McAfee School of Theology

More About David G. Garber

Education

Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
Doctor of Philosophy in Hebrew Bible, 2005

Dissertation

“Trauma, History, and Survival in Ezekiel 1-24”

Abstract: The book of Ezekiel was composed in response to the devastating events of the siege and destruction of Jerusalem in 587 B.C.E. and the resulting exile of the Judeans. Ezekiel 1-24 employs symbolic action reports, visionary reports, metaphors, and other literary devices to depict the destruction of the city and the fate of its inhabitants. By exploring the rhetorical features of these images, I investigate how the use of Ezekiel’s imagery bears witness to the national calamity, thereby promoting the survival of the community that now defines itself around the event. Chair: David L. Petersen; Readers: Carol A. Newsom, Cathy Caruth, and William Gilders

Doctoral Examinations

  • Hebrew Bible Literature and Criticism, Hebrew Bible Critical Methods, History of Ancient Israelite Religion, Comparative Literary Theory
  • Languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, Akkadian, Ugaritic, Greek, French, German
  • Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, New Jersey
  • Master of Theology, 1999
  • Master of Divinity, 1998
  • Baylor University, Waco, Texas
  • Bachelor of Arts in Religion with minor in Journalism, cum laude, 1995

Teaching Experience

  • James and Carolyn McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Assistant Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew (2005-present), Adjunct Professor (2002-2005); courses taught: “Introduction to Old Testament I and II,” “Social Justice in the Old Testament,” “The Book of the Twelve,” “Ezekiel and the Theology of Exile,” “Hebrew Exegesis I and II,” “Introduction to New Testament Greek,” “Hebrew Reading: Selected Texts,” “Hebrew Reading: Ezekiel,” “Christian Scripture and Spirituality” (D.Min. Seminar), “Biblical and Theological Foundations for Ministry” (D.Min. Seminar).
  • Metro State Prison for Women, Atlanta, GA
  • Instructor, “Biblical Foundations Course” (Spring 2009)
  • Hong Kong Baptist Theological Seminary, Hong Kong, China
  • Visiting Professor, “Ezekiel and the Theology of Exile” (Summer 2006)
  • College of Liberal Arts, Mercer University, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Part-time Instructor, Christianity Department, “Old Testament” (Summer 2004)
  • Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Adjunct Professor, “Old Testament Prophetic Literature” (August term 2010)
    Instructor, Candler Course of Study School for Local Pastors, “Hebrew Bible II” (2005, 2007, 2008, 2010)Participant, TATTO Workshop on Teaching and the Environment (Summer 2004)
  • Teaching Associate, “Genesis: Creation and Covenant” taught by Neal Walls (Spring 2002)
  • Teaching Assistant, “Interpreting the Old Testament I and II” taught by Neal Walls (2000-2001)Participant, Teaching Religion Seminar, Emory University (Fall 2001)
  • Teaching Assistant, “Interpreting the Old Testament I and II” taught by Carol A. Newsom (1999-2000)Participant, Teaching Seminar, Emory University (Summer 1999)
  • Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, New Jersey
  • Teaching Assistant, “Introduction to New Testament Greek” taught by Elizabeth Edwards (1997-1998)Teaching Assistant, “Introductory Biblical Hebrew” taught by J.J.M. Roberts (1996-1997)

Publications

  • “A Philology of Trauma in the Exilic Writings,” in Interpreting Exile: Interdisciplinary Studies of Displacement and Deportation in Biblical and Modern Contexts. Brad E. Kelle and Frank Ritchel Ames, eds. Society of Biblical Literature, forthcoming in 2011.
  • Review of Mark Boda and Michael Floyd, eds. Tradition in Transition: Haggai and Zechariah 1-8 in the Trajectory of Hebrew Theology, Religious Studies Review (forthcoming).
  • Review of Walter Brueggemann Like Fire in the Bones: Listening For the Prophetic Word in Jeremiah, Religious Studies Review (forthcoming).
  • Review of Richard A. Horsley. Covenant Economics: A Biblical Vision of Justice for All, Review and Expositor (forthcoming).
  • Review of Richard A. Horsley, ed. In the Shadow of Empire: Reclaiming the Bible as a History of Faithful Resistance, Review and Expositor (forthcoming).
  • Co-author (with Daniel L. Stallings), “Awakening Desire Before It Is Season: Reading Biblical Texts in Response to the Sexual Exploitation of Children,” Review and Expositor 105(2008): 453-70.
  • Co-issue-editor (with L. Juliana M. Claassens) of the “Faith Facing Trauma” issue of Review and Expositor vol. 105 No. 2, Spring 2008.
  • Co-author (with L. Juliana M. Claassens), “First Words. . . Faith Facing Trauma,” Review and Expositor 105(2008): 187-90.
  • “Facing Traumatizing Texts: Reading Nahum’s Nationalistic Rage,” Review and Expositor 105(2008): 285-94.
  • “A Word About … Teaching the Oracles IN the Nations,” Review and Expositor 104: 437-40, 2007.
  • “Traumatizing Ezekiel: Psychoanalytic Approaches to the Biblical Prophet,” in Psychology and the Bible: A New Way to Read the Scriptures, J. Harold Ellens and Wayne G. Rollins, eds. Praeger Press, 2004.
  • Review of Karl Möller, A Prophet in Debate: The Rhetoric of Persuasion in the Book of Amos, Review of Biblical Literature [http://www.bookreviews.org] (2004).
  • Review of Andrew Mein, Ezekiel and the Ethics of Exile, Review of Biblical Literature [http://www.bookreviews.org] (2003).

Presentations

  • “Teaching Familiar Texts in Unfamiliar Contexts,” Workshop on Teaching and Learning for Pre-Tenure Theological School Faculty, Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion, June 25, 2010.
  • “Ezekiel and the Theology of Exile,” presentation for the “Syllabus Workshop” session for the Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament section of the Southeastern Commission for the Study of Religion, March 15, 2009, Chapel Hill, NC.
  • “Service Learning and Hebrew Bible Interpretation,” presentation for the Service Learning and Biblical Studies Workshop at the Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting, November 22, 2008, Boston, MA.
  • “From Nahum 3 to ‘Number Six’: The Biblical Motif of the Tortured Woman in American Popular Culture,” presentation for the Bible and American Popular Culture Section at the Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting, November 20, 2007, San Diego, CA.
  • Review Presentation of J. David Pleins, The Social Visions of the Hebrew Bible: A Theological Introduction for the “Books that Help us Teach” session for the Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament section of the Southeastern Commission for the Study of Religion, March 2007, Nashville, TN.
  • “‘I Went in Bitterness’: Theological Implications of a Trauma Theory Reading of Ezekiel,” presentation for the Theological Perspectives on the Book of Ezekiel Section at the Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting, November 19, 2006, Washington, D.C.
  • “Traumatizing Ezekiel: An Evaluation of Psychoanalytic Approaches to Ezekiel and a New Proposal,” presentation for the Psychology and Biblical Studies Section at the Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting, November 25, 2003, Atlanta, GA.

Honors and Awards

  • Workshop on Teaching and Learning for Pre-Tenure Theological School Faculty Summer Fellowship, Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion, awarded for work on a book proposal titled “Rolling Waters: Social Justice and the Hebrew Bible,” 2010
  • Workshop on Teaching and Learning for Pre-Tenure Theological School Faculty, Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion, 2009-10.
  • Service-Learning Faculty Development Workshop, Mercer University, Spring 2009
  • TATTO Fellow in Teaching and the Environment, Emory University, 2004
  • Graduate Fellowship, Emory University, 1999-2004
  • The Fellowship in Old Testament, Princeton Theological Seminary, awarded for thesis titled: “Reading Amos: Literary Approaches in Pursuit of Theological Meaning,” 1998
  • The Benjamin Stanton Prize in Old Testament, Princeton Theological Seminary, 1997
  • Princeton Seminary Fellowship, Princeton Theological Seminary, 1995-1998
  • Department of Religion Highest Academic Average Award, Baylor University, 1995

Service

  • McAfee representative to the Faculty Advisory Council for the Certificate in Theological Studies (CTS) Program at Metro State Prison for Women (Atlanta Theological Association), 2008-present
  • Steering Committee Member, Service Learning and Biblical Studies Workshop for the Society of Biblical Literature, 2008-present
  • Section Chair, Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament section of the Southeastern Commission on the Study of Religion, 2007-2010.
  • Managing Editor, Review of Biblical Literature, Society of Biblical Literature, Atlanta, Georgia (www.bookreviews.org), 2000-2002.
  • Research Coordinator, Princeton Classical Hebrew Lexicon Project, Princeton Theological Seminary, 1998-1999
  • Research Assistant, Princeton Classical Hebrew Lexicon Project, Princeton Theological Seminary, 1997-1998

Professional Societies

  • Society of Biblical Literature
  • National Association of Baptist Professors of Religion