G. Brooke Lester

(Mailing address and phone number available on request)
Email: brooke.lester@garrett.edu
Faculty web page

I have the good fortune to be employed both as an academic (biblical studies) and as “alt-ac” (coordinating digital learning). I support my faculty colleagues in bringing their best teaching practices into emerging learning environments, and try to model the same. My favorite aspect of digital learning is that it incessently provokes the conversation that we want to be having anyway: educators sharing their experiences with learning and teaching.

Education:

Ph.D., Princeton Theological Seminary, 2008.

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

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

Doctoral Examinations:

  • Old Testament History (special area in 9th-8th centuries Israel).
  • Old Testament Theology (special area in OT History of Religions).
  • New Testament Theology (special area in NT History of Religions).

Dissertation:

Daniel Evokes Isaiah: The Rule of the Nations in Apocalyptic Allusion-Narrative:
Allusions to Isaiah, read historical- and narrative-critically, contribute uniquely to Daniel's complex characterization of the nations' rule over the people Israel.

Committee: C. Leong Seow (chair), Dennis T. Olson, F.W. "Chip" Dobbs-Allsopp.

Honors:

  • Accepted to 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.

Teaching Experience:

  • 2011-present: Assistant Professor in Hebrew Bible and Director for Emerging Pedagogies, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
    As Assistant Professor in Hebrew Bible, I teach introductory and advanced classes in biblical studies, Hebrew, and Greek. As Director for Emerging Pedagogies, 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, training, and daily troubleshooting.
  • 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."

Other Professional Experience and Qualifications:

  1. I am completing the Professional Certificate in Online Teaching Program at University of Wisconsin Madison (10 CEUs, reflecting appx. 100 hours of work both self-paced and in groups).
  2. I participated in several pedagogy workshops while teaching at Loyola University’s Institute of Pastoral Studies.
  3. Also while at the Institute of Pastoral Studies, I participated in “Apple Days,” a workshop hosted by Apple, learning about creating and editing podcasts, electronic portfolios, and other multimedia projects relating to teaching and to professional development.

Publications:

  • "Inner-biblical Interpretation," in Oxford Encyclopedia of Biblical Interpretation (forthcoming).
  • "Inner-Biblical Allusion," Theological Librarianship 2 (December 2009): 54-58.
  • Encyclopedia of the Bible and its Reception (Berlin: Verlag Walter de Gruyter), regular contributor, 2007-2009.
  • 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:

  • "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).

Teaching Interests:

  • Introduction to Old Testament/Hebrew Bible and to biblical studies.
  • Biblical Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek. Akkadian and Ugaritic (introduction and reading).
  • Advanced courses in biblical books, joining literary with historical criticism.
  • Themes in Hebrew Bible found also in the ancient Near East, Second Temple, and NT.

Languages:

  • Modern languages: French, German. Israeli Hebrew and Arabic are in progress.
  • 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

Denomination:

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

Service to the Churches and to the Community (contacts available):

  • I am an instructor for "Course of Study," an annual program of education for United Methodist local pastors: 2004-present.
  • I offer Bible study, lectures, and preaching at seminaries and in the churches.
  • I volunteer weekly in elementary school chess, after school and at local tournaments.
  • I volunteer weekly in Taekwon-do for children with special needs.

References:

  • 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.
  • Lallene Rector, Academic Dean, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, 2121 Sheridan Rd., Evanston IL 60201; email ljr@garrett.edu; office (847)-866-3904.
  • 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.
  • Dennis T. Olson, Professor of Old Testament, Princeton Theological Seminary, PO Box 821, Princeton NJ 08542; email dennis.olson@ptsem.edu; office (609) 497-7769.
  • Katharine D. Sakenfeld, W. A. Eisenberger Professor of Old Testament Literature and Exegesis, Princeton Theological Seminary, PO Box 821, Princeton, NJ 08542; email katharine.sakenfeld@ptsem.edu; office (609) 497-7818.