St. Davids, PA: Eastern University is pleased to announce that Dr. David Bronkema has accepted appointment to the position of Interim Dean of the College of Biblical and Theological Studies and Ministry (CBTSM). Included in his 18-month role as Interim Dean of CBTSM, Dr. Bronkema will serve as Interim Dean of Palmer Seminary, now part of the newly formed College. In addition to Palmer Seminary, the CBTSM will include the graduate program in Theological and Cultural Anthropology and undergraduate programs in Biblical and Theological Studies, Missiology and Anthropology and Youth Ministry.
Dr. Bronkema comes to the position with years of academic, international, and administrative experience. He received his MA in International Relations and PhD in Sociocultural Anthropology from Yale University and has taught at Eastern University for ten years, receiving the Lindback Award for distinguished teaching in 2010. He has also directed the Masters in International Development Program, served as the Templeton Chair for Christian Service Through Entrepreneurship, and chaired Eastern University’s School of Leadership and Development.
Prior to joining Eastern, Dr. Bronkema supervised the American Friends Service Committee’s programs and staff in Central America and the Andean Region for eight years, working with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and government institutions on development and relief, peacebuilding, demilitarization and economic justice with indigenous and Afrodescendent communities.
He has authored and co-authored more than ten articles and book chapters exploring the intersection between international development, social change and spirituality, with his most recent co-authored work being a book titled Advocating for Justice: An Evangelical Vision for Transforming Systems and Structures (Baker Books, forthcoming).
Dr. Bronkema’s prayer is that Palmer will thrive in ways that model Christ in all dimensions as expressed in Palmer’s motto, The Whole Gospel for the Whole World through Whole Persons.
“My commitment,” says Dr. Bronkema, “is to serve CBTSM and Palmer as prayerfully, faithfully and effectively as I am able so that each student, staff and faculty will feel empowered to use their gifts and callings to build up Eastern University’s community in a way that it can be used to its fullest to work for justice and spiritual transformation here and all over the world.