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Union

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Senior Research Fellow in New Testament

Rev Professor W Gordon Campbell

BA BD PGCE DEA PhD

My role as a Senior Research Fellow in New Testament is an honorary one, following my retirement as Professor of New Testament Studies at Union, in August 2024. I am grateful that this allows me to remain active in research and publication while playing a small part in College life and contributing to teaching or supervision, at Faculty’s discretion. I also remain an associate professor of Faculté Jean Calvin (John Calvin Seminary), in Aix-en-Provence, France.

My publications reflect my main areas of interest and reveal several motivations:

·         a respect for the integrity and coherence of texts of Holy Scripture and a regard for the responsibility of the reader in engaging with them;

·         a concern for how communities of faith read Scripture;

·         a focus on how each New Testament text contributes to larger corpora – like the four Gospels or Paul’s Letters – and to the biblical Canon as a whole;

·         an attentiveness to ways that the Bible has impacted, and still influences, culture or life in society;

·         a special engagement with the Book of Revelation.

My wife, Sandra, is a retired school-teacher. We are members of Saintfield Road congregation, where I am an elder. We live in Bangor. As none of our four children (Aimée, Myriam, Stuart and Marc) or three grandchildren (Anna, Caleb and Arya) now lives in N. Ireland, skyping and travelling are among our favourite activities.

Publications

Forthcoming

“When and How Did the Book of Revelation Gain Canonical Recognition?” In S. Porter & B. Laird, The New Testament Canon in Contemporary Research (Texts and Editions for New Testament Study series), Leiden/Boston: Brill. 8,000 words.

Already published

2024

“Martin Luther’s 1522 September Testament as the epoch-making foundation for a quarter-century of Wittenberg Bible publication.”

“The Geneva Bible’s expansion of Luther’s innovative approach to reading and interpreting the Book of Revelation in the vernacular.”

Both contributions published among the papers from the September 2022 international Conference Martin Luther. Bible Translator, Illustrator and Publisher. 500 years.  In W. Gordon Campbell (ed.), Martin Luther’s Bible: Perspectives on a Rich Legacy. Cambridge: James Clarke & Co., 2024.

“Spirit, Seven Spirits and Anti-spirits in the Book of Revelation.” In J. Corley & J. Rogers (eds.), Missed Treasures of the Holy Spirit—Distinctive New Testament Pneumatologies (Catholic Biblical Quarterly Imprints). Eugene: Wipf & Stock, pp.290-312.

2023

“The Geneva Bible: how Reformed refugees shaped renaissance reading of Scripture.” In Unio cum Christo (Oct 2023), volume 9.2: The Doctrine of the Church and her Mission, pp.79-99.

 2022

 Reading Revelation: A Thematic Approach. James Clarke & Co.: Cambridge. 450 pages. (Foundations in New Testament Criticism). Second Edition, incorporating a new Postscript responding to scholarly reception of the 2007 (French) and 2012 (English) original.

“Gethsemane.” Dictionary Entry in A. Louth (gen. ed.), The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (Fourth Revised Edition), Oxford: OUP, 2022 (p.775).

“Gog and Magog.” Dictionary Entry in A. Louth (gen. ed.), The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (Fourth Revised Edition), Oxford: OUP, 2022 (p.795).

“The Resurrection of Christ.” Dictionary Entry in A. Louth (gen. ed.), The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (Fourth Revised Edition), Oxford: OUP, 2022 (p.1642)

2020

The “Last Word” in Pictures: Enhanced Visual Interpretation of Revelation in Luther’s High German Bible (1534). In Postscripts: The Journal of Sacred Texts, Cultural Histories, and Contemporary Contexts 11.1 (pp.5–33) https://doi.org/10.1558/post.17389.

2019 

“Visualising Revelation for Luther’s New Testament (1522–1546): debt, design and development.” In Biblische Notizen (University of Salzburg) 183.4 (pp.73–99).

Review Article of Jon Morales, Christ, Shepherd of the Nations: The Nations as Narrative Character and Audience in John’s Apocalypse (The Library of New Testament Studies, 577), London and New York: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2018. In The Journal of Theological Studies 70 / 2019.2 (pp.825–827) https://doi.org/10.1093/jts/flz062.

“Luther, the Letter of James and ‘all Scripture’ (2 Tim 3.16): when faith that justifies works to critique the canon.” My English translation of the following entry, published online on the ResearchGate website (May 2019).

“Luther, la lettre de Jacques et ‘toute l’Ecriture’ (2 Tm 3.16). Quand la foi qui justifie œuvre pour la critique du canon.” In Y. Imbert (ed.), Foi et Œuvres, Cléon d’Andran/Aix–en–Provence : Editions Excelsis/Kerygma (pp.59–74).

2018

“Le pèlerin en chef et les pèlerins: la solidarité entre le Christ et ceux qui marchent à sa suite dans l’épître aux Hébreux.” In Revue Réformée (Aix–en–Provence/France) 287 (p.27–58). French version of “The Pilgrim Leader etc.” (see 2016 below).

2017

“Visual exegesis of the Book of Revelation in Martin Luther’s September Testament (1522).” Published online on the Academia website (Aug. 2017).

“Collaborative verbal and visual interpretation of Revelation in Luther’s September Testament (1522) and revised New Testament (1530).” In Proceedings of the Irish Biblical Association (PIBA) 40 (p.43–72).

“Luther, Revelation and the New Testament Canon.” In L. Kirkpatrick (ed.), Martin Luther 500, Belfast: Union Theological College (p.57–77).

2016

“The Pilgrim Leader and the pilgrims: wayfaring solidarity between Christ and his followers in Hebrews.”In R. Burnet, D. Luciani & G. Van Oyen (eds.), The Epistle to the Hebrews. Writing at the Borders (Contributions to Biblical Exegesis & Theology, 85), Leuven: Peeters (p.163–184).

“Revelation’s Implied Worshipper.” My English translation of the following entry, published online on the Academia website (Jan 2016).

“Apocalypse johannique et Adorateur implicite.” In Revue Théologique de Louvain 47.3 (p.338–352). 

“From Ignominy To Glory. Jesus’s Death and Resurrection in Calvin’s Harmony of the Gospels.” In Unio cum Christo (USA), vol. 2.2 The New Testament: Gift to the Reformation (p.97–114).

“The Book of Revelation and New Testament Theology.” In Mark H. Elliott & Carey Walsh (eds.), Biblical Theology. Past, Present, and Future. Part III: Constructive ways forward for Biblical Theology, Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock (p.214–233). Papers of ISBL Biblical Theology Study Group (2013–2014).

2015

“Facing Fire and Fury: One Reading of Revelation’s Violence.” In Garrick V. Allen, Ian Paul and Simon P. Woodman (eds.), The Book of Revelation: Currents in British Research on the Apocalypse [WUNT II series], Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck (p.147–73). Papers from the British New Testament Conference Revelation Seminar.

2012

Reading Revelation: A Thematic Approach. James Clarke & Co.: Cambridge. 430 pages. My own English translation of the French original (see 2007 below), incorporating a fully revised thematic index.

2011

“Jesus of Geneva: Encountering Christ with Calvin in the Gospels.” In B. McConvery (ed.), The Witness of John Calvin and Ignatius Loyola, Dublin: Veritas (p.57–73). Papers from the conference Living in union with Christ in today’s world: the contribution of John Calvin and Ignatius Loyola,  St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth (October 2010)

2010

“Jésus de Genève”: Pour le Rédempteur de Calvin, quelle pertinence aujourd’hui?” In Revue Réformée 255 (p.83–96). My French translation of the following entry (2009). 

2009

“Jesus of Geneva: Has Calvin’s Redeemer Got Contemporary Relevance?” In T.D. Alexander & L.S. Kirkpatrick, John Calvin: Reflections on a Reformer, Belfast: Union Theological College (p.75–87).

2007

L’Apocalypse de Jean. Une lecture thématique. Cléon d’Andran: Editions Excelsis 558 pages.

2006

“Chiavi di lettura dell’Apocalisse.” In Studi di teologia (Padua/Italy) 35 (p.2–6). Italian translation of “Pour comprendre l’Apocalypse” (see 1999 below). 

“I temi dell’Apocalisse.” In Studi di teologia 35 (p.7–25). Italian translation of “Pour lire l’Apocalypse de Jean (etc.)” (see 2003 below).

“Mort et résurrection” (Death and Resurrection). In Dictionnaire de Théologie Biblique, Cléon d’Andran: Editions Excelsis (p.767–75). [French adaptation & enlargement of New Dictionary of Biblical Theology, IVP, 2000], 

“Dieu a–t–il une histoire? Lc 1 – 2 entre historicité et historiographie” (“Does God Have a History? Luke 1–2 in the Perspective of Ancient Historiography”). In P. Berthoud et P. Wells, Texte et historicité. Récit biblique et histoire (Text and Historicity: Biblical Narratives and History), Cléon d’Andran & Aix–en–Provence: Editions Excelsis/Kerygma (p.79–98).

“Apocalypse johannique et persévérance des saints” (“Revelation to John and ‘Perseverance of the Saints”). In Revue Réformée 236 (p.43–55).

2005

“Vivre et mourir devant Dieu: esquisse de théologie biblique” (“Outline for a Biblical Theology of Living and Dying in God’s Presence”). In Revue Réformée 234 (p.5–20).

“Le récit du Royaume de Dieu dans l’évangile selon Saint Luc” (The Story of the Kingdom of God in the Gospel According to St. Luke”). In Revue Réformée 233 (p.24–43).

“La royauté de Dieu, de l’Agneau et des siens dans l’Apocalypse de Jean” (“The Royalty of God, the Lamb and His Followers in John’s Revelation”). In Revue Réformée 233 (p.44–61).

2004

“Fidèles de l’Agneau, esclaves du monstre: identités rivales dans l’Apocalypse de Jean (deuxième partie)” (“Followers of the Lamb, Slaves of the Beast: Rival Identities in the Book of Revelation (Part 1).” In Théologie Evangélique (Vaux–sur–Seine/France) 3.2 (pp.113–122). 

“Fidèles de l’Agneau, esclaves du monstre: identités rivales dans l’Apocalypse de Jean (première partie)” (“Followers of the Lamb, Slaves of the Beast: Rival Identities in the Book of Revelation(Part 2).” In Théologie Evangélique 3.1 (p.41–54).

“Apocalypse de Jean” (“Book of Revelation”). In Grand Dictionnaire de la Bible, Cléon d’Andran: Editions Excelsis (p.87–93). [French adaptation & enlargement of TheNew Bible Dictionary, IVP, 1996] 

“Colossiens (Epître)” (“Epistle to the Colossians”). In Grand Dictionnaire de la Bible, Cléon d’Andran: Editions Excelsis (p.339–41). 

“Persécution” (“Persecution”). Published in Grand Dictionnaire de la Bible, Cléon d’Andran: Editions Excelsis (p.1248–50). 

“La question synoptique” (“The Synoptic Problem”). In Grand Dictionnaire de la Bible, Cléon d’Andran: Editions Excelsis (p.1595–1607).

“Antithetical Feminine–Urban Imagery and a Tale of Two Women–Cities in the Book of Revelation.” In Tyndale Bulletin 55.1 (p.81–108). 

“Findings, Seals, Trumpets and Bowls: Variations upon the Theme of Covenant Rupture and Restoration in the Book of Revelation.” In Westminster Theological Journal (Philadelphia/USA) 66 (p.71–96).

2003

“True and False Proclamation in the Book of Revelation (Part II).” In Irish Biblical Studies25.3 (p.106–20). 

“True and False Proclamation in the Book of Revelation (Part I).” In Irish Biblical Studies 25.2 (p.60–73).

“Apocalypse et extermination” (“Apocalypse and Extermination”). In Revue Réformée 225 (p.89–107).

“Culte du corps et corps du Christ à Corinthe” (“Cult of the Body and Body of Christ at Corinth”). In M. Johner (ed.), Le corps et le christianisme, Cléon d’Andran/Aix–en–Provence: Editions Excelsis/Kerygma (p.109–21).

“Pour lire l’Apocalypse de Jean: l’intérêt d’une approche thématique” (“Towards an Understanding of the Book of Revelation: the Advantages of a Thematic Reading”). In Revue Réformée 224 (p.43–65).

2002

“L’alliance et la famille au travers du Nouveau Testament” (“Covenant and Family in New Testament Perspective”). In Revue Réformée 220 (p.13–26).

“Un procédé de composition négligé de l’Apocalypse de Jean: repérage, caractéristiques et cas témoin d’une approche parodique” (“Parody Approach – a Neglected Compositional Procedure in the Apocalypse of John: Location, Characteristics and Test Case”). In Etudes théologiques et religieuses (Paris–Montpellier/France) 77 (p.491–516).

2001

“How to say what. Story and interpretation in the Book of Revelation.” In Irish Biblical Studies, vol. 23, July 2001 (p.111–134).

2000

Editing and rewriting of Section and Verse notes on the books of Philippians and Revelation, together with a general introduction to both books, for the Study Bible Le Semeur, Cléon d’Andran: Editions Excelsis. 45 pages.

“La croissance de l’Eglise pagano–chrétienne dans le Nouveau Testament” (“The Growth of the Gentile Christian Church in the New Testament”). In Revue Réformée 210 (p.49–66).

1999

“Pour comprendre l’Apocalypse” (“Towards an understanding of the Book of Revelation”). In Revue Réformée 205 (p.67–73).

“The Struggle for the Progress of the Gospel at the Heart of the Pauline Mission.” Published in Irish Biblical Studies 21 (p.59–78). 

“Le combat pour le progrès de l’Evangile au cœur de la mission paulinienne.” In Revue Réformée 204 (p.19–31). Precursor of the previous entry in English.