Nathan MacDonald

For the Canadian musician, see Nathan MacDonald (musician).

A British biblical scholar, Nathan MacDonald (born 1975) currently serves as Reader in the Interpretation of the Old Testament at Cambridge University as well as Fellow and College Lecturer in theology at St John's College, Cambridge. Much of his work has concentrated on the historical conception of monotheism in ancient Israel and the Hebrew Bible. Through major research projects, publications, conference organization, and editorial undertakings, his academic endeavors have helped bridge Anglo-American and Continental biblical scholarship.[citation needed]

Life

Having earned a BA(Hons) in theology and then an MA and MPhil in Classical Hebrew studies at Cambridge University, he received a PhD in theology at Durham University, which he completed in 2002. Throughout his education, MacDonald focused on the Hebrew Bible.[1]

MacDonald served as teaching fellow, lecturer, then reader in Hebrew and Old Testament at the University of St Andrews before moving to Cambridge University as lecturer in Hebrew Bible as well as fellow and college lecturer in theology at St John's. Overlapping with his time as reader at St Andrews and then lecturer and fellow in Cambridge, MacDonald directed the Sofia Kovalevskaya research project "Early Jewish Monotheisms" from 2009–14, hosted by Hermann Spieckermann in the Faculty of Theology at the University of Göttingen.[2] He has also conducted his research during stays at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and the Kenyon Institute, in Jerusalem.[3][4]

Honors, grants & awards

Among numerous other marks of distinction, MacDonald received the John Templeton Award for Theological Promise,[5] an Alexander von Humboldt Foundation research fellowship,[6] the Sofia Kovalevskaya Award,[7][8][9] and the Society of Biblical Literature's D.N. Freedman Award for Excellence and Creativity in Hebrew Bible Scholarship.[10] His work has seen reception in the popular press as well, from the BBC and Telegraph to the Scientific American.[11][12][13]

Professional activities

In addition to sitting on editorial boards for the Journal of the Bible and its Reception[14] and Journal of Theological Interpretation,[15] MacDonald has served as founding editor for the Eisenbrauns' books series "Critical Studies in the Hebrew Bible" and "Siphrut: Literature and Theology of the Hebrew Bible."[16][17] He also edits the sub-series "Studies of the Sofja Kovalevskaja Research Group on Early Jewish Monotheisms," which comprises part of Mohr Siebeck's book series Forschungen zum alten Testament. As translator, he contributes to the Common English Bible.[18]

MacDonald holds membership to the Society for Old Testament Study, the Higher Education Academy, the Society of Biblical Literature, and Old Testament Studies: Epistemologies and Methods (OTSEM). He provides council for Westcott House, Cambridge, too.[19]

References

  1. ^ "CV of Nathan MacDonald". Professional Website at academia.edu. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  2. ^ "Early Jewish Monotheisms Project Description". University of Göttingen. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  3. ^ "Award Announcement". University of Munich. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  4. ^ "CV of Nathan MacDonald". Professional Website at academia.edu. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  5. ^ "John Templeton Award for Theological Promise". John Templeton Foundation. Archived from the original on July 15, 2015. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  6. ^ "Award Announcement". University of Munich. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  7. ^ "Nathan MacDonald Press Notice". University of Göttingen. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  8. ^ "2008 Sofja Kovalevskaja Prize Announcement". Humboldt Foundation. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  9. ^ "Sofja Kovalevskaja Prize Announcement". University of St Andrews. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  10. ^ "DN Freedman Award (2011 Announcement)". Society of Biblical Literature. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  11. ^ "Biblical diet 'not very healthy'". BBC News. 13 January 2009. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  12. ^ "Bible diets dismissed as healthy food choice". The Telegraph. 14 January 2009. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  13. ^ "The First Supper". Scientific American. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  14. ^ "Homepage of Journal of the Bible and its Reception". Walter de Gruyter. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  15. ^ "Journal of Theological Interpretation Webpage". Eisenbrauns. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  16. ^ "Homepage of Critical Studies in Hebrew Bible". Eisenbrauns. Retrieved July 5, 2015.[dead link‍]
  17. ^ "Homepage of Siphrut: Literature and Theology of the Hebrew Scriptures". Eisenbrauns. Retrieved July 5, 2015.[dead link‍]
  18. ^ "List of Contributors". Common English Bible. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  19. ^ "Governance Overview". Westcott House. Retrieved July 22, 2015.