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Who We Are

At Every Voice we believe that Christian theological education should reflect the rich diversity of the global body of Christ. Since we serve a Triune God who seeks to reconcile people to himself and to one another, we work to cultivate a spirit of kingdom diversity and reconciliation within our academic institutions and societies. And with the conviction that everyone has been created in God’s image and therefore has something to contribute to the conversation, we emphasize the value of listening to all voices, especially those that have often been marginalized in the largely Western-dominated academy.

What We Provide

Resources for Theological Educators

We offer resources to help theological educators develop more diverse and inclusive learning environments and use more diverse sources in their teaching and research.

Support for Minority Students

We strive to support minority students as they navigate the challenges of engaging in Christian theological education in majority cultural contexts.

Our History

Every Voice began when Charlie Trimm and Brittany Kim compiled a bibliography of work by Black Old Testament scholars in the summer of 2020. This led to questions about why there are so few scholars and students of color at evangelical institutions and so little interaction with scholars of color in class reading lists and research.

They formed an action group of scholars to discuss this issue and find ways to address it. That group included Andrew King. Through further conversations, Charlie, Brittany, and Andrew saw a common desire for Scripture-driven kingdom diversity in Christian theological education. Ultimately, this work developed into the center as it exists today.

The Biblical Story that Forms Us

We view the Bible as the inspired, authoritative word of God, which offers the truest and most compelling story of the world; therefore, the biblical story forms our identity and mission and is the story into which we seek to live. Although that story could be narrated in a number of ways, at Every Voice we outline it as follows:  

  • The Triune God created the world in all its wondrous diversity and created humankind—both male and female—in his image. He appointed people as his vice-regents to rule over his kingdom by reflecting his goodness, beauty, justice, and creativity and instructing them to spread out and fill the earth, producing diverse expressions of human culture.
  • Humanity rebelled against God’s authority, choosing to determine good and evil for themselves and thereby throwing God’s kingdom into disorder.
  • God established his kingdom among one people—Israel—entering into a covenant relationship with them for the sake of the nations. Planting them in the land of Israel, he appointed them as a “kingdom of priests” to reflect his goodness, beauty, justice, and creativity to the watching world in order to draw all people to himself.
  • Israel rebelled against God’s authority, choosing to determine good and evil for themselves and thereby throwing God’s kingdom into disorder, ultimately resulting in their exile from the land. But God promised to restore his people to their land, give them a king who would rule in peace and justice forever, and make a new covenant with them, which would enable them to follow his teaching.
  • God sent his Son to be born as a human—God made flesh—as the true king who would rule in peace and justice forever. Through his teaching and miracles, Jesus revealed that God’s kingdom brings freedom to the oppressed, elevates the poor and marginalized, and humbles those who exalt themselves. By submitting to death on a cross, he took the weight of sin and death on himself, conquering them through his resurrection. He also broke down the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile, creating one new body—the Church—which includes all those from Israel and the nations who turn from their sin, place their hope in Jesus alone, and follow him as Lord.
  • Jesus appointed the Church to live as citizens of his kingdom within all the kingdoms of this world, reflecting his goodness, beauty, justice, and creativity through the power of the Holy Spirit in order to draw all people to himself. The church is called to manifest unity in diversity, with each member lifting their unique voices and praising God together in their various languages and cultural forms, living as a signpost of God’s eternal kingdom, which will one day come in all its fullness.
  • One day Jesus will return to this earth in glory to judge the nations, gather his people, and bring his kingdom to fulfillment.

Our Leadership

Directors

Brittany Kim

Brittany is an adjunct professor of Old Testament (at North Park Theological Seminary and Northeastern Seminary), spiritual director, and mother of three. She is also the author of Lengthen Your Tent-Cords: The Metaphorical World of Israel’s Household in the Book of Isaiah (Eisenbrauns) and co-author (with Charlie Trimm) of Understanding Old Testament Theology: Mapping the Terrain of Recent Approaches (Zondervan). Growing up White in the rural suburbs of Seattle, her journey in becoming more aware of issues of diversity and racial justice first began when she started dating her now husband, who is Korean American, and later attended an Asian American church.  She and her family now live in Chicago, IL, where her husband is the senior pastor of a multiethnic church.

Andrew M. King

Andrew serves as Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Spurgeon College. Among other works, he is the author of Social Identity and the Book of Amos (T&T Clark) and co-editor of Five Views on Christ in the Old Testament: Genre, Authorial Intent, and the Nature of Scripture (Zondervan). His desire is to see our Triune God exalted in all of Scripture and in the lives of all of God’s people. The kingdom vision of Christ’s global and diverse church in Scripture fuels his desire to pursue ethnic solidarity. Coming from a diverse family, with a Jamaican father and Puerto Rican mother, he has seen the beauty of the gospel to reconcile believers to one another. He currently lives in Kansas City, MO with his wife and four children.

Charlie Trimm​

Charlie is Associate Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies at Biola University and the author of The Destruction of the Canaanites: God, Genocide, and Biblical Interpretation (Eerdmans) and Fighting for the King and the Gods: A Survey of Warfare in the Ancient Near East (SBL) and co-author (with Brittany Kim) of Understanding Old Testament Theology: Mapping the Terrain of Recent Approaches (Zondervan). In seminary he started a journey of investigating how the life context of the reader affects biblical interpretation. His website is charlietrimm.com. 

Fellows

Andrew T. Abernethy

Andrew specializes in Isaiah, Psalms, Biblical Theology, and Hermeneutics. His books include Eating in Isaiah (Brill), The Book of Isaiah and God’s Kingdom (IVP), God’s Messiah in the Old Testament with Gregory Goswell (Baker), and Discovering Isaiah (SPCK/Eerdmans). Having grown up as a White suburban kid, he began to see his need for diverse voices in seminary, due to cross-cultural friendships and through serving weekly at a mission to homeless men on Chicago’s Southside. His first academic position was at Ridley College in Melbourne, where he deepened his conviction that diversity is fertile soil for growth.  

M. Daniel Carroll R. (Rodas)

Danny is the author of many books and essays, including a commentary on Amos (NICOT, Eerdmans), The Bible and Borders: Hearing God’s Word on Immigration (Brazos), and “Latino/a Biblical Interpretation” (in Scripture and Its Interpretation: An Ecumenical, Global Introduction to the Bible). Being half-Guatemalan, he was raised bilingual and bicultural, spending many summers in Guatemala, and later taught at El Seminario Teológico Centroamericano in Guatemala City for thirteen years. The sociopolitical realities in Central America sparked his fascination with the Old Testament, especially the prophetic literature and Old Testament social ethics. In his work he seeks to read the text from his Latino background and theological convictions and to handle the text technically well. For many years he has been involved in Hispanic churches and immigration reform.

Miguel Echevarría

Miguel is the author of The Future Inheritance of Land in the Pauline Epistles (Pickwick) and essays such as “Middleton and Wright Have We Loved But Padilla and Escobar” (Southeastern Theological Review). His forthcoming works include A Basic Guide to the New Testament (Baker) and short commentaries on John and 1, 2, 3 John in The New Testament in Color: A Multiethnic Commentary on the New Testament (IVP). As a person of Cuban descent, Miguel appreciates the contributions that Latinos make to theological education, which are often overlooked in majority culture contexts. As a result, he believes that valuing the voices and contributions of Latinos and other underrepresented groups leads to a more biblical vision of education in Christian colleges and seminaries.

Dennis R. Edwards

Dennis is the author of 1 Peter in the Story of God Bible Commentary series (Zondervan). Other recent publications include What is the Bible and How Do We Understand It? (Herald), and Might from the Margins: The Gospel’s Power to Turn the Tables on Injustice (Herald). Dennis was the first African American to earn the PhD in Biblical Studies from the Catholic University of America, and he has long been passionate about biblical interpretation. In addition to teaching, Dennis has three decades of urban pastoral ministry experience, having planted churches in Brooklyn, NY and Washington, DC. He is ordained in the Evangelical Covenant Church.

David Emanuel

David is a British citizen who relinquished a successful career in computing and telecommunications to pursue his interest in Hebrew Bible. His studies lead him to Israel, where he lived for 11 years and completed a Master’s Degree in Bible and Ancient Near East, and a Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible. Four chapters of his Ph.D. were published as a book in 2012 under the title From Bards to Biblical Exegetes: A Close Reading and Intertextual Analysis of Selected Exodus Psalms, and his other publications primarily surround his interests in Biblical Hebrew Language and Poetry, Inner-biblical Interpretation, and Visual Interpretation. Previously, he has led tours to Israel with Emmaus Educational Services, and currently serves in the same role for the Center for Holy Lands Studies.

Octavio Javier Esqueda

Octavio was born and raised in Guadalajara, México, where he graduated with a Licenciatura in Latin American Literature from the University of Guadalajara as well as two additional diplomas, one on religion and society and the second on journalism. He graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary and completed his Ph.D. in Higher Education at the University of North Texas. Octavio loves interdisciplinary and collaborative work and he has co-authored the books Anointed Teaching Partnership with the Holy Spirit (Kerigma; also available in Spanish) and The Cruciform Faculty: The Making of a Christian Professor (Information Age) among other publications. Teaching is his passion and has had the opportunity to teach in several countries on different academic levels. You can learn more about him at his bilingual website: octavioesqueda.com.

Nijay Gupta

Nijay has taught for more than a decade and is the author of numerous books and articles, including Paul and the Language of Faith (Eerdmans), A Beginner’s Guide to New Testament Studies (Baker), and Prepare, Succeed, Advance: A Guidebook for Getting a PhD in Biblical Studies and Beyond (Cascade). He is proudly Indian American and has been nominated for SBL’s Outstanding Mentor Award for his work with students of color. He has spoken out on xenophobia, racism, and sexism for outlets such as the Missio Alliance Blog and the Jesus Creed Blog. You can find more about Nijay at his blog patheos.com/blogs/cruxsola/.

Leon Harris

Leon is a Southern California native, from South Central Los Angeles. Most recently, he has published The Holy Spirit as Communion (Pickwick) and has contributed chapters in two recent publications. He is honored to serve in Biola’s First Generation program, where as an instructor, mentor, and facilitator, he participates in making the transition to college life easier for First Gen students. He also enjoys participating in the life of the church and is currently a Life Group leader and elder at his local church. As an Black American theologian, who grew-up and currently lives in a predominantly BIPOC area, Leon deeply values the need for an education that is diverse and inclusive, an education that speaks to the experiences, cultures, and the polyphonic expressions within the BIPOC communities.

Kaz Hayashi

Kaz Hayashi was born and raised in Japan, attended a boarding school in Malaysia, and then moved to the US to complete his B.A. from Moody Bible Institute. He received his M.A. in Biblical and Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and went on to earn a Ph.D. in Religion (Old Testament emphasis) from Baylor University with a dissertation was on the book of Chronicles. He is the editor of The Legacy and Current State of Japanese Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Studies (forthcoming, Peeters) and his essays have been published in other books and journals such as Christianity Today. He is a recipient of a grant and principal organizer of a seminar called “Empowering Asian (American) Churches” in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area in 2024.

Dominick Hernández

Dominick completed his PhD in Hebrew Bible at Bar-Ilan University (Ramat Gan, Israel), where he was trained in Semitic Philology. He is the author of Proverbs: Pathways to Wisdom (Abingdon), Illustrated Job in Hebrew (GlossaHouse), Engaging the Old Testament: How to Read Biblical Narrative, Poetry, and Prophecy Well (Baker, forthcoming) and has forthcoming commentaries on Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah (Cascade), and Song of Songs (Eerdmans). Dominick teaches on an array of topics including biblical wisdom, ancient Near Eastern literature, and the Dead Sea Scrolls. You can learn more about Dominick Hernández at his website: domshernandez.com.  

Jerry Hwang

Jerry is the author of The Rhetoric of Remembrance: An Investigation of the “Fathers” in Deuteronomy (Eisenbrauns) and a commentary on Hosea (ZECOT, Zondervan), and he is passionate about intercultural theological education. He has served as an Old Testament faculty member since 2010 at Singapore Bible College, one of the largest evangelical seminaries in Asia with students hailing from 25 countries. His interests and publications lie at the intersection of Old Testament studies, Asian cultures, and missional theology. As a Chinese-American from California who has also spent time in France and lived in Singapore, Jerry has lived cross-culturally all his life and speaks English, Chinese, French, and Spanish.

Carmen Joy Imes

Carmen has spent her entire life exploring the global dimensions of the kingdom of God, first as a cross-cultural missionary in Central and South America and the Philippines, and now as a professor seeking to learn from a diverse group of voices in biblical studies. She is the author of Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters (IVP), Being God’s Image: Why Creation Still Matters (IVP), and Praying the Psalms with Augustine and Friends (TUMI), the creator of ‘Torah Tuesdays’ and ‘The Take Two Podcast’ on YouTube, and a frequent guest on podcasts and blogs around the web. Carmen believes that institutions such as this one can truly make a difference. You can find links to all her work at carmenjoyimes.blogspot.com

Craig S. Keener

Craig is the author of thirty-three books, including Defending Black Faith: Answers to Tough Questions about African-American Christianity (InterVarsity) and Black Man’s Religion: Can Christianity be Afrocentric? (InterVarsity), both co-authored with Glen Usry. His books have more than one million copies in circulation and have won thirteen national or international awards. Craig is also the NT editor for the NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible and has authored roughly one hundred academic articles. He was ordained in 1991 in the National Baptist Convention, and in 2020 he was president of the Evangelical Theological Society. Craig is married to Dr. Médine Moussounga Keener, who was a refugee in her home country of Congo for eighteen months; her experience and their romance appears in Impossible Love (Chosen). His blog site is http://www.craigkeener.com/.

Peter H. W. Lau

Peter was born in Hong Kong, grew up in Australia, and spent eight years teaching at a seminary in Malaysia. He has written a number of articles and books, including a commentary on Esther (Asia Bible Commentary series), Unceasing Kindness: A Biblical Theology of Ruth (IVP), a commentary on Ruth (Eerdmans, forthcoming), and two co-edited volumes reading biblical texts from Asia/Pasifika—on Ruth and Ecclesiastes (IVBS, SBL). Having grown up and taught in cross-cultural contexts, he is convinced that a diversity of global voices contributes to a full-orbed understanding of God’s Word. He is involved in diaspora ministry, and teaching Old Testament and preaching for ministry training institutions in Sydney and Malaysia.

Matthew Lynch

Matt is the co-founder of the OnScript and Biblical World podcasts and the author of First Isaiah and the Disappearance of the Gods (Eisenbrauns), Portraying Violence in the Hebrew Bible (Cambridge), and Monotheism and Institutions in the Book of Chronicles (Mohr Siebeck). He also has a forthcoming volume entitled Flood and Fury: Engaging Old Testament Violence (IVP). His experiences in diverse church and academic contexts have sparked a desire for Christians (including himself) to grow in their understanding of the diverse charisms given to the whole people of God.

Elizabeth Mburu

Elizabeth (Liz) did her PhD in New Testament at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, NC. She is the author of Qumran and the Origins of Johannine Language and Symbolism (T&T Clark), African Hermeneutics (Langham), several chapters in various books, and numerous articles. Liz grew up in a multicultural context in Nairobi and became interested in understanding and addressing the issues that are an inevitable consequence of post-colonialism. Her exposure to people from different cultural contexts motivates her to teach and write within the framework of a biblical metanarrative that promotes unity in diversity.

J. Richard Middleton

A Jamaican by birth and ethnicity, Richard began his education at Jamaica Theological Seminary, completed it in Canada, and now teaches in the U.S. and has served as an adjunct at the Caribbean Graduate School of Theology. Therefore, he regards himself as a “Jamericadian.” He is past president of the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies (2019–2021) and the Canadian-American Theological Association (2011–2014). His most recent book is Abraham’s Silence: The Binding of Isaac, the Suffering of Job, and How to Talk Back to God (Baker Academic). He is also the author of The Liberating Image: The Imago Dei in Genesis 1 (Brazos), A New Heaven and a New Earth: Reclaiming Biblical Eschatology (Baker Academic), and has published articles on creation theology, eschatology, theodicy, the music of Bob Marley and the Wailers, and the dynamics of human and divine power in biblical narratives.

Steve Pardue

Steve grew up in the southern Philippines and currently lives in Manila, where he teaches theology for the Asia Graduate School of Theology and International Graduate School of Leadership. These schools serve emerging leaders from all over Asia, making for a rich environment for theological education and formation. He is the author of The Mind of Christ: Humility in Early Christian Theology (T&T Clark) and co-editor of Asian Christian Theology (Langham), Majority World Theology (InterVarsity), and the Majority World Theology series (Eerdmans/Langham). His research interests include the worldwide church’s changing cultural composition and its promise to reshape and fine-tune evangelical theological reflection. Steve also serves as a lay leader for an international church in Manila.

Eric C. Redmond

Eric is the General Editor of Say It! A Celebration of Expository Preaching in the African American Tradition (Moody). He specializes in hermeneutics, the interpretation of narrative literature, and the exposition of both OT and NT Scripture. He has spent much of his three decades of ministry serving simultaneously in traditional African American settings and White Spaces. He is passionate to see churches in majority and minority communities offer their strengths to one another so that people from all walks of life may hear the gospel without being hindered by ethnic differences. Eric also strives to increase the population of African American faculty members in evangelical colleges and seminaries.

Beth M. Stovell

Beth has published several books including Biblical Hermeneutics: Five Views (IVP), Mapping Metaphorical Discourse in the Fourth Gospel (Brill), Making Sense of Motherhood (Wipf & Stock), and Theodicy and Hope in the Book of the Twelve (T&T Clark). The daughter of a Brooklyn Jew and a Texan-German Gentile, she grew up in one of the poorer parts of Austin, TX, as one of the few “White” kids in her school, developing close friendships with students of other racial and ethnic backgrounds. Now as a professor in Calgary, AB, Canada, Beth co-chairs (with her Indigenous co-chair) a community organizing action team for the Calgary Alliance for the Common Good. The team works towards transforming Calgary through actions of truth and reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.

Chloe Sun

Chloe was born in Beijing, raised in Hong Kong and became a Christian while attending college in the US. Her PhD is from Fuller Theological Seminary, and she teaches Hebrew and Old Testament. She has published in both Chinese and English and conducts Bible seminars internationally. Her recent publications include Attempt Great Things for God: Theological Education in Diaspora (Eerdmans) and Conspicuous in His Absence: Studies in the Song of Songs and Esther (IVP Academic). She is interested in promoting diversity in theological education because of her own context as a Chinese woman in the academy and her vision for a more inclusive future. Her website: chloesunphd.com.