DR. ROBERT
V. RAKESTRAW
Professor of Theology
Office: Bethel Theological Seminary
3949 Bethel Drive, St. Paul, MN 55112
Phone: 651/638-6166
FAX: 651-638-6002
E-mail: r-rakestraw@bethel.edu
Web Site: www.bethel.edu/~rakrob
Ordination: July 1, 1967
Grace Independent Baptist Church, Penndel, PA
| Education: |
1961-63 |
St. Joseph's College, Philadelphia, PA.
Pre-medical studies. |
| 1963-67 |
Prairie Bible Institute, Three Hills, Alberta, Canada.
Diploma in Bible and Missions, 1967.
|
| 1967-70 |
Calvary Bible College, Kansas City, MO.
B.S. in Missions, 1968. M.A. in Biblical Literature, 1970. |
| 1978 |
Somerset County College, North Branch,
NJ. French studies. |
| 1980-85 |
Drew University Graduate School, Madison,
NJ.
M.Phil. in Theological and Religious Studies, 1982.
Ph.D. in Theological And Religious Studies, 1985
(Fields of study at Drew: Historical Theology and Christian Ethics). |
| Professional Service:
|
| 1968 |
Assistant Pastor, Harmony Baptist Bible Church, Kansas
City, MO. |
| 1968-69 |
Pastor, Harmony Baptist Bible Church, Kansas City, MO. |
| 1970 |
Graduate Assistant in Bible, Calvary Bible College,
Kansas City, MO. |
| 1970-75 |
Instructor in Bible and Practical Theology, Prairie
Bible Institute, Three Hills, Alberta, Canada. |
| 1976-80 |
Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church, Flemington, NJ. |
| 1981 |
Visiting Instructor in Religion, The King's College,
Briarcliff Manor, NY. |
| 1982 |
Teaching Fellow in Christian Ethics under Dr. Thomas
Ogletree, Dean,
Drew Theological Seminary, Madison, NJ. |
| 1984 |
Interim Pastor, Calvary Bible Church, Readington, NJ.
|
| 1985-88 |
Professor of Theology and Ethics, The Criswell College,
Dallas, TX. |
| 1988-1994 |
Associate Professor of Theology, Bethel Theological Seminary, St.
Paul, MN. |
| 1994-Present |
Professor of Theology, Bethel Theological Seminary,
St. Paul, MN. |
| 1989-90 |
Interim Preaching Pastor, Wildwood Church, Mahtomedi,
MN. |
| 1991-93 |
Interim Preaching Pastor, Minnetonka Community Church,
Minnetonka, MN |
| 1995-96 |
Interim Preaching Pastor, Coon Rapids Evangelical Free
Church, Coon Rapids, MN |
Professional Society Memberships:
American Academy of Religion
American Theological Society
Evangelical Philosophical Society
Evangelical Theological Society
Society of Christian Ethics
Wesleyan Theological Society
Affiliations other than Professional:
Christians for Biblical Equality
Evangelicals for Social Action
National Association of Evangelicals
Listed in Who's Who in Religion
Publications and Presentations:
BOOK PROJECTS:
- The Old Testament Concept of Retribution. M.A. thesis,
Calvary Bible College, 1970.
- The Concept of Grace in the Ethics of John Wesley. Ph.D.
dissertation, Drew University, 1985.
Available from University Microfilm International, 300 North Zeeb
Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106.
- Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, revised edition,
Herbert Lockyer, Sr., general editor. Nashville: Thomas Nelson
Publishers, 1986, 1995. Articles on "Authority," "Common Life,"
"Community of Goods," "Covering the Head," "Glory," "Lord's Supper,"
"Love Feast," "Presbyter," "Principality," "Sacrament," and "The
Twelve."
- Baptist Theologians, Timothy George and David Dockery,
editors. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1990.
Chapter on "Clark H. Pinnock."
- Readings in Christian Ethics: Volume One (Theory and Method)
and Volume Two (Issues and Applications).
Edited with David K. Clark. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1994 and 1996.
- New Dimensions in Evangelical Thought, David S. Dockery,
editor. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1998.
Chapter on "New Dimensions in the Study of
Angels and Demons."
- Serving by the Spirit: Spiritual Gifts and Spiritual Preaching,
third edition. Bothell, WA: Action Publishers, 2003. First edition
1979.
SCHOLARLY ARTICLES:
- "John Wesley as a Theologian of Grace," Journal of the Evangelical
Theological Society 27:2 (June 1984): 193-203. First Presented
at ETS National Meeting, 1982.
- "Human Rights and Liberties in the Political Ethics of John
Wesley," Evangelical Journal 3:2 (Fall 1985): 63-78. First
presented at ETS Eastern Meeting, 1985.
- "The Contribution of John Wesley Toward an Ethic of Nature,"
The Drew Gateway 56:3 (Spring 1986): 14-25.
- "James 2:14-26: Does James Contradict the Pauline Soteriology?"
Criswell Theological Review 1:1 (Fall 1986): 31-50.
- "Ethical Choices: A Case for Non-Conflicting
Absolutism," Criswell Theological Review 2:2 (Spring
1988): 239-67.
- "Evil and the Goodness of God: Some Definitional and Existential
Considerations," Bulletin of the Evangelical Philosophical
Society 11 (1988): 82-101. First presented at ETS Southwestern
Meeting, 1988.
- "Clark H. Pinnock: A Theological Odyssey," Christian Scholar's
Review 19:3 (March 1990): 252-70.
- "The Persistent Vegetative State and the
Withdrawal of Nutrition and Hydration," Journal of the
Evangelical Theological Society 35:3 (September 1992): 389-405.
First presented at ETS National Meeting, 1990.
- "Becoming Like God: An Evangelical Doctrine of Theosis," Journal
of the Evangelical Theological Society 40:2 (June 1997): 257-69.
PRESENTATIONS(including
some materials later published). Partial List:
- "Scriptural Grounds for Divorce and Remarriage," April 1, 1977.
Eastern Regional Meeting, Evangelical Theological Society, at
Lancaster Bible College, Lancaster, PA. Available from TREN (Theological
Research Exchange Network), 5420 N.E. Glisan, Portland, OR 97213.
- "Divorce and the Bible: A New Approach for Evangelicals," December
27, 1978. 30th National Meeting, Evangelical Theological Society,
at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, IL. Also (with
minor changes) April 6, 1979. Eastern Regional Meeting, Evangelical
Theological Society, at Northeastern Bible College, Essex Fells,
NJ.
- "John Wesley as a Theologian of Grace,"
December 18, 1982. 34th National Meeting, Evangelical Theological
Society, at Northeastern Bible College, Essex Fells, NJ. Published
in JETS, 1984.
- "Graded Absolutism: An Analysis of Norman Geisler's Ethics,"
March 25, 1983. Eastern Regional Meeting, Evangelical Theological
Society, at Philadelphia College of Bible, Langhorne, PA. Available
from TREN.
- "Human Rights and Liberties in the Political Ethics of John
Wesley," April 19, 1985. Eastern Regional Meeting, Evangelical
Theological Society, at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia,
PA. Published in EJ, 1985.
- "Evil and the Goodness of God: Some Definitional and Existential
Considerations," March 4, 1988. Southwestern Regional Meeting,
Evangelical Philosophical Society, at Criswell College, Dallas,
TX. Available from TREN. Published in BEPS, 1988.
- "The Persistent Vegetative State and the
Withdrawal of Nutrition and Hydration," November 16, 1990.
42nd National Meeting, Evangelical Theological Society, at New
Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, New Orleans, LA. Published
in JETS in 1992.
- "John Wesley and Women," September 11, 1993. Twin Cities Chapter,
Christians for Biblical Equality, at Hope Presbyterian Church,
Richfield, MN.
- "Becoming Like God: An Evangelical Doctrine of Theosis", November
19, 1994. 46th National Meeting, Evangelical Theological Society,
at Lisle, IL.
- "Interpreting the Bible Wholistically," August 1, 1997. Biennial
international meeting, Christians for Biblical Equality, Bethel
College and Seminary, St. Paul, MN.
- "Positive Sexual Ethics for Today," February 7, 1998. Twin Cities
Chapter, Christians for Biblical Equality, Hope Presbyterian Church,
Richfield, MN.
- "A Life-Giving Biblical Perspective on the Worth of Women,"
June 5, 1999. "Women's Lives, Women's Issues Conference," Bethel
College, St. Paul, MN.
POPULAR MATERIALS:
- "The Spirit and the Scriptures," Prairie Overcomer 40:6
(June 1967): 217-18.
- "The Questions Left Unanswered" (conversion testimony as told
to Stanley Baldwin), Power Life 26:4 (October-December
1968): 4-6. Reprinted in Teens Today 62:29 (19 July 1970):
2-5, 16.
- "Divorce: What Say the Scriptures?" Prairie Overcomer
45:5 (May 1972): 233-36.
- "The Most Helpful Books for Studying Your Bible," Voice 53:1
(January-February 1974): 5-7. Reprinted by the publisher in booklet
form.
- "The Question Box," bi-weekly question and answer column for
the Red Deer Advocate (daily newspaper for central Alberta),
Red Deer, Alberta, January 6, 1973 - January 11, 1975.
- "Why God Permits Suffering," The Standard 78:9 (October
1988): 8-11. Reprinted in Pulpit Helps 15:12 (September
1990): 1-4. Also reprinted by Action International Ministries,
Bothell, WA (1991).
- "Angels, Satan, and Demons," Indiana
Baptist 30:16 (1 November 1988): 6-7.
- "Tough Issues in Salvation Today," Go-between 15:11 (December
1989): 2.
- "Baptism: One of the First Marks of a Christian," The Standard
80:7 (July 1990): 28-30.
- "When Does Death Come?" The Standard 81:10 (November
1991): 24-27.
- "Staying Within the Law," The Standard 83:4 (May 1993):
10-11.
- "When
Suffering Continues," Christian Reflection (Spring
2003): 26-35.
REVIEWS:
- Is the Homosexual My Neighbor? Another Christian View,
by Letha Scanzoni and Virginia Mollenkott (San Francisco: Harper
& Row, 1978). Themelios 5:1 (September 1979): 34-35.
- A Challenge to Love: Gay and Lesbian Catholics in the Church,
edited by Robert Nugent (New York: Crossroad, 1983). TSF Bulletin
7:2 (November-December 1983): 31.
- Understanding Catholicism, by Monika K. Hellwig (New
York: Paulist, 1981). TSF Bulletin 7:3 (January-February
1984): 28-29. Also Themelios 11:3 (April 1986): 103-04.
- Human Life: A Biblical Perspective for Bioethics, by
J. Robert Nelson (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1984). TSF Bulletin
8:2 (November-December 1984): 33.
- Brave New People: Ethical Issues at the Commencement of Life
(revised), by D. Gareth Jones (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1985).
Criswell Theological Review 1:1 (Fall 1986): 205-06.
- John Wesley and the Methodists, by Cyril Davey (Nashville:
Abingdon, 1985). Criswell Theological Review 1:2 (Spring
1987): 423-24.
- Evangelical Ethics: Issues Facing the Church Today, by
John Jefferson Davis (Phillipsburg: Presbyterian Reformed, 1985).
Criswell Theological Review 1:2 (Spring 1987): 443-46.
- The Woodland Hills Tragedy, by S. Rickly Christian (Westchester:
Crossway, 1985). CriswellTheological Review 1:2 (Spring
1987): 446-47.
- Evangelical Theology: A Survey and Review, by Robert
P. Lightner (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1986). Grace Theological
Journal 8:2 (Fall 1987): 300-02.
- Christian Biblical Ethics, From Biblical Revelation to Contemporary
Christian Praxis: Method and Content, edited by Robert J.
Daly (New York: Paulist, 1984). Criswell Theological Review
2:1 (Fall 1987): 174-76.
- To Reform the Nation: Theological Foundations of Wesley's
Ethics, by Leon O. Hynson (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984).
Criswell Theological Review 2:1 (Fall 1987): 199-201.
- A Kingdom Manifesto, by Howard A. Snyder (Downers Grove:
InterVarsity, 1985). Criswell Theological Review 2:1 (Fall
1987): 201-03.
- New Testament Commentary: Exposition of the Epistle of James
and the Epistles of John, by Simon J. Kistemaker (Grand Rapids:
Baker, 1986). Grace Theological Journal 9:1 (Spring 1988):
149-51.
- Dirt, Greed and Sex: Sexual Ethics in the New Testament and
Their Implications for Today, by L. William Countryman (Philadelphia:
Fortress, 1988). Word and World 13:2 (Spring 1993): 203-04.
- Angels of Light, Powers of Darkness: Thinking Biblically
about Angels, Satan and Principalities, by Stephen F. Noll
(Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1998). Ashland Theological Journal
33 (2001): 139-40.
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