The Christian church continues to seek ethical and spiritual models from the period of Israel's monarchy and has avoided the gravity of the Babylonian exile. Against this tradition, the author argues that the period of focus for the canonical construction of biblical thought is precisely the exile. Here the voices of dissent arose and articulated words of truth in the context of failed power.

Daniel Smith-Christopher is currently a Professor of Religion (Biblical Studies) at the Bluffton College of Ohio.

He earned his D.Phil. in 1986 from Oxford University in England and his M.Div. in 1981 from Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, Elkhart, Indiana.

Among his published works are the books:

2002 - A Biblical Theology of Exile

2000 - Subverting Hatred: The Challenge of Religious Nonviolence (edited)

1995 - Text and Experience: Toward a Cultural Exegesis of the Bible (edited).

1993 - The Citizen Temple Community by Joel Weinberg (translated).

Recently, Dr. Smith-Christopher published a number of papers, including:

June, 2003 - "Theft and Reconciliation: Genesis 32-33 and the Politics of Jacob," World Council of Churches Consultation on Ethnic Identity, National Identity, and the Unity of the Church (Bangor, Wales)

April, 2003 "Indigenous Traditions of Peacemaking", with Rev. Don Tamihare (New Zealand)

War and Reconciliation: Perspectives of World Religions, California State University, Northridge

March, 2002 "A Quaker Reads the Ninth Commandment," Seminar on the Ten Commandments, Jewish Studies Department, UCLA

November, 2001 "Prophet in the Camp: Ezekiel and Refugee Studies" - Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting, Denver

April, 2001 "The Challenge of Christian Nonviolence" War and Peace in the World Religions, California Lutheran University

His intellectual interests are inter-cultural relations, minorities, and cross-cultural expressions of Christianity and the interpretation of Scripture. Quakerism, Anabaptism, Doukhobors and Tolstoyans, Progressive Judaism (Yiddishist, Diasporic movements) and Progressive Islamic movements. Maori (New Zealand) history and culture; Aboriginal Australian and Native-American Christian movements.