News

The Board of Governors of Regent College is pleased to announce that Dr. Matthew Lynch has been promoted to the rank of Associate Professor of Old Testament. Matt received a BA in Biblical Studies from Cairn University in 2001, an MA in Theological Studies from Regent College in 2004 and a ThM in 2008, followed by a PhD at Emory University in 2012. He joined the Regent faculty in summer 2020, and has already made a significant impact on our students’ lives in those two years. 

Prior to coming to Regent, Matt worked at Westminster Theological Centre in the UK, serving for seven years there in roles including Dean of Studies, Academic Dean, and Lecturer in Old Testament. During this time, Matthew also lectured at Nashotah House and Grand Rapids Theological Seminary.

“Dr. Lynch is a person of deep gifting, vocational maturity, and hard work,” says Academic Dean Paul Spilsbury. “During his time at Regent, Matt has distinguished himself as a teacher, a mentor of students, a faculty colleague, and a member of our community. His excellent course evaluations confirm that students hold him in high esteem and deeply appreciate his knowledge, preparedness, personal engagement, and pedagogy. As a scholar, Matt has a substantial and impressive publication record with leading academic publishers and high-quality popular outlets, demonstrating his ability to speak into academia, culture, and the church in significant ways. He exemplifies the best of holistic teaching, integrative scholarship, warm personal engagement, and wholehearted devotion to Christ.”

Professor of New Testament George Guthrie added: “In many ways, Matt is an ideal Regent faculty member. He brings a high level of expertise in Old Testament studies. Students know him as an outstanding teacher in the classroom. He is a great colleague who goes above and beyond in building community with others in the college, and he does all of the above for the sake of Christ and the Church. He has been a wonderful addition to the faculty, and this promotion is well deserved.”

Responding to the news, Matt says: “I’m incredibly grateful to serve as Associate Professor of Old Testament at Regent. This college has an exciting future and I’m thrilled to be part of a place that had a deep spiritual and intellectual impact on me as a student, and that continues to value biblical studies and its integration into the whole of life. Time with students, staff, and faculty has been a humbling gift to me and my family since we’ve joined in 2020, and I look forward to the many years of Old Testament-ing ahead!”

Matt is the author of First Isaiah and the Disappearance of the Gods (Eisenbrauns, 2021), Portraying Violence in the Hebrew Bible: A Literary and Cultural Study (Cambridge, 2020), Monotheism and Institutions in the Book of Chronicles: Temple, Priesthood, and Kingship in Post-Exilic Perspective (Mohr Siebeck, 2014), and the forthcoming work Flood and Fury: Engaging Old Testament Violence (IVP, 2023). Most of Matt’s research has centered on violence in the Hebrew Bible, monotheism, and the books of Chronicles and Isaiah.

Matt is a dedicated scholar, committed to enriching the conversation between biblical scholars and theologians for the edification of the whole church. This is perhaps best seen in his much-loved podcast, OnScript, which Matt co-founded and co-hosts. He lives in Vancouver with his wife, Abi, and their two children. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Matthew Lynch on this well-deserved promotion!