Close

G. Brooke Lester

Address: Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary/ 2121 Sheridan Road/ Evanston IL 60201
Email and work phone available on request.

My Hebrew-Bible research interests are inner-biblical allusion as a figurative rhetorical trope, and the role of the gods in ancient Israelite family religion. As an administrator, I coordinate student and faculty digital learning.

Education:

Ph.D., Princeton Theological Seminary, 2008. Dissertation: Daniel Evokes Isaiah: The Rule of the Nations in Apocalyptic Allusion-Narrative. Committee: C. Leong Seow (chair), Dennis T. Olson, F.W. "Chip" Dobbs-Allsopp.

M.T.S., Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, 1998.

B.F.A., Drake University, 1988.

Honors:

  • Wabash Center Fellowship (project: Inner-Biblical Allusion: A Phenomenological Approach), 2013.
  • Wabash Center Teaching and Learning Workshop for Pre-Tenure Theological School Faculty, 2012-2013.
  • Earned Merit Tuition Scholarship, 1998-2000: Princeton Theological Seminary.
  • Earned American Bible Society Prize (Biblical Greek), 1998: Seabury-Western Theological Seminary.
  • Earned H. N. Moss Book Award (Academic Achievement), 1997: Seabury-Western Theological Seminary.

Publications:

  • “Forum on Seminary Teaching and Formation Online,” with Deborah Gin and Barbara Blodgett, Teaching Theology and Religion 22 (January 2019).
  • “What IF? Building Interactive Fiction for Teaching and Learning Religious Studies” Teaching Theology and Religion 21 (October 2018): 260-273.
  • “Social Media in Higher-Ed Religious Studies,” 92-108 in Teaching Religion Using Technology in Higher Education, John Hilton III ed., Routledge Research in Religion and Education, Routledge, 2018.
  • Daniel Evokes Isaiah: Allusive Characterization of Foreign Rule in the Book of Daniel (T&T Clark, 2015).
  • Contributor, Effective Social Learning: A Collaborative, Globally-Networked Pedagogy, Nathan R.B. Loewen with G. Brooke Lester and Christopher Duncanson-Hales (Fortress, 2015).
  • Understanding Bible by Design: Create Courses with Purpose (Fortress, 2014).
  • "'Essential Questions' Twitter Chats," Teaching Theology and Religion 17:3 (July 2014).
  • "Inner-biblical Interpretation," 444-453 in Oxford Encyclopedia of Biblical Interpretation, Stephen L. McKenzie ed., Oxford University Press, 2013.
  • "Inner-Biblical Allusion," Theological Librarianship 2 (December 2009): 54-58.
  • Encyclopedia of the Bible and its Reception (Berlin: Verlag Walter de Gruyter), regular contributor, 2007-present. Articles include "Abishur"; "Amaw"; "Anvil"; "Awl"; "Awning"; "Briggs, Charles Augustus"; "Burrows, Millar"; "Buttonwieser, Moses"; "Empire (Old Testament/Hebrew Bible)."
  • Handbook to A Grammar for Biblical Hebrew, with co-authors Jennifer S. Green and Joseph F. Scrivner (Nashville: Abingdon, 2005).
  • "Admiring Our Savvy Ancestors: Abraham's and Jacob's Rhetoric of Negotiation," Koinonia XV (2003): 81-94.
  • "Ecclesiastes" (review article), Koinonia XIII.1 (Spring 2001): 70-72.
  • "Proverbs of Ancient Sumer" (review article), Koinonia XI.2 (Fall 1999): 267-69.

Presentations to the Academy:

  • "A Conversation about Starting Conversations about Teaching" (panelist): Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (San Antonio TX, 2016).
  • "Developing Effective Assessments" (facilitator): Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (San Antonio TX, 2016).
  • "Should You Bring Allusion to a Metaphor Fight?": Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (Atlanta GA, 2015).
  • "No, Seriously: A Unifying Theory of Allusion": Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (Atlanta GA, 2015).
  • "Motivation and Learning in Biblical Studies" (panelist): Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (San Diego CA, 2014).
  • "Using Cognitive Science to Increase Student Learning" (panelist): Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (Baltimore MD, 2013).
  • "Allusion to Isaiah in Daniel 7-12, in Light of 35 Years of Allusion Criticism": Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (Chicago IL, 2012).
  • "'To Those Far and Near': The Case for 'Community' at a Distance": Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (Atlanta GA, 2010).
  • "The Contributions of Distance Learning Strategies to the Brick-and-Mortar Classroom": Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (New Orleans LA, 2009).
  • "Daniel Reads Isaiah: Faithful Israel and Biblical Theology" (poster), Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (Toronto, Canada, 2002).

Other Professional Writing, Presentations, and Consultations:

  1. In 2019-20 I am a facilitator of a Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning workshop for early-career instructors in theological education.
  2. "Building Institutional Communities of Digital Inquiry": an invited discussion at the Digital Media for Ministry Theological Educators' Symposium, June 9-10 2016, at Virginia Theological Seminary (Alexandria VA).
  3. "Online Learning: Good News for New Faculty": A webinar in the "new faculty" series of webinars by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS), March 18 2016. URL: http://www.ats.edu/resources/faculty/new-faculty
  4. "Stirring Up the Great Sea: Scary Hybrids, Now on Faculty": a presentation to the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) Roundtable Seminar for New Faculty, October 2015. URL: http://www.ats.edu/events/2015-roundtable-seminar-newly-appointed-faculty
  5. Since 2009 I have been a member of the steering committee for the section "Academic Teaching and Biblical Studies" (Society of Biblical Literature, Annual Meeting).
  6. I was curator and writer/respondent for Seminarium (Fortress Education), a group blog on pedagogy in religious studies, from July 2013 until February 2015. URL: http://seminariumblog.org/curator
  7. I have contracted with the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning to curate online resources for teaching and learning.
  8. In 2013 I earned a Professional Certificate in Online Teaching Program at University of Wisconsin Madison (9 CEUs, reflecting appx. 90 hours of work both self-paced and in groups).
  9. Since 2011, I have participated in three THATCamps (The Humanities and Techology Camp), "unconferences" in digital pedagogy and (as of November 2013) in academic biblical studies (THATCamp AAR).
  10. In Fall 2013 I was invited to contribute to the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning's blog series, "12 Surprises When Lecturing Less (And Teaching More!)."

Teaching Experience:

  • 2011-present: Assistant Professor in Hebrew Bible and Director of Digital Learning, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
    As Assistant Professor in Hebrew Bible, I teach introductory and advanced classes in biblical studies, Hebrew, and Greek. As Director of Digital Learning, I research and model best practices in the adoption of emerging learning technologies in online and blended teaching. I also support my faculty colleagues in doing the same, through workshops and training of my own design.
  • 2009-2011: Affiliate Instructor in Biblical Studies, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
    For description, see above, on 2011-present. Courses have included introductory Old Testament, Hebrew and Greek, the Book of Daniel, the Development of Satan, and the "OT in the NT."
  • 2003-2009: Adjunct Instructor, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
    I taught every regular semester and some summers during my years as adjunct instructor in Bible. For courses, see above (2009-2011: Affiliate Instructor in Biblical Studies).
  • 2008-2010: Adjunct Instructor, Loyola University Chicago
    I taught "Literature of Ancient Israel" for three semesters, twice face-to-face and once online (2010, 2009, 2008). With Loyola University's Institute for Pastoral Studies, I participated in several workshops on pedagogy, online instruction, building rubrics, and using Apple products.
  • 2003-2006: Adjunct Instructor, Seabury-Western Theological Seminary
    While with Seabury-Western, I taught "Introduction to the Old Testament II: Latter Prophets and Writings," "Greek I and II," "Hebrew I and II."
  • 1999-2001: Teaching Fellow, Princeton Theological Seminary
    I taught six semesters of course work at PTS, including multiple weekly preceptorials of independent time with small groups. My courses included "Pauline Theology," "Daniel," "Introduction to Old Testament Studies," and "Introductory Biblical Hebrew."

Teaching Interests:

  • Introduction to Old Testament/Hebrew Bible and to biblical studies.
  • Digital literacies, digital professional development.
  • The "Old Testament in the New Testament."
  • Biblical Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek. Akkadian and Ugaritic (introduction and reading).
  • Daniel and Apocalyptic.

Languages:

  • Modern languages: French, German, some basic Korean.
  • Ancient languages: Hebrew (biblical and epigraphic); Greek (Koine, Attic, and epic); Aramaic (biblical and epigraphic); Syriac; Ugaritic; Akkadian; Egyptian (Middle Kingdom).

Memberships:

  • Society of Biblical Literature.
  • American Academy of Religion (past member).
  • Chicago Society for Biblical Research.

Denomination:

  • Episcopal Church (Protestant Episcopal Church USA.
  • Long previous experience in United Methodist Church.

Adult Education in the Church:

  • “Exodus” March 10 2019, Park Ridge United Methodist Church, Park Ridge IL.
  • “Is Martin Luther King, Jr, Also Among the Prophets?” January 7-28 2018, First Presbyterian Church, Deerfield IL.
  • "Whose 'Story'? After Zondervan's The Story" January 31-February 21 2016, First Presbyterian Church, Deerfield IL.
  • "Bible 101," September 13-October 4 2015, First Presbyterian Church, Deerfield IL.
  • "What Do These Stones Mean?" September 7-28 2014, First Presbyterian Church, Deerfield IL.
  • "How Does the Bible Read the Bible? And Why Does It?" April 14-28 2013, First Presbyterian Church, Deerfield IL.
  • "You Don't Get Me! Hearing the Bible as the Bible Hears Itself" April 19-May 14 2013, Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Arlington Heights IL.
  • Earlier adult-ed series at All Saints Episcopal Church (Chicago IL), First Presbyterian Church (Deerfield IL), and Trinity United Methodist Church (Wilmette IL).

References:

  • Lallene Rector, President (previously Academic Dean), Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, 2121 Sheridan Rd., Evanston IL 60201; email ljr@garrett.edu; office (847)-866-3904.
  • Phil Amerson, President (retired, December 2013), Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, 2121 Sheridan Rd., Evanston IL 60201; email phil.amerson@garrett.edu; office (847) 866-
  • Julie Duncan, Associate Professor of Old Testament, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, 2121 Sheridan Rd., Evanston IL 60201; email julie.duncan@garrett.edu; office (847)-866-3934.
  • Amy Erickson, Assistant Professor of Hebrew Bible, Iliff School of Theology, 2201 S. University Blvd., Denver CO 80210; office (303) 744-1287.
  • C. Leong Seow, Henry Snyder Gehman Professor of Old Testament Language and Literature, Princeton Theological Seminary, PO Box 821, Princeton, NJ 08542; email leong.seow@ptsem.edu; office (609) 497-7934.