Interview with Professor Dr. Daniel Smith-Christopher

Lora had a chance to sit down with a few of our teachers from the School of Christian Learning and talk about what inspired them to join ministry and so much more. Great interviews are coming, including today's!

About Dr. Christopher:

Dr. Smith-Christopher (he prefers simply "Daniel") is Professor of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University with specialization in Old Testament Studies and Theology. He is the author of several books, including Micah: A Commentary (The Old Testament Library, 2015); A Biblical Theology of Exile (Overtures to Biblical Theology, ); as well as two textbooks for Catholic high schools: Introduction to the Old Testament: Our Invitation to Faith and Justice, and (with Fr. Patrick Mullen), Sacred Scripture: A Catholic Study of God's Word (both Ave Maria Press). Dr. Smith-Christopher is also the author of “The Books of Ezra-Nehemiah” in The Oxford Bible Commentary, and “Daniel” in the New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary. He is the editor of, and a contributor to: Subverting Hatred: The Challenge of Religious Nonviolence (Orbis Books). Dr. Smith-Christopher's teaching reflects wide interests. He has taught on topics in scripture, particularly of the Exilic and Persian periods, and on issues of peace, justice and non-violence, but also on the role of Scripture in African-American Gospel and Blues musical and lyrical traditions, the Bible in Maori/New Zealand cultural contexts, and cross-cultural interpretation of the Bible more generally. Dr. Smith-Christopher has taken both undergraduate and graduate students to New Zealand often, but also regularly takes classes on local visits to culturally-based parishes and congregations in the Los Angeles area, as well as taking students on a Train trip through the Southwest to visit and listen to Native American Christians share their traditions and perspectives. Dr. Smith-Christopher also team-teaches a course on Lamentations and the Blues in Memphis, TN. He has also consulted on many television and multimedia projects in these areas. "Besides teaching the Old Testament, and especially those Scriptures that arise from ancient Israel's traumatic experiences of conquest and subordination under empires - I am especially committed to finding ways to listen to diverse voices today. I am fascinated by the intellectual challenges, and the gifts, of readings from ethnically, culturally, and spiritually diverse Christians - and I seek to invite Christians from many backgrounds to share their readings of the Scripture and how their own insights can transform everyone's readings of the book we share. My reading of the Bible, and my life, has been transformed by listening to experiences other than my own."