TWU welcomes new ACTS Seminaries Academic Director Dr. Susan Wendel

Trinity Western University is pleased to announce that Dr. Susan Wendel will be joining ACTS Seminaries, Trinity Western University’s graduate school of theology, as academic director commencing November 1, 2024.

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As academic director, Dr. Wendel will lead in shaping theological curriculum and educational experience as Trinity Western University and ACTS Seminaries partner to envision the launching of a TWU School of Theology in May 2026.  

“Dr. Wendel is an accomplished scholar in the fields of biblical and theological studies, and she is an experienced educator and leader within Christian higher education. We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Wendel as the ACTS Seminaries academic director,” remarks Dr. Todd Martin, TWU interim president and provost. 

“Dr. Wendel has excellent academic, teaching and leadership credentials that will greatly benefit ACTS Seminaries during this season, as we join with Trinity Western to prepare for the launch of a TWU School of Theology. We partner to provide high quality theological education aimed at preparing students to lead with wisdom in today’s dynamic and global contexts,” said William Taylor, ACTS Seminaries board chair.

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Bringing a strong background in seminary education, Dr. Wendel was most recently professor of New Testament at Horizon College & Seminary, where she taught biblical Greek, biblical interpretation, the books of Luke-Acts, and Pauline Epistles, among other subjects. 

Prior to teaching and working as Dean of the Seminary at Horizon, Dr. Wendel served as dean and associate professor of New Testament at Briercrest Seminary.  

Susan Wendel holds a Ph.D. in early Christianity and early Judaism from McMaster University and an M.A. in Theological Studies from Briercrest Seminary. Credentialed with the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, Dr. Wendel’s areas of expertise include Early Christian and Jewish interpretation of the Jewish scriptures, Luke-Acts, Justin Martyr, and early Christian apologists. 

Her major publications have centered on how interpretation of the Jewish scriptures shaped the identity of early Christ-believers. Within this area of focus, her work includes a monograph entitled, Scriptural Interpretation and Community Self-Definition in Luke-Acts and the Writings of Justin Martyr (NovTSup 139; Leiden: Brill, 2011). More recently, she co-edited the volume Torah Ethics and Early Christian Identity (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2016). She has also authored a chapter for a volume in a series for Bloomsbury/T&T Clark on the reception of Paul in early Christianity, along with many other publications. Her primary research projects shed light on how the Jewish scriptures helped to frame the worldview, practices, and identity of early Christ-believers.    

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Susan Wendel.