Celebrating Emerging Writers - Methodist University

Office of University Relations
5400 Ramsey Street • Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311-1498
(800) 488-7110 • (910) 630-7043 • FAX (910) 630-7253
www.methodist.edu
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DECEMBER 22, 2011
PAM MCEVOY
DIRECTOR OF UNIVERSITY RELATIONS
FAYETTEVILLE, NC—Methodist University Names New Dean of Arts and Humanities:
Rev. Steven P. Brey, Ph.D. Rev. Brey has served the university as Department Chair and Professor of
Religion. Rev. Brey’s credentials include a B.A., Ohio Wesleyan University; S.T.M.., Yale University;
M.Div., Emory University; M.A., Ph.D., University of Notre Dame. His area of specialization is the early
Church and his areas of academic interest include Biblical studies and the history of Christianity. His
current research interests involve Origen's understanding of salvation in his Commentary on the Gospel of
John and St. Augustine's Tractates on John
Rev. Brey grew-up in Ohio and went to college at Ohio Wesleyan University, where he double
majored in history and religion (summa cum laude). His two senior theses were on “Pope Pius IX and
Italian Nationalism” and “Pacifism in the Early Church.” After taking a year off from school, he drove
across the United States, earned some money working for his dad in his machine shop, and backpacked in
India. He went to seminary at Candler School of Theology at Emory University (MDiv 1990, magna cum
laude).
He then spent two years in full-time ministry at a rural church in Ohio and was ordained an elder
by the United Methodist Church, before heading back to graduate school. He received a Master of Sacred
Theology from Yale Divinity School, where he wrote a thesis for Professors Rowan Greer and Nicholas
Wolterstorff entitled “Naming the Brilliant Darkness: On Divine Simplicity.”
From Yale he was accepted into a doctoral program in the history of Christianity at the University
of Notre Dame. His dissertation, under the direction of Dr. John Cavadnini, was on "Origen’s
Commentary on John: Seeing the World as Gospel." While at Notre Dame he taught undergraduate
classes on biblical literature and on the doctrine of creation, and he pastored two United Methodist
Churches.
Methodist University is an independent four-year institution of higher education with over 2,400
students from 41 states and 53 countries. Methodist University offers over 70 majors and concentrations,
three master’s degree programs, and 19 NCAA III intercollegiate sports. For additional information,
please call (910) 630-7043. Or, pmcevoy@methodist.edu.
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