Craig S. Keener (born July 4, 1960) is an AmericanWesleyan theologian, Biblical scholar and professor ofNew Testament atAsbury Theological Seminary.

Keener was born on 4 July 1960.^[1]

He studied atCentral Bible College (now part ofEvangel University) and graduated with aBachelor of Arts in 1982, then studied theology atAssemblies of God Theological Seminary (now part of Evangel University) and earned aMaster's degree in 1982 and aMaster of Divinity in 1987. He also studied atDuke University inNew Testament and Christian origins and has earned aDoctor of Philosophy in 1991.^[2]

In 1991 he was ordained as a minister by theNational Baptist Convention, USA.^[3] In 2001, he became an associate pastor at Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church inPhiladelphia until 2011.^[4]

Keener became a professor atHood Theological Seminary,^[2] then professor of New Testament atPalmer Theological Seminary atEastern University for nearly 15 years. Since 2011, Keener has been (F. M. and Ada Thompson) professor ofNew Testament atAsbury Theological Seminary inWilmore, Kentucky.^[2] Keener has taught in various countries, especially countries inAfrica.^[2]

From 2014 to 2019, Keener was the editor of theBulletin for Biblical Research.^[5] He has authored a number of commentaries on New Testament books as well as books and articles.^[6] His popularIVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (1993) has sold over half a million copies.^[2]

In 2020, he served as the president of theEvangelical Theological Society.^[7]

Keener's expertise lies inNew Testament Background, thebook of Acts,Jesus,Miracles,^[8]the Gospels andEthnic/racial Reconciliation.^[9][2]

Bruce Chilton lauded Keener's 2009 bookThe Historical Jesus of the Gospels, writing that it "marks a notable moment in the critical study of Jesus." He based this claim on the fact that Keener uses the study of Jesus' Jewish environment to argue for the authenticity of the Gospels.^[6] Keener has anArminian^[10] theological standpoint onsoteriology, supportingconditional preservation of the believer.^[11] Keener holdsegalitarian,^[12] andcontinuationist views.^[13]

Keener's book Christobiography: Memory, History, and the Reliability of theGospels argues that the Gospels should be considered ancient biography and analyzes their historical value in that light. Keener also interacts with the oral traditions behind the Gospels and memory theory. His work has been endorsed byRichard Bauckham,Markus Bockmuehl,James Charlesworth, andDavid Aune, among others.^[14]Richard Burridge, who was one of the key scholars who initially demonstrated that the Gospels were ancient biography,^[15] praised Keener's volume as well.^[16] Jeffrey Tripp describes Keener as “one of the most prolific and respected scholars of early Christianity working today” and finds Christobiography to be an incredible resource. While Keener occasionally edges close to credulity, he prudently never crosses the line, and provides a well-balanced study of the gospels.^[17]

TheNIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, for which Keener authored most of the New Testament notes, won Bible of the Year in the 2017 Christian Book Awards, and also won Book of the Year in the Religion: Christianity category of the International Book Awards.^[2]

He is married to Médine Moussounga Keener, who holds a Ph.D. fromUniversity of Paris 7.^[2] He and his wife have two children, David and Keren.^[7]

• Keener, Craig S. (1991).And Marries Another: divorce and remarriage in the teaching of the New Testament. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson.ISBN 978-0-943-57546-9.OCLC 24787129.
• ——— (1992).Paul, Women & Wives. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson.ISBN 978-0-943-57596-4.OCLC 26363900.
• ——— (1994).The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.ISBN 978-0-830-81405-3.OCLC 29313370.
• ——— (1997).The Spirit in the Gospels and Acts: divine purity and power. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson.ISBN 9781565631694.OCLC 1124144441. - based on the author's Ph.D. thesis
• ——— (1997).Matthew. IVP New Testament commentary series. Vol. 1. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.ISBN 978-0-830-81801-3.OCLC 35723512.
• ——— (1999).A Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.ISBN 978-0-802-83821-6.OCLC 40473792.
• ——— (2000).Revelation. NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.ISBN 978-0-3102-3192-9.OCLC 41924712.
• ——— (2001).Gift & Giver: The Holy Spirit for Today. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.ISBN 978-0-8010-2266-1.OCLC 45162181.
• ——— (2003).The Gospel of John: A Commentary (2 vols.). Peabody, MA: Hendrickson.ISBN 978-1-5656-3378-0.OCLC 52750146.
• ——— (2006).1-2 Corinthians. New Cambridge Bible Commentary. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.ISBN 978-0-521-83462-9.OCLC 56840215.
• ——— (2009).The Historical Jesus of the Gospels. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.ISBN 978-0-802-86292-1.OCLC 368046328.
• ——— (2009).Romans. New Covenant Commentary Series. Cascade Books.ISBN 978-1-6060-8156-3.OCLC 437054246.
• ——— (2011).Miracles: The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.ISBN 978-0--801-03952-2.OCLC 699760418.
• ——— (2012).Acts: An Exegetical Commentary, vol. 1: Introduction and 1:1-2:47. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.ISBN 978-0-8010-4836-4.OCLC 844024128.
• ——— (2013).Acts: An Exegetical Commentary, vol. 2: 3:1-14:28. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.ISBN 978-0-8010-4837-1.OCLC 864430825.
• ——— (2014).Acts: An Exegetical Commentary, vol. 3: 15:1-23:35. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.ISBN 978-0-8010-4838-8.OCLC 861208882.
• ——— (2015).Acts: An Exegetical Commentary, vol. 4: 24:1-28:31. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.ISBN 978-0-8010-4839-5.OCLC 903675668.
• ——— (2016).The Mind of the Spirit: Paul's Approach to Transformed Thinking. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.ISBN 978-0801-09776-8.
• ——— (2016).Spirit Hermeneutics: Reading Scripture in Light of Pentecost. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.ISBN 978-0802-87439-9.
• ——— (2018).Galatians. New Cambridge Bible Commentary. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.ISBN 978-1108-44557-3.
• ——— (2018).Galatians: A Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.ISBN 978-154-096007-8.
• ——— (2019).Christobiography: Memories, History, and the Reliability of the Gospels. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.ISBN 9780802876751.
• ———;Brown, Michael L. (2019).Not Afraid of the Antichrist. Grand Rapids, MI: Chosen Books.ISBN 978-0800-79916-8.

(n.b. partial list)

• ——— (1987). "Matthew 5:22 and the Heavenly Court".Expository Times.99 (2): 46.
• ——— (2000). "Marriage". InEvans, Craig A.;Porter, Stanley E. (eds.).Dictionary of New Testament Background. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press. pp. 680-93.ISBN 9780830817801.
• ——— (2003). "Some New Testament Invitations to Ethnic Reconciliation".Evangelical Quarterly.75 (3):195–213.doi:10.1163/27725472-07503001.
• ——— (2003). "Spirit, Holy Spirit, Advocate, Breath, Wind". InEvans, Craig A.;Gowan, Donald E. (eds.).Westminster Theological Wordbook of the Bible. Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox Press. pp. 484–96.
• ——— (2005). "'Brood of Vipers' (Mt. 3.7; 12.34; 23.33)".Journal for the Study of the New Testament.28 (1):3–11.doi:10.1177/0142064X05057771.S2CID 163128593.
• ——— (2006). "Paul's 'Friends' the Asiarchs (Acts 19.31)".Journal of Greco-Roman Christianity and Judaism.3:134–41.
• ——— (2008). "Novel's 'Exotic' Places and Luke's African Official (Acts 8:27)".Andrews University Seminary Studies.46 (1):5–20.
• ——— (2008). "Between Asia and Europe: Postcolonial Mission in Acts 16:8-10".Asian Journal of Pentecostal Studies.11 (1–2):3–14.
• ——— (2008). "Some Rhetorical Techniques in Acts 24:2-21". InPorter, Stanley E. (ed.).Paul's World. Leiden: E. J. Brill. pp. 221-51.ISBN 9789004162723.
• ——— (2009). "Fever and Dysentery in Acts 28:8 and Ancient Medicine".Bulletin for Biblical Research.19 (3):393–402.doi:10.2307/26424217.JSTOR 26424217.S2CID 248445562.
• ——— (2009). "We Beheld his Glory (Jn 1:14)". InAnderson, Paul N.;Just, Felix;Thatcher, Tom (eds.).Aspects of Historicity in the Fourth Gospel Vol. 2 ofJohn, Jesus and History. SBL Early Christianity and Its Literature 2. Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature. pp. 15–25.
• ——— (2010). "The Nativity Cave and Gentile Myths".Journal of Greco-Roman Christianity and Judaism.7:59–67.
• ——— (2010). "The Pillars and the Right Hand of Fellowship in Galatians 2:9".Journal of Greco-Roman Christianity and Judaism.7:51–58.
• ——— (2010). "Spirit Possession as a Cross-Cultural Experience".Bulletin for Biblical Research.20 (2):215–36.doi:10.2307/26424297.JSTOR 26424297.S2CID 40571982.
• ——— (2011). "We Beheld his Glory (Jn 1:14)". InWesterholm, Stephen (ed.).The Blackwell Companion to Paul. Malden, MA: Blackwell. pp. 46–62.
• ——— (2012). "Paul and Sedition: Pauline Apologetic in Acts".Bulletin for Biblical Research.22 (2):201–24.doi:10.2307/26424753.JSTOR 26424753.S2CID 248459393.
• ——— (2013). "John, Gospel of". InGreen, Joel B.;Brown, Jeannine K.;Perrin, Nicholas (eds.).Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (2nd ed.). Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press. pp. 419–36.
• ——— (2013). "Youthful Vigor and the Maturity of Age: Peter and the Beloved Disciple in John 20—21". InChrupcala, L. Daniel (ed.).John: Essays on the Fourth Gospel in Honour of Frédéric Manns. Milan: Rdizioni Terra Santa. pp. 559–75.
• ——— (2014). "Luke-Acts and the Historical Jesus". InCharlesworth, James;Rhea, Brian;Pokorny, Petr (eds.).Jesus Research: New Methodologies and Perceptions. The Second Princeton-Prague Symposium on Jesus Research. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. pp. 600–623.
• ——— (2014). "Miracle Reports: Perspectives, Analogies, Explanations". InCharlesworth, James;Rhea, Brian (eds.).Hermeneutik der frühchristlichen Wundererzählungen: Historiche, literarische und rezeptionsästhetische Aspekte. WUNT. Vol. 339. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck. pp. 53–65.
• ——— (2015). "Miracles". InBalentine, Samuel E. (ed.).The Oxford Encyclopedia of Bible and Theology. Vol. 2. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 101–7.
• ——— (2016). "Paul's Positive Madness in Acts 26:24-25". InLang, Manfred;Verheyden, Joseph (eds.).Goldene Anfänge und Aufbrüche: Johann Jakob Wettstein und die Apostelgeschichte. Arbeiten zur Bibel und Ihrer Geschichte. Leipzig:Evangelische Verlagsanstalt. pp. 311–20.
• ——— (2016). "Transformed Thinking in Paul's Letters".Doon Theological Journal.13:5–24.
• ——— (2016). "'What Is Truth?': Pilate's Perspective on Jesus in John 18:33-38". InAnderson, Paul N.;Just, Felix;Thatcher, Tom (eds.).Glimpses of Jesus through the Johannine Lens, Vol. 3 ofJohn, Jesus and History. SBL Early Christianity and Its Literature 18. Atlanta, GA: Scholars Press. pp. 77–94.
• ——— (2017). "Rhetoric". InThatcher, Tom;Keith, Chris;Person, Raymond F. Jr.;Stern, Elsie R.;Odor, Judith (eds.).The Dictionary of the Bible and Ancient Media. New York: T&T Clark. pp. 337–41.

• AS (2020)."Craig S. Keener's Asbury faculty page".Asbury Theological Seminary. Retrieved2020-12-13.
• Chilton, Bruce (2011). "The Historical Jesus of the Gospels".Catholic Biblical Quarterly.73:393–394.
• Doriani, Daniel M. (2009). "A Redemptive-Historical Model".Four Views on Moving beyond the Bible to Theology. Zondervan Academic.
• ETS (2021)."Craig S. Keener, Past President 2020".The Evangelical Theological Society. Retrieved2020-12-13.
• Hauerwas, Stanley; Wells, Samuel (2011).The Blackwell Companion to Christian Ethics. John Wiley & Sons.
• Hardman, Randall (2012). "Craig Keener. Miracles: The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts".American Theological Inquiry.5 (2).
• Keener, Craig S. (2024)."About Craig Keener".Bible Background. Retrieved2024-02-02.
• LC (2019)."Keener, Craig S., 1960-".Library of Congress. Retrieved2020-12-13.
• Marberry, Thomas (1998). ""Matthew" in the IVP New Testament Commentary Series By Craig S. Keener".Contact: Official Publication of the National Association of Free Will Baptists. Vol. 45. The Association.
• Oliverio, L. William (2022).Pentecostal Hermeneutics in the Late Modern World: Essays on the Condition of Our Interpretation. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers.
• Stovell, Beth M. (2020)."A Short History of IBR".Institute for Biblical Research. Retrieved2020-12-13.
• TBT (1991)."White scholar to join black church".Tampa Bay Times. Times Publishing Company. Retrieved2024-02-02.
• Wilkin, Bob (2019)."Leading Evangelical Craig Keener Says Arminians and Calvinists Question Once-Saved-Always-Saved As It Is Commonly Taught".Grace Evangelical Society. Retrieved2020-12-13.

• Official site for Keener's Bible background research (Mostly popular-level, including Bible studies)

• 1960 births
• American academic journal editors
• American biblical scholars
• American Christian theologians
• Arminian ministers
• Arminian theologians
• Asbury Theological Seminary faculty
• Assemblies of God Theological Seminary alumni
• Baptist ministers from the United States
• Bible commentators
• Central Bible College alumni
• Duke University alumni
• Living people
• New Testament scholars
• Palmer Theological Seminary
• Presidents of the Evangelical Theological Society

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Articles with hCards
• Pages using infobox person with deprecated parameters