Roy R Jeal is Professor of Religion at Booth University College. His Ph.D. is from the University of Sheffield, England. His teaching focuses on Biblical Studies, but he is fascinated by all aspects of the study of the Bible, theology, pastoralia and related subjects and ideas.
A life-long interest in reading and understanding how things work pushes him to want to understand how the New Testament describes Jesus Christ, faith, what God does in the world, and how these things are meaningful. He is genuinely interested in how literary texts like those of the New Testament function, how they convey ideas and meanings, and how they move people to belief and action.
He is passionate about teaching and students. He is energized when people learn from the Bible, discovering how it can be life-giving, and when they find that they are grasping that the most profound realities are religious.
Jeal’s current research and writing focus on Sociorhetorical Interpretation of New Testament texts. He publishes widely on biblical interpretation. Roy has presented essays in Canada, the US, France, Britain, Sweden, Germany and South Africa and takes on frequent speaking and teaching assignments. Jeal is currently completing a Socio-rhetorical commentary on the Letter to the Colossians for the Rhetoric of Religious Antiquity Series (SBL Press).
Roy has been at Booth University College since 1995. When there is time, he enjoys travel, reading good novels and biographies and delighting in the natural environment.