Faculty
Our professors are distinguished scholars, active researchers, published writers, and faithful Christians who demonstrate what it means to be both Christ-followers and leaders in their academic fields. As mentors and role models, they play a huge role in the integration of faith and learning at Bethel.
Program Directors & Lead Faculty
John Anthony Dunne
Program Director | j-dunne@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2017
Dr. Dunne's research interests lie primarily in the New Testament, the life and letters of Paul (esp. Galatians), Christian origins, and second temple Judaism. Within these frameworks he is fascinated by many things, including: theologies of suffering, eschatology, intertextuality, missiology and identity, participation with Christ, and the critique of imperial ideology.
Faculty
Leith Anderson
Faculty | Leith.Anderson@wooddale.org | Started at Bethel: 2010
Pastoring, teaching, writing, speaking, and leadership.
Eric Bryant
Professor | bryeri@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2013
Missional Ministry, Intercultural Communication, Missional Innovation, Missional Contextualization, Personal Well-Being and Ministry Effectiveness, Leading a Missional Organization
Rod Casey
Instructor in Preaching | rlc28355@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2005
Dr. Casey loves to consider the intersection of a robust theology, a contextualized audience, and best practices of communication. His doctoral project involved the application of Christian education methods into standara evangelical homiletic practice. Or, putting the sermon beyond the lecture format. He likes to experiment and take risks with the preaching process.
Katie Friesen Smith
Faculty, D.Min. Thesis Advisor | smikatj@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2008
Dr. Friesen Smith has 25+ years of experience in the local church, higher education and camping ministry. As a practical theologian, she seeks to create a bridge between Scripture and living out faith in a post-modern era. Her research interests are in spiritual formation, leadership and emotional intelligence. Along with teaching, she serves as the director of Bethel's Youth Theology Institute for high school students.
Justin Irving
Adjunct Faculty | j-irving@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2000
Leadership Studies; Servant Leadership; Team Effectiveness; Cross-Cultural Leadership; Organizational Change; Ministry Leadership; Purpose in Leadership; Leadership Assessment; Research Methodology and Design; Spiritual and Personal Formation for Leaders
Jeanine Parolini
Teaching Partner, Dissertation Adviser, Faculty Reader | j-parolini@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2007
Dr. Parolini has developed thousands of leaders in hundreds of organizations throughout the world. Her passion is to invest in principled people, leaders and learning organizations. Jeanine coaches leaders, teams and organizations to be continuous learners, self-aware, trustworthy, responsible, collaborative, empowering and innovative. She speaks and writes on a variety of topics involving effective leadership, teams and organizational life.
Sam Rima
Adjunct Faculty | samr@partnersintl.org | Started at Bethel: 2003
Sam Rima serves as the Director of Church Engagement for Partners International. Sam served many years as a church planter, lead pastor and, most recently, as the Executive Pastor at Tenth Church in Vancouver, British Columbia. Sam has also served in academia as the Director of the Social Innovation Research Center at Heliopolis University in Cairo, Egypt. Previous to his time in Egypt, Sam served as the Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program at Bethel Seminary in St. Paul, MN, where he. . . read more.
James D. Smith III
Professor | jd-smith@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 1988
Church History; Historical Theology; Christian biography; Spiritual life & ministry; History of Missions; Women in the Christian Tradition; Henri Nouwen; baseball history
Peter Vogt
Seminary Dean | p-vogt@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2001-2014 as Professor, 2019 as Dean
As the Dean of Bethel Seminary today, Peter is passionate about striving to be a radically counter-cultural follower of Jesus and helping others grow in their capacity in this area as well. His responsibilities include casting a vision for robust online education, partnership with local churches and denominations, identifying ways of serving alumni and local pastors, maintaining all aspects of accreditation for degree programs, representing the seminary to internal and external partners, an. . . read more.