A great deal of faculty change was experienced last year by the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh, Pa. After Dr. Ed Robson and Dr. Wayne Spear retired in the spring, two new men were inaugurated to make up half of the seminary’s fulltime faculty: Professor C. J. Williams and Dr. Richard Gamble. This is what these men had to say about their first year on the job.

C. J. Williams, Professor of Old Testament Studies

Professor C. J. Williams began teaching at RPTS in 2001 as an adjunct professor. Last fall, he became the youngest fulltime faculty in RPTS history at age 33.

An RPTS alumnus, Professor Williams has an M.A. in biblical language and literature from Siegal College of Jewish Studies in Cleveland. He anticipates completing his doctorate soon in the field of biblical and ancient Near Eastern studies at Baltimore Hebrew University in Maryland. Previously, he served as pastor of Providence RPC in the South Hills of Pittsburgh, where he lives with is wife, Sherri, and their five children.

How did you decide to leave the pastorate for full-time work at RPTS?

It was a very hard decision, because I love the pastorate. But the seminary is the kind of atmosphere where being a teacher also includes being a pastor to students, and I’ve always enjoyed teaching.

What has it been like for you teaching fulltime this year?

I feel more a part of the seminary community, and I have more time to get to know students and other faculty. I am also teaching a few new classes, which entails quite a bit of preparation; but I love the work.

What has been your most meaningful experience at RPTS this year?

Getting to know the other professors better and being able to learn from their way of teaching and interacting with students. Their fellowship has been a great blessing to me and my faith.

How has ministering in a church affected your outlook on seminary training?

It has made me more appreciative of some of the practical aspects of ministry that the seminary addresses in the classroom.

How has this perspective influenced your teaching?

I teach with an eye toward preparing men to preach and teach in a local church on a weekly basis. For example, students must write an exegesis paper on a psalm of their choice in Old Testament Exegesis; the last part of the paper must be a psalm meditation or sermon outline, which makes their conclusions practical and useful in ministry to others.

What do you hope to see your students take away from your teaching?

A love for God’s Word and a ministry that is founded on the Scriptures instead of the latest, greatest, gimmicky paradigm for ministry.

Tell me about your love for Hebrew and the Old Testament.

I love the depth at which one can understand Scripture by knowing and studying the language. Ancient Near Eastern thought patterns are very different from ours, and it is fascinating to study the worldview that is behind its language. The Old Testament itself constitutes over three-quarters of the Bible, making it an essential part of the faith and life of believers.

What theologian most influences you?

E. J. Young. His Old Testament commentaries and other works are soundly confessional with a trustworthy perspective that doesn’t delve into novelty.

How does Old Testament theology factor into seminary training?

In 2 Timothy 3:16, Paul writes that all Scripture is useful for equipping the man of God. What Paul had immediately in mind was what we call the Old Testament, so it is a central part of preparing men for ministry.

Is it important for laypeople to be studying the Old Testament?

There are doctrines that reach the pinnacle of their expression in the Old Testament. Also, much of Christ and His work are revealed in the Old Testament. It is the history of the ancient church to which every Christian belongs. Everything there is written for our instruction and edification.

Can you suggest books for laymen to read for a good grasp of Old Testament theology?

Walter Kaiser’s Toward Rediscovering the Old Testament and The Christian and the Old Testament. Also, Young’s Introduction to the Old Testament.

What do you like to do for fun?

I love to be with my children and do what they enjoy. Noah (8) likes to throw the football. Grace (7) likes to go for walks in the woods with her butterfly net. Judah (5) loves to ride his bike. Gabriel (2) loves to play with Matchbox cars in the dirt. And I just love to hold Charity (3 months). I also cherish the times when Sherri and I can have some time to ourselves and go out on a date!

Do you have any hobbies?

I like to bow hunt for deer, and fish for Muskie at Buckhorn Lake in Ontario.

Dr. Richard Gamble, Professor of Systematic Theology

Dr. Richard Gamble has contributed to over 75 publications as author and editor and is under contract with P&R Publishing for a multi-volume systematic theology entitled The Whole Counsel of God, the scope of which some scholars have said is incomparable to anything attempted in Reformed circles for more than 100 years. The first 864-page volume, God’s Mighty Acts in the Old Testament, is slated for release this year.

Having served as professor of systematic theology at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Fla., professor of historical theology at Calvin College and Seminary in Grand Rapids, Mich., and associate professor of church history at Westminster Theological Seminary, he also has years of church experience as teaching elder and church planter.

Dr. Gamble resides in Gibsonia, Pa., with his wife, Janice, and four of their five daughters. Liesl (20) is a junior philosophy major at Geneva College, and Whitney (18) is a sophomore there majoring in biblical studies and Japanese. Hilary (16) and Gwen (11) are homeschooled. Their oldest daughter, Lindsey (22), recently received her master’s degree from Indiana University and is considering overseas missions.

How did you decide to come to RPTS to teach?

My family and I were exploring God’s next call for us, and we were particularly looking at missions in Japan. While seeking the Lord’s will, our ecclesiology helped us make the decision, because we believe God confirms His call through the church—we know our internal interests and abilities, and church leadership confirms the call. Because we had especially been seeking the Lord’s will about a change for some time, Synod’s call was confirmation to come to Pittsburgh and teach at RPTS.

What has it been like for you to be back in your hometown teaching after your career has taken you around the world?

I graduated from nearby Wilkinsburg High School (as did my father and grandfather). It is a unique experience to be back in my hometown teaching in an urban setting and serving a student body with the largest African-American population among any Reformed seminary.

How is your experience at RPTS different from your experience teaching at other seminaries?

RPTS is denominationally controlled and focuses on training pastors. Also, the interaction between students and faculty here is intimate. The other professors and I are much more available for sharing our lives and mentoring students than what I’ve experienced at other institutions.

What has been your most meaningful experience at RPTS during your first year teaching?

There is wonderful collegiality here. My colleagues care for me and I care for them—and we are ministering together to advance the kingdom and the cause of Jesus Christ in Pittsburgh, the nation, and the world. There is a deep sense of camaraderie and knowing why we’re here together.

Various students (myself included) have commented on your style of teaching being quite passionate, intense, and even resembling a fiery Baptist preacher at times. Care to comment? I take your question as a compliment! It’s intentional. When a student comes into a systematic theology class, he comes into holy ground. As Moses took off his sandals, so should we. It’s heavy and weighty, yet sweet and the stuff of life. A lecture is necessarily more cognitive and does less with movement to action than a sermon; but theology is inherently practical, and I bear a responsibility to help students translate systematic theology into the pulpit and into the church. I intentionally try to model for them what it should look like. So, while I do not give a sermon for my lectures, my hope is that the lectures will “preach.”

What do you like to do for fun?

I enjoy working outdoors. I love to work with my hands—woodworking, growing things. The whole family loves animals. My daughter Gwen and I get to take care of Dr. Spear’s horses when he’s on vacation.

What is your favorite systematic theology? Why?

My favorite systematic theology is still Calvin’s Institutes. It is dated, but I love his theological method (a biblical-theological companion to the commentaries) and his devotional thrust. A very popular booklet by Calvin, sometimes called The Golden Booklet of the Christian Life, actually consists of excerpts from the Institutes.

What books would you suggest for those in the church to read to have a good grasp of important doctrines and the importance of systematic theology in their Christian walk?

No one can go wrong reading the Institutes! There is a shorter version from the 1539 edition that was a joint publication of the Meeter Center and Eerdman’s (still translated by Battles) that is more compact than the standard two volumes. Also, Soli Deo Gloria has published John Owen’s Biblical Theology, which is also helpful. J. G. Vos’s Commentary on the Larger Catechism shouldn’t be ignored either.