Ellen F. Davis, Amos Ragan Kearns Distinguished Professor of Bible and Practical Theology in the Divinity School

Please note: Ellen has left the "Graduate Program in Religion" group at Duke University; some info here might not be up to date.

Ellen F. Davis is Amos Ragan Kearns Professor of Bible and Practical Theology at Duke University Divinity School in North Carolina.

The author of eight books and many articles, her research interests focus on how biblical interpretation bears on the life of faith communities and their response to urgent public issues, particularly the environmental crisis and interfaith relations. Her most recent book, Scripture, Culture, and Agriculture: An Agrarian Reading of the Bible (Cambridge University Press, 2009), integrates biblical studies with a critique of industrial agriculture and food production.  Her other publications include Wondrous Depth: Old Testament Preaching (Westminster John Knox, 2005); Who Are You, My Daughter? Reading Ruth through Image and Text (Westminster John Knox, 2003), an annotated translation accompanying woodcuts by Margaret Adams Parker; Getting Involved with God: Rediscovering the Old Testament (Cowley, 2002); and The Art of Reading Scripture (Eerdmans, 2003), co-edited with Richard Hays.

She has long been involved in inter-religious dialogue and is now cooperating with the Episcopal Church of Sudan to develop theological education, community health, and sustainable agriculture.

Contact Info:

Office Location:	303 Old Divinity, Durham, NC 27708
Office Phone:	(919) 660-3561
Email Address:

Teaching (Spring 2024):

• RELIGION 810.01, ECCLESIASTES AND ESTHER Synopsis

  Westbrook 0013, W 03:00 PM-05:30 PM

  (also cross-listed as JEWISHST 810.01)

• OLDTEST 990.01, TOPICS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT Synopsis

  Westbrook 0013, W 03:05 PM-05:35 PM

• PREACHNG 783.01, HOPE FR CREATION? EXILIC PRSPC Synopsis

  Divinity TBA, W 03:05 PM-05:35 PM

  (also cross-listed as NEWTEST 783.01, OLDTEST 783.01)

• OLDTEST 901.01, OLD TESTAMENT AND LEADERSHIP Synopsis

  Online ON, W 11:45 AM-01:00 PM; Westbrook 0011, MTuWThF 12:50 PM-02:30 PM

Education:

Ph.D.	Yale University	1987
M.Div.	Church Divinity School of the Pacific	1983

Keywords:

Advertising • Aesthetics--Religious aspects--Christianity • Agricultural conservation • Agriculture--Religious aspects • Anglican Communion • Bible • Bible and evolution • Biblical teaching • Canaanites • Christianity • Consumption (Economics) • Creation--Biblical teaching • Criticism, interpretation, etc • Culture • Earth Day • Empathy • Environmental degradation • Environmental ethics • Food chains (Ecology) • Food in the Bible • Generosity • God--Biblical teaching • God--Love • Hermeneutics • History • History and criticism • Homiletical use • Homosexuality--Biblical teaching • Interpersonal Relations • Judaism • Justice--Biblical teaching • Laments • Land use • Language • Narration in the Bible • Narrative preaching • Nature in the Bible • Poetry • Poets • Praise of God • Preaching • Sabbath • Sabbath--Biblical teaching • Sacred space • Same-sex marriage • Self-control • Sermons • Sermons, English • Sexual ethics • Sociology • Spirituality • Symbolism in the Bible • Theological anthropology--Biblical teaching • Theology • Transmission of texts • Universities • Violence in the Bible • Wisdom--Biblical teaching • Worship