Faculty and Administration

Dr. Westfall has been a faculty member at McMaster Divinity College since 2005. She is a globally recognized scholar in the study of Hebrews and has written and lectured extensively on the biblical identity and role of women in the church and ministry. She has supervised the theses of 36 PhD students, serving as the first reader for 8 and the second reader for 28, all of whom successfully defended their theses. In addition, she has guided the theses of 19 DPT, MA, and MTS students. Dr. Westfall has also taught a diverse range of courses at the PhD and master’s levels, including Biblical Interpretation, Hebrews, Revelation, Luke, John, OT in NT, Women in Ministry, Social Justice, and Devotional Practice. Her teaching is grounded in a commitment to transformation through God’s word, applying it to every area of life and ministry.

Practical Ministry Experience:
While in the Campus Ministry in Flagstaff, AZ, Westfall was licensed for ministry with the Conservative Baptist Association. Westfall participated in the foundation and development of Open Door Fellowship, Providence Network, and Open Door Ministries in Denver Colorado, which form a ministry complex dedicated to help those who are at risk for homelessness and discipleship in the urban community. In Canada, she was a founder and chair of the board of Providence Canada, which has ministered to the those who are at risk for homelessness in Hamilton, Ontario. She is a director/deacon of Wentworth Baptist Church. Westfall has been a CEB Bible translator for The Book of Hebrews and an editor for the Pauline and General Epistles. She is often a guest speaker or panelist on podcasts, YouTube, and radio, discussing topics like the New Testament and Women in Ministry.

Research Interests:
The Book of Hebrews
The General Epistles/Revelation
Gospel of John/Luke
Discourse Analysis
Linguistics and Biblical Language
Intertextuality
Sociological/Social-Scientific Criticism
Old Testament in the New Testament
Jewish Christianity
Gender(Women) in Ministry/Paul and Gender
Biblical Social Justice
Bible Translation

Current Projects:

Publications:

Monographs

Hebrews, NCCS (Forthcoming)

Paul and Gender: Reclaiming the Apostle’s Vision for Men and Women in Christ. Trans. into Korean by Jae-seung Lim. Holy Wave+ Publishing Company, 2021.

Paul and Gender: Reclaiming the Apostle’s Vision for Men and Women in Christ. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2016.

A Discourse Analysis of the Structure of Hebrews: Relationship between Form and Meaning. London: T&T Clark, 2006.

Co-authored Volumes

Cynthia L. Westfall, Herb W. Bateman IV, and Sue Edwards. Ruth: Developing Confidence for Reading Narrative. Let’s Know the Bible 6. Independent (through Kregel), 2019.

Co-edited Volumes

Discovering Biblical Equality: edited by Ronald W. Pierce and Cynthia Long Westfall. 3^rd ed. Downer’s Grove: InterVarsity, 2021.

So Great a Salvation: A Dialogue on the Atonement in Hebrews, edited by Jon Laansma, George Guthrie and Cynthia Long Westfall. LNTS; T&T Clark, 2019.

The Bible and Social Justice, edited by Cynthia Long Westfall and Bryan Dyer. Bingham Colloquium Series. Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2016.

The Church Then and Now, edited by Stanley E. Porter and Cynthia Long Westfall. Bingham Colloquium Series. Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2012.

Greek Associate Editor: Common English Bible. Nashville, TN: Christian Resource Development Corporation, 2011.

Christian Mission: Old Testament Foundations and New Testament Developments, edited by Stanley E. Porter and Cynthia Long Westfall. Bingham Colloquium Series. Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2010.

Empire and the New Testament edited by Stanley E. Porter and Cynthia Long Westfall. Bingham Colloquium Series. Eugene, OR, Pickwick, 2010.