Susan Eastman | Scholars@Duke

Susan Eastman
Associate Research Professor Emerita of New Testament

Susan Grove Eastman’s scholarly focus is on Paul’s letters in relationship to the formation and transformation of Christian identity. Her first book explored Paul’s use of relational imagery to proclaim the gospel’s transforming and sustaining power in the life of Christian communities. More recent work has focused on Paul’s understanding of Israel, in Galatians and Romans, and on the theme of the incarnation, in Philippians. Her current research investigates questions of participation, imitation and identity formation, through a close reading of key Pauline texts in their first century context, and in conversation with contemporary work in the fields of cognitive psychology and neuroscience. With appointments in both the biblical and ministerial divisions, Dr. Eastman teaches courses on the New Testament, the Bible in the church, and preaching Paul, and directs the Doctor of Theology program.

Current Appointments & Affiliations

Associate Research Professor Emerita of New Testament, Divinity School, Duke University 2022
Affiliate of the Duke Initiative for Science & Society, Duke Science & Society, Initiatives 2014

Contact Information

046 New Divinity, Divinity School, Durham, NC 27708
Duke Box 90967, Durham, NC 27708-0967
seastman@div.duke.edu (919) 660-3534

Background
Education, Training, & Certifications
- Ph.D., Duke University 2003
Previous Appointments & Affiliations
- Associate Research Professor Emerita of New Testament, Divinity School, Duke University 2022
- Associate Research Professor of New Testament, Divinity School, Duke University 2015 - 2022
- Associate Professor of the Practice of Bible and Christian Formation, Divinity School, Duke University 2010 - 2015
- Assistant Professor of the Practice of Bible and Christian Formation, Divinity School, Duke University 2003 - 2010
Expertise
Global Scholarship
- Expertise
  - Israel (Country)
Research
Selected Grants
- Graduate Program Teaching Initiative awarded by Wabash Center 2013 - 2015
Publications & Artistic Works
Selected Publications
- Books
  - Eastman, S. G. Recovering Paul's mother tongue : language and theology in Galatians: language and theology in Galatians. Grand Rapids, Mich: Eerdmans, 2007.
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- Academic Articles
  - Eastman, S. “Galatians 2:15–21.” Interpretation (United Kingdom) 76, no. 4 (October 1, 2022): 358–60. https://doi.org/10.1177/00209643221108169.
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  - Eastman, S. “Christian Experience and Paul’s Logic of Solidarity: The Spiral Structure of Romans 5–8.” Biblical Annals 12, no. 2 (January 1, 2022): 233–53. https://doi.org/10.31743/biban.13513.
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  - Eastman, S. G. “Communication, Agency, and the Relational Self in ASD and the Letters of Paul.” Journal of Disability and Religion 25, no. 4 (January 1, 2021): 427–50. https://doi.org/10.1080/23312521.2021.1911743.
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  - Eastman, Susan. “Commonwealth and covenant: economics, politics, and theologies of relationality.” Political Theology 20, no. 8 (November 17, 2019): 700–702. https://doi.org/10.1080/1462317x.2019.1655195.
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  - Eastman, S. G. “Bodies, agency, and the relational self: A pauline approach to the goals and use of psychiatric drugs.” Christian Bioethics 24, no. 3 (October 26, 2018): 288–301. https://doi.org/10.1093/cb/cby011.
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  - Eastman, S. G. “Divine Love and the Constitution of the Self.” Journal for the Study of the New Testament 40, no. 4 (June 1, 2018): 524–37. https://doi.org/10.1177/0142064X18769519.
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  - Eastman, S. G. “Love’s Folly: Love and Knowledge in 1 Corinthians.” Interpretation (United Kingdom) 72, no. 1 (January 1, 2018): 7–16. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020964317731325.
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  - Eastman, S. G. “The shadow side of second-person engagement: Sin in Paul's letter to the Romans.” European Journal for Philosophy of Religion 5, no. 4 (January 1, 2013): 125–44. https://doi.org/10.24204/ejpr.v5i4.209.
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  - Eastman, Susan. “The Life of Paul for Today.” Interpretation a Journal of Bible and Theology 66, no. 1 (2012): 77–79.
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  - Eastman, S. “Sin's wages and God's gift in the divine economy: Reflections on romans 7 and the cleansing of the temple in john 2:13-17.” Expository Times 121, no. 7 (January 1, 2010): 342–45. https://doi.org/10.1177/0014524610363224.
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  - Eastman, S. “Philippians 2:6-11: Incarnation as Mimetic Participation.” Journal for the Study of Paul and His Letters 1, no. 1 (2010).
  - Grove Eastman, S. “Israel and the Mercy of God: A Re-reading of Galatians 6.16 and Romans 9–11.” New Testament Studies 56, no. 3 (2010): 367–95. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0028688510000056.
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  - Eastman, S. G. “The foolish father and the economics of grace.” Expository Times 117, no. 10 (July 1, 2006): 402–5.
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  - Eastman, S. G. “'Cast Out the Slave Woman and her Son': The Dynamics of Exclusion and Inclusion in Galatians 4.30.” Journal for the Study of the New Testament 28, no. 3 (2006): 309–36. https://doi.org/10.1177/0142064X06063245.
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  - Eastman, S. “The Evil Eye and the Curse of the Law: Galatians 3.1 Revisited.” Journal for the Study of the New Testament 24, no. 83 (2002): 69–87. https://doi.org/10.1177/0142064X0202408304.
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  - Eastman, S. “Whose Apocalypse? The Identity of the Sons of God in Romans 8:19.” Journal of Biblical Literature 121, no. 2 (2002): 263–77.
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  - Eastman, S. “The Evil Eye and the Curse of the Law: Galatians 3.1 Revisited.” Journal for the Study of the New Testament 24, no. 1 (January 1, 2001): 69–87. https://doi.org/10.1177/0142064X0102400104.
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- Book Sections
  - Eastman, S. “Apocalypse and Incarnation: Particapatory Logic of Paul's Gospel.” In Apocalyptic and the Future of Theology. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2012.
  - Eastman, S. “Reading scripture in the light of Christ: Matthew 12:1-8; Luke 24:44-49.” In Communicating the Word: Revelation, Translation, and Interpretation in Christianity and Islam, 124–32, 2011.
  - Eastman, S. “Reading Scripture in the Light of Christ.” In Communicating the Word. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press, 2011.
  - Eastman, S. “Galatians.” In The New Interpreter’s Bible One Volume Commentary, edited by B. Gaventa and D. Petersen. Nashville: Abingdon, 2010.
  - Eastman, S. “Israel and Divine Mercy in Galatians and Romans.” In Between Gospel and Election: Explorations in the Interpretation of Romans 9-11, edited by F. Wilk and J. R. Wagner. Tubingen: Mohr-Siebeck, 2010.
  - Eastman, S. “"Exegetical Perspectives".” In Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary, edited by D. Bartlett and B. B. Taylor. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 2010.
  - Eastman, S. G. “Imitating Christ imitating us: Paul's educational project in Philippians.” In Word Leaps the Gap, 427–51. Grand Rapids: William B Eerdmans, 2008.
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  - Eastman, S. G. “The Lord's Prayer.” In Prayer: Christian and Muslim Perspectives, edited by D. Marshall and L. Mosher. Georgetown University Press, n.d.
  - Eastman, S. “Mercy/Compassion.” In Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Theology. Oxford University Press, n.d.
  - Eastman, S. “Double Participation and Responsible Self in Romans 5-8.” In Apocalyptic Paul: Cosmos and Anthropos in Romans 5-8. Baylor University Press, n.d.
  - Eastman, S. “Ashes on the Frontal Lobe: Cognitive Dissonance and Cruciform Cognition in 2 Corinthians.” In The Unrelenting God: Essays on God’s Action in Scripture in Honor of Beverly Roberts Gaventa. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, n.d.
  - Eastman, S. “The Empire of Illusion: Sin, Evil and Good News in Romans.” In Comfortable Words: Essays in Honor of Paul F. M. Zahl. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, n.d.
  - Eastman, S. “Participation in Christ.” In The Oxford Handbook of Pauline Studies. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, n.d.
  - Eastman, S. “Exegetical Perspectives on John 20:11-18, John 20:19-23, and John 20:24-31.” In Feasting on the Gospels, edited by C. Jarvis and E. E. Johnson. Louisville, KY: WJK, n.d.
- Other Articles
  - Eastman, S. G. “Imagery, Gendered: Pauline Literature.” Edited by J. O’ Brien. Oxford University Press, n.d.
Teaching & Mentoring
Recent Courses
- NEWTEST 770R: Romans 2021
- NEWTEST 813: Paul & the Person 2021
- NEWTEST 999: Directed Study 2021

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Education, Training, & Certifications

Previous Appointments & Affiliations

Global Scholarship

Expertise

Selected Grants

Selected Publications

Books

Academic Articles

Book Sections

Other Articles

Recent Courses