Dr. Heath A. Thomas

President
Professor of Old Testament

Office Location Thurmond Hall, 2nd Floor
Phone (Office) 405.585.5801
Email president@okbu.edu

Biography

Dr. Heath A. Thomas became the 16th President of Oklahoma Baptist University on Jan. 1, 2020. He joined the OBU faculty in 2015, serving as dean of the Hobbs College of Theology and Ministry and the associate vice president for church relations. Thomas also served as interim dean of the Divisions of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Language and Literature, and the Floyd K. Clark Chair of Christian Leadership. Before coming to OBU, he served as director of Ph.D. studies and associate professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina.

A 1998 OBU graduate, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in English literature with a religion minor. He then earned a Master of Arts in Theology from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. in Old Testament from the University of Gloucestershire (UK). He also earned a certificate for leadership in higher education from Baylor University in 2016.

He is the author of numerous books, including, “The Minor Prophets: A Theological Introduction” with Craig G. Bartholomew, “Habakkuk: A Commentary” (Two Horizons Old Testament Commentary Series) and co-author of “The Gospel of Our King: Bible, Worldview, and the Mission of Every Christian.” Passionate about opening up the Scriptures for today, he preaches and teaches regularly, and he has served on staff at churches in Oklahoma, Texas, North Carolina and the United Kingdom.

Dr. Thomas is married to Jill and they have four children: Harrison, Isabelle, Simon and Sophia. They reside in the Shawnee area with their magnificent Weimaraners, Smokey and Kobe.

Education

  • B.A., English Lit., Oklahoma Baptist University
  • M.A., Theology, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
  • Ph.D., Old Testament, University of Gloucestershire (United Kingdom)

Memberships

  • Scripture and Hermeneutics Seminar
  • Society of Biblical Literature
  • Institute for Biblical Research
  • Tyndale Fellowship (Old Testament)
  • Evangelical Theological Society

Selected Publications

(for full list, see CV)

Books

Heath Thomas and Craig G. Bartholomew (eds.) A Manifesto for Theological Interpretation. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2016.

Heath A. Thomas. Faith Amid the Ruins: The Book of Habakkuk. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016.

Heath A. Thomas and J.D. Greear. Exalting Jesus in 1-2 Samuel. Christ Centered Exposition Commentary. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2016. 

Heath A. Thomas. Poetry & Theology in the Book of Lamentations: The Aesthetics of an Open Text. Hebrew Bible Monographs. Sheffield, UK: Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2013.

Heath Thomas, Paul Copan, and Jeremy Evans (eds.) Holy War in the Bible: Christian Morality and an Old Testament Problem. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2013.

Peer-Reviewed Articles

Heath A. Thomas. “A Survey of Research on Lamentations (2002—2012).” Currents in Biblical Research 12/1(2013): 8-38.

Heath A. Thomas. “The Meaning of zolela One More Time.” Vetus Testamentum 61.3(2011): 489-98.

Heath A. Thomas. “Building House to House (Isa 5:8): Theological Reflection on Land Development and Creation Care.” Bulletin for Biblical Research 21.2(2011): 205-28.

Book Chapters

Heath A. Thomas. “The Telos (Goal) of Theological Interpretation.” Pages 197-217. In Craig G. Bartholomew and Heath A. Thomas (eds.) A Manifesto for Theological Interpretation. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2016). 

Heath A. Thomas. “Suffering Has its Voice: Divine Violence, Pain and Prayer.” Pages 91 – 111. In Blair Wilgus and M. Daniel Carroll R. (eds.) Wrestling with the Violence of God: Soundings in the Old Testament. BBRSup. (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2015).

Heath A. Thomas. “Hearing the Minor Prophets: The Book of the Twelve and God’s Address.” Pages 356-82. In Hearing the Old Testament: Listening for God’s Address. Edited by Craig Bartholomew and David Beldman. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2012.

Heath A. Thomas. “Life & Death in Deuteronomy.” In Interpreting Deuteronomy: Issues and Approaches. Pages 177-193. Edited by Philip Johnston and David Firth. Nottingham, UK: Apollos / Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2012.

Heath A. Thomas. “I Will Hope in Him: Theology and Hope in Lamentations.” Pages 203-21. In A God of Faithfulness: Essays in Honour of J. Gordon McConville on His 60th Birthday. Edited by G. J. Wenham, J. Grant, and A. Lo. Library of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. 538. London: T & T Clark, 2011.