Marvin A. Sweeney

Professor of Hebrew Bible

Marvin A. Sweeney specializes in the Prophetic Literature of the Hebrew Bible (Latter Prophets), the Narrative Literature of the Hebrew Bible (Pentateuch and Former Prophets), the Apocalyptic and Visionary Literature of Ancient Judaism (Writings of the Hebrew Bible; Qumran; Heikhalot Literature).  He is especially interested in the literary forms of biblical and Jewish literature, the interplay between religion and politics in the ancient and modern worlds, post-Shoah (Holocaust) theology, and the History of Judaism and Jewish Thought.

Contact
Email: msweeney@cst.edu

Research interests

Professor Sweeney teaches courses in the Hebrew Bible, especially Prophetic, Narrative, and Apocalyptic literature; Biblical Theology, especially post-Shoah readings of the Bible, Jewish Mysticism, and the History of Judaism and Jewish Thought.

Education

Post-doctoral Studies, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 1988-1990
PhD in Religion: Hebrew Bible, Claremont Graduate University, 1983
MA in Religion: Hebrew Bible, Claremont Graduate University, 1981
Non-Degree Student, Princeton Theological Seminary, 1975-76
A.B. in Political Science and Religious Studies with Distinction, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1975
Post-doctoral Study, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Experience

Professor Tanak, Academy for Jewish Religion California, 2000-2019
Underwood Professor of Divinity, Yonsei University, 2011
Visiting Professor of Hebrew Bible, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Los Angeles, 1995-2004
Dorot Research Professor, W. F. Albright Institute, Jerusalem, Israel, 1993-94
Associate and Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, University of Miami, 1983-1994

Publications

Jewish Mysticism from Ancient Times through Today (Eerdmans, 2020)

The Pentateuch (Core Biblical Studies; Abingdon, 2017)

Isaiah 40-66 (Forms of the Old Testament Literature, Eerdmans, 2016)

Reading Prophetic Book (Forschungen zum Alten Testament; Mohr Siebeck, 2014

Reading Ezekiel (Reading the Old Testament; Smyth and Helwys, 2013)

Appointments

Senior Editor for Hebrew Bible, Critical Contextual Commentary, Wipf and Stock Press, 2019-present

President, National Association of Professors of Hebrew, 2017-2019

Co-Editor, Forms of the Old Testament Literature, Eerdmans, 1995-2019

Founding Editor, Review of Biblical Literature, Society of Biblical Literature, 1998-2006

Awards and Distinctions

Visiting Scholar, Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan, Taiwan, 2015

Lilly Theological Research Grant, 1997-98

Yad ha-Nadiv Barechah Foundation Post-Doctoral Fellow in Jewish Studies, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 1989-90

A great theological education dismantles everything you assumed to be “right” and helps you rebuild with true understanding. My CST experience was life-altering. I am changed and on fire to transform the world.
Abigail Clauhs '17