Whitworth Names Jonathan Moo the University’s Third Bruner-Welch Endowed Chair in Theology
Moo joined Whitworth’s faculty in 2010, and from 2019¬-23 he held the university’s Edward B. Lindaman Endowed Chair.
Moo holds graduate degrees in wildlife ecology and biblical studies. His publications range from studies in the New Testament and early Judaism to a number of influential essays and books on Christianity and ecology including Let Creation Rejoice (IVP) and Creation Care: A Biblical Theology of the Natural World (Zondervan). He currently sits on the board of A Rocha USA, a national community of Christians working in biodiversity conservation to protect and restore vulnerable habitats and species.
An internationally sought-after speaker, Moo is also a popular teacher and mentor of students at Whitworth. He has received the university’s Innovative Teaching Award and been named a Most Influential Professor in three of the last six years. Alumni often cite his Jan Term course at Tall Timber Ranch as their favorite memory of Whitworth, and he and his wife, Stacey Moo, an art historian, lead a popular study program in Greece every other year.
Moo’s current writing projects include a commentary (Zondervan) and theology (Cambridge University Press) of the book of Revelation.
“An internationally renowned theologian, Jonathan works on the important intersection of theology and ecology,” says Gregor Thuswaldner, provost & executive vice president. “The appointment to the Bruner-Welch Chair will enable Jonathan to devote more time to focus on biblical reflection, Christian ecological ethos and moral action in response to urgent environmental challenges. Undoubtedly, the church and the environment will greatly benefit from his contributions.”
The Bruner-Welch Chair was established in 2006 and named in honor of Dale Bruner, one of Whitworth’s most influential and popular theology professors. It is also named for the late William J. Welch, a longtime elder in the Presbyterian Church, and his former wife, Peggy Layman Welch.
Moo says, “I am awed and humbled by this appointment and thrilled by the fresh opportunities it opens up for me to serve the church and academy and to advance Whitworth’s Christ-centered mission. I cannot imagine a better community than the one we have here at Whitworth in which to study Scripture and theology and wrestle with the most pressing questions of our time. The resources provided by the Bruner-Welch Chair enable us to deepen and broaden this work, and I can’t wait to get going!”
James Edwards ’67, a nationally recognized theologian, was the first to hold the title followed by Adam Neder, who was named to the chair in 2015. The Bruner-Welch Endowed Chair in Theology was created to enable the department to preserve and strengthen its commitment to teaching and mentoring students while also providing resources to support theological scholarship, travel and service to the church.
About Whitworth University:
Located in Spokane, Wash., Whitworth is a private liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian church. The university, which has an enrollment of about 2,500 students, offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
Contacts:
Trisha Coder, media relations manager, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4703 or tcoder@whitworth.edu.
