Benjamin Lappenga is a biblical scholar who focuses on the New Testament and its
interpretation. His course Land, Story, Scripture, Place is an introduction to the Bible that draws
on his experiences in the holy land. He also teaches several courses on biblical literature. He
joined the Hope faculty in 2023.

Areas of Expertise

•  The Apostle Paul
• Violence and religion
• Second temple Jewish literature
• Biblical languages
• Hermeneutics and ethics

Education

• Ph.D., theology, Fuller Theological Seminary, 2014
• M.A., biblical studies and theology, Fuller Theological Seminary (Northwest), 2009
• B.A., classics, Hope College, 1999

Selected Publications

• “Violence and Divine Favor in Liber Antiquitatum Biblicarum,” chapter in Biblical Themes
  and Traditions in the Pseudepigrapha, part 2: Themes of Violence in the Pseudepigrapha, ed. by Craig Evans and Paul Sloan, Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2021
• The Faithfulness of the Risen Christ: Pistis and the Exalted Lord in the Pauline Letters, with David Downs, Baylor University Press, 2019
• “Formerly a Blasphemer and a Man of Violence,” Journal of Religion and Violence, 2018
• “James 3:13–4:10 and the Language of Envy in Proverbs 3,” Journal of Biblical Literature,
  2017
• Paul’s Language of Ζῆλος: Monosemy and the Rhetoric of Identity and Practice, Brill,
  2016

Outside the College

Dr. Lappenga is married to Aleisa Schat, and depending on the day they either enjoy or merely
survive parenting a blended family of seven kids and one wirehaired pointing griffon. He once
ran his fastest marathon time in Boston during a nor’easter. Although he is currently being
surpassed in musical talent by his kids, he still enjoys playing guitar and writing songs for his
band, Prince Lev (named after a character in a Dostoyevsky novel).