Mentors and Areas of Interest

You are strongly encouraged to be in communication with your preferred mentor or mentors regarding your proposed research topic prior to submitting your application. Email the program administrator at bts.phd@wheaton.edu, and they will put you in touch with the relevant mentor(s).

Areas of Study

Applicants to the degree will choose a specific mentor and a corresponding area of dissertation interest. Students will choose one of the following concentrations:

• Biblical Theology (Old or New Testament emphasis)
• Systematic (and/or Historical) Theology

Students interested in systematic/historical theology or in Old Testament/New Testament should preference a particular mentor but also indicate whether or not this preference is exclusive. Since topic areas for supervision can overlap, willingness to work with one or more of the other mentors might increase a student's chances for admission. We seek to construct the best overall cohort of students depending on our applicant pool, and the number(s) of new students anticipated by a mentor can sometimes shift throughout the year as previous students complete the program. However, certain topics for study or interests in our program are naturally mentor-specific.

Additional faculty are available to teach doctoral seminars, serve as resources, and act as secondary readers for dissertations.

Biblical Theology, Old Testament Emphasis

Dr. Andrew Abernethy
Professor of Old Testament
(Accepting applicants for Fall 2027)

• Isaiah, Psalms, and the Prophets
• Theological/Canonical Interpretation
• Literary-thematic approaches to the Old Testament
• Old Testament theology
• Integration of ancient context, literary analysis, and reception

Dr. Michelle Knight
Associate Professor of Old Testament
(Accepting applicants for Fall 2027)

• Historical Books (esp. Joshua and Judges)
• Poetry Embedded in Narratives (e.g., Exod 15, Judg 5, 1 Sam 2)
• Violence in the Old Testament (esp. herem war and “texts of terror”)
• Narrative and Rhetorical Criticism
• Intertextuality (esp. narrative use of torah)
• Theological/Ethical Appropriation of Narrative Texts

Biblical Theology, New Testament Emphasis

Rev. Dr. Amy Peeler
Ph.D. Program Director, Kenneth T. Wessner Professor of Biblical Studies
(Accepting applicants for Fall 2027)

• Epistle to the Hebrews
• Mary in the NT
• Gender in the NT
• Select topics in the Synoptic Gospels, especially Mark

Dr. Esau McCaulley
The Jonathan Blanchard Associate Professor of New Testament and Public Theology
(Accepting applicants for Fall 2027)

• Topics in Pauline Theology and Exegesis (Particularly the letters of Galatians, Philemon, Colossians, and Ephesians)
• African American Biblical Interpretation and Theology (and other contextually informed Exegesis)
• New Testament Ethics (especially topics related to the Roman military and it's policing powers, slavery, and justice)
• Intertextuality
• Luke/Acts

Systematic/Historical Theology Emphasis

Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer
Blanchard Professor of Systematic Theology
(Accepting applicants for Fall 2027)

• Doctrine of God (especially divine action, providence, or love of God)
• Doctrine of Scripture; use of Scripture in theology; doctrinal development
• Methods, norms, and systems of theology
• Issues in Reformed theology (including what makes theology "Reformed")
• Other topics in contemporary systematic theology (especially touching on sin, atonement, or election)

Additional Faculty Resources

In addition to the mentors listed above, students in the Ph.D. program are able to learn from biblical and theological studies faculty ;and faculty from related disciplines.