Kevin B. McCruden, Ph.D.

Professor of Religious Studies

Dr. Kevin B. McCruden is Professor of Religious Studies at Gonzaga University. His research interests focus on the epistolary literature of the New Testament, in particular, the Epistle to the Hebrews and the letters of Paul. His publications have appeared...

Dr. Kevin B. McCruden, Ph.D.

Contact Information

  • Office Hours Spring 2024
    Tuesday, Thursday: 9:00am-12:00pm

    or by Appointment 

  • (509) 313-5980

Education & Curriculum Vitae

Ph.D, Theology (New Testament and Early Christianity), Loyola University Chicago

S.T.M., Yale Divinity School

M.Div., Yale Divinity School

B.A., cum laude, New York University

Courses Taught

RELI 120 New Testament

RELI 193 FYS: Narrating Jesus

RELI 390 Spirituality of the Apostle Paul


Dr. Kevin B. McCruden is Professor of Religious Studies at Gonzaga University. His research interests focus on the epistolary literature of the New Testament, in particular, the Epistle to the Hebrews and the letters of Paul.

His publications have appeared in such venues as Biblical Research, Biblica, the Scottish Journal of Theology, and the Catholic Biblical Quarterly. He is the author or co-editor of three books: "Solidarity Perfected: Beneficent Christology in the Epistle to the Hebrews." BZNW159 (Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 2008); "Reading the Epistle to the Hebrews: A Resource for Students" (co-edited with Eric Mason) (Atlanta/Leiden: Society of Biblical Literature/Brill, 2011); "A Body You Have Prepared for Me: The Spirituality of the Letter to the Hebrews" (Collegeville, MN.: Liturgical Press, 2013). Current writing projects include “On the Way: Religious Experience and Common Life in the Gospels and Letters of Paul (Anselm Academic Press), and “The Priestly Christology of Hebrews and His Humanity,” in Biblical Studies and the CBA Series (Paulist Press).

Dr. McCruden is a member of the Society of Biblical Literature, the Catholic Biblical Association, and the Society of New Testament Studies. He currently serves as an associate editor for the Catholic Biblical Quarterly.


Select Publications

Books/Monographs

A Body You Have Prepared for Me: The Spirituality of the Letter to the Hebrews (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2013) x + 146.

Reviews/Notices: Nicholas J. Moore. Review of Biblical Literature, 2/17/2016; John M. Scholer, Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology 69 (1) 2015 110; Donald Senior, Bible Today 51 (6) 2013: 399; John Paul Heil, Religious Studies Review 41 (2) 2015: 82.

(Co-edited with Eric F. Mason) Reading the Epistle to the Hebrews: A Resource for Students. With an epilogue by Harold W. Attridge. SBLRBS 66 (Atlanta/Leiden: Society of Biblical Literature/Brill, 2011). xvi + 354.

Reviews/Notices: Mark Kiley, Catholic Biblical Quarterly 77(1) 2015: 205-20; Joseph Verheyden, Ephemerides Theologicae Lovaniences 89 2013: 487; Jane Heath, Expository Times 124 (5) 2013: 256; I. Howard Marshall, Journal for the Study of the New Testament 34 (5) 2012: 106; Scott D. Mackie, Review of Biblical Literature (6/10/2012); Radu Gheorgita, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 56 (1) 2013:181-84.

Solidarity Perfected: Beneficent Christology in the Epistle to the Hebrews. Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft und die Kunde der älteren Kirche 159 (Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 2008) (Internationally Refereed Monograph Series). viii + 159.

Reviews/Notices: Craig R. Koester, Review of Biblical Literature 2/11/2012; Martin Karrer, Review of Biblical Literature 12/15/2010; Alan C. Mitchell, Religious Studies Review 36 (2) 2010: 153; Patrick Gray, Catholic Biblical Quarterly 73 (2011): 165-67; Christian Grappe, Revue d'histoire et de philosophie religieuses, 89 no 3 (2009): 425-426.

Peer Reviewed Articles/Essays in Edited Volumes

“Faith as freedom from Desire in the Epistle of Jude,” Biblical Research (61) 2016: 1-18.

“The Eloquent Blood of Jesus: The Fidelity of Jesus as A Neglected Theme in Hebrews 12:24,” Catholic Biblical Quarterly 75 (3) 2013: 504-20.

The Role of the Concept of Perfection in the Theology of the Epistle to the Hebrews,” in Reading the Epistle to the Hebrews: A Resource for Students. SBLRBS 66. Ed. by Eric F. Mason and Kevin B. McCruden (Atlanta/Leiden: Society of Biblical Literature/Brill, 2011): 209-29.

“2 Peter and Jude,” in Blackwell Companion to the New Testament. Ed. by David E. Aune (London: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010) 596-612.

“Compassionate Soteriology in Mark, 1 Peter, and Hebrews,” Biblical Research: Journal of the Chicago Society of Biblical Research 52 (2007): 41-56.

“Judgment and Life for the Lord: Occasion and Theology of Romans 14, 1-15, 13,” Biblica 86 (2) 2005: 229-44.

“Christ’s Perfection in Hebrews: Divine Beneficence as an Exegetical Key to Hebrews 2:10,” Biblical Research 47 (2002): 40-62.

“Monarchy and Economy in Tertullian’s Adversus Praxeam,” Scottish Journal of Theology 55 (3) 2002: 325-37.

Popular Essays

“The Politics of Approach: Hebrews 12:18-29,” in Political Theology: A Forum for Clergy, Students, and Scholars. August 15, 2016: http://www.politicaltheology.com/blog/the-politics-of-approach-hebrews-1218-29.

“The Politics of Colossians 1:1-14,” in Political Theology: A Forum for Clergy, Students, and Scholars. July 12, 2013: http://www.politicaltheology.com/blog/the-politics-of-colossians-11-14.

Mark’s Countercultural Vision,” in America: The National Catholic Weekly 196 (8) (2007): 18-21.

Book Reviews/Notices

Vanhoye, Albert. The Letter to the Hebrews. Trans. Leo Arnold (New York: Paulist, 2015) Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations 12 (1) 2017. http://ejournals.bc.edu/ojs/index.php/scjr

Whitlark, Jason A. Resisting Empire: Rethinking the Purpose of the “Letter to the Hebrews.” LNTS 484 (London: Bloomsbury/T & T Clark) 2014. (Invited Shorter Notice) Religious Studies Review 42 (1), 2016: 47.

Hamm, Dennis., S.J., Philippians, Colossians, Philemon. Contemporary Commentary on Sacred Scripture (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2013) Theological Studies 75 (4) 2014: 902-03.

Cockerill, Gareth Lee, The Epistle to the Hebrews. The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 2013) Review of Biblical Literature 8/23/14.

Williams, Martin., The Doctrine of Salvation in the First Letter of Peter. SNTSMS 149 (Cambridge University Press) Religious Studies Review 39 (4) 2013 (Invited Shorter Notice).

Abson Prédestin, Joseph., A Narratological Reading of 1 Peter. Library of New Testament Studies 440 (London: T & T Clark 2012) Religious Studies Review 39 (2) 2013 (Invited Shorter Notice).

deSilva, David, The Letter to the Hebrews in Social Science Perspective (Eugene: Cascade, 2012) Interpretation 67 (3) 2013 (Invited Review).

Horsley, Richard A. Jesus and the Powers: Conflict, Covenant, and the Hope of the Poor Minneapolis: Fortress, 2011) Review of Biblical Literature 5/15/2012.

Kazen, Thomas., Jesus and Purity Halakhah : Was Jesus Indifferent to Impurity. CBNTS 38 (Indiana: Eisenbrauns 2010) Review of Biblical Literature 3/10/2012.

O’Brien, Peter T., The Letter to the Hebrews. Pillar New Testament Commentary (Eerdmans: Grand Rapids, 2010) Religious Studies Review 37 (3) 2011 (Invited Shorter Notice).

Engberg-Pedersen, Troels., Cosmology and Self in the Apostle Paul: The Material Spirit (New York: Oxford, 2010) Review of Biblical Literature 8/3/2011.

Wiley, Tatha., Encountering Paul: Understanding the Man and his Message (Lanham, MD/New York/Toronto: Rowman & Littlefield, 2010) Catholic Biblical Quarterly 73 (2) 2011 (Invited Review).

Schenck, Kenneth L. Cosmology and Eschatology in Hebrews: The Settings of the Sacrifice. SNTS Monograph Series 143. (Cambridge: MA, 2008) in Theological Studies 70 (2) 2009 (Invited Shorter Notice).

Bachmann, Michael and Brawley, Robert L. Anti-Judaism in Galatians? Exegetical Studies on a Polemical Letter and on Paul’s Theology (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2009) Review of Biblical Literature 4/3/2010.

Bovon, Fronçois. The Last Days of Jesus. Trans. Kristin Hennessy, (John Knox: 2007) Review of Biblical Literature 03/2007.

Aitken, Ellen Bradshaw. Jesus' Death in Early Christian Memory: The Poetics of the Passion. Novum Testamentum et Orbis Antiquus, vol. 53 (Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2004) Theological Studies 67 (1) 2006 (Invited Shorter Notice).

Salevao, Iutisone. Legitimation in the Letter to the Hebrews: The Construction and Maintenance of a Symbolic Universe (New York: Continuum, 2002) in Theological Studies 65 (3) 2004 (Invited Shorter Notice).