Dr. Jeff Childers Director, Center for the Study of Ancient Religious Texts Professor, Graduate School of Theology

Jeff Childers is the Carmichael-Walling Chair of and Early Christianity in the GST at ACU. After working in residential construction and electrical wholesaling, Jeff served in full-time congregational preaching ministry for several years until he began work towards his doctorate. He joined the ACU faculty in 1996.

Jeff holds BA, MA, and MDiv degrees from ACU. He also holds MSt and DPhil degrees from the University of Oxford. Jeff teaches primarily in the areas of church history, patristics, Christian spirituality, New Testament textual criticism, and Syriac. Jeff maintains an active research program and participates regularly in academic conferences. Recent publications include the study, "In Search of : Performative Christology in Narsai’s Mēmrē on Baptism,” in Narsai: Rethinking his Work and his World (2020); the book, Divining Gospel: Oracles of Biblical Interpretation in a Unique Syriac Manuscript (2020; and the co- edited book, Slavery’s Long Shadow: Race and Reconciliation in American Christianity (2019).

As Director of the Center for the Study of Ancient Religious Texts, Jeff is committed to the Center’s mission of investing in research, teaching, and academic mentoring. Jeff works closely with students to help them acquire the expertise necessary to do original research in their academic programs and to share the results of their work in conferences and publications. Jeff also organizes series of conferences, public lectures, and webinars through the Center.

Jeff presently enjoys regular opportunities to preach, conduct leadership and enrichment seminars in churches, and speak at church conferences. In recent years he has been a regular teacher and leader in adult and youth ministries of his congregation. Publications in this area include, "Baptism and Children: Finding Good Instincts,” and “Finding Good Practices," in Along the Way. Conversations about Children and Faith (2015); and, “When Worlds Collide: Clashing Spiritual Styles in Church,” in Good Shepherds: More Guidance for the Gentle Art of Pastoring (2007).

Jeff is a member of Highland Church of Christ, Abilene. He and his wife Linda are blessed to have three grown children, two in-law children, and a grandchild. Jeff loves being outdoors and is excited about being a novice fly fishermen. 1

JEFF W. CHILDERS Curriculum vitae 21 May 2021

Graduate School of Theology (325) 674-3797 Abilene Christian University [email protected] 1600 Campus Court, Box 29424 Abilene, TX 79699-9424

EDUCATION D.Phil., Syriac Studies. Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford, 1996. M.St., Syriac Studies. Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford, 1993. M.A., New Testament Greek. Graduate School of Theology, ACU, 1992. M.Div. Graduate School of Theology, ACU, 1992. B.A., and Christian Ministry, Department of Bible, Missions and Ministry, ACU, 1989

PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS AND EMPLOYMENT Director, Center for the Study of Ancient Religious Texts, ACU, 2016 Professor, Graduate School of Theology, ACU, 2009 Interim Dean, College of Biblical Studies, ACU, 2008 Carmichael-Walling Chair of New Testament and Early Christianity, Graduate School of Theology, ACU, 2005 Assistant Professor, Department of Bible, Missions, and Ministry, ACU, 1996 Syriac Instructor, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford, 1993–1996 Preaching Minister, Jeanette Street Church of Christ, Breckenridge, TX, 1988–1992

PUBLICATIONS (SELECTED) Books 2020 Divining Gospel: Oracles of Biblical Interpretation in a Unique Syriac Manuscript. (Manuscripta Biblica 4; Berlin: De Gruyter, 2020). 2019 With J. Gorman and M. Hamilton, eds. Slavery’s Long Shadow: Race and Reconciliation in American Christianity. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2019. 2016 Jacob of Serug’s Homilies on Praise at Table (Texts from Christian Late Antiquity 46; Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias, 2016). 2013 With George Kiraz. The According to the Syriac Peshitta Version with English Translation. (Surath Ktobh: The Antioch Bible; Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias, 2013). 2013 The Syriac Version of John Chrysostom’s Commentary on John. I. Mêmrê 1–43. Textus, Versio. Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium 651–2. Leuven: Peeters, 2013. 2012 With George Kiraz. The Gospel of Matthew. Special Paperback Edition for the Suryoyo Youth Camp. (Surath Ktobh: The Antioch Bible; Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias, 2012). 2003 With F. Aquino. Unveiling Glory: Visions of Christ’s Transforming Presence. Abilene, TX: ACU Press, 2003. 2001 With D. A. Foster and J. R. Reese. The Crux of the Matter: Crisis, Tradition, and the Future of Churches of Christ. 2d ed. Abilene, TX: ACU Press, 2001. 2

Articles, Book Chapters, and Conference Proceedings 2020 “In Search of Jesus: Performative Christology in Narsai’s Mēmrē on Baptism.” In Narsai: Rethinking his Work and his World, ed. Aaron Butts, Kristian Heal, and Robert Kitchen (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck), 69–91. 2019 “’Season Your Meal with Scripture:’ Cultivating Biblical Imagination at Table in Late Antique Christian Communities.” In Ethics in Contexts: Essays in Honor of Wendell Lee Willis James Thompson and Richard Wright, eds. (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2019), 107–20. 2019 “Hermeneutics and Divination: A Unique Syriac Biblical Manuscript as an Oracle of Interpretation.” In My Lots are in Thy Hands: Sortilege and its Practitioners in Late Antiquity, ed. William E. Klingshirn and AnneMarie Luijendijk (Religions in the Graeco-Roman World; Leiden: Brill, 2019), 124–37. 2015 “Baptism and Children: Finding Good Instincts,” and “Baptism and Children: Finding Good Practices.” In Along the Way. Conversations about Children and Faith, ed. Ron Bruner and Dana Kennamer Pemberton (Abilene, TX: ACU Press, 2015) 125–55. 2014 “A Broken Mind: The Path to Knowledge in Liber Graduum.” In ‘Breaking the Mind:’ New Perspectives on the Syriac Liber Graduum, ed. and Kristian S. Heal and Robert A. Kitchen (CUA Studies in Early Christianity; Washington, D.C.: 2014) 131–55. 2012 “The Hidden Pearl: a Contemporary Imperative to Move beyond Western Horizons.” Restoration Quarterly 54 (2012): 1–6. 2012 “The Bible in the Languages of the East: Georgian.” In New Cambridge History of the Bible, vol. 4, From c.600 to c.1450, ed. Richard Marsden and E. Ann Matter (Cambridge: University Press, 2012) 162–78. 2008 “Virtuous Reading: Aphrahat’s Approach to Scripture.” In Malphono w-Rabo d- Malphone: Studies in Honor of Sebastian P. Brock, George Kiraz, ed. (Gorgias Eastern Christian Studies 3; Piscataway: NJ: Gorgias, 2008), 43–70. 2007 “When Worlds Collide: Clashing Spiritual Styles in Church.” In Good Shepherds: More Guidance for the Gentle Art of Pastoring, ed. David Fleer and Charles Siburt (Abilene, TX: Leafwood, 2007) 63–85. 2007 “‘We Must Seek the Truth.’ Theological Scholarship in the Early Syriac Tradition.” Restoration Quarterly 49 (2007) 193–216. 2006 “Moving to the Rhythms of Christian Life: Baptism for Children Raised in the Church.” In Like a Shepherd Lead Us: Guidance for the Gentle Art of Pastoring, ed. David Fleer and Charles Siburt (Abilene, TX: Leafwood, 2006) 95–122. 2005 “Two Case Studies and Their Use in M.Div. Comprehensive Examinations.” Journal for the Association of Case Teaching 14–15 (2004/05) 75–77. 2001 “Using Cases in Summative Evaluations in Ministry Formation Programs.” Journal for the Association of Case Teaching 12 (2001) 3–25.

PRESENTATIONS, CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS, AND SEMINARS (SELECTED) 2020 “Life with God.” Four presentations. Highland Church, Abilene, TX, October 2020. 2020 “All will be Well. Growth through Suffering During a Pandemic.” Podcast interview. Pleasant Valley Church of Christ. Little Rock, AR. April 28. 2020 “Living Faith in a Pandemic: Lessons from Church History.” Podcast interview. Mars Hill Bible School. March 22. 2020 “Growing Christian: the Transformative Links between Worship, Faith, and 3

Community.” Main presenter. DFW Ministers’ Lunch: Equipping for Ministry. February 28. 2019 Main presenter, Moser Ministry Conference: Justice & Mercy, Theological Discourse in a Secular Age. Lubbock Christian University, Lubbock, TX, October 2019. 2018 “Bringing the Syriac Climacus to the Twenty-First Century.” Conference on The Future of Syriac Studies and Legacy of Sebastian P. Brock. Sigtuna, Sweden, 13 June 2018. 2018 Retreat Leader and resource, Contemplative Minister’s Initiative Retreat, Montserrat Retreat Center, Dallas, Texas. (February 2016, 2017, 2018). 2018 “Tall Tales of the Lethal Sort,” Harbor Pepperdine Lectures, Malibu, CA. May 2018. 2018 Leaders retreat organizer and speaker, “Life Together,” Tall Grass Retreat Center, Topeka, Kansas. April 2018. 2018 Men’s retreat organizer and speaker, “As Iron Sharpens Iron II,” Northlake Church of Christ, Atlanta, Georgia. 2017 Men’s retreat organizer and speaker, “As Iron Sharpens Iron,” Northlake Church of Christ, Atlanta, Georgia. January 2017. 2017 “In Search of Jesus: Performative Christology in Narsai’s Memre in Baptism.” Narsai: Rethinking his Work and his World workshop, Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, Brighan Young University, Provo, UT, June 2017. 2017 “Finding a Voice for Chrysostom: the Syriac Versions of a Greek Preacher.” Tradurre Tradire Tramandare. The Greek Fathers between Latin Western and Syriac Eastern Worlds. Università Roma Tre, Rome, Italy, February 2017. 2016 “Sharing the Journey,” three lectures, ACU Summit, Abilene, TX. September, 2016. 2016 “Baptism and Children,” Pepperdine Lectures, Malibu, CA. May 2016. 2015 “Jacob of Serugh’s New Testament Text.” Workshop on Jacob of Serugh, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, January, 2015. 2014 “Divining Gospel: Classifying Manuscripts of John Used in Sortilege.” Conference, Bible as Notepad. Norwegian School of Theology, Oslo, Norway, December, 2014. 2014 “Finding the Point of the Christian Life,” Otumoetai Church of Christ, Tauranga, New Zealand. 3 August 2014. 2013 “Georgian Life of Porphyry: A Minority Voice.” Conference, Sexaginta: Translated Texts for Historians and the Late-Antique East. Corpus Christi College, Oxford, March 2013. 2013 “Eucastrophe: Tolkien & Apocalypse.” Two lectures. Pepperdine Lectures. May 2013. 2012 “Constructing the Syriac Chrysostom: The Transformation of a Greek Orator into a Native Syriac Speaker.” International Syriac Studies Symposium: Syriac in its Multi-Cultural Context. Artuklu University. Mardin, Turkey, 20 April 2012. 2012 “Embedded Oracles: Sortilegium in a Syriac Gospel Codex,” XIth Syriac Symposium. University of Malta, July 2012. 2012 “Advent.” Class series. Highland Church of Christ, Abilene, TX. December 2012. 2012 “Being Christian in an unChristian World.” Monterey Church of Christ. Lubbock, TX. 20 June 2012. 2012 “The Technicolor Bible: An Old Irish Book, God as Barkeep, and the Challenge of Recognizing Jesus in your Church.” Pepperdine Lectures. 3 May 2012. 2011 “The Rhythms of Discipleship.” Two presentations. University Church of Christ, Abilene, TX. 17 and 28 September 2011. 2011 “Hermeneutics and Magic: Syriac Biblical Manuscripts as Oracles of Interpretation.” Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting, Religious World of Late Antiquity section: The Materiality of Texts/The Word as Object. San Francisco CA, 20 November 2011. 4

2010 “Just 3 Questions: A Christian and a Muslim Dialogue about Religion.” ACU Summit, ACU, 20 September 2010. 2009 “Vagabond Spirituality.” Two presentations. ACU Summit, Abilene Christian University. 22–23 September 2009. 2009 “Spiritual Formation and Team-Building.” Phayao Mission team equipping. Abilene, TX. 3 February 2009. 2007 “Churches of Christ: Who Are We?” Open Forum presentation. Quest Conference: Equipping the Local Church. Oklahoma Christian University, Oklahoma City, OK. 1 June 2007. 2007 “Historical-Critical Reading as Spiritual Practice.” Two presentations with students. Ministry Summit, Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX. 20 April 2007. 2006 “When Worlds Collide: Learning to Cope with Clashing Styles of Spirituality in Church.” Three sessions. Elderlink conference. Cascade College, Portland, Oregon. 6–7 October 2006. 2006 “Deciphering the DaVinci Code and the Gospel of Judas: A Romp through History, Manuscript Discoveries, and the Pathways of Contemporary Culture.” Three presentations. ACU Lectureship, Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX. 18–20 September 2006. 2006 “Faith Formation: Teaching Children to Dance.” Highland Church of Christ. Abilene, TX. 25 June 2006. 2005 “A Matter of Timing: Preparing Children for Baptism.” Two presentations. Elderlink conference, Houston, TX. 15–16 April 2005. 2005 “Let the Little Children Come.” Three presentations, Tulsa Workshop, Tulsa, OK. 24– 26 March 2005. 2004 “Who is Jesus?” Three presentations, Conversation 2004 Workshop, Burlington Church of Christ, Burlington MA, 8–9 October 2004. 2004 Seminar on Eastern Christianity. 1st Central Presbyterian Church, Abilene TX, 15, 22, 29 September 2004. 2004 “The Gospel & the Lord of the Rings.” Gospel & Culture Coffeehouse, ACU Lectureship, Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX. 24 February 2004. 2003 “Incarnation and Salvation,” four presentations, Fall Workshop, Rincon Church of Christ, Rincon Georgia. 12–14 October 2003. 2003 “Unveiling Glory.” Three presentations. Pepperdine Lectures, Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA.. April 30–2 May 2003. 2003 “Who is Jesus?” Three lectures. Ray Evans Lectures. Alameda Church of Christ. Norman, Oklahoma. April 4-6, 2003. 2002 “Images of the Spiritual Life.” 3 sessions. William M. Green Distinguished Christian Scholar Lecture Program. Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA., 21–22 October 2002. 2002 “The Good Reader Makes for Good Reading.” WB West Lectures, Harding Graduate School of Religion, Memphis, Tennessee. 7 February 2002. 2002 “Surveying the Landscape: Various Views on the Role of Women in the Church.” Highland Church of Christ, Abilene TX. 13 January 2002. 2001 “A Delightful Inheritance: Telling the Story of your Church Heritage,” Quaker Avenue Church of Christ, Lubbock TX, 17 June 2001. 2001 “Installing Windows and Mirrors: The Value of Church History for Today’s Church,” Ranger Church of Christ, Ranger TX, 13 June 2001. 2001 “A Fresh Start: Beginning the Journey (Acts 2:38–40),” ACU Lectureship Keynote 5 address, Abilene Christian University, Abilene TX, 19 February 2001. 2000 “Early Christian Spirituality,” Sunset Ridge Church, San Antonio TX, 9 April 2000. 2000 “Picturing your Walk with the Lord,” Belton Church, Belton, TX. 26 March 2000. 2000 “Cross-Cultural Ministry.” Young Preachers Retreat, Camp Butman, TX. Feb. 2000. 2000 “Revelation as a Worship Sourcebook.” Two presentations. Expositors Seminar, Cascade College, Portland OR. 31 January–2 February 2000. 1999 “Thinking about Jesus—Then and Now. The Contemporary Significance of the Ancient Christological Controversies in the Restoration Movement.” Restoration Theological Research Forum, Boston, Massachusetts, 20 November 1999.