Rollin A. Ramsaran
Professor of New Testament
Email: rramsaran@ecs.edu
Education
• Ph.D. Boston University
• M.A. Fuller Theological Seminary
• B.A. Pacific Christian College
Publications
• Liberating Words: Paul’s Use of Rhetorical Maxims in I Corinthians 1–10
• Complete Bibliography
Ministry Experience
Church planting and staff ministry experience with churches in Southern California and Brookline, Mass.
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Rollin Ramsaran studied in the Boston area for several years before joining Emmanuel in 1994. He holds the Ph.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins from Boston University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences; a M.A.in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary (in conjunction with the Westwood
Christian Foundation); and a B.A. in Bible and Preaching in America from Pacific Christian College. He has experience in youth ministry, church planting, and pulpit ministry in various communities in California and in Boston, Massachusetts.
Dr. Ramsaran’s academic work focuses especially on the moral teaching and reasoning of the apostle Paul and on the role of Jesus in the emergence of the first-century churches. He sees studies in these areas as a foundation for church renewal in our time. He has a special interest in Greco-Roman
social history, literature, and rhetoric as important sources of insight for interpreting the New Testament writings. His current research centers on orality, performance criticism, and storytelling. He has authored Liberating Words: Paul’s Use of Rhetorical Maxims in I Corinthians 1–10. In addition, he has written substantial pieces in edited volumes, articles in Catholic
Biblical Quarterly and Leaven, and numerous reviews. He is active in the Society of Biblical Literature and the Network of Biblical Storytellers. Dr. Ramsaran held the posts of Lecturer in Religious Studies at Boston University and Instructor in Religion at the University of Massachusetts at Boston. He was a participant in 1993–94
Maritimes/New England AAR/Lilly Teaching Workshop in Religion; scholar-in-residence at the Boston University School of Theology (2000-01); and traveled with the Middle East Travel Seminar (2004). Dr. Ramsaran served as Emmanuel’s Dean from 2008 to 2010.
Rollin enjoys walking and basketball – but now mostly watching his children, Joshua (16) and Arianna (11), compete. Rollin, his wife, Michelle, and two children attend and serve at Grandview Christian Church, Johnson City, TN.