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Staff and Faculty Directory

Dr. Isaiah Allen

PhD

Assistant Professor of Religion

204-924-5610
isaiah.allen@boothuc.ca

Isaiah Allen is a proud alumnus of Booth University College. After inheriting a love for scripture from his mother Irma, he has invested his life in studying and teaching the Bible. Isaiah finished his four-year undergraduate degree while serving in congregational ministry as a Corps Officer with his wife Ellen. He earned a Master of Divinities with an academic concentration in biblical studies from Asbury Theological Seminary (Wilmore, KY) and a Doctor of Philosophy in biblical studies from London School of Theology/Middlesex University (London, UK). His PhD thesis applied insights from cognitive linguistics, specifically relevance theory, to the interpretation of scripture, with Titus 1:12 as a test case. He specializes in the New Testament epistles, particularly the Pastorals (1 and 2 Timothy and Titus), and linguistic hermeneutics.

Before returning to Booth UC to serve on faculty, Dr. Allen completed a two-year post-graduate fellowship as Teaching Fellow of Biblical Languages (NT Greek) at Asbury Theological Seminary (2014-2016) and served as Director of Corps Leadership Development for The Salvation Army USA Eastern Territorial Headquarters in New York (2017-2021), serving corps congregations by developing and delivering training and resources for disciple-making mission and local officership. He spent three formative summers (2013, 2015, 2016) teaching Bible and theology courses at ECWA Theological Seminary in Kagoro, Kaduna State, Nigeria.

Ellen and Isaiah have four biological and two adopted children—a busy household. They love hiking and playing games. Isaiah feels alive when he is learning alongside others from diverse backgrounds, listening for scriptural insights, and engaging in dialogue that addresses society’s most challenging issues. He is delighted to be teaching at Booth University College, his Alma Mater.

Teaching Philosophy

Reconciliation—intrapersonal, interpersonal, intra- and inter-communal, global, creational, and divine-human—should be the goal and substance of what we learn and how we learn. We learn more and retain it longer when we are integrally involved in the act of discovery and dialogue. Therefore, the teacher’s role is to facilitate students in first-hand observation, critical analysis, and generous conversation with peers and experts.

Education

Ph.D. in New Testament – London School of Theology/Middlesex University, 2019 Topic: Paul the Bigot?Reading the Cretan Quotation of Titus 1:12 in Light of Relevance Theory; Primary Supervisor: Fred Long; Examiners: Richard Briggs and Julie Robb M.Div. (Academic) in Biblical Studies – Asbury Theological Seminary (Wilmore, KY), 2013 B.A.A. in Christian Ministry – Booth University College (Winnipeg, MB), 2008 Two-Year Diploma – The Salvation Army School for Officer Training (Suffern, NY), 2001

Research

Dr. Allen is always interested in how Christian scripture illuminates contemporary issues and is currently working on projects regarding race/racism and biblical hermeneutics.

Publications

  1. "Chapter 2: Reading the Sacraments [Back] into the Text: Baptism and Eucharist in John’s Gospel." Pages 29–62 in Seeking More Light: Essays in Salvation Army Thought Honoring R. David Rightmire. Edited by Andy Miller, III, and Rob DeGeorge. Jackson: Teleios Press, 2025. ISBN: 9798269281568.

  2. Liars, Brutes, and Gluttons: A Relevance-Theory Solution for Titus 1:12. Emory Studies in Early Christianity. Edited by Roy R. Jeal. Atlanta: SBL Press, 2025. ISBN: 9781628375985. https://cart.sbl-site.org/books/064832C

  3. "Chapter 15: Pastoral Epistles." Pages 467–519 in Discourse Analysis of the New Testament Writings. Edited by Todd A. Scacewater and Cliff Kvidahl. Dallas: Fontes Press, 2020. ISBN: 9781948048422. https://www.fontespress.com/product/discourse-analysis-of-the-new-testament-writings/

Selected Review Articles

 

  1. Review of N.T. Wright, Into the Heart of Romans: A Deep Dive into Paul’s Greatest Letter (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic, 2023) in Northwest Institute for Ministry Education Research, December 1, 2025. https://nimer.ca/into-the-heart-of-romans-a-deep-dive-into-pauls-greatest-letter-2023/

  2. Review of Steven M. Bryan, Cultural Identity and the Purposes of God: A Biblical Theology of Ethnicity, Nationality, and Race (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2022) in Bulletin for Biblical Research 34 (2024): 556–558.

  3. Review of Edward Adams, Dorothea H. Bertschmann, Stephen J. Chester, Jonathan A. Linebaugh, and Todd D. Still, eds. The New Perspective on Grace: Paul and the Gospel after Paul and the Gift (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2023) in Review of Biblical Literature, April 25, 2025. https://www.sblcentral.org/home/bookDetails/1002203

  4. Review of Stanley E. Porter, The Pastoral Epistles: A Commentary on the Greek Text (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2023) in Review of Biblical Literature, March 1, 2025. https://www.sblcentral.org/home/bookDetails/1002695

  5. Review of Craig L. Blomberg, Jesus the Purifier: John’s Gospel and the Fourth Quest for the Historical Jesus (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2023) in Word and Deed (May 2025): 87–90.

  6. Review of Sarah H. Casson, Textual Signposts in the Argument of Romans: A Relevance-Theory Approach (Atlanta: SBL Press, 2019) in Review of Biblical Literature, January 3, 2021. https://www.sblcentral.org/home/bookDetails/13266

  7. Review of John M.G. Barclay, Paul and the Gift (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2015) in Asbury Journal 72 (2017): 157–162. https://place.asburyseminary.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2393&context=asburyjournal

Popular-Level Articles

 

  1. "I Was a Stranger: Hospitality Is at the Heart of the Gospel." Salvationist, May/June 2026, pp. 14–15. https://issuu.com/salvationist/docs/salvationist_faith_friends_may_june_2026

  2. "A Righteous Man: Who Was Joseph, the Father of Jesus?" Salvationist, November/December 2025, pp. 20–21. https://salvationist.ca/articles/a-righteous-man/. First-place winner of 2025 Canadian Christian Communicators Association award for biblical/theological reflection.

  3. "The Household of Faith: The New Testament Doesn’t Idealize the Family." Salvationist (online), June 2025. https://salvationist.ca/articles/the-household-of-faith/

  4. "The Bethlehem Puzzle." Salvationist, November/December 2024, pp. 18–19. https://issuu.com/salvationist/docs/salvationist_ff_novemberdecember24

  5. "Resurrection Age." Salvationist, March/April 2024, pp. 16–17. https://issuu.com/salvationist/docs/salvationist_ff_marapr24 (Online version: https://salvationist.ca/articles/the-resurrection-age/)

  6. "Living Lent: The Gospel Is Not a Theological Proposition—It Is a Story." Salvationist (online), February 2024. https://salvationist.ca/articles/living-lent/

  7. "Happy New Year: Advent Marks the Beginning of the Christian Calendar." Salvationist, November/December 2023, pp. 12–13. https://issuu.com/salvationist/docs/salvationist_ff_novdec23/12 (Online version: https://salvationist.ca/articles/happy-new-year/)

  8. "Free to Forgive." Salvationist (online), February 2023. https://salvationist.ca/articles/free-to-forgive/

Podcasts

  1. Guest on More to the Story podcast (March 7, 2024). https://share.transistor.fm/s/95d9d25f | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZSqedLuUdw

  2. Guest on Captain’s Corner podcast (February 19, 2021). https://share.transistor.fm/s/b250d465

  3. Hosted the OnPoint podcast for the Salvation Army USA East Corps Leadership Development Bureau from 2017–2020. https://rephonic.com/podcasts/on-point-3#episodes

Conference Presentations

  1. "The Salvation Army and Race: A Biblical Assessment," presented at Salvation Army Scholars and Friends Annual Meeting (San Diego, CA: Nov 23, 2024).

  2. "The Fictional Household of Titus 2:1–15," presented at the Annual Meeting of the Institute for Biblical Research (San Antonio, TX: Nov 17, 2023).

  3. "The Holy Spirit in the New Testament," presented at the Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory Holiness Institute for Officers (May 2, 2023).

  4. "Paul the Bigot? How Relevance Theory Illuminates the Cretan Quotation of Titus 1:12 and Other Problem Passages," presented at Mid-Atlantic Region of SBL 2019 Annual Conference (New Brunswick, NJ; Mar 1, 2019).

  5. "Religious Persecution: A Lens for Contemporary Biblical Hermeneutics in Northern Nigeria (with Romans 12 as a Test Case)," presented at SECSOR Annual Conference (Atlanta, GA; Mar 8, 2014) and SBL Annual Meeting (San Diego, CA; Nov 25, 2014).

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