publishing (Grand Rapids, MI), 1999.

Revelation, Zondervan (Grand Rapids, MI), 2000.

Gift and Giver: The Holy Spirit for Today, Baker Book House (Grand Rapids, MI), 2001.

Also author of a commentary on the Gospel of John, Hendrickson Publishers (Peabody, MA), 2003. Contributor of articles and essays to periodicals.

WORK IN PROGRESS:

A commentary on the biblical book of Acts, for William B. Eerdmans Publishing (Grand Rapids, MI).

SIDELIGHTS:

Craig S. Keener told CA: "I had long enjoyed writing as a form of creative expression, but what made it a consuming passion was my concern for the condition of both religious circles and the broader culture. My concern for articulating and investigating the Christian faith came partly from my experience as an atheist before my conversion to Christianity. My concern for reforming the church grew out of my own discoveries that the Bible often taught models quite different, and addressed issues very differently, from those taken for granted in many churches today.

"On the one hand, I love doing the detailed research that goes into my more academic commentaries on various books of the Bible; on the other hand, I want to do the synthetic work that pulls together and explains the relevance of this scholarship for the church. I feel a responsibility not only to make available and communicate information, but also to provide it in a way that will be useful and make a positive difference in how people think and how they relate to God and to others."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Christian Century, November 19, 1997, Frank M. Reid III, review of Black Man's Religion, p. 1062.

Christianity Today, October 4, 1993, Robert Yarbrough, review of Paul, Women, and Wives: Marriage and Women's Ministry in the Letters of Paul, p. 68.

Interpretation, October, 2000, David R. Bauer, review of A Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, p. 432.

Journal of Theological Studies, April, 1993, Brian S. Rosner, review of … And Marries Another: Divorce and Remarriage in the Teachings of the New Testament, p. 488.