AUSTIN PRESBYTERIAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY - Key Persons
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- Executive Assistant to the Academic Dean
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- Associate Director of Information Technology
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- Access and Instruction Librarian
Todd served as a visiting lecturer during the 2011-2012 academic year through a fellowship with the Lilly Endowment's "Theology and Practice" program at Vanderbilt University Divinity School, where he attended graduate school. He joined the faculty in 2013, and in 2016 he became assistant professor of Christian ethics. He was promoted to associate professor in 2021.
Todd earned an undergraduate degree from The University of Texas at Austin in 2002 and the Master of Divinity degree from Austin Seminary in 2006. During his years as an Austin Seminary student he served as president of the student body and received the Rachel Henderlite Award, given to a graduating student who has made a significant contribution to cross-cultural and interracial relationships while at Austin Seminary. He earned the PhD from Vanderbilt University in 2016; the title of his dissertation proposal was "Political Sovereignty and its Theologically Cultured Despisers: Prospects for an African American Political Theology." A native of Midland, Texas, Todd has also worked in the Texas State Legislature, for the Austin Area Urban League, and has served as youth minister.
Alongside the Lilly Endowment's ‘Theology and Practice" fellowship, Todd's other awards include the 2011-2012 Fund for Theological Education Dissertation Fellowship, and more recently, the 2017 Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning Workshop for Early Career Theological School Faculty Fellowship. His publications include "Thomas Hobbes on Human Nature," an essay in Beyond the Pale: Reading Ethics from the Margins (Westminster John Knox Press, 2011) and a chapter, "Black Lives Matter and the New Politics," in the new book Faith and Resistance in the Age of Trump (Orbis Books, 2017).
Asante Todd's general area of research is public theology, the ways in which theological and religious commitments impact public debate, policy, politics, and opinion. He also desires to think with religious communities about social consciousness and democratic responsibility.
Dr. David Jensen has been teaching at Austin Seminary since 2001. He was elected a full professor in 2009, appointed to the Frierson Chair in 2013, and appointed academic dean (2014-2022). Previously, he taught theology, church history, and ethics at Manchester College in Indiana. His teaching and research explore the interconnections between Christian theology and daily life.
Dr. Jensen's books include Christian Understandings of Christ: The Historical Trajectory (Fortress, 2019), 1 and 2 Samuel (Westminster John Knox, 2015) Always Being Reformed: Challenges and Prospects for the Future of Reformed Theology (editor, Pickwick Publications, 2016), Flourishing Desire: A Theology of Human Sexuality (Westminster John Knox, 2012), Parenting (Fortress Press, 2011), Living Hope: The Future and Christian Faith (WJK, 2010); The Lord and Giver of Life: Perspectives on Constructive Pneumatology (editor, WJK, 2008); Responsive Labor: A Theology of Work (WJK, 2006); Graced Vulnerability: A Theology of Childhood (The Pilgrim Press, 2005); and In the Company of Others: A Dialogical Christology (Pilgrim, 2001). He is also editor of a book series with Fortress Press, "Compass," that encourages theological reflection on everyday practices such as eating, shopping, playing, and working.
In 1999, Jensen received the PhD in theology from Vanderbilt University. He earned an MAR from Yale Divinity School in 1994 and graduated with a BA (magna cum laude) from Carleton College in 1990. Jensen's experience in ministry includes serving as director of children's programs at Nancy Webb Kelly United Methodist Church in inner-city Nashville, Tennessee. In 1990-91, he spent a year teaching English in the mountains of Austria. A native of Oregon, Jensen is a member of University Presbyterian Church in Austin.
Dr. Rodney Alan Caruthers II joined the faculty in 2022. Previously he was a Fellow at the Frankel Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at the University of Michigan, visiting assistant professor and Bruce Gray Postdoctoral Fellow at Gustavus Adolphus College, and served as an adjunct professor on the Ashland Theological Seminary faculty and Spring Arbor University.
Caruthers earned the PhD from the University of Michigan in 2019; his dissertation title is "Jewish Authors Writing in Greek: How and What They Learned During the Hellenistic and Early Roman Periods." He holds a BA from Oakland University, the Master of Divinity from Ashland Theological Seminary, the Master of Theology from Emory University, and the Certificate in Greek and Roman History from the University of Michigan. He earned the King-Chavez-Parks Future Faculty Fellowship, the Rackham One-Term Dissertation Fellowship, the Radcliffe/Ramsdell Fellowship, and the Rackham Merit Fellowship from the University of Michigan.
In addition to his teaching experience, he has delivered papers at scholarly conferences and written book reviews and biblical entries for Encyclopedia of the Bible and its Reception (De Gruyter, forthcoming).
In the course of his graduate studies, he organized a number of scholarly conferences including the eighth Enoch Graduate Seminar (international / online), and "Echoes of the Exodus in Dr. King's Work" and "A Celebration of MLK's Biblical Legacy" at the University of Michigan. He also compiled the indices for Second Temple Jewish "Paideia" in Context (De Gruyter, 2017) and Paul The Jew: Rereading the Apostle as a Figure of second Temple Judaism (Fortress Press, 2016).
He is a member of the Society of Biblical Literature, the Enoch Seminar, the American Society of Papyrologists, and he was a member of the National Honor Society of Hebrew Language and Culture. A member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Dr. Caruthers is a native Michigander who enjoys traveling, visiting museums, astronomy, and nature.
Dr. Suzie Park joined the faculty of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 2011. Previously, she was Visiting Professor of Religion at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.
She completed her PhD at Harvard in 2010, writing a dissertation that traced the development of stories about King Hezekiah in the Hebrew Bible.
Dr. Park's primary research interest centers on the literary and theological interpretations of the Old Testament. In particular, she is concerned with the ways in which biblical literature reflects historical, ideological, and theological struggles, especially as they relate to the politics of identity. Her latest book is Love in the Hebrew Bible (Westminster John Knox, 2023). She is the author of 2 Kings, part of the Wisdom Commentary series from Liturgical Press (2019) and, with colleague Dr. Carolyn Helsel, The Flawed Family of God: Stories about the Imperfect Families in Genesis (WJK, 2021). She has authored several articles and entries in various works, including "The Frustration of Wisdom: Wisdom, Counsel, and Divine Will in 2 Samuel 17:1-23," Journal of Biblical Literature (2009) and "Transformation and Demarcation of Jacob's ‘Flocks' in Genesis 30: 25-43: Identity, Election and the Role of the Divine," Catholic Biblical Quarterly (2010). She is currently working on a larger project looking at mimesis and identity-formation in the Hebrew Bible.
Ángel Gallardo is deeply involved in academic conversations, currently co-chairing of the Latina/o Religion, Culture, and Society program unit of the American Academy of Religion & Society of Biblical Literature (AAR/SBL). He participated in the roundtable "Making Sense of /from the 2020 U.S. Election" at the AAR/SBL conference in 2020, and he served as an officer of La Comunidad, the Association of U.S. Latino/a Scholars or Religion and Theology (2015-19). He presented a paper at the Latinx Studies Now: DC 2018+, Latina/o Studies Association 3rd Biennial Conference Panel: "Toward a Nepantla Poetics: Exploring Decolonial Options in Latinx Theology." He also holds membership in the Hispanic Theological Initiative at Princeton Theological Seminary.
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor of Sacred Music and Dean of the Chapel
- Co - Preaching and Leading Music at FPC, Tallahassee Subscribe to Alerts
Eric Wall serves as the Gene Alice Sherman Associate Professor of Sacred Music and Dean of the Chapel at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. He is the seminary musician, helps oversee the worship life of the campus, and teaches courses in church music and worship. He joined the faculty in 2016. He earned a bachelor's degree, magna cum laude, in organ performance and the master's degree in choral conducting from Florida State University.
He is also the staff musician at Montreat Conference Center, a national conference center of the PC(USA) in Montreat, North Carolina, where he spends the summer season overseeing the music for summer worship, directing the Summer Staff choir, offering concerts and lectures, being available as a resource musician for summer events, and engaging in the life of the conference center as a music and worship consultant. He was previously director of music at First Presbyterian Church, Asheville, North Carolina, from 1998 to 2015.
Eric just completed a term as president of the Presbyterian Association of Musicians (PAM) and continues as co-chair of PAM's DEI Committee. He has been a contributor to the PC(USA)'s Call to Worship journal and to the Hymn Society journal, The Hymn. He has taught at Columbia Theological Seminary and served as a music and worship consultant in various congregational settings. Awake and Sing: Introductions and Accompaniments, a volume of his hymn introductions and accompaniments for organ, was published in June 2022 by Augsburg Fortress.
Job Titles:
- Administrative Assistant to Finance and Administration
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- Director of Alumni Relations
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- Associate Professor of Sacred Music, Dean of the Chapel
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- Vice President for Finance & Administration
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- Assistant Director of Congregational Innovation
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- Associate Director of Marketing and Communications
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- Director of Physical Plant
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- Assistant Director, Library and Learning Services
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- Director of Advancement Services
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- Chairman of Pastoral Ministry
- Distinguished Chair of Pastoral Ministry
Bobbi Kaye Jones was invited in 2019 to be the fourth holder of the Louis H. and Katherine S. Zbinden Distinguished Chair of Pastoral Ministry and Leadership. She teaches the practical areas of pastoral ministry: church administration, congregational leadership, stewardship, and liturgy.
An ordained minister in the United Methodist Church (UMC), Jones retired in 2018 from her appointment to Tarrytown United Methodist Church in Austin, Texas, where she served for six years. She was District Superintendent from 2008-2012, preceded by tenures in Austin and Corpus Christi United Methodist congregations. She served as senior pastor of St. John's UMC in Austin (2001-2008), co-pastor of Grace UMC in Corpus Christi (1997-2001), senior associate pastor of First UMC, Austin (1984-1997), and associate pastor of Memorial UMC, Austin (1981-1983).
A graduate of Austin Seminary, Jones has been actively involved in all facets of her alma mater since earning her degree in 1980. She has been an adjunct faculty member (1995-2011) and served on the alumni association board (1998-2001) and board of trustees (2017-2019). She was named a Distinguished Alumna in 2004.
Jones' ministry has extended to several state and local organizations such as Texas Freedom Network, Common Good Community Development, Freestore Austin, and The Ecclesiastes Project-all of which she was a founding member-along with Campfire Organization of Central Texas, Imagine No Malaria, and Interfaith Action of Texas (iACT). She is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin Plan II honors program.
Job Titles:
- Program Coordinator for Faithful Preaching Project
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- Human Resources Generalist
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- Associate Dean, Library and Learning Services
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- Vice President for Strategic Engagement and Partnerships
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- Program Coordinator, Lifelong Learning
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- Director of Financial Services
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- Director of Information Technology
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- Director of Latino / a Programs
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- Program Coordinator in the Office of Ministerial Formation & Advanced Studies
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- Vice President for Institutional Advancement
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- Learning Technologies Librarian & Archives and Records Manager
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- Director of Auxiliary Enterprises
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- Associate Dean of Lifelong Learning
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- Associate for Advancement
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- Associate for Donor Relations
Stotts Hall is closed over the Christmas break and for two weeks during the summer. Call 512-404-4882 for information.
The Reverend Crystal Silva-McCormick was appointed to a two-year teaching position in evangelism and missions in 2023. She is a Hispanic Theological Initiative (HTI) Doctoral Fellow (2021-present) and has been an adjunct instructor at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities (2022-present). She also has teaching experience from St. Edward's University, Texas Lutheran University, the University of Texas at El Paso, and Elmhurst College.
An ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. Since 2014, Silva-McCormick has served as a pastor, chaplain, director of youth ministries, and immigration advocate for congregations and hospitals Texas and Iowa. She serves the UCC denomination as treasurer for the Colectivo de UCC Latinx Ministries (2021-present) and is the moderator for a new church plant in the Rio Grande Valley. Professional affiliations include the Asociación para la Educación Teológica Hispana (AETH), the American Academy of Religion (AAR), and La Comunidad AAR/SBL.
The Reverend Patricia Bonilla has served in several roles with the Hispanic Youth Leadership Academy and is currently the national program director. She co-coordinated and implemented programing for a $100,000 grant received by Garrett Seminary from the United Methodist General Board of Higher Education and Ministry for the Young Clergy Initiative (2015-19). She has teaching experience with the Hispanic Summer Program and at Lexington Theological Seminary, Garrett Seminary, and Drew University.
A native of Illinois, Rev. Bonilla is an ordained United Methodist (UMC) deacon. She served churches throughout Illinois since 2005, primarily in the area of Christian education and youth and family ministries. She has served as the chair of the Hispanic/Latinx Ministries Committee of the Northern Illinois Conference of the UMC since 2019.
Among her awards and honors, she is a 2022-2023 HTI (Hispanic Theological Initiative) / Lilly Dissertation Fellow and was named a United Methodist Woman of Color Scholar (2018-21). Her professional affiliations include the Asociación para la Educación Teológica Hispana (AETH), the Association of Practical Theology (APT), and the Religious Education Association (REA). Bonilla has published in Religious Education, the official journal of the REA, Connecting Faith and Justice: Junior High Curriculum, Lectionary Year C (UMC Church and Society, 2018), and Wellsprings, A Journal of United Methodist Clergywomen (2015).
Job Titles:
- Admissions Associate and Director of Financial Aid