Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but raised in upstate New York, western Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. Married N. Elaine Scott in 1993. They have two children, Rachel (1997) and Samuel (2003).
Received B.A. in Classical Greek and Latin from Brigham Young University, August 1990; M.A. Ancient History, University of Pennsylvania, May 1992; and Ph.D. Ancient History, University of Pennsylvania, Dec 1997. Joined the faculty at BYU full-time in 1994 as an Instructor of Classics, becoming an Assistant Professor of Classics and Ancient History in 1997. Transferred to the College of Religious Education, becoming an Assistant Professor of Ancient Scripture in 2003 and an Associate Professor in 2008. He was appointed as the coordinator of the Ancient Near Eastern Studies program in August 2012 after spending a year teaching at the BYU Jerusalem Center.
Together with colleagues Richard Holzafpel and Thomas Wayment, he has co-authored Jesus Christ and the World of the New Testament: An Illustrated Reference for Latter-day Saints (Deseret Book, 2006).
In early 2011 he published a book-length study of the Passion Narratives with Deseret Book entitled God So Loved the World: The Final Days of the Savior’s Life, which was followed by a Christmas companion volume on the Infancy Narratives entitled Good Tidings of Great Joy: An Advent Celebration of the Savior’s Birth released later that year. A third volume on the miracle stories in the gospels entitled The Miracles of Jesus is scheduled for release with Deseret Book in August 2014.
He served in the Thailand Bangkok Mission (1985-86). Second counselor in the bishopric of the Philadelphia Third Ward (1991-94) and Provo Park Ward (1995-1996). Bishop of the North Park First Ward in Provo (1996-2002). Has served as an ordinance worker in the Provo Temple since 2002, and is currently a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
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See also my page featuring my former internet radio show on "Mormon Identities."