Rev. Dr. Matthew Walsh Promoted to Associate Professor of Biblical Studies

The Acadia Divinity College Board of Trustees and President Anna Robbins are pleased to announce the promotion of Rev. Dr. Matthew Walsh to Associate Professor of Biblical Studies with tenure, effective July 1, 2021.

“One of the things I’m most passionate about is wrestling with difficult questions. A journey of faith doesn’t always have easy answers. There’s a lot of reward in the search and in seeking after God. I see my work as part of that.”

Rev. Dr. Matthew Walsh started his journey at Acadia Divinity College when his pastor, the late Rev. Dr. Andrew MacRae, encouraged him to consider ADC as a part of his ongoing education. In 2005, Dr. Walsh earned a Master of Divinity, followed by a Master of Arts (Theology) in 2006.

His desire to answer those difficult questions is part of what spurred him on to earn a PhD from McMaster University in Religious Studies. Shortly after, he joined the faculty at ADC, teaching in the areas of Old Testament, Hebrew, and biblical interpretation.

As he continues to wrestle with big questions and seek God in the process, Dr. Walsh is leading the way in his field. He has published and presented widely at international conferences on the Second Temple Period Judaism, angelology, apocalyptic literature, the use of the Old Testament in the New Testament, and religious identity in early Judaism and Christianity.

Of note are his monograph Angels Associated with Israel in the Dead Sea Scrolls: Angelology and Sectarian Identity at Qumran published in 2019, and essay “Sectarian Identity and Angels Associated with Israel: A Comparison of Daniel 7–12 with 1QS, 11QMelchizedek, and 1QM,” published as part of the The Dead Sea Scrolls, Revise and Repeat: New Methods and Perspectives in 2020.

Dr. Walsh is an active member of the Society of Biblical Literature, the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies, and the International Organization of Qumran Studies. An ordained Baptist minister, he has served several congregations in a variety of pastoral capacities. He is also the Dean of Students at ADC.

Through his teaching, Dr. Walsh loves to instil in his students a deep appreciation for history and Biblical languages. This, he believes, helps the Bible come alive.

The ADC Board of Trustees, President Anna Robbins, and the wider ADC community are delighted to see Dr. Walsh recognized and celebrated for his commitment to research, teaching, and living out the mission of the college: to equip Christians to serve the mission of God in church and world with transformative impact.

Rev. Dr. Melody Maxwell Granted Tenure

At the same meeting of the Board, Rev. Dr. Melody Maxwell, Associate Professor of Church History, was granted tenure, effective July 1, 2021. Joining ADC in 2018, Dr. Maxwell has published widely and made significant contributions to the research on Baptist history, including co-authoring Doing the Word: Southern Baptists’ Carver School of Social Work and Its Predecessors, 1907-1997, published in 2019. She serves in leadership roles with the Baptist World Alliance Heritage and Identity Commission, the Atlantic Society for Biblical Equality, and the Baptist History and Heritage Society, as well as representing the College on the Acadia University Research Ethics Board, Archives Committee, and the Women’s and Gender Studies Planning Committee.  Rev. Maxwell was ordained by Wolfville Baptist Church in 2020.

Rev. Dr. Jody Linkletter Affirmed as Lecturer in Next Generation Ministry  

The Board of Trustees also affirmed Rev. Dr. Jody Linkletter’s many years of experience as Lecturer in Next Generation Ministry (formerly Youth and Family Ministries), with an appointment as administrative faculty member. She also serves as the Associate Director of Doctoral Studies and Academic Assistant to the Academic Dean. Dr. Linkletter graduated with a PhD from the University of Warwick in 2011 and was ordained by Immanuel Baptist Church, Truro that same year. Dr. Linkletter’s ministry experience includes serving in the Youth and Family Department of the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada (CBAC).