Southwestern welcomes Old Testament scholar Lawson Younger to faculty

Old Testament and biblical backgrounds scholar K. Lawson Younger is joining the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary faculty as a senior professor, leading a doctoral seminar in the spring and teaching a master’s level course in the summer of 2027.

“What a privilege it is to welcome Lawson Younger to the Southwestern community,” said President David S. Dockery, who announced his addition to the faculty during the Convocation chapel service on Aug. 25. “He is one of the premier evangelical Old Testament scholars of the past 30 years, and certainly one of the very best scholars in the area of biblical backgrounds.”

“Dr. Lawson Younger brings to the faculty of Southwestern a celebrated career of teaching and writing,” said Madison Grace, provost, senior vice president of academic administration, and dean of the School of Theology. “His expertise adds greatly to our Old Testament department. Both Doctoral and graduate students will benefit from his teaching and guidance.” 

Younger brings decades of experience in the areas of Old Testament studies and biblical backgrounds. He has taught at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and LeTourneau University, receiving professor of the year honors at both institutions, and has given lectures at the British Academy, the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World at New York University, the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago, the Vorderasiatisches Museum in Berlin, the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, and the University of Texas.

“I count it a great privilege to have the opportunity to teach at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary,” Younger said. “I am very honored to serve the Lord in this capacity, and I am very excited to contribute to the growth and development of its students in their interpretation of Scripture.”

Joshua Williams, professor of Old Testament and director of the Research Doctoral Studies, said Younger’s expertise in biblical backgrounds will serve the institution well since, although the message of the Bible is timeless, God’s redemptive work did take place at a specific time in history.

“Southwestern Seminary has a long tradition of studying the historical and cultural backdrop to the Bible to discern that timeless message produced in time and space,” Williams said. “Dr. Younger’s welcome arrival extends and strengthens this tradition. His expertise in the archaeology, literature, and history of the Old Testament’s backdrop opens new opportunities for the Southwestern community not only to understand the Bible’s message but to see the context in which God revealed that message.”

Younger holds a Master of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Sheffield. He has also studied at Yale University, Cambridge University, and The Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

“Lawson Younger embodies the highest ideals and values of evangelical scholarship,” said Adam Dodd, executive vice president for operations and administration and associate professor of Old Testament. “He is truly an expert in his field, without qualification, and his reputation is of a man who seeks to honor the Lord with his life and service.” 

Younger is the author and editor of numerous books, articles, and chapters, including A Political History of the Arameans: From Their Origins to the End of Their Polities, a volume recognized in 2017 as the best scholarly book on biblical backgrounds by the Biblical Archaeological Society. He has also written commentaries on Joshua (Eerdmans) and Judges, Ruth (Zondervan) and has contributed to numerous reference works, including the NIV Study Bible (edited by D. A. Carson) and the NET Study Bible.

“His commentaries on the historical books of the Old Testament are highly regarded by scholars, pastors, and students alike,” Dockery said. “Lawson may well be the best evangelical scholar in the country when it comes to combining archaeology, biblical backgrounds, history, Semitic languages, and insights regarding the biblical text.”

Younger and his wife, Patti, are members at First Baptist Church of Georgetown, Texas, where former Board chairman Kevin Ueckert serves as pastor.

“Without a doubt, the true beneficiaries will be Southwestern students,” Dodd said, adding his addition to the faculty is another positive change for Southwestern and sign of God’s favor. “I would commend Dr. Younger’s courses to any of my own students. I am confident that they will receive the highest levels of instruction—and from one who both takes the claims of the Scriptures seriously and seriously seeks to submit to them himself.”