MERCER UNIVERSITY - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Executive Assistant
- Executive Assistant to the Dean
Amanda Coe Burton is the Executive Assistant to the Dean of McAfee School of Theology. She has work experience in marketing, student services, and ministry. Amanda has spent the last 17 years on staff at Smoke Rise Baptist Church working in children and family ministries.
Amanda graduated from Rhodes College with a BA in Museum Studies and has taken seminary classes from Pathways (UCC) and Candler at Emory.
Amanda was born in Macon, Georgia to parents who are both Mercer graduates. Amanda and her husband Alan have two children, two cats and a dog. Alan is a network administrator for the CDC. Their son Vaud has just graduated from Georgia Tech and started his career in midtown Atlanta at NCR. Their daughter Lily is starting her first year at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida with plans to study psychology and biology.
Education
B.A., Rhodes College
Beth Perry is Public Services/Theology Librarian. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Samford University, a Master of Arts degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Master of Library Science from Indiana University. Before coming to Mercer, she served as the information services librarian at Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tennessee. She has also worked in the libraries at Indiana University, Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Education
M.L.S., Indiana University
M.A. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
B.A., Samford University
Job Titles:
- Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Languages
Mercer University Mercer University logo displaying the words Mercer University in large white font on a dark background, all underlined in orange
Job Titles:
- Member of the the Academy of Spiritual Formation
- Professor Emeritus
- Sylvan Hills Baptist Church Chair of Baptist Heritage / Professor of Church History and Spiritual Formation
Rev. Dr. William Loyd Allen is the Sylvan Hills Baptist Church Chair of Baptist Heritage and professor of church history and spiritual formation at McAfee. He received his B.S (1974) with a double-major in psychology and sociology from the University of Montevallo in Alabama. His training for Christian ministry took place at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, which awarded him M.Div. (1978) and Ph.D. (1984) degrees. During his years as a student, he worked as an aide on a psychiatric ward, did one unit of clinical pastoral education as a chaplain in the emergency room of an urban hospital, and another unit in the admitting ward of a state mental hospital. He also served as the ecumenical campus minister at a Roman Catholic college and held a seven-year pastorate at a rural church.
After graduation, Dr. Allen took a job as religion professor and campus minister at Brewton-Parker College in south Georgia for five years before moving back to Louisville for three years on the church history faculty of Southern Seminary. In 1992, Mississippi College called him to become the head of its Christianity department. He left Mississippi after three years to become professor of church history and spiritual formation on the founding faculty of the McAfee School of Theology. He feels fortunate to teach at a school of theology that balances determination to achieve academic excellence with desire to support the ministries of the local church. Dr. Allen teaches in the areas of church history, Baptist heritage, and spirituality.
In 2000, Dr. Allen spent 10 months reading about Celtic Christianity while on sabbatical at South Wales Baptist College. Upon his return, he was named the Sylvan Hills Baptist Church Chair of Baptist Heritage. Baptist heritage, Christian spirituality, and interfaith work are his main areas of interest. He has published a history of Maryland/Delaware Baptists and another book, Crossroads in Christian Growth, about faith development in crises. Dr. Allen has published numerous journal articles on Baptist heritage, including "How Baptists Assessed Hitler" in Christian Century and "'Exquisite Powers': Ann Baker Graves and Corinthia Read Williams, Obedient Revolutionaries," in Baptist History and Heritage. Dr. Allen's spirituality interests appear in articles such as "Intentional Protestant Monastic Communities" in One in Christ, "Thomas Merton and E. Glenn Hinson: The Aggiornamento of Spiritual Formation among Progressive Baptists," in The Merton Seasonal, and "The Spirituality of Adoniram and Ann Judson" in Perspectives in Religious Studies. In interfaith work, upon being inducted into the Martin Luther King Jr. Collegium of Scholars at Morehouse College, Dr. Allen delivered a lecture titled, "The Meeting of Saint and Sultan: The Symbolic Power for Peace in the Personal Encounter between Saint Francis of Assisi and Sultan Al-Kamil of Egypt." He is currently working on a brief history of Christian spirituality and a comparison of spiritual formation in various religious traditions.
Off campus, Dr. Allen is a frequent faculty member for the Academy of Spiritual Formation and was executive director of the W.H. Whitsitt Baptist Heritage Society for over a decade. He is also a spiritual director and regularly guides pilgrimages to Celtic lands and Israel.
Dr. Allen's personal life revolves around his family and church. His wife, Libby, works at Mercer's Baugh Center for Baptist Leadership. His daughter, Clare, a Mercer graduate, has just completed her Master of Social Work at Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts. At Parkway Baptist Church in the Atlanta suburb of Duluth, Dr. Allen teaches a popular Bible study on Sunday mornings. Libby serves Parkway as a deacon. For relaxation, Dr. Allen enjoys reading novels, watching movies, playing tennis, and taking road trips in his Fiat Spider 124 Abarth roadster. Whenever they can, he and Libby head for the woods to hike, which may be a pleasure rising from Dr. Allen's childhood in rural Cuba, Alabama.
Education
Ph.D., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1984
M.Div, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1978
B. S., University of Montevallo, 1974
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor of New Testament and Greek
- Assistant Professor of New Testament and Greek at McAfee
Rev. Dr. Angela N. Parker is assistant professor of New Testament and Greek at McAfee. She received her B.A. in religion and philosophy from Shaw University (2008), her M.T.S. from Duke Divinity School (2008-2010) and her Ph.D. in Bible, culture, and hermeneutics (New Testament focus) from Chicago Theological Seminary (2015). Before this position, Dr. Parker was assistant professor of Biblical Studies at The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology for four years. While at The Seattle School, Dr. Parker received the Journal for Feminist Studies in Religion's ESF New Scholar Award (2nd Place) for her article "One Womanist's View of Racial Reconciliation in Galatians." She teaches courses in New Testament, Greek Exegesis, the Gospel of Mark, the Corinthians Correspondence, the Gospel of John, and Womanist and Feminist Hermeneutics unto preaching.
In her research, Dr. Parker merges Womanist thought and postcolonial theory while reading biblical texts. Dr. Parker has two forthcoming books. First, Eerdmans Publishing will release If God Still Breathes, Why Can't I: Black Lives Matter and Biblical Authority in September, 2021. (Amazon and Eerdmans) In this book, Dr. Parker draws from her experience as a Womanist New Testament scholar in order deconstruct one of White Christianity's most pernicious lies: the conflation of biblical authority with the doctrines of inerrancy and infallibility. As Dr. Parker shows, these doctrines are less about the text of the Bible itself and more about the arbiters of its interpretation-historically, White males in positions of power who have used Scripture to justify control over marginalized groups. This oppressive use of the Bible has been suffocating. To learn to breathe again, Dr. Parker says, we must "let God breathe in us." We must read the Bible as authoritative, but not authoritarian. We must become conscious of the particularity of our identities, as we also become conscious of the particular identities of the biblical authors from whom we draw inspiration. And we must trust and believe that as long as God still breathes, Black lives indeed matter.
In her second book entitled Bodies, Violence, & Emotions: A Womanist Study of the Gospel of Mark, Dr. Parker thinks through the issue of imperial violence and its effects on the bodies of Jesus, John the Baptizer, and the woman suffering in a flow of blood in Mark 5. This study allows Dr. Parker to engage real lived experiences of violence and emotions in contemporary society. Dr. Parker has also published articles on prominent women in the Gospel of John. Currently, Dr. Parker is working on a few projects. She is researching Paul's letter to Philemon in connection with the New York Times special issue on 1619 and the arrival of the first enslaved Africans to Virginia. Second, while seeking to connect her research to her activities as an ordained missionary Baptist clergyperson, Dr. Parker is gathering information for a book regarding Paul's language of flesh, slavery, and surrogacy and how various streams of black Baptists engage these Pauline ideas. In addition to her teaching and research, Dr. Parker serves as co-chair for the Paul and Politics Seminar of the Society of Biblical Literature and is a committee member of American Academy of Religion's Status of Racial and Ethnic Minorities Committee.
While not engaging in scholarship, teaching, and preaching, Dr. Parker can be found relaxing with her husband, Victor, while researching puppies to adopt.
Job Titles:
- Adjunct Professor
- Education
Dr. Anna Brown is a ruling elder and certified Christian educator in the Presbyterian Church (USA) who has served in educational ministry with four local churches over the course of 32 years. Most recently she served at Pleasant Hill Presbyterian in Duluth, Georgia, for 19 years. In 2010, she had the privilege of being invited to teach Christian education courses at McAfee School of Theology.
Over the years, Dr. Brown has served in numerous ways across the denomination, including on General Assembly committees, as well as teaching in various workshops both in the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta and other presbyteries across the denomination. She also has taught in Columbia Theological Seminary's Lifelong Learning program and for Richmond's Baptist Theological Seminary.
Beginning in 2015, Dr. Brown, along with her husband and black lab, responded affirmatively to a call into the ministry of hospitality; they moved to Bar Harbor, Maine, where they own and operate the Coach Stop Inn Bed and Breakfast. In Bar Harbor, they call Bar Harbor United Church of Christ their church home, as the closest Presbyterian Church (USA) church is two hours south. When the move north occurred, Dr. Brown moved her courses online.
Education
D.Ed.Min., Columbia Theological Seminary
M.R.E., Wesley Theological Seminary
B.A., Pfeiffer University
A native of North Carolina, Dr. Christopher Moore has taught online for the McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University since 2017. He holds graduate degrees from Campbell, Duke, and Baylor University, and his current research focuses on the intersection of religion, race, and memory during the American Civil War and Reconstruction.
Job Titles:
- Baptist Leadership and Director of the Eula Mae and John Baugh Center for Baptist Leadership
Rev. Dr. Daniel Vestal is the Distinguished University Professor of Baptist Leadership and director of the Eula Mae and John Baugh Center for Baptist Leadership. From 1996 to 2012 he served as the executive coordinator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, based in Atlanta. Prior to that he was a pastor of Baptist churches both in Texas and Georgia. Educated at Baylor University (B.A. and M.A.) and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div. and Th.D.), Dr. Vestal has been in leadership with a number of denominational and institutional organizations and has been involved in ecumenical efforts and interfaith dialogue. He is the author of five books, including Being the Presence of Christ: A Vision for Transformation, and a contributor to five other books, numerous journals, periodicals, and news magazines. He has traveled extensively as a preacher, teacher, and speaker for conferences, conventions and retreats. Dr. Vestal and his wife, Earlene, have three adult children and six grandchildren.
Education
Th.D., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
M.Div. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
M.A., Baylor University
B.A., Baylor University
Job Titles:
- Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling
Dr. Denise McLain Massey is professor of pastoral care and counseling. She received an M.Div. in pastoral care, a Th.M. in pastoral care and a Ph.D. in psychology of religion and pastoral care from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Prior to coming to McAfee, Dr. Massey was director of pastoral care and clinical pastoral education at Kindred Hospital in Louisville. She led the hospital to be accredited as a teaching site with the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education. She also provided pastoral counseling with the Pastoral Care and Counseling Center of Louisville. At McAfee, Dr. Massey advises students who are interested in chaplaincy and pastoral counseling, in addition to teaching courses in Spiritual Care, Emotional Intelligence for Ministry and Leadership, Dreams as a Resource for Spiritual Care, Spiritual Care with Addicted Persons, Spiritual Care through Coaching, and Spiritual Formation.
Dr. Massey is a certified supervisor with the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education. She is also a life coach and is a member of the International Coaching Federation. She has lectured extensively in organizations affiliated with the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education. She has published articles in religious journals and books, and she is the author of CARING: Six Steps to Effective Pastoral Conversations.
Dr. Massey is a member of the Society for Pastoral Theology and Spiritual Directors International. Some of Dr. Massey's hobbies and interests include Louisiana-style cooking and reading for fun. She enjoys finding spiritual significance in Star Trek and Harry Potter. She is married and the mother of two young adult men.
Education
Ph.D., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1991
Th.M., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1987
M.Div., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1984
B.A., Louisiana College, 1980
Job Titles:
- Adjunct Professor of Preaching
- Superintendent of the Atlanta North Georgia Annual Conference of the Sixth Episcopal District
Rev. Dr. Greta Fowler is an Ordained Itinerant Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and pastors Gray's Chapel AME Church in Adairsville, GA. Dr. Fowler graduated from McAfee School of Theology in 2014 and received the Claypool Award for Excellence in Preaching as well as the William and Nell Key Excellence in Leadership and McAfee School of Theology Community Ministry Awards.
Dr. Fowler currently serves as the Church School Superintendent of the Atlanta North Georgia Annual Conference of the Sixth Episcopal District in the AME Church and is on the Board of Visitors for McAfee. Previously, Dr. Fowler served on the Augusta Georgia Annual Conference Board of Examiners and was the Chairperson of the Augusta North District's Finance Committee. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and volunteers with her son's Boy Scout Troop as a merit badge instructor.
Reverend Fowler is a gifted preacher and teacher. She's married to her college sweetheart and they have one son. As a family, they love to travel, but Dr. Fowler also enjoys writing and watching movies in her spare time. Her favorite scripture is 2 Corinthians 4: 7, "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us."
Education
D.Min., McCormick Theological Seminary, 2019
M.Div, McAfee School of Theology, 2014
Elem. Certification, University of Kentucky, 2002
M.S., Alabama A&M University, 1998
B.S., Alabama A&M University, 1996
Dr. Gushee is the elected Past-President of both the American Academy of Religion and Society of Christian Ethics, signaling his role as one of the world's leading Christian ethicists. He is the author, co-author, editor, or co-editor of 25 books and approximately 175 book chapters, journal articles, and reviews. His most recognized works include Righteous Gentiles of the Holocaust, Kingdom Ethics, The Sacredness of Human Life, and Changing Our Mind. His book, After Evangelicalism, charts a theological and ethical course for post-evangelical Christians, a course he more personally relates in his memoir, Still Christian.
Over a full 28-year career, he's been a devoted teacher and mentor as Professor Gushee to college students, seminarians, and PhD students. He's also led significant activist efforts on climate, torture, and LGBTQ inclusion, and is a keynote speaker at churches, forums, and universities.
For the general media, Dr. Gushee has written hundreds of opinion pieces and given interviews to scores of major outlets and podcasts. Along with his friend Jeremy Hall, he also co-hosts a popular podcast called "Kingdom Ethics."
Dr. Gushee and his beloved wife Jeanie live in Atlanta. He is a classic novel reader, world traveler, and tennis player, and awaits a call from his beloved Atlanta Braves to resume the baseball career he abandoned in college.
Education
Ph.D., Union Theological Seminary in New York, 1993
M.Phil., Union Theological Seminary in New York, 1990
M.Div., Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1987
B.A., College of William and Mary, 1984
Job Titles:
- Director
- Associate Professor of Spirituality and Christian Ministry
Dr. Heidi A. Miller is the director of the Doctor of Ministry program and is associate professor of Spirituality and Christian Ministry at McAfee School of Theology. Her teaching and scholarship focus on transformative aspects of leadership, spirituality, spiritual guidance, justice, and worship, on which she has spoken and taught throughout North American and across the globe.
Dr. Miller received her Ph.D. from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., writing on ritually enacted narrative, and also studied at Eastern Mennonite Seminary and Goshen College. Prior to her joining the faculty at Mercer University in 2022, she served as a director of the Master of Practical Theology program and associate professor at Pfeiffer University; staff and adjunct faculty at Duke University; assistant professor of worship at Southern Methodist University, and assistant professor of spiritual formation and ministry at Eastern Mennonite University. She also co-founded and served as a managing director in non-profit organizations seeking to engage leaders and in collaborative and contextual mission. Dr. Miller has served as clergy in the Virginia Mennonite Conference and is a member of Spiritual Directors International, North American Academy of Liturgy, and Society for Christian Spirituality.
Prior to earning her Ph.D., Dr. Miller worked as a Medical Social Worker and a counselor in the school system. She has worked with senior business executives and health care providers regarding values-based leadership, and has been a consultant with congregations and organizations undergoing transition and trauma, particularly with marginalized communities.
For more than 20 years, she has been training sojourners throughout the U.S. and Canada, writing in worship, leadership, spiritual direction, and soul tending in one-on-one, small group, community, congregational, and organizational contexts. Most recently she was part of the collaborative team writing the worship resources within the Voices Together hymnal project for the Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada. She is currently writing a book on the place of embodiment in spirituality and worship, and its role in forming, transforming, and empowering communities for the sake of the world.
Dr. Miller is married to Rev. Dr. Gary MacDonald and they have a blended family of four children, a daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren. She comes from a large, bi-national family, enjoys hiking on both mountains and beaches, pausing to explore with watercolors; jazz, and deep listening.
Rev. Dr. J. Truett Gannon served as The Watkins Christian Foundation Professor of Ministry Experience from 1997-2007 and was named Professor Emeritus in 2010. He has served as the pastor of churches in North Carolina, Georgia, and Louisiana and has served in numerous denominational capacities. Gannon currently serves on McAfee's Board of Visitors and received the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award from McAfee's Alumni Board in 2019.
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean for Masters Degree Programs / Associate Professor of Christian Education and Faith Development
- Associate Dean for Masters Degree Programs, Associate Professor of Christian Education and Faith Development, and Watkins Christian Foundation Chair
- Associate Professor of Christian Education and Faith Development
Rev. Dr. Karen Massey is the associate professor of Christian Education and Faith Development and holds the Watkins Christian Foundation Endowed Chair. Before her arrival at McAfee, she served as the associate pastor of Northside Drive Baptist Church in Atlanta. At McAfee, Dr. Massey teaches in the area of practical ministry, with her major areas of interest being faith development and worship. She teaches faith development, worship, church administration, several Christian education courses, and women's studies.
Dr. Massey was a founding member and past president of the Christian Educators' Network, a professional, ecumenical organization for ministers in the field of Christian education. She served as a board member and past president (2002-2005) of the national organization of Baptist Women in Ministry. In addition, Dr. Massey has published numerous articles, book chapters and curriculum pieces. Some of her publications include the Vacation Bible School curriculum series, Under Construction; "Christian Education Developments in the 20th Century" in Review & Expositor; "Women Leaders in the Church" in Putting Women in Their Place: The Baptist Debate Over Female Equality; "African-American Spirituals" and "Martin Luther King, Jr." in The Encyclopedia of Spiritual and Religious Development in Childhood and Adolescence; and "Women of Oceania" in Women and Religion: Global Lives in Focus. She also released a book entitled And Your Daughters Shall Prophesy: Sermons by Women in Baptist Life published by Mercer University Press.
Aside from writing and teaching, Dr. Massey is a member at Northside Drive Baptist Church in Atlanta. She has served as the church moderator and head of the Church Council. Dr. Massey serves on the Music-Worship Committee and Personnel Committee. Dr. Massey enjoys challenges. Several years ago, on a dare, she bungee jumped off a 10-story platform. Her next challenge will be skydiving. She is also a dog lover and has one shih tzus named Murphy.
Education
Ph.D., Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1991
M.A., Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1985
B.S.Ed., University of Georgia, 1983
Job Titles:
- Director of Academic Success and Assessment
Dr. Michelle Brooks Garber serves as the Director of Academic Success and Assessment. A proud "double bear," she is graduate of both Mercer University's McAfee School of Theology and Tift College of Education.
Dr. Garber coordinates retention data, institutional effectiveness, and accreditation for the McAfee School of Theology. She directs academic advising; coordinates course scheduling, registration, and policies and procedures; and monitors academic progress and merit scholarship status. Dr. Garber also teaches two research methodology courses in the Doctor of Ministry degree program each year.
She wears many "hats" while serving, but her favorite aspects involve helping students find their paths, listening to their stories, and encouraging them on their journeys. Dr. Garber's greatest joy at McAfee is watching students succeed while demonstrating creativity, persistence, and passion for their callings.
When not on campus, Dr. Garber can be found camping, behind a camera, playing games, or adventuring with her husband Dr. David G. Garber Jr. and their three Brittany dogs.
Education
Ph.D., Tift College of Education, Mercer University
M.Div., McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University
B.A., Emory University
Job Titles:
- Ordained Minister
- Professor of Homiletics
Dr. Moss is an ordained minister in the Progressive National Baptist Convention and the United Church of Christ. He is on the boards of Auburn Seminary and Faith-In-Place/Action Fund , and chaplain of the Children's Defense Fund's Samuel DeWitt Proctor Child Advocacy Conference. Additionally, Dr. Moss is a Senior Fellow in the Auburn Seniors Fellow Program.
Rev. Dr. Nancy Penton graduated from McAfee School of Theology with a Master of Divinity in December 2007 and a Doctor of Ministry in Christian Spirituality in December 2013. She serves as an adjunct professor at McAfee, where she has taught classes in Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Discernment since the fall of 2013. In addition, Rev. Dr. Penton has taught classes in Spiritual Formation and the Life and Practice of Prayer for the Baugh Center for Baptist Leadership‘s Christian Leadership Formation program since the fall of 2018. She also taught an adjunct class in Christian Spirituality at Carson-Newman College in the fall of 2019.
Rev. Dr. Penton is an ordained minister, a board-certified chaplain, a trained spiritual director, and a retreat facilitator. Her prior career was in medical technology in the health care field. Rev. Dr. Penton serves on the leadership team at Liberty Vineyard Church where she leads spiritual retreats and preaches several times a year. She and her husband, G. Allen Penton, live in the Atlanta area. They are parents to three adult sons and grandparents to eight precious and precocious children. The Pentons enjoy photography, travel, and visiting national parks.
Dr. Ossie McKinney is an educator who believes that worship is a lifestyle, not an event or worship service. Dr. McKinney serves as the Minister of Music and Worship Arts Director at Providence Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA. She received her B.A. in Music from the University of Louisiana at Monroe (2002), her Master of Divinity degree from Mercer University (2015), and her Doctor of Worship Studies degree from Liberty University (2018). She is currently completing the requirements for a PhD in Christian Worship. Dr. McKinney is an ordained minister and a Navy and Army Guard veteran who served during Desert Storm.
Dr. McKinney has a long-standing passion for the marginalized and at-risk youth. She believes it takes a village to shape and drive youth to become individuals who meaningfully contribute to society. Dr. McKinney has over forty years of experience volunteering in community-, school-, and church-based social service programs. Over the years, she has joined her calling of music and ministry to establish several community youth choirs to provide a place of therapeutic fun, discipline, and instruction for underserved communities.
Dr. McKinney loves to paint, sing, dance to Old School R & B music, and tour African- American historical sites in her free time. She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and loves all things pink and green.
Dr. McKinney is married to Rev. Charles McKinney, Jr., and they have five grown children. The McKinneys' greatest joy comes from being grandparents to their grandchildren Stormy, McKenzy, Winter, and Nazyr.
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Music, University of Louisiana at Monroe
Master of Divinity, Mercer University
Doctor of Worship Studies, Liberty University
Job Titles:
- Dean Emeritus
- Dean Emeritus and Professor Emeritus
- Editor for the Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary and for the Biblical Interpretation Series
- Education
- Member of Smoke Rise Baptist Church
- Member of the Society for New Testament Studies
Dr. R. Alan Culpepper served as the dean of the McAfee School of Theology from its founding until 2015. He received a B.A. (1967) from Baylor University, his Master of Divinity (1970) from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and his Ph.D. (1974) from Duke University. Before coming to McAfee, Dr. Culpepper taught in the Religion Department at Baylor. In 2016, Dr. Culpepper received dean emeritus and professor emeritus status at McAfee.
Outside of life at McAfee, Dr. Culpepper is the New Testament editor for the Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary and for the Biblical Interpretation Series published by E.J. Brill. He also is on the editorial board from the Library of New Testament Studies. He has published nine books and several articles, curriculums, and book reviews, including Anatomy of the Fourth Gospel, John the Son of Zebedee, "The Gospel of Luke" in The New Interpreters' Bible, and Mark in the Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary. His next commentary project will be Matthew for the New Testament Library published by Westminster John Knox.
In addition, Dr. Culpepper is a member of the Society for New Testament Studies, is a member of Smoke Rise Baptist Church, and enjoys sailing the 19-foot sailboat he built.
Education
Ph.D., Duke University, 1974
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean
- Associate Dean for the D.Min. Program
Rev. Dr. Robert N. Nash Jr. serves as the associate dean for the Doctor of Ministry program and is the Arnall-Mann-Thomasson Professor of Missions and World Religions at McAfee School of Theology. He received his Ph.D. degree in Church History (1989) and his M.Div. degree (1985) from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. In addition, he completed both his M.A. (History) and B.A. degrees at Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville. Prior to coming to McAfee, Dr. Nash served as global missions coordinator at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (2006-2012) and as a professor in the religion departments at both Shorter College in Rome, Georgia (1994-2006) and at Judson College in Marion, Alabama (1992-1994). He also served as dean of the School of Religion and International Studies at Shorter College for several years.
An author of three books and numerous articles, Dr. Nash has devoted his research and writing to the intersection between religious faith and culture, paying particular attention to what happens to religions as they move from one cultural context to another. This research interest eventually led him to move from the classroom to the laboratory as he directed the global mission engagement of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, assisting that organization to adapt its global engagement to the unique challenges of the 21st century. He has now taken the experience he received there back to the classroom to assist ministers as they negotiate similar challenges in local congregations.
He has served as pastor and interim pastor of a number of congregations in Kentucky, Alabama, and Georgia and as a frequent lecturer on college and university campuses and at conferences across the nation that focus on ministry and mission in the 21st century.
Dr. Nash is married to Guyeth Nash, a psychotherapist, and they have two grown children, Douglas and Lindsay. He is an avid viewer of food and travel programs on television and enjoys grilling and eating his way through every Asian restaurant in Atlanta. He runs about 12-15 miles a week to keep off the pounds generated by his food interests. The Nashes have a dog named Nemo and two cats, Mama Kitty and Agamemnon.
Education
Ph.D., Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1989
M.Div., Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1985
M.A., Georgia College & State University
B.A., Georgia College and State University
Dr. Thomas B. Slater served as professor of New Testament Language and Literature at McAfee for 13 years before being named professor emeritus at the occasion of his retirement. Slater received his bachelor's degree from Arkansas Tech University (in journalism with honors) and his Master of Theology and Doctor of Ministry (Christian Education) degrees from Perkins School of Theology and Southern Methodist University, respectively. King's College London, University of London, awarded him the Doctor of Philosophy in Biblical Studies (New Testament emphasis), where he studied with Professor Graham Stanton.
Before coming to McAfee, Slater worked at Jackson Theological Seminary in North Little Rock, Arkansas, Birkbeck College in London and the University of Georgia. At Jackson, he served as academic dean for two years and then dean for a year. Under his leadership, Jackson received certification from the Arkansas Department of Higher Education to award its Master of Ecclesiastical Studies (a two-year degree), its Bachelor of Theological Studies and its Certificate in Theology. This was Jackson's historic first certification. At the University of Georgia, he held dual appointments in Religion and African American Studies, teaching courses in New Testament studies and African American biblical interpretation. He also served as undergraduate adviser, graduate coordinator and chair of the departmental Academic Affairs committee.
Dr. Slater has published and continues to publish in scholarly journals and venues around the world (e.g, Journal of Biblical Literature, New Testament Studies, Biblica) and serves on the editorial board of Review & Expositor. He has also published numerous articles in the New Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible and the Eerdman's Dictionary of the Bible. His major areas of interest are Jewish and Christian apocalypticism written between 220 BCE and 200 CE, the various roles of Jesus in the Gospels and the "captivity letters" in the Pauline tradition (Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians and Philemon). Dr. Slater has written two books and edited a third. Christ and Community (Bloombury T&T Clark) is a revision of his University of London Ph.D. thesis, and it examines the images of Christ in the book of Revelation. His second book is a commentary on the book of Ephesians in the Smyth & Helwys Commentary Series. He argues that Ephesians was written to help a community in transition move smoothly from being predominantly Jewish Christian to predominantly Gentile Christian. Afrocentric Interpretations of Jesus and the Gospel Tradition (Edwin Mellen) is a collection of 10 essays by African American New Testament scholars using several different perspectives and working from different social locations. He has also published the "Son of Man" article in the Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Theology, the culmination of two decades of work on this topic. Dr. Slater is also a member of the following professional groups: the Society of Biblical Literature, the Catholic Biblical Association and the elite learned society Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas.
An ordained elder in full connection in the Georgia North Region of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Dr. Slater has pastored five congregations in Arkansas, Virginia and Georgia and been an associate pastor in four other congregations. He serves as chair of the Georgia North Committee on Ministerial Examinations & Conference Relations and is a member of his denomination's Task Force for the Revision of the Articles of Religion. Dr. Slater is the first African American to receive a Ph.D in biblical studies in the United Kingdom.
Education
Ph.D., Biblical Studies, King's College London, University of London
D.Min., Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University
Th.M., Master of Theology, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University
B.A., Arkansas Tech University
Member Georgia Baptist Convention (program chairman 1970, chairman nominations committee 1982, active numerous other committees, board directors 1984, member task force 1984-1988, 1st vice president 1988-1989, president 1991-1992), Pastor's Conferences (secretary 1962, president 1968, 77, chairman nominating com.1977, president elect 1985, president 1986-1987).
Heather Hieserman is the Enrollment Associate for McAfee School of Theology. She earned her BA in History from the College of Charleston. She received certifications in NC Family Development from Duke University, and Incredible Years from the University of Washington. She holds a TESOL which allowed her to pursue her love for teaching online ESL curriculums to students abroad.
Megan Currie is the Director of Admissions. She earned a Master of Divinity from McAfee School of Theology in 2019 and a BA in Religion from Mars Hill University in 2016. During her time as a student at McAfee, she worked as a graduate assistant in the office of Admissions and enjoyed serving on the Student Advocacy Leadership Team as well as the Diversity committee. After seminary, Megan went on to recruit adult undergraduate students for Mercer University's College of Professional Advancement for a year. She transitioned to working in Admissions for the School of Theology in 2020. Fueled from both professional and personal experience, Megan is passionate about ensuring every student feels supported and cared for as they pursue theological education and explore their callings to ministry. Outside of Mercer, she serves bi-vocationally as the Minister of Virtual Connections at Joy Metropolitan Community Church in Orlando, FL. She loves the Blue Ridge Mountains, will always say yes to an iced chai latte, and enjoys preaching when possible. Megan and her partner are proud dog parents to their feisty dog, Ernie.
Education
M.Div., McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University, 2019
B.A., Religion, Mars Hill University, 2016
Job Titles:
- Director of the Center for Calling and Vocational Formation
Nathan is the Director of the Center for Calling and Vocational Formation at McAfee School of Theology, a role he began in 2022 after serving as the Director of Admissions since 2018. He received his MTS from Candler School of Theology and his BA in History and Education from Lipscomb University. Prior to McAfee, Nathan served as a teacher, administrator, and researcher in contexts across America and around the world.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director of Outreach and Alumni Relations
- Director of Outreach and Alumni Services
Rev. Nikki Carroll Hardeman is the director of outreach and alumni relations. She received a Master of Divinity from McAfee School of Theology in 2005 and a Bachelor of Arts from Mercer University in 2002. Having received both degrees from Mercer, Hardeman is proud to be a Double Bear.
Following her education, Hardeman served local churches through youth, young adult, and homebound ministry roles. She also served as the associate coordinator for the congregational life at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia.
As her family grew, Hardeman chose to stay home with her children and pursue her vocational ministry through retreat-leading, supply-preaching, adjunct teaching, and writing and producing a small-group Bible study curriculum called FaithElement. While still doing these things, Hardeman also loves her work with McAfee alumni and partner churches and organizations.
Education
M.Div., McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University, 2005
B.A., Mercer University, 2002
Rev. Dr. Chris Holmes is the John H. Stembler, Jr., Scholar in Residence and Director of Biblical and Theological Education at First Presbyterian Church (Atlanta, GA). In this capacity, he serves as the resident scholar and chief creator of unique learning opportunities and platforms for teaching Bible, history, and theology that bridge the church and the academy. In addition, he is currently a visiting assistant professor of New Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary (Decatur, GA), an instructor in UMC's Course of Study Program at Emory University, and an adjunct professor at McAfee School of Theology. His research interests include the Epistle to the Hebrews, Revelation, Paul's Letters, ancient rhetoric, and theological interpretation of Scripture. He lives in southeast Atlanta with his spouse, Jenelle who is a minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Together they have two children, Micah (15) and Darcy (13), two dogs, and a three-legged cat. He is an avid Atlanta United fan and enjoys running and riding his bike in and around Atlanta.
Education
Ph.D., Emory University, 2016
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor of Old Testament
- Co - Chair of the Biblical Literature
- Director of Distance Learning at McAfee
- Education
- Old Testament and Hebrew and Director of Distance Learning
Rev. Dr. David G. Garber, Jr. is associate professor of Old Testament and Hebrew and director of distance learning at McAfee. He received his B.A. in religion from Baylor University (1995), his M.Div. and Th.M. from Princeton Theological Seminary (1998-99), and his Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible from Emory University (2005).
In his research, Dr. Garber explores the usefulness of trauma theory as an interpretive lens for biblical study and is currently the co-chair of the Biblical Literature and the Hermeneutics of Trauma program unit of the Society of Biblical Literature. He has published several articles utilizing trauma theory to study troubling texts in the books of Ezekiel, Nahum, Jeremiah, and Isaiah. He is currently writing a volume on Prophets and the Trauma of Empire, building on this foundational work.
In his teaching, Dr. Garber likes to instill in his students a sense of curiosity about lesser known biblical texts or texts that present particular theological problems to traditional Christian interpretation. Moreover, he likes to help students develop their own ministerial voice using creative projects in his electives like, "Social Justice and the Old Testament," "The Theology of Exile," "Creation Theology, Spirituality, and the Arts," and "The Bible and Popular Culture."
Dr. Garber is married to Dr. Michelle Brooks Garber, and the two can be found often together training their two Brittany dogs in various dog sports. Dr. Garber has an avocation in nature and landscape photography and has recently taken up gardening at the inspiration of his students in his course on Creation Theology.
Education
Ph.D., Emory University, 2005
Rev. Dr. Graham B. Walker Jr. came to McAfee School of Theology from the Asia Baptist Graduate Theological Seminary in Baguio City, Philippines, where he served as academic dean. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Florida State University and his master of divinity and doctor of philosophy degrees from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Dr. Walker previously served as professor of theology and Asian cultural studies at the Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary. He has also served as visiting professor of religion at Samford University in Alabama, as adjunct professor of philosophy at St. Catherine's College in Bardstown, Kentucky, as well as instructor of world religions at Simmons Bible College in Louisville, Kentucky. He has published numerous articles in various religious journals and has authored the book Elie Wiesel: A Challenge to Theology.
Education
Ph.D., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
M.Div., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
B.A., Florida State University
Job Titles:
- Admissions Counselor
- Admissions Counselor for McAfee School
Jeremiah Hamby is the Admissions Counselor for McAfee School of Theology. He earned his MDiv and MA in Religion from Gardner-Webb University in 2021 along with a Graduate Certificate in English Studies in 2022 and a BS in Psychology in 2016.
At various points during his time in seminary, Jeremiah worked with local church youth groups through Gardner-Webb's FOCUS Ministry, served as a Writing Consultant, as a Graduate Assistant for the Department of Religious Studies and Philosophy, and as a Graduate Resident Director. He also spent two weeks in Kenya through CBF's Kutana Kenya Student.Go program and ten days in Israel and Palestine with the Gardner-Webb School of Divinity. Most recently, he has served as the Academic Advisor and Student Success Coach for Nursing and Nursing-Intended students at Gardner-Webb, and as Interim Minister to Students at Boiling Springs Baptist Church.
Throughout his experiences, Jeremiah has been guided by a desire to walk with others through various stages of life and encourage them as they explore what their next steps they may be. He is excited to help future seminarians discover how McAfee can help them explore God's calling in their life. In his free time, Jeremiah loves to visit local coffee shops, play French Horn, and travel with his wife. Jeremiah originally hails from North Carolina but is excited to explore and become connected in the greater Atlanta area.
Education
M.Div., Gardner-Webb University, 2021
M.A. in Religion, Gardner-Webb University, 2021
Graduate Certificate in English Studies, Gardner-Webb University, 2022
BS in Psychology, Gardner-Webb University, 2016
Job Titles:
- Grant Project Coordinator
- Grant Project Coordinator for the Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative Lily Grant
Job Titles:
- Director of Development
- Director of Development for Mercer 's School
Rev. Matt DuVall is the director of development for Mercer's School of Theology. He received a Master of Divinity from the McAfee School of Theology in 2004 and a Bachelor of Arts from Mercer University in 2001. Matt is a proud Double Bear.
Matt has served the local church through a variety of capacities including youth and missions and interim pastoral ministry. He has also pastored congregations in Georgia and Kentucky. As the director of development, Matt works to raise support for and connection with the School of Theology.
Matt is married to Caroline and they have two daughters. He loves travel and the outdoors, and knows his way around a kitchen. Always up for an adventure, Matt is glad to suggest a new spot to try for anything delicious, especially in the incredible neighborhoods of NE Atlanta.
Education
D. Min., McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University, (expected 2023)
M.Div., McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University, 2004
B.A., Mercer University, 2001
Job Titles:
- Education
- Program Director of the Rural Health Collaboration
Paul Byrd joined Mercer in the Spring of 2022 to direct a collaborative program between McAfee School of Theology and the School of Medicine. This program will support the physical, mental, and spiritual health of communities by coordinating the efforts of clergy and health care professionals as they work together to address rural health disparities in Georgia.
Before coming to Mercer, Paul spent almost 30 years as a chaplain in children's hospitals in Birmingham, Alabama and St. Petersburg, Florida. He serves on the faculty of the Pediatric Chaplains Institute and is the 2021 recipient of CBF's Carl Hart Award for Excellence in Chaplaincy and Pastoral Ministry. Paul is a proud Mercer Bear having graduated from Mercer University in 1989 with a degree in Music Education. He received his MDiv from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1993 and completed his chaplaincy residency at the Emory Center for Pastoral Care in 1994. While in Alabama, Paul became aware of initiatives to improve rural health disparities through Alabama CBF's partnership with Sowing Seeds of Hope in Perry County and is excited to be working on this collaboration with Mercer.
Paul is married to Terri Byrd who serves as the Mobilization Pastor at Johns Creek Baptist Church in Alpharetta. He is the father of Turner and Evann, two remarkable young adults. When not working, Paul enjoys hiking, exploring outdoors, home remodeling, cooking, and reading a good book.
Education
BCC Association of Professional Chaplains
M.Div., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
BME Mercer University
Job Titles:
- Editor for Just Women Magazine
- Education
- Member of the Board of Visitors for McAfee School
- Member of the Commission on Ministry for the Georgia
- Member of the State Bar of Georgia
The Reverend Leah D. Jackson, Esq. was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. Leah has been called to minister the Word of God as a preacher, pastor, educator, writer, and dancer. She was ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) by Ray of Hope Christian Church in Decatur, Georgia under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Cynthia L. Hale, where she served as the Minister of Christian Education for almost 8 years. She is also a licensed member of the State Bar of Georgia and specializes in Technology and Intellectual Property law.
Rev. Leah received a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy with a focus in Child Advocacy from Spelman College in 2002; a Juris Doctor from Walter F. Georgia School of Law in 2005; and Master of Divinity from McAfee School of Theology in 2012.
She has served as a member of the Board of Visitors for McAfee School of Theology and as the editor for Just Women Magazine, a publication of the Christian Church. Currently, she is a member of the Commission on Ministry for the Georgia region of the denomination and is the Chaplain of the Atlanta chapter of the National Alumnae Association of Spelman College. She is the proud author of the devotionals, Daily Manna from the Psalms: Nuggets of Hope for the Hungry Christian and If Perish, I Perish, But I Won't!: Facing Your Fears Through the Study of the book of Esther.
Education
M.Div., McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University, 2012
J.D., School of Theology, Mercer University, 2005
B.A., Spelman College, 2002