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Prof David M. Moffitt

Professor

Phone

+44 (0)1334 46 2829

Email

dm206@st-andrews.ac.uk

 

Biography

Prof. Moffitt came to St ÌÇÐÄlogo in 2013, having previously taught New Testament at Duke Divinity School and Campbell University Divinity School. His research interests orbit around the various ways the earliest Christians understood Jesus and their own identities in relation to Jewish scripture, practices, and beliefs. His work is especially focused on the Epistle to the Hebrews and the strategies the text employs to interpret early Christian claims about Jesus’s death, resurrection, and ascension in high-priestly and sacrificial terms. His first book, Atonement and the Logic of Resurrection in the Epistle to the Hebrews (Brill), demonstrates that the Christology and soteriology developed in Hebrews rests upon the author's correlation of the basic narrative of early Christian proclamation (i.e., the story of Jesus’s life, death, resurrection, and ascension) with the ritual process of the Yom Kippur sacrifices, the end goal of which was the maintenance of fellowship between God and God's covenant people (i.e., atonement). He worked with Stefan Alkier to produce an English edition of his book on interpreting the New Testament entitled, New Testament Basics: A Guide for Reading and Interpreting the Text (Fortress). Prof. Moffitt's most recent book, Rethinking the Atonement: New Perspectives on Jesus's Death, Resurrection, and Ascension (Baker Academic), explores some of the ways that Jesus's atoning work is associated not only in his death, but also with his resurrection, ascension, and ongoing intercession. In addition to contributing essays to various edited volumes, Prof. Moffitt’s publications appear in peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Biblical Literature, Journal for the Study of the New Testament, New Testament Studies, Zeitschrift für die Neutestamentliche Wissenschaft und die Kunde der Älteren Kirche, Journal of Theological Studies, and Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik. Prof. Moffitt has been a Fulbright Scholar (Germany 2006–2007). His book Atonement and the Logic of Resurrection in the Epistle to the Hebrews was a recipient of a Manfred LautenschlägerAward for Theological Promise (2013). He also received a British Academy Small Research Grant to engage in research on several mosaics depicting sacrifice located in and around Ravenna.

Teaching

Research areas

Prof. Moffitt’s research focuses on the variety of ways the earliest Christians understood Jesus and their own identities in relation to Jewish scripture, practices, and beliefs. His core areas of ongoing research concern the Epistle to the Hebrews, the ways this early Christian sermon develops claims about Jesus’s person in high-priestly and sacrificial terms, and ancient practices of and beliefs about sacrifice. Beyond Hebrews, Prof. Moffitt has particular interests in the ways the early Christian confession of Jesus’s resurrection and ascension influence the theologies of the various books of the New Testament.

PhD supervision

• Sydney Allgood
• Jared Dodson
• Josh Johnson
• Lotta-Liisa Jokisaari
• Lydia Kelliney
• James Meyer
• Preston Russell
• Rainer Thiessen
• Cody Warta
• Tammy Wiese

Selected publications

• Moffitt, D. M., Jul 2026, Zugänge zum wunderbaren : wunderdiskurse im frühen Christentum. Nicklas, T., Sommer, M., Paulsen, T. & Dronsch, K. (eds.). Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, p. 91-109 (Wissenschaftliche untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament ; vol. 557).

  Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

• Moffitt, D. M., 5 Feb 2026, Appropriating Hebrews's scriptural hermeneutic for the twenty-first century. Harris, D. M. & Stark, J. D. (eds.). New York, NY: T&T Clark, p. 165-188 24 p.

  Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

• Moffitt, D. M., Aug 2026, In: Journal for the Study of the New Testament. 48, 5, p. 96-97

  Research output: Contribution to journal › Book/Film/Article review

• Moffitt, D. M., Aug 2026, In: Journal for the Study of the New Testament. 48, 5, p. 106

  Research output: Contribution to journal › Book/Film/Article review

• Moffitt, D. M., 6 May 2025, In: The Expository Times. 136, 8, p. 373-373

  Research output: Contribution to journal › Book/Film/Article review

• Moffitt, D. M., 30 Jun 2024, The letter to the Hebrews : Colloquium Biblicum Lovaniense, LXX, July 22-24, 2021. Burnet, R. (ed.). Leuven: Peeters, p. 185-207 23 p. (Bibliotheca Ephemeridum theologicarum Lovaniensium; vol. 335).

  Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

• Moffitt, D. M., 21 Aug 2024, The Oxford handbook of Hebrews and the Catholic Epistles. Gray, P. (ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 197-214 18 p.

  Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

• Moffitt, D. M., 1 Nov 2024, Behind the scenes of the New Testament: cultural, social, and historical contexts. Longenecker, B. W., Shively, E. E. & Lang, T. J. (eds.). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic

  Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

• Moffitt, D. M., 9 Jan 2024, In: The Expository Times. 135, 4, p. 168-169

  Research output: Contribution to journal › Book/Film/Article review

• Open access
  Moffitt, D. M., 31 Jan 2023, Reading Hebrews in context: the sermon and Second Temple Judaism. Blackwell, B. C., Goodrich, J. K. & Maston, J. (eds.). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, p. 39-45

  Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter