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Dr. Michael Chan serves as Vice President for Mission and Inclusion at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, a role that builds on his prior position as Executive Director for Faith and Learning, which he assumed upon joining the institution in June 2022. Previously, he held the position of Associate Professor of Old Testament at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, beginning as Assistant Professor in the Fall of 2013. Chan's academic background includes a Ph.D. from Emory University in Religion, an M.A. in biblical theology from Luther Seminary, and a B.A. in elementary education from Pacific Lutheran University. After completing his doctorate, he engaged in a year of research and teaching at the University of Helsinki's Faculty of Theology.
Chan's scholarly work centers on Old Testament studies, encompassing the Hebrew Bible, Assyriology, ancient Near Eastern archaeology, and art history. He is the author of The Wealth of Nations: A Tradition-Historical Study (2017) and co-author of Introducing the Old Testament: A Historical, Literary, and Theological Survey (Baker Academic, 2023, with Rolf A. Jacobson) and Exploring the Bible (2016). Additionally, he co-edited What Kind of God? Collected Essays of Terence E. Fretheim (with Brent A. Strawn). His peer-reviewed articles include 'Rhetorical Reversal and Usurpation: Isaiah 10:5–34 and the Use of Neo-Assyrian Royal Idiom in the Construction of an Anti-Assyrian Theology' (Journal of Biblical Literature, 2009), 'King and Eunuch: Isaiah 56:1–8 in Light of Honorific Royal Burial Practices' (Journal of Biblical Literature, 2012, with Jacob L. Wright), 'Ira Regis: Comedic Inflections of Royal Rage in Jewish Court Tales' (Jewish Quarterly Review, 2013), and 'Joseph and Jehoiachin: On the Edge of Exodus' (Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft, 2013). Chan has contributed articles and videos to Bible Odyssey on topics such as King David, Egypt in the Bible, and the art and archaeology of Nineveh. During his tenure at Luther Seminary, he hosted the podcast 'Gospel Beautiful,' fostering discussions on worship, preaching, and ministry.