Christine Roy Yoder


Christine Roy Yoder is the professor of Old Testament language, literature, and exegesis at Columbia Theological Seminary, and an ordained minister of word and sacrament in the Presbyterian Church. She is currently serving as interim dean of faculty and vice president for academic affairs.

Career

Yoder received a B.A. from Swarthmore College, a M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. in Old Testament from Princeton Theological Seminary. She was the instructor of Old Testament language, literature, and exegesis at Columbia Theological Seminary, before then becoming an assistant professor of Old Testament language, literature, and exegesis, and then was promoted to professor. In July 2019, she was appointed as J. McDowell Richards Chair of Biblical Interpretation.

Thought

Yoder has performed research and exegetical study on the Old Testament, with a focus on wisdom literature and proverbs. She has published several books, while also contributing chapters and articles to a number of other publications.
Her current research is focused on the configuration of desire in Israelite wisdom literature. She proposes "Desire is thus “hardwired” in the body, perceptive, and teachable" and "challenges dualistic notions of desire for wisdom currently assumed in biblical studies." Her work "has implications for contemporary interdisciplinary and theological reconsiderations of desire by presenting a biblical portrait that neither represses nor limits desire to sexuality or personal want."

Honors