Faculty Chesley and Elizabeth Pruett School of Christian Studies

J. Daniel Hays

Dean, Pruet School of Christian Studies
Professor of Biblical Studies

haysd@obu.edu
870-245-5599

Education

B. S. in Civil Engineering, New Mexico State University, 1976
Th. M., Dallas Theological Seminary, 1980
Ph. D., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1991
6 hrs graduate level study in Linguistics, University of Texas at Arlington

Ministry

Dr. Hays and his wife Donna were missionaries to Ethiopia from 1982 to 1987, where they were involved in theological education and water development. He has been on the faculty at OBU since 1992. He has been on several short-term mission trips, including trips to Niger; Jordan; Myanmar; and Banda Aceh, Indonesia. Currently he teaches an adult SS class at Second Baptist Church, Arkadelphia. He speaks frequently at churches throughout the region

Professional

Dr. Hays is a member of the following professional organizations:

Society of Biblical Literature
Evangelical Theological Society
Institute for Biblical Research
National Association of Baptist Professors of Religion

Books

Grasping God’s Word: A Hands-On Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible. Coauthor with J. Scott Duvall. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001. Second Edition, 2005.

Iraq: Babylon of the End Times? Coauthor with C. Marvin Pate. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2003.

From Every People and Nation: A Biblical Theology of Race. New Studies in Biblical Theology. Edited by D. A. Carson. Leicester: InterVarsity, 2003.

Apocalypse: An Historical Novel. Coauthor with C. Marvin Pate. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004.

Preaching God’s Word. Coauthor with Terry Carter and J. Scott Duvall. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005.

The Dictionary of Biblical Prophecy. Coauthor with J. Scott Duvall and C. Marvin Pate. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007.

The Message of the Prophets. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, forthcoming, 2009.

Baker Bible Handbook. Coauthor with J. Scott Duvall. Grand Rapids: Baker, under contract.

Articles

“Quotation Formulas in the Abraham Narratives.” Journal of Translation and Textlinguistics 5 (1992): 348-63.

“Verb Forms in the Expository Discourse Sections of Ecclesiastes.” Journal of Translation and Textlinguistics 7 (1995): 9-18.

“The Cushites: A Black Nation in Ancient History.” Bibliotheca Sacra 153 (July-September 1996): 270-80.

“The Cushites: A Black Nation in the Bible.” Bibliotheca Sacra 153 (October-December 1996): 396-409.

“From the Land of the Bow: Black Soldiers in the Ancient Near East.” Bible Review 14 (August 1998): 28-33, 50-51.

“Ebedmelech.” “Zerah.” In Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000.

“Moses: The Private Man Behind the Public Leader.” Bible Review 16 (August 2000): 16-26, 60-63.

“Applying the Old Testament Law Today.” Bibliotheca Sacra 158 (January-March 2001): 1-15.

“If He Looks Like a Prophet and He Talks Like a Prophet, then He Must Be . . . .” In Israel’s Messiah in the Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Edited by R. Hess and D. Carroll. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2003.

“Has the Narrator Come to Praise Solomon or to Bury Him? Narrative Subtlety in 1 Kings 1-11.” Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 28.2 (December 2003): 149-74.

“Jeremiah, the Septuagint, the DSS, and Inerrancy: What Exactly Do We Mean by the ‘Original Autographs’?” In Evangelicals & Scripture: Tradition, Authority and Hermeneutics. Edited by V. Bacote, L. Miguelez, and D. Okholm. Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity, 2004.

“The Historical Books: Sin and Exile,” and “The Prophets: Sin, Exile and Restoration.” In The Story of Israel: A Biblical Theology. Edited by Marvin Pate. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity, 2004.

“Reconsidering the Height of Goliath.” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 49.4 (December 2005): 701-714.

“Racial Bias in the Academy . . . Still?” Perspectives in Religious Studies (forthcoming)

Papers and Lectures Presented

“The Cushites and Their Contribution to the Biblical World.” Presented to the Heritage and Hope Conference, Arlington, Texas. February 22, 1995.

“The Presence and Influence of a Black Nation in the Bible: A Study of the Cushites.” Presented to the Society of Biblical Literature, Southwest Regional Meeting, Dallas, Texas. March 11, 1995.

“Black Soldiers in the Ancient Near East: Ebedmelech Reconsidered.” Presented to the Society of Biblical Literature National Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana. November 25, 1996.

“The Two Wives of Moses.” Presented at the Evangelical Theological Society National Meeting, San Francisco, November, 1997.

“Black Soldiers in the Ancient Near East: Ebedmelech Reconsidered.” Presented to the American Schools of Oriental Research, Southwest Regional Meeting, Dallas, Texas. March 14, 1998.

“Teaching the Prophets: Synthesis and Contextualization.” Presented at the Evangelical Theological Society National Meeting, Orlando, November, 1998.

“Why Hermeneutical Distinctions Between Civil, Ceremonial, and Moral Laws? A Consistent Approach to the OT Law.” Presented at the Evangelical Theological Society National Meeting, Boston, November 1999.

“Jeremiah, the LXX, and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Just What Exactly Do We Mean by the Original Autographs?” Presented at the Evangelical Theological Society National Meeting, Nashville, November, 2000; at the Southwest Regional meeting of the Institute for Biblical Research, Dallas, March, 2001; and at the Wheaton Theology Conference, April 2001.

“If He Looks Like a Prophet and He Talks Like a Prophet Then He Must Be a . . . .” Presented at Denver Seminary’s Conference on the Messiah, Denver, February 2001.

“Has the Narrator Come to Praise Solomon or to Bury Him? Narrative Subtlety in 1 Kings 1-11.” Presented at the Evangelical Theological Society National Meeting, Colorado Springs, November 2001, and at the Southwest Regional Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature, March 2002. Also presented as the plenary address at the NW Regional Meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society, Tocoma, Washington, March 2003.

“Does Systematics Drive Old Testament Exegesis, or Can God Still Change His Mind? Questions Regarding Interpretive Method.” Presented at the Evangelical Theological Society National Meeting, Toronto, November 2002.

“Responsible Scholarship and Pop Eschatology.” Presented at the SW Regional Meeting of the Institute for Biblical Research, Irving, Texas, March 2003.

“Anthropomorphism, Revelation, and the Nature of God in the Old Testament.” Presented at the Evangelical Theological Society National Meeting, Atlanta, November 2003.

“A Biblical Perspective on Inter-racial Marriage.” Presented at the conference “Slavery, Oppression, and Prejudice: Ancient Roots and Modern Implications.” Baylor University, 2004.

“The Case for a 6’9” Goliath: Theological Implications.” Presented at the Evangelical Theological Society National Meeting, San Antonio, November 2004.

“The Use and Abuse of Biblical Prophecy.” The Piedmont Lectures. Dallas Christian College. September 2005.

“The Artistic Side of God’s Character: a Biblical Study.” Presented at the Evangelical Theological Society National Meeting, Valley Forge, PA, November 2005.

“Racial Bias in the Academy . . . Still?” Presidential Address at the Southwest Regional Meeting of the National Association of Baptist Professors of Religion, Irving, Texas, March 2006.

Radio Commentary

“Air Force Kids and War.” Radio News Commentary on “Morning Edition.” KERA Public Radio. Dallas, Texas. February 22, 1991.

“American Society and Religious Language.” Radio News Commentary on “Morning Edition.” KERA Public Radio. Dallas, Texas. April 10, 1991.

“Life's Great Inconsistencies and Coming of Age.” Radio News Commentary on “Morning Edition.” KERA Public Radio. Dallas, Texas. May 8, 1991.

“Motivation and American Education.” Radio News Commentary on “Morning Edition.” KERA Public Radio. Dallas, Texas. June 19, 1991.

“King Ashurnasirpal and His Earrings.” Radio News Commentary on “Morning Edition.” KERA Public Radio. Dallas, Texas. August 15, 1991.

“The Second Grade Science Test.” Radio News Commentary on “Morning Edition.” KERA Public Radio. Dallas, Texas. October 9, 1991.