Peter Leithart

{{Infobox person

| honorific_prefix = The Reverend

| name = Peter Leithart

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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|07|20}}

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| nationality = American

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| module = {{Infobox clergy |child=yes

| religion = Christianity (Reformed)

| church = {{ubl | Presbyterian Church in America | Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches}}

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| module2 = {{Infobox academic |child=yes

| education = {{ubl | Hillsdale College (BA) | Westminster Theological Seminary (MA, MTh)| University of Cambridge (PhD)}}

| alma_mater = University of Cambridge

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| doctoral_advisor = John Milbank{{cite web |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |date=January 28, 2019 |title=John Milbank: A Guide for the Perplexed |url=https://mereorthodoxy.com/john-milbank/ |website=Mere Orthodoxy |access-date=July 26, 2019}}

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| influences = James B. Jordan{{cite web |last1=Leithart |first1=Peter |last2=Roberts |first2=Alastair |date=April 1, 2019 |title=Who Influenced Us? With Peter Leithart and Alastair Roberts |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VdGe6UDYr0 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/7VdGe6UDYr0 |archive-date=2021-12-13 |url-status=live|type=video |location=Birmingham, Alabama |publisher=Theopolis Institute |access-date=July 26, 2019 |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}

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| discipline = Theology

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| workplaces = New Saint Andrews College

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| notable_works = Defending Constantine (2010)

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Peter James Leithart (born 1959) is an American author, minister, and theologian, who serves as president of Theopolis Institute for Biblical, Liturgical, & Cultural Studies in Birmingham, Alabama.{{cite web|url=https://theopolisinstitute.com/about/faculty/|title=Peter Leithart Bio|publisher=Theopolis Institute|access-date=2016-04-05|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190405141541/https://theopolisinstitute.com/about/information/|archive-date=2019-04-05|url-status=dead}} He previously served as Senior Fellow of Theology and Literature as well as Dean of Graduate Studies at New Saint Andrews College. He was selected by the Association of Reformed Institutions of Higher Education to be one of the organization's 2010–2012 Lecturers.{{cite web|url=http://www.arihe.org/lectures.htm|title=Lectures|publisher=Association of Reformed Colleges and Universities|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170506211124/http://www.arihe.org/lectures.htm |archive-date=2017-05-06 }} He is the author of commentaries on the Book of Kings, the Book of Samuel, the Books of Chronicles, the Book of Revelation, as well as a Survey of the Old Testament. Other works include books on topics such as Dante's Inferno, Shakespeare, Jane Austen, and a biography of Constantine. He is also the author of a book of children's bedtime stories titled Wise Words based on the Book of Proverbs.

Early life and education

Leithart was born on July 20, 1959,{{cite linked authority file |id=n91111737 |text=Date of birth |accessdate=July 26, 2019}} and grew up in a suburb of Columbus, Ohio.{{cite news |last1=Harrison |first1=Judy |title=Brush up your Shakespeare ... because professor Peter Leithart thinks the Bard's masterpieces and Christian theology are not exactly strange bedfellows |newspaper=Bangor Daily News |date=1 April 2006 |page=8 |id={{ProQuest|414290061}} }} He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and history from Hillsdale College, a Master of Arts degree in religion from Westminster Theological Seminary in 1986, a Master of Theology degree from Westminster in 1987, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Cambridge in 1998.

Ministry

Leithart was ordained a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA).{{cite web|url=https://theaquilareport.com/pcas-evangel-presbytery-votes-not-to-grant-permission-for-its-ministers-to-labor-in-crec-churches|title=PCA's Evangel Presbytery Votes to Deny Peter Leithart's Request to Labor Out of Bounds |publisher= The Aquila Report}} In June 2011, Leithart was tried by his presbytery for heresy related to his views regarding the Federal Vision. In October 2011 he was exonerated on all charges.{{cite news |last=Clements |first=Don |url=https://theaquilareport.com/pcas-pacific-northwest-presbytery-finds-te-peterbreaking-news-leithart-not-guilty-of-federal-vision-charges |title=PCA's Pacific Northwest Presbytery Finds TE Peter Leithart Not Guilty of Federal Vision Charges |publisher=The Aquila Report}} Following his move to Birmingham in 2013, the presbytery with jurisdiction there denied his request to labor out of bounds (in a ministry not connected to the PCA) at Theopolis Institute. He is now a minister in the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches and the Senior Theological Mentor for the St. Peter Fellowship of the Center for Pastor Theologians.

Scholarship

His first book, The Catechism of the New Age: A Response to Dungeons and Dragons (1987), co-authored with pastor George Grant, was related to the Dungeons & Dragons religious controversies, when certain religious groups accused the game of encouraging sorcery and the veneration of demons. Joseph P. Laycock wrote that their book condemned role-playing as allowing too much freedom, which the authors regard as a gateway to critical thinking which in turn may result in heretical thought.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zvz9BQAAQBAJ&dq=+Leithart&pg=PA323|title=Dangerous Games: What the Moral Panic over Role-Playing Games Says about Play, Religion, and Imagined Worlds|last=Laycock|first=Joseph P.|date=2015-02-12|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=9780520960565|pages=221, 239|language=en}}

In his 2010 book, Defending Constantine: The Twilight of an Empire and the Dawn of Christendom, Leithart takes issue with fellow theologian John Howard Yoder's position that Constantine steered the Church in the wrong direction by abandoning Christ's doctrine of nonviolence, exemplified by his willingness to die rather than defend himself. Leithart argues that God did not want Christians to live as a powerless, oppressed minority. Constantine Revisited: Leithart, Yoder, and the Constantinian Debate, John D. Roth, editor, 2013, is a collection of essays by Christian pacifists criticizing Leithart's argument.{{cite news |last1=Roth |author-link=John D. Roth |first1=John D. |title=Constantine Revisited: Leithart, Yoder, and the Constantinian Debate |url=https://www.christiancentury.org/reviews/2014-05/constantine-revisited-leithart-yoder-and-constantinian-debate-edited-john-d-roth |access-date=26 September 2018 |publisher=The Christian Century |date=3 June 2014}}

Publications

{{cite book |year=1987 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=with |title=The Catechism of the New Age: A Response to Dungeons and Dragons |author-link2=George Grant (author) |author-first2=George |author-last2=Grant}}
{{cite book |year=1988 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=with |title=The Reduction of Christianity |author-link2=Gary DeMar |author-first2=Gary |author-last2=DeMar}}
{{cite book |year=1990 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=with |title=Clean Air: A Citizen's Handbook for Media Accountability |author-link2=George Grant (author) |author-first2=George |author-last2=Grant}}
{{cite book |year=1990 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=with |title=In Defense of Greatness: How Biblical Character Shapes a Nation's Destiny |author-link2=George Grant (author) |author-first2=George |author-last2=Grant}}
{{cite book |year=1990 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=with |title=The Walls Came Tumbling Down: The Fall of Communism in Our Time |author-link2=George Grant (author) |author-first2=George |author-last2=Grant}}
{{cite book |year=1993 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=The Kingdom and the Power: Rediscovering the Centrality of the Church|isbn=9780875523002 |url=https://archive.org/details/kingdompower00leit |url-access=registration }}
{{cite book |year=1995 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=Wise Words: Family Stories That Bring the Proverbs to Life | publisher=Canon Press |location=Moscow, Idaho |isbn=978-1591280149}}
{{cite book |year=1996 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=Brightest Heaven of Invention: A Christian Guide to Six Shakespeare Plays |publisher=Canon Press |location=Moscow, Idaho |isbn=978-1885767233}}
{{cite book |year=1999 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=Heroes of the City of Man |publisher=Canon Press |location=Moscow, Idaho |isbn=978-1885767554}}
{{cite book |year=2000 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=A House for My Name: A Survey of the Old Testament |publisher=Canon Press |location=Moscow, Idaho |isbn=978-1885767691}}
{{cite book |year=2000 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=Blessed Are the Hungry: Meditations on the Lord's Supper |publisher=Canon Press |location=Moscow, Idaho |isbn=978-1885767738}}
{{cite book |year=2001 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=Ascent to Love: A Guide to Dante's Divine Comedy |publisher=Canon Press |location=Moscow, Idaho |isbn=978-1885767165}}
{{cite book |year=2003 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=A Son to Me |publisher=Canon Press |location=Moscow, Idaho |isbn=978-1885767998}}
{{cite book |year=2003 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=Against Christianity |publisher=Canon Press |location=Moscow, Idaho |isbn=978-1591280064}}
{{cite book |year=2003 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=From Silence to Song: The Davidic Liturgical Revolution |publisher=Canon Press |location=Moscow, Idaho |isbn=978-1591280019}}
{{cite book |year=2003 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=The Priesthood of the Plebs: A Theology of Baptism |publisher=Wipf & Stock |isbn=978-1592444045}}
{{cite book |year=2004 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=Miniatures and Morals: The Christian Novels of Jane Austen |publisher=Canon Press |location=Moscow, Idaho |isbn=978-1591280156}}
{{cite book |year=2004 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=The Promise of His Appearing: An Exposition Of Second Peter |publisher=Canon Press |location=Moscow, Idaho |isbn=978-1591280262}}
{{cite book |year=2006 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=1 & 2 Kings |series=Brazos Theological Commentaries on the Bible |publisher=Brazos}}
{{cite book |year=2006 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=A Great Mystery: Fourteen Wedding Sermons |publisher=Canon Press |location=Moscow, Idaho |isbn=978-1591280378}}
{{cite book |year=2006 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=Deep Comedy: Trinity, Tragedy, & Hope In Western Literature |publisher=Canon Press |location=Moscow, Idaho |isbn=978-1591280279}}
{{cite book |year=2007 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=The Baptized Body |publisher=Canon Press |location=Moscow, Idaho |isbn=978-1591280484}}
{{cite book |year=2008 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=Solomon Among the Postmoderns}}
{{cite book |year=2008 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=Writer of fancy: The playful piety of Jane Austen |publisher=Cumberland House Pub |location=Nashville, Tenn |isbn=978-1-58182-645-6}}
{{cite book |year=2009 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=Deep Exegesis: The Mystery of Reading Scripture |publisher=Baylor University Press}}{{cite journal |last1=Pitts |first1=Jamie |title=Deep Exegesis: The Mystery of Reading Scripture . By Peter J. Leithart |journal=Literature and Theology |date=1 September 2012 |volume=26 |issue=3 |pages=353–355 |doi=10.1093/litthe/frs020 |jstor=23927526 }}
{{cite book |year=2009 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=The Epistles of John Through New Eyes: From Behind the Veil |publisher=Athanasius Press |series=Through new eyes Bible commentary series |isbn=978-0-9842439-0-7}} In this verse-by-verse commentary, Leithart asserts that John, in his epistles, is continuing themes that he began to write about in his gospel, but which now have heightened in intensity and urgency as the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD approaches.
{{cite book |year=2010 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=Jane Austen |publisher=Thomas Nelson |series=Christian Encounters Series}}
{{cite book |year=2010 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=The Four: A Survey of the Gospels |publisher=Canon Press |location=Moscow, Idaho |isbn=978-1591280804}}
{{cite book |year=2010 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=Defending Constantine: The Twilight of an Empire and the Dawn of Christendom |publisher=IVP Academic|title-link=Defending Constantine }}
{{cite book |year=2011 |editor-last=Leithart |editor-first=Peter J. |editor-mask=with |editor-first2=John |editor-last2=Barach |title=The Glory of Kings: A Festschrift in Honor of James B. Jordan |publisher=Wipf & Stock}}
{{cite book |year=2011 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=Athanasius |publisher=Baker Academic}}{{cite journal |last1=Ellens |first1=J. Harold |title=Review of ATHANASIUS |journal=CrossCurrents |date=2012 |volume=62 |issue=2 |pages=270–272 |doi=10.1111/j.1939-3881.2012.00234.x |jstor=24461841 }}{{cite journal |last1=Meijering |first1=E.P. |title=Review of Athanasius (Foundations of Theological Exegesis and Christian Spirituality, vol. i) |journal=Vigiliae Christianae |date=2012 |volume=66 |issue=4 |pages=443–444 |doi=10.1163/157007212X641158 |jstor=41722510 }}
{{cite book |year=2011 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=Fyodor Dostoevsky |publisher=Thomas Nelson |series=Christian Encounters Series}}
{{cite book |year=2012 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=Between Babel and Beast: America and Empires in Biblical Perspective |publisher=Cascade |series=Theopolitical Visions}}
{{cite book |year=2013 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=Shining Glory: Theological Reflections on Terrence Malick's Tree of Life |publisher=Cascade}}
{{cite book |year=2015 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=Traces of the Trinity: Signs of God in Creation and Human Experience |publisher=Brazos Press}}
{{cite book |year=2016 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=Delivered from the Elements of the World: Atonement, Justification, Mission |publisher=IVP Academic}}
{{cite book |year=2016 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=The End of Protestantism: Pursuing Unity in a Fragmented Church |publisher=Brazos Press}}
{{cite book |year=2018 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=The Gospel of Matthew Through New Eyes Volume One: Jesus as Israel |publisher=Athanasius Press}}
{{cite book |year=2018 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=Revelation 1-11 |publisher=T&T Clark}}
{{cite book |year=2018 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=Revelation 12-22 |publisher=T&T Clark}}
{{cite book |year=2019 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=The Gospel of Matthew Through New Eyes Volume Two: Jesus as Israel |publisher=Athanasius Press}}
{{cite book |year=2019 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=1 & 2 Chronicles|publisher=Brazos Press}}
{{cite book |year=2019 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=The Ten Commandments: A Guide to the Perfect Law of Liberty|publisher=Lexham Press}}
{{cite book |year=2020 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=The Theopolitan Vision|publisher=Athanasius Press}}
{{cite book |year=2020 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=Theopolitan Reading|publisher=Athanasius Press}}
{{cite book |year=2020 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=Theopolitan Liturgy|publisher=Athanasius Press}}
{{cite book |year=2021 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=Theopolitan Mission|publisher=Athanasius Press}}
{{cite book |year=2021 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=Baptism: A Guide to Life from Death|publisher=Lexham Press}}
{{cite book |year=2021 |last=Leithart |first=Peter J. |author-mask=0 |title=Great Stage of Fools: A Guide to Six Shakespeare Plays|publisher= Cascade Books}}