Ben Wayman

Dr. Ben Wayman

James F. and Leona N. Andrews Chair in Christian Unity & Associate Professor of Theology

Year Started at GU: 2013
Office: JKL Academic Hall 104
Phone: 618-664-6837
Email: [email protected]
Areas of Responsibility:
As the Andrews Chair in Christian Unity, Dr. Wayman facilitates learning experiences in Christian unity, teaches courses in theology, Scripture, church history, and ministry, serves as the Program Director for Theology, and directs the University’s core course in theology. Over the summer, Dr. Wayman supervises senior-level ministry placements as the Director of the Ministry Internship Program. He also serves as the Assistant Coach for the Men’s Soccer team.
 
In his capacity as Andrews Chair in Christian Unity, Dr. Wayman co-founded Greenville University’s Justice Ministry program with Lisa Sharon Harper. Dr. Wayman coordinates Justice Ministry courses alongside Professor Harper, and his goal for the program is to offer Christians a critical education in how to faithfully engage culture as a necessary part of the church’s proclamatory action. Dr. Wayman is committed to training up the next generation of leaders for the church.

Born and raised in Santa Barbara, California, Dr. Wayman now lives in Greenville, Illinois, with his wife Michelle and three boys Caden, Cole, and Connor. Also the lead pastor of St. Paul’s Free Methodist Church, Dr. Wayman is energized by faithful Christian community, wherever it may be found. He and Michelle enjoy travel, watching and playing sports of all kinds, especially with their boys, and doing life together with friends over meals and adventures of all sorts.

Courses

BIBL 172/372: Christian Unity in Diversity: Reading the New Testament in Honduras
BIBL 173/373: Interpreting the City: Reading the New Testament in Spain
BIBL 215: New Testament Survey
BIBL 352: Paul’s Letters
BIBL 353(H): Matthew, Mark, Luke
CORE 301: Liberal Arts and Christian Thought
CORE 399: Christian Ethics
GREK 101: Elementary New Testament Greek I
GREK 102: Elementary New Testament Greek II
HONR 270: Theology and Philosophy (honors)
THEO 110: Introduction to Christian Thought and Life
THEO 170: Theology Baseball
THEO 200: Introduction to Ministry
THEO 265: Preaching
THEO 343: Early Christianity
THEO 405: Ministry Internship
THEO 452: Methods in Wesleyan Theology
THEO 553: Justice Ministry: The Gospel and The Politics of Race
UNIV 101: Introduction to College Life & Learning; Luke and the Great Reversal



Publications and Presentations

BOOKS
Diodore the Theologian: Πρόνοια in his Commentary on Psalms 1-50, Studia Traditionis Theologiae 15, Foreword by Rowan A. Greer (Turnhout, Belgium: Brepols, 2014).
 
Make the Words Your Own: An Early Christian Guide to the Psalms, Foreword by Stanley Hauerwas and Afterword by Fr. David V. Meconi, S.J. (Brewster, MA: Paraclete Press, 2014).
 
SINGLE-EDITOR BOOKS
La ordenación de la mujer by B. T. Roberts, New edition by Benjamin D. Wayman, Foreword by Delia Nüesch-Olver; Translated by Alma L. Jasinski and Sofía Martínez Jackson (Indianapolis, IN: Light+Life Publishers, 2018).
 
Ordaining Women: New Edition with an Introduction and Notes by B. T. Roberts, New edition by Benjamin D. Wayman, Foreword by Christy Mesaros-Winckles and Howard A. Snyder (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2015).
 
Select articles:
 
“Ascent in the Psalms,” in Patristic Spirituality: Classical Perspectives on Ascent in the Journey to God, eds. Kevin Clarke and Don W. Springer (Leiden: Brill Press, 2021) forthcoming.

“Drip Hoses and Worship: Justo González on the Future of Theological Education,” Apuntes (Fall 2021), forthcoming.

“Imagining the Future of Theological Education: Conversations with Rowan Williams, Justo González, Emilie Townes, and Sam Wells” Cover article in The Christian Century 138.4 (24 February 2021) 20-25.    
Online: “Imagining the Future of Theological Education” The Christian Century (10 February 2021). 
https://www.christiancentury.org/article/features/imagining-future-theological-education 

“Early Christian Readings of Romans 12:9-21” Illustrated Bible Life 44.2 (Spring 2021) 44-45.

“Why do Christians protest?” The Christian Century 137.23 (4 November 2020) 24-25.
Online: “Why do Christian protest?” The Christian Century (26 October 2020).
https://www.christiancentury.org/article/critical-essay/why-do-christians-protest

“Justo González: Seminaries Need More Latinos” Christianity Today (12 October 2020).
https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2020/october-web-only/justo-gonzalez-we-need-more-latinos-in-seminary.html

“Rowan Williams: Theological Education is for Everyone” Christianity Today (19 August 2020).
 
“The problem of comfortable Christians in an age of protest” with Kent Dunnington, ABC Religion & Ethics
(11 June 2020).
 
“Must Christians be anti-capitalist? If so, how?” with Kent Dunnington, ABC Religion & Ethics (11 May 2020).
“A History of Christian Compassion” Illustrated Bible Life 43.1 (Fall 2019) 20–21.
 
“Embarrassing fear: what happened after my church put up a BLM sign” The Christian Century 136.14
(3 July 2019) 10–11.
 
“What happened after my mostly white church put up a Black Lives Matter sign,” The Christian Century 
(18 June 2019).
 
“How Christians should – and should not – respond to Black Lives Matter” with Kent Dunnington, ABC Religion & Ethics (3 June 2019).
 
“What Does A Wesleyan Perspective Offer Higher Education?” Light + Life Magazine 150.12
(December 2018) 32.

“Luke’s Theology of the Holy Spirit” Illustrated Bible Life 42.2 (Winter 2018-2019) 24–25.
 
“Afterword,” in Samuel Wells, Improvisation: The Drama of Christian Ethics 2nd ed., with Wesley Vander Lugt (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2018) 199-212.
 
“Do You See Jesus?” Illustrated Bible Life 41.3 (2018) 40–41.
 
“One Nation Under God?: National Anthem, Sacred Flag and Confused Church” with Kent Dunnington, ABC Religion & Ethics (20 April 2018).
http://www.abc.net.au/religion/articles/2018/04/20/4833225.htm
 
“A Sign of Solidarity and Support” (Letter to the Editor from St. Paul’s Free Methodist Church concerning our Black Lives Matter sign), The Greenville Advocate 
(7 March 2017).
 
“Remember Me,” Illustrated Bible Life 40.3 (2017) 24­–25.
 
“Julian against Christian Educators: Julian and Basil on a Proper Education,”
Christian Scholar’s Review 45.3 (2016) 249–267.
 
“Diodore on the Politics of Kingship in Psalm 2,” in Sacred Scripture and Secular Struggles, The Bible in Ancient Christianity 9, ed. David V. Meconi (Leiden: Brill Press, 2015) 139–161.
 
“Ordaining Women and The Woman’s Bible: Reading the Bible with B. T. Roberts and Elizabeth Cady Stanton,” Women’s Studies: An interdisciplinary journal 43.5 (2014) 541–566.
 
“Lactantius’s Power Struggle: A Theological Analysis of the Divine Institutes,
Book V,” Political Theology 14.3 (2013) 304–324.
 
“The Syriac Transmission of Basil of Caesarea’s On the Holy Spirit,” in The Use of Textual Criticism for the Interpretation of Patristic Texts: Seventeen Case Studies, ed. Kenneth B. Steinhauser and Scott Dermer (Lewiston: Edwin Mellen Press, 2013) 335–369.
 
“Accentuation and Causes for the Obscurity in the Divine Scriptures: Polychronius’ Prologue to Job,” Horizons in Biblical Theology 35.1 (2013) 61–69.
 
“Women as Types of the Church in the Blank Bible: The ‘Feminine’ Ecclesiology of Jonathan Edwards” with Appendix, Jonathan Edwards Studies 2.2 (2012) 56–82.
 
 
Select addresses:
 
“Recovering Lament,” The Justice Network of the Free Methodist Church (24 June 2020).
https://www.facebook.com/JusticeNetworkFMC/videos/325085861826130

“The Gospel and the Ordination of Women.” Keynote Address. Ordaining Women Conference. Madrid, Spain, January 17-18, 2020.
 
“The Gift of Confession: One response to racism.” Vespers service. Greenville University, Greenville, IL, November 7, 2019.
 
“One Family: When One Part of the City Suffers…” Conference Speaker, One Future: StL, at The Crossing, Chesterfield, MO, April 1, 2019.
 
“Discipleship as Improvisation.” Chapel Address (GSGA), Greenville University, Greenville, IL, October 29, 2018.
Moderator and Organizer, “Diversity Matters for Christian Unity: A Panel Discussion with Shirley Hoogstra, Edwin Estévez, Karen Longman, Venessa Brown, and Gene Dunkley.” 125th Anniversary Celebration at Greenville University, Greenville, IL, September 20, 2017.
 
“How Can the Psalms Teach Us to Pray?: What the Psalms Teach Us About Prayer.” Seven Minute Seminary. Seedbed Publishing (12 April 2017).
http://www.seedbed.com/what-the-psalms-teach-us-about-prayer/
 
“Should the Church Ordain Women?: Refuting Common Objections to Ordaining Women.” Seven Minute Seminary. Seedbed Publishing (8 March 2017).
 
“Racism and Christian Witness: Embracing God’s Family.” Chapel Address, Greenville University, Greenville, IL, October 28, 2016.
 
“United in Christ: From Paul’s Heart to the Heart of God.” Guest Sermon for
Greenville University Homecoming, Greenville Free Methodist Church, Greenville, IL, October 23, 2016.
“Turn the World Upside Down.” Baccalaureate Address, Greenville University, Greenville, IL, May 22, 2015.

Professional Affiliations

North American Patristics Society (NAPS)
Wesleyan Theological Society (WTS)

Related Experiences

  • Pastor, St Paul's Free Methodist Church (2007-Present)
  • Chair, Simple Room Board of Administration (2013-Present; BoA member since 2008)
  • Member of the Committee on Free Methodist History and Archives, Indianapolis, IN (2015–Present)
  • Member of the Board of Administration, Gateway Conference, Free Methodist Church, USA, St. Louis, MO (2011–15)