Dr. Christopher Zoccali is from Rochester, NY. Becoming active in Christian ministry in his early 20’s, he eventually decided to study for the pastorate. In 2000 he graduated valedictorian from Baptist Bible College in Springfield, MO with a degree in Biblical and Pastoral Studies. Having developed a passion for scholarship and a desire to enter the academy rather than the pastorate, he went on to do an M.A. in Religious Studies at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, and then a Ph.D. in New Testament Studies from the University of Wales, Lampeter (now Trinity St. David). Dr. Zoccali has taught courses in Biblical and Religious Studies for several institutions, Including Roberts Wesleyan, Nazareth, and Empire State Universities, and is currently the Director of the Doctor of Ministry program and Assistant Professor of New Testament at Northeastern Seminary in Rochester, NY. He is a member of four professional organizations, including the Society of Biblical Literature, the Institute for Biblical Research, the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies, and the Canadian-American Theological Association.

The focus of Dr. Zoccali’s research has been in Pauline Studies, particularly dealing with the relationship of church and Israel. This was the subject of his doctoral dissertation, subsequently published as Whom God Has Called: The Relationship of Church and Israel in Pauline Studies (Pickwick, 2010).

Of similar interest to him is how Paul understands Jewish and gentile identity vis-à-vis participation in the early Christ movement, along with the role of the Law (Torah) for Jews and gentiles in the new age inaugurated by Christ’s resurrection. By extension, he is concerned with the contemporary implications of how one’s nationality and ethnic status properly relates to Christian identity. These issues were addressed in his second book, Reading Philippians After Supersessionism: Jews, Gentiles, and Covenant Identity (Cascade, 2017). He has also contributed to a forthcoming Zondervan Messianic Jewish Study Bible, providing commentary on the letter to the Philippians from the perspective of Messianic Jewish thought.

Dr. Zoccali has employed a variety of methodologies in his work, being recognized for his eclectic use of social-scientific, socio-historical, and theological approaches to the study of Paul. His multivalent approach has been demonstrated in a number of other publications as well, including a commentary on the book of Romans in the T&T Clark Social Identity New Testament Commentary, a chapter entitled “Children of Abraham, the Restoration of Israel and the Eschatological Pilgrimage of the Nations: What Does It Mean For ‘In Christ’ Identity?” in the T&T Clark Handbook to Social Identity in the New Testament, and an article on Galatians 3:10–12 entitled “What’s the Problem with the Law?” published in Neotestamentica 49.2.

Having already written a good deal on Paul’s letter to the Romans, including his seminal essay on Romans 11 published in the Journal for the Study of the New Testament in 2008, and his shorter commentary on Romans mentioned above, he is currently under contract with Cascade Books to write a full volume Romans commentary that will be entitled From Faithfulness to Faithfulness: Paul’s Letter to the Romans.

In light of his work in the area of social identity, Dr. Zoccali has also been invited to contribute a volume on the book of James for the new commentary series, T&T Clark Social Identity Commentaries on the New Testament.

The contemporary economic and political implications of Biblical teaching is another area of interest for him and a forthcoming volume exploring this important topic is planned.

Since 2013, Dr. Zoccali has also held the position of Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian-American Theological Review (CATR) (formerly the Canadian Theological Review or CTR), a refereed academic journal that publishes scholarly articles from across the spectrum of theological disciplines, including biblical studies, and historical, systematic, moral, and pastoral theology. Although grounded in the evangelical tradition, CATR does not represent any one particular theological stream, but seeks to engage a wide range of theological viewpoints and traditions. In addition to the general editorship of CATR, he is also an associate editor of the Christian Libertarian Review (CLR).

Beyond teaching, researching, writing, and editing, Dr. Zoccali is an avid fitness enthusiast, MMA fan, movie aficionado, and happily married to his wife, Stacy.