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Faculty

Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary has four full-time faculty and many part-time faculty who bring vital knowledge, passion, and experience to each class session

Dr. Joel R. Beeke

spacer Dr. Joel R. Beeke serves as President and Professor of Systematic Theology, Church History, and Homiletics. He has been in the ministry since 1978 and has served as a pastor of his current church since 1986. He is also editor of the Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth, editorial director of Reformation Heritage Books, president of Inheritance Publishers, and vice-president of the Dutch Reformed Translation Society. He has written, co-authored, or edited fifty books and contributed over fifteen hundred articles to Reformed books, journals, periodicals, and encyclopedias. His Ph.D. (1988) from Westminster Theological Seminary is in Reformation and Post-Reformation Theology. He is frequently called upon to lecture at Reformed seminaries and to speak at conferences around the world. He and his wife, Mary, have three children:  Calvin, Esther, and Lydia.


Dr. Gerald M. Bilkes

spacer Dr. Bilkes is Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology. He completed a Ph.D. (2002) from Princeton Theological Seminary. He was recipient of the United States Information Agency Fellowship at the Albright Institute (ASOR) in Jerusalem during the 1997-1998 year. He has written several articles on biblical-theological themes and given addresses at several conferences. His areas of special interest include hermeneutics, the history of interpretation, and conversion in the Bible. He and his wife, Michelle, have five children: Lauren, Seth, Zachary, Audrey, and Joshua.

Dr. David P. Murray

spacer Dr. David P. Murray is Professor of Old Testament and Practical Theology. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland and worked for five years in financial services before being converted to Christ. He studied for the ministry at Glasgow University and the Free Church of Scotland College (Edinburgh). He was a pastor for 12 years, first at Lochcarron Free Church of Scotland and then at Stornoway Free Church of Scotland (Continuing). From 2002 to 2007, he was Lecturer in Hebrew and Old Testament at the Free Church Seminary in Inverness. He has a Doctor of Ministry degree from Reformation International Theological Seminary for his work relating Old Testament Introduction studies to the pastoral ministry. Dr. Murray joined the faculty of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in 2007. He and his wife, Shona, have four children: Allan, Angus, Joni, and Amy. He also blogs at Head Heart Hand.

Dr. William VanDoodewaard

spacer Dr. William VanDoodewaard (Ph.D. Aberdeen) serves as Associate Professor of Church History at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. Previously he served as Assistant Professor of European History at Patrick Henry College, near Washington, D.C., and as Visiting Professor of History at Huntington University. Dr. VanDoodewaard is the author of The Marrow Controversy and Seceder Tradition: Atonement, Saving Faith and the Gospel Offer in Scotland (1718-1799) (RHB), and a contributing editor for the recent reprint of the 17th century Puritan work, Edward Fisher’s The Marrow of Modern Divinity (Christian Focus). He has also written for numerous academic journals and other periodicals. An ordained minister in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Churches, he has served as a guest speaker and preacher for churches in the United States, Canada, and Scotland. He and his wife Rebecca have two children: Anna and Matthew. He blogs at The Christian Pundit.

VISITING FACULTY

Beeke, James W.
James W. Beeke is Visiting Professor of Pastoral Theology in Catechetics and Teaching. He holds a Master in Educational Administration from Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Western Michigan University. He served as Inspector and Director of Independent Schools for the Ministry of Education in British Columbia until recently taking a position in China, overseeing private education. He is the author of seven books on Reformed doctrine for children and young people.

Bilkes, Laurens Wouter
Dr. Laurens W. Bilkes is Adjunct Professor of Pastoral and Contemporary Theology. Dr. Bilkes holds a Doctor of Philosophy as well as a Master of Philosophy in Theological Ethics from the Theological University of Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerken in Apeldoorn, The Netherlands. He also holds a Bachelor of Divinity from Calvin Seminary. He is editor of the Free Reformed Theological Journal. Currently he is pastor of the Free Reformed Church of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Chapman, Ben
Dr. Ben Chapman is Adjunct Professor of Biblical language. He has bachelors and masters degrees from Grand Rapids Baptist College, the M.Div. from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, the Master of Theology from Calvin Theological Seminary, the Ph.D. in Religion (Greek Text) from Bob Jones University, and the Doctor of Education degree in Psychology from Tennessee State University. He has taught biblical languages at Winnipeg Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, and Liberty University. He is currently licensed as a Health Psychologist in the States of Indiana and Michigan and holds Certificates as a Fellow in General Biofeedback and EEG Biofeedback and Neurotherapy.

DeVries, Brian
Dr. Brian A. DeVries is Visiting Professor of Missiology. He received his Master of Divinity from PRTS, a Master of Theology in Missiology from Calvin Theological Seminary, and a Doctorate of Philosophy from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a missionary minister of the Heritage Reformed Churches and has experience in urban ministry, church planting, and intercultural education within southern Africa, Indonesia, and North America. He is presently serving as lecturer and vice-principal of Mukhanyo Theological College and as the team leader of a church plant in Pretoria, South Africa.

Elshout, Bartel
Bartel Elshout is Instructor of Missiology and Church Polity. Rev. Elshout holds a Bachelor of Arts in German and studied at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary for 3 years. He has 18 years of experience teaching Bible in a secondary school in New Jersey as well as over 10 years of experience as pastor in Jordan Station, Ontario, and Chilliwack, British Columbia (current). He is the author of The Practical Theology of Wilhelmus à Brakel, and has translated several books into English, including à Brakel’s The Christian’s Reasonable Service (4 vols.).

Ferguson, Sinclair
Dr. Sinclair Ferguson is Visiting Professor of Systematic Theology. His Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees were awarded by the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. He was formerly the president of Westminster Theological Seminary in Texas, is the assistant editor of the Banner of Truth Trust in Scotland, and is senior pastor of the historic First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, South Carolina. He is frequently called upon to lecture at seminaries and to speak at conferences worldwide, and has authored numerous books.

Godfrey, W. Robert
Dr. Godfrey has taught church history at Westminster Seminary California since 1981. He taught previously at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Stanford University, and Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. His M.Div. is from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; his M.A. and Ph.D. are from Stanford University. He is the third president of Westminster Seminary California and a minister in the United Reformed Churches. He has spoken at many conferences and is the author of An Unexpected JourneyReformation SketchesPleasing God in Our Worship, and God’s Pattern for Creation. He has written chapters or articles are a variety of theological topics for many journals and books. Dr. Godfrey and his wife, Mary Ellen, have three grown children who all reside in California.

Grier, James M.
Dr James M. Grier is Adjunct Professor of Ethics and Apologetics. He earned both a Doctorate of Theology and a Master of Divinity at Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana. In addition, he earned a Masters of Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is the Distinguished Professor of Philosophical Theology at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, where he served for sixteen years as the Academic Dean and Vice-President. His specialized areas of study include Apologetics, Ethics, and Pastoral Ministry. He has spent a good deal of time teaching ethics in Asia as well as speaking at conferences, churches, and seminaries around the world.

Harris, Ronald T.
Dr. Ronald Harris is a Visiting Professor in Biblical Counseling. He studied at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, earning his Master of Arts in Religion in 1980, his Master of Divinity in 1981, and his Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Counseling in 1986. For over 25 years, he has concentrated his pastoral work in the area of biblical counseling. In 1991, he founded Wellspring of Life, and for 11 years directed this counseling and training ministry in Ontario. In 2002, he became Academic Dean of the Ukraine Family Institute in Kyiv, where he is responsible to develop curriculum, train his teaching team, and supervise the counseling internships of students. He has written several syllabi, articles, and other pieces promoting biblical counseling.

Haykin, Michael A.G.
Dr. Michael Haykin, Adjunct Professor of Historical Theology, teaches several courses at PRTS. He received his B.A. from the University of Toronto, his Master of Religion from Wycliffe College, and his Doctorate of Theology from the University of Toronto. He has also done post-doctoral research at Regents Park College, Oxford University, England. He currently serves as the Professor of Church History and Biblical Spirituality at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, and Adjunct Professor of Church History at Toronto Baptist Seminary, Toronto, Ontario. He is the author and editor of over ten books, including “To Honour God”: The Spirituality of Oliver CromwellJonathan Edwards: The Holy Spirit in Revival; and The Revived Puritan: The Spirituality of George Whitefield.

Herfst, Ken
Rev. Ken Herfst is Visiting Professor of Missiology. He graduated from McMaster University in Ontario and received his Master of Divinity from the Theological College of the Canadian Reformed Churches. He served as a missionary of the Free Reformed Churches from 1991-2002 in Guatemala. From 2002-2004, he worked as a domestic missionary on Vancouver Island, British Columbia; he then returned to Guatemala to become director of the missions department at Seminario Evangelico Presbiteriano. He currently resides in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.

Isbell, Sherman
Rev. Sherman Isbell holds an M.A. from Edinburgh University, a diploma of theology from the Free Church of Scotland College, a Th.M. from Westminster Theological Seminary, and did post-graduate research in Reformation theology at Bern University (Switzerland). He has contributed numerous articles to the Dictionary of Scottish Church History and Theology and an interpretive essay for the critical edition of the Declaration of the Synod of Bern (1532), and is a translator for a forthcoming collection of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Reformed confessions. He writes for The Master’s Trumpet periodical, of which he is an editor. Rev. Isbell is minister of the Washington, D.C., congregation of the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing).

Jones, Hywel Rees
Dr. Hywel Rees Jones is Visiting Professor of Practical Theology at PRTS. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy, awarded to him from the Greenwich University School of Theology and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Cambridge. He is currently Professor of Homiletics at Westminster Theological Seminary in California. He is an author of books on Philippians and Hebrews, and is frequently called upon to speak at conferences around the world.

Kelderman, Mark
Rev. Mark Kelderman is an Instructor in Pastoral Theology, teaching a course on Youth Ministry. A former high school teacher, he completed his seminary training at PRTS and currently serves as the pastor of Heritage Reformed Church in Burgessville, Ontario, where he has established a significant youth program. He also writes a regular column for teens in the Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth.

Lachman, David
Dr. David Lachman is Visiting Professor of Church History. He has an M.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, a B.D. and Th.M. from Westminster Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. from the University of St. Andrews. Dr. Lachman has authored and edited various works, is an antiquarian bookseller, and has lectured on church history at other seminaries as well. He is a ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church of America.

Lanning, Ray B.
Rev. Ray Lanning serves as guest professor for all student practice preaching and in homiletics and liturgics. He also tutors in writing, public speaking, and other areas. Ordained by the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, he is currently pastoring the RPCNA church of Grand Rapids. He received his M.Div. from Westminster Theological Seminary and then completed the Special Program for Ministerial Candidacy at Calvin Theological Seminary. He has served as a pastor for thirty years and is currently at work on a history of The Psalter (1912).

Lawlor, John I.
Dr. John I. Lawlor is Adjunct Professor of Hebrew at PRTS. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Biblical Studies and a Master of Philosophy in Old Testament from Drew University in Madison, New Jersey, as well as a Master of Theology and a Master of Divinity from Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana. He is currently Professor of Old Testament Studies at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Lipsy, David J.
Rev. David J. Lipsy is Instructor in Pastoral Theology. Before training in theology, he attended Rutgers University’s College of Pharmacy and completed his Bachelor of Arts in Education at Lakeland College in Wisconsin. He completed his seminary training at PRTS and holds two certificates in Biblical Counseling and Advanced Counseling from The School of Biblical Counseling at Westminster Theological Seminary. He is currently nearing completion of his D.Min. at Westminster. He serves as pastor of the Heritage Reformed Congregation church plant in Yellville, Arkansas.

Muller, Richard
Dr. Richard Muller is Visiting Professor of Historical Theology. He holds the P.J. Zondervan Chair of Doctoral Studies as Professor of Historical Theology at Calvin Seminary. His Ph.D. is from Duke University. He is the author of more than 200 articles, reviews, and books, and has established himself as a leading authority on Protestant scholasticism. He is often invited to lecture at seminaries and conferences around the world.

Oliver, Robert W.
Dr. Robert W. Oliver is Visiting Professor of Church History. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Church History from the Council for National Academic Awards, United Kingdom. He also holds a post-graduate certificate of Education in Education Theory and Practice from the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of London, in London, United Kingdom. He is currently pastor of a Reformed church in Bradford-on-Avon, England. He has also written a history of the English Calvinistic Baptists.

Procee, Gerald R.
Rev. Gerald Procee is Visiting Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology at PRTS. He is currently pastor of the Free Reformed Church of Hamilton, Ontario, and chairman of the relief organization Come Over and Help. Rev. Procee holds a Master of Business Administration in Information System Development from the State University of Groningen in the Netherlands, as well as a Master of Divinity and a Master of Theology from the Theological University of Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerken in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands. He has written Holy Baptism: The Scriptural Setting, Significance, and Scope of Infant Baptism and is a regular contributor to The Messenger.

Pronk, Cornelius
Rev. Cornelius Pronk is Visiting Professor of Church History and Systematic Theology. He holds a Bachelor of Divinity and Masters of Theology in Historical Theology from Calvin College and Seminary, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in English and Philosophy from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. He is currently a pastor of the Free Reformed Church in St. George, Ontario. Along with several published articles, he is the author of Expository Sermons on the Canons of Dort, and the translator of several books. He served for more than thirty years as radio pastor of the Banner of Truth broadcast.

Reymond, Robert
Dr. Robert Reymond is a minister in the Presbyterian Church of America (PCA), regularly serving Holy Trinity Presbysterian Church (OPC) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He formerly was Dean of Faculty and Professor of Systematic Theology at Knox Theological Seminary, taught at Covenant Theological Seminary (St. Louis) for more than 20 years, and has lectured widely overseas. He holds B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees from Bob Jones University and has done doctoral studies at Concordia Seminary (St. Louis) and post doctoral studies at Fuller Seminary, New York University, Union Seminary (New York), Tyndale House, Cambridge, and Rutherford House, Edinburgh. In addition to numerous articles in theological journals and reference works, Dr. Reymond has written several monographs and authored Introductory Studies in Contemporary Theology, What About Continuing Revelations and Miracles in the Presbyterian Church Today?, The Reformation’s Conflict with Rome: Why It Must Continue, Faith’s Reasons for Believing, What is God? John Calvin: The Man and His Influence, The Justification of Knowledge, Preach the Word, Jesus, Divine Messiah: The Old Testament Witness and Jesus, and Divine Messiah: The New Testament Witness.

Roberts, Maurice J.
Rev. Maurice J. Roberts is Instructor of New Testament. He has a Bachelor of Divinity from the University of London and a Bachelor of Arts as well as a teaching degree from the University of Durham. He has served in the ministry and as teacher since 1960; currently, he is pastor of the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) in Inverness. He is the former editor of The Banner of Truth and has authored several books including The Thought of God. He frequently speaks at conferences around the world.

Schouls, Carl
Rev. Carl Schouls teaches Preaching Practicum for Free Reformed students at PRTS. He was born in the Netherlands and completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Calvin College. He graduated from Protestant Reformed Seminary in 1977. Since then he has served as pastor of several Free Reformed churches in Ontario; he is currently in Chatham, Ontario.

Scipione, George C.
Dr. George C. Scipione is Visiting Professor of Biblical Counseling. Dr. Scipione holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Biblical Counseling from Whitefield Theological Seminary, a Master of Theology and a Bachelor of Divinity from Westminster Theological Seminary, and a Master of Arts in Psychology and Bachelor of Arts in History from Temple University. From 1970 to 1974, he worked as a counselor and director of the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation in Pennsylvania. After pastoring a church in New Jersey for eight years, he moved to San Diego in 1982 to establish a West Coast branch of CCEF, now known as the Institute for Biblical Counseling and Discipleship. He is the Adjunct Professor of Pastoral Counseling at Westminster Seminary in Escondido, California, and Associate Pastor of Bayview Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Chula Vista, California.

Thomas, Derek W. H.
Dr. Derek W. H. Thomas is Instructor of Historical and Practical Theology. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Historical Theology from the University of Wales in Lampeter, Wales, United Kingdom, as well as a Master of Divinity from Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi. He is currently the Minister of Teaching at First Presbyterian Church of Jackson Mississippi and Professor of Systematic and Practical Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary. Prior to these appointments, he pastored in Belfast, North Ireland. His Ph.D. research was on Calvin’s writings on Job. He has written or edited numerous books, and serves as the Editorial Director for The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals and the editor of its e-zine, Reformation 21. He also speaks at numerous conferences around the world.

Thomas, Geoffrey
Rev. Geoff Thomas is a Visiting Professor of Historical Theology. He has been the minister of Alfred Place Baptist Church in Aberystwyth, Wales, since 1965. He has served as the chairman of the Grace Churches of England and Wales, and of the Association of Evangelical Churches of Wales; he presently serves as an Associate Editor of the Banner of Truth magazine and is the major contributor of articles and reviews for their website. He is the author of scores of articles and several books, and is a frequent speaker at worldwide conferences. He is a graduate of the University College of Cardiff, Wales, and earned a Master of Divinity degree from Westminster Theological Seminary.

Timmer, Daniel C.
Dr. Daniel Timmer is Visiting Professor of Biblical Studies. A graduate of PRTS (M.A.R.), he obtained the Th.M. and Ph.D. degrees with a specialization in Old Testament from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. Currently Associate Professor of Old Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, MS, he also served as professor of Biblical Studies at Faculté de théologie réformée FAREL in Montreal, Québec. He is the author of Creation, Tabernacle, and Sabbath: The Sabbath Frame of Exodus 31: 12-17; 35:1-3 in Exegetical and Theological Perspective (Vanenhoeck & Ruprecht) and a number of articles on the ancient Near East, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and biblical theology. He is a member of the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies, the Canadian Society for the Study of Religion, the Evangelical Theological Society, and the Society of Biblical Literature. He and his wife Andreea live in Madison, MS with their two sons.

Trueman, Carl R.
Dr. Carl Trueman is Professor of Historical Theology and Church History at Westminster Theological Seminary (PA), where he also serves as Vice President for Academic Affairs. He formerly served on faculties at the Universities of Nottingham and Aberdeen (UK). He has an M.A. from the University of Cambridge and a Ph.D. from the University of Aberdeen. His publications include Luther’s Legacy: Salvation and English Reformers, 1525-1556 (Oxford University Press); The Claims of Truth: John Owen’s Trinitarian Theology (Paternoster); andJohn Owen: Reformed Catholic, Renaissance Man (Ashgate). He lives in Oreland, Pennsylvania with his wife, Catriona, and two sons: John and Peter. He is a member of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.

VanderMeyden, Pieter

Rev. Pieter VanderMeyden is a visiting instructor to teach Ecclesiology and Reformed Liturgics. He is currently a Master of Theology candidate at Calvin Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where his thesis focuses on the ecclesiology of Hendrik DeCock, the father of the Dutch Secession of 1834. He earned a certificate in Theology from the Protestant Reformed Theological Seminary in Grandville, Michigan, and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Calvin College. He currently pastors the Free Reformed Church in Vineland, Ontario.

Watts, Malcolm

Malcolm Watts is visiting Lecturer in Historical Theology, with special reference to the doctrine of the Covenant.  He is minister of Emmanuel Church, Salisbury, in England.  After Theological Training at London Bible College (1967-70), he was called to Emmanuel Church in 1971 where he continues to serve.  He is Chairman of the General Committee of the Trinitarian Bible Society, Chairman of the Bible League Trust, and visiting Lecturer at the London Reformed Baptist Seminary. Mr. Watts has spoken at a number of Reformed Conferences in England and in other parts of the world.

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