More than lecturers, AMBEX instructors are ministers at heart.
Faculty Profile
The faculty and staff of AMBEX are selected on the basis of their spiritual maturity (1 Timothy 3), life experience and gift of teaching. They meet regional accreditation standards. More than lecturers, AMBEX instructors are ministers at heart—concerned with each student’s life and soul matters. AMBEX associates are humble servants, committed and accountable to the Word of God and numerous overseers.
Faculty Requirements and Qualifications:
- Master’s Degree or higher in teaching/subject area.
- Strong résumé—education, experience, references, etc.
- Gifted teaching skills
- Spiritual leaders (1 Timothy 3, Titus 2)
The teaching faculty associated with AMBEX:
- Represent 11 Christian colleges, universities and faith-based organizations.
- Rotate each semester, meaning no two semesters are alike.
- Are experts in their fields. 80% of teaching faculty hold a doctoral degree or equivalent.
- Leave a lasting impact beyond the AMBEX semester. 98% of AMBEX alumni surveyed agree that interacting with AMBEX faculty contributed to their professional success. (Survey Methods)
Professors who have taught at AMBEX
European History, Geography & Culture
AMBEX Director
University of Wyoming, BS
University of Southern California, MSED, Higher Education Administration
The Master’s Seminary (1990)
Courses Designed and/or Taught:
- The Management Project “Senior Business Plan” Capstone Course (MGT 461), 2000-05
- Traditions and Transitions (BIB 305) 2000-05 (Spiritual Formations & Biblical Stewardship)
- Reformation History & Theology (Hus – Calvin) 2004, 2005
- Reformation Study Tours (Germany, France, Switzerland, Czech Republic) 2004, 2005
Research Interests:
- Biblical Integration
- Non Traditional Education
- Christian College Extension Campuses
- Reformation
- Missions and Evangelism
- Tentmakers
Work Experience/Progression
- Founder/Director—AMBEX
- Director, Center for Professional Studies, The Master’s College (1999-2006)
- Organizational Management
- Christian Ministries
- Liberal Studies
- General Education
- Adjunct Professor, The Master’s College
- Civil Service (US Forces / Germany)
- General Lodging Manager
- Community Director
- Family Services Director
- Community Business Manager
- Sports and Athletic Director
- Director, Information, Tours and Travel
- Regional Director (Germany) Central Texas College (DoD contractor)
- Self Employed
- International Trading and Investments
- Commodities Trading Adviser, Chicago Board of Trade
- AMBEX
- Military Police Officer, 1978-82 (Captain)
- Deputy Director, Training, Support and Education 4th ID, Ft. Carson, CO (1982-84)
Interesting/Fun Facts
- Reading—Puritans, Biographies, Louis L’Amore
- Manager/Coach, European Baseball All-Stars “Evangelical Outreach” (2 yrs)
- Tennis, Golf, Hiking, Swimming
- Founder, Amberg Angels Baseball Team
Personal Interests/Hobbies/Awards
- All-State Football, Baseball and Band
- Academic All-America Baseball
- Army Commendation Medal
- Civilian Service Commendation Medal (DA)
Favorite
- Passage of Scripture: Rm 12:1-2; 2 Cor 5:17
- Pastor-Teacher: John MacArthur
- Reformer: Martin Luther
- Bible Character: Apostle Paul
- Presidents: Washington and Reagan
Christian Worldview & Apologetics
Associate Professor of Intercultural Studies
Corban University
B.A. French – Northwestern College, Orange City, Iowa
Diplôme Supérieur d’Etudes Françaises Modernes – Alliance Française, Paris, France
Certificate in Linguistic Studies – Summer Institute of Linguistics, Dallas, Texas
M.A. Linguistics – University of California, Santa Barbara
Ph.D. Linguistics: Language, Interaction and Social Organization – University of California, Santa Barbara
Professional: Dr. Harrison teaches courses in language and culture acquisition, historical linguistics, sociology, cultural anthropology and intercultural communication. She served with Wycliffe Bible Translators for 23 years in France, Burkina Faso, the Republic of Niger, the Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic.
During that time, she studied people groups in west and central Africa in order to recommend Bible translation priorities and strategies. She also taught linguistics for Bible translation at the Bangui Evangelical School of Theology. She speaks several languages and has learned about many more through linguistic research.
Dr. Harrison has written papers and book reviews on language use in multilingual societies, discourse and pragmatics in African languages, language change in French, dialectology and sociocultural research methods. She has made conference presentations and taught in the United States, Canada, Central African Republic, Kenya, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Her current research interests include multilingualism and diversity in church life, the intersection between worldview, ideologies and language, and linguistic competence for language learners and teachers.
Personal: Annette has been married to Byron since 1985 and has 22 nieces and nephews. She enjoys reading, long conversations with her husband, walking, spiritual discussions with friends, some gardening, cooking and playing with her dog, Toby.
Why Corban: “I love nothing better than to be in a dynamic community of learners. And it is even better when those learners live Christ-centered lives. Corban is exactly that kind of community. In addition, I love being part of Corban’s vision to contribute to Christ-honoring education internationally. Our learning and growing is not only for ourselves, but to honor God and to serve others. It is a privilege to contribute to the education of men and women who will make a difference in the world for Jesus Christ.”
Professor of Theology
Corban University
B.S. California State University at Hayward
M.Div. The Master’s Seminary
Th.M. Grace Theological Seminary
Ph.D. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Ministry Experience
- Short-term missions: taught 65 Russian pastors in Samara, 600 miles southeast of Moscow
- Church elder, Sunday School teacher; Worship Leader for youth and adults; Camp speaker and counselor; Pulpit Supply; weddings/premarital counseling for students
- Counseling/mentoring
Professional Overview
- Professor of Bible and Theology at Corban University for twenty-one years.
- Co-led study tours to Israel and Egypt with Greg Trull.
Publication
Various papers at the Evangelical Theological Society Annual and Regional meetings.
Personal
Loves spending time with family, David, Jonathan, Emily and Stephen, dating his wife Barbara (1985), reading, coaching soccer, gardening / landscaping, drawing, and carving. Tim and Barbara have four children David, Jonathan, Emily and Stephen
Chair, Christian Ministries
Associate Professor of Christian Ministries
Corban University
B.A. Biola University
MACE Talbot School of Theology
Ed.D. George Fox University
Ministry Experience
20 + years ministry experience, serving churches in So. California and most recently in Southwest Wastingon, in the following areas: sports and recreation ministries, youth ministry, children’s ministry, men’s ministry, adult minisitreis, family ministries, pastoral care and counseling, church administration, and Christian education. Also serves as teacher trainer, camp speaker, conference workshop and seminar leader, church leadership consultant, and regular pulpit supply.
Professional Service
- Member: NAPCE – North American Professors of Education (member)
- Member: AYME – Association of Youth Ministry Educators
- Member: Exceptional Kids Incorporated – Special Needs Kids Organization
- Member: Kappa Tau Epsilon Scholastic Honor Society
- Member of IASYM (International Association for the Study of Youth Ministry)
- Member and certified instructor ETA (Evangelical Training Association)
Publication
- Baker, S. Review of KidLead: Growing Great Leaders, by Alan E. Nelson. Christian Education Journal 6:2 (Fall 2010).
- Baker, S. Et. al. “Thoughtful Christian response to uncertain times.” Corban Magazine, Vol. IV, No. 1, 17.
- Baker, S. (2007, October). Apophatic and Kataphatic spiritual types: A descriptive comparison of the similarities and differences between Protestant and Catholic seminarians’ spirituality. Paper presented at annual conference of the North American Professors of Christian Education. San Jose, CA. [Peer-reviewed].
- Baker, S. (2007, September). Understanding postmodernism. Lecture presented at the annual meeting of Children’s Ministers Training Conference. Dallas, Oregon.
Awards
Member, Kappa Tau Epsilon Scholastic Honor Society.
Personal
Has been married to his wife Alyson since 1986. They have two daughters, Courtney and Katie. “We also have a dog named ‘Cozmo” – I’ll leave it to you to guess his breed…?” In his spare time Sam enjoys playing as much golf as possible, reading, hangin’ with family, spending time with students outside of class, and all kinds of sports and recreation activities.
Dean of Ministries, Professor of Biblical Studies
Corban University
B.A. Ministry – Independent Baptist College
B.S. Education – Dallas Baptist University
Th.M. Christian Education – Dallas Theological Seminary
M.A. Old Testament – Western Seminary
Ph.D. Biblical Studies – Dallas Theological Seminary
Professional:
Gregory Trull teaches Old Testament, bible interpretation and homiletics, serves as Dean of the School of Ministry, senior pastor of Valley Baptist Church in Perrydale, Ore. since 1992.
Background:
Started teaching at Corban in 1991. He previously worked as an associate pastor and church planter.
Affiliations:
Vice-President of Northwest Evangelical Theological Society from 2001-02, President of the Northwest Evangelical Theological Society from 2002-03, Current member of the Evangelical Theological Society and a member of the Associates of Biblical Research
Steering Committee member; Expository Preaching and Hermeneutics Study Group;
Evangelical Theological Society, 2006-current
Home Church: Valley Baptist Church
Family: Trull married his wife, Tiffany in 1991 and they have three children; Bradley, Bailey and Bethany.
Interests: He loves the outdoors: camping, hunting, fishing, hiking and cycling. He’s also a hardcore Dallas Cowboys fan.
Favorite Verse: Ezra 7:10 because describes the threefold goal of any minister: to know, to live and to teach His Word.
Why Choose Corban: “Jesus spent three years with 12 students, one of whom flunked out. The remaining 11 changed the world. We spend four years with a few hundred students who can also change the world.”
Publication
- “Proclaiming Proverbs without Overpromising or Underpreaching” Northwest Evangelical Theological Society 2006.
- “Views on Peter’s Use of Psalm 16:8–11 in Acts 2:25–32” Bibliotheca Sacra April 2004.
- “An Exegesis of Psalm 16:10” Bibliotheca Sacra July 2004.
- “Peter’s Commentary on Psalm 16:8–11 in Acts 2:25–32” Bibliotheca Sacra October 2004.
- “Making His Story Our Story: Models for Validating Applications from Old Testament Narrative” Evangelical Theological Society 2004.
- Fabulous Finds or Incredulous Fakes? An Examination of the James Ossuary and Jehoash Tablet” Northwest Evangelical Theological Society 2003.
- “Peter’s Interpretation of Psalm 16 in Acts 2” Northwest Evangelical Theological Society 2001.
- Journeying with God. Purposeful Design publications, 2008.
Awards
- Valedictorian, 1985
- L.S. Ballard Preaching Award, 1985
- Alpha Chi Honor Society, 1986
- Donald K. Campbell Ph.D. Award for Bible Exposition, 2002
Chair, Biblical Studies and Theology
Professor of Biblical Studies
Corban University
B.S. Texas A&M University
M.S. Texas A&M University
Th.M. Dallas Theological Seminary
Ph.D. Dallas Theological Seminary
Professional Service
Member of: Evangelical Theological Society, Grace Evangelical Society, Rolling Hills Baptist Church where he teaches an adult Sunday School classes
Publication
- “The Relationship of Endogenous Abscisic Acid to Peach Chilling Requirement, Bloom Date, and Applied Gibberellic Acid,” HortScience, 13:6 (1978): 694-96. Co-authored with Dr. H. H. Bowen
- “Engineering for Transportability’s Role in the ILS Effort,” Translog, 12:7 (July 1981): 14-15
- “What is the Message of 1 John?” Bibliotheca Sacra. 150 (January-March 1993): 89-105
- “Viticulture’s Contribution to the Interpretation of John 15:1-6.” Bibliotheca Sacra. 153 (January-March 1996): 34-52
- “The Cessation of Healing Miracles in Paul’s Ministry.” Bibliotheca Sacra. 155 (July-September 1998): 299-315
- Study Notes on 1-3 John in The Nelson’s Complete Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1997
- Study Notes on 1-3 John in The Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999
- “Incarnational Explanation for Jesus’ Subjection in the Eschaton.” In Looking into the Future: Evangelical Studies in Eschatology. ETS Studies Series. David W. Baker, editor (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 2000).
- The Disciplemaker: What Matters Most to Jesus. Co-authored with Dr. Earl D. Radmacher. Salem, OR.: Charis Press, 2001
- “Matthean Priority/Authorship and Evangelicalism’s Boundary” The Master’s Seminary Journal. 14:1 (Spring 2003): 87-103.
- “Viticulture and John 15:1-6” The Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society. 18:34 (Spring 2005): 23-43.
- “Commentary Sneak Peak: 1 Peter 3:18-21 by Gary Derickson,” Grace in Focus 21: 2 (March/April 2006): 4.
- “Matthew’s Chiastic Structure and its Dispensational Implications.” Bibliotheca Sacra. 163 (October-December 2006): 423-37.
Awards
- Texas State Farmer, Future Farmers of America, 1971
- Gamma Sigma Delta, Honor Society of Agriculture, 1976
- Distinguished Graduate, Transportation Officers Basic Course 3-77 (Top Graduate), 1977
- Donald K. Campbell Award in Bible Exposition, D.T.S., 1993.
Personal
Family: Wife, Rebekah; son, Ian (1992) Personal Notes: Writes fiction (fantasy and science fiction). “I enjoy seeing students grow spiritually and make life changing decisions to follow Christ.”
Professor of Theology
Corban University
B.S. Western Oregon State College
M.Div. Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, Pacific Northwest Campus
Ph.D. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Personal
Enjoys reading (favorite book of all time: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis), watching good movies, listening to good music. Married to Terri in 1983; two children
Assistant Professor of Bible
Corban University
B.S., Multnomah University
M.Div., Western Seminary
Th.M., Princeton Theological Seminary
Ph.D, University of St Andrews
Church Involvement:
Jr. High School, High School, and College ministry; Adult education teacher; Community care outreach; Children with special needs care; Short term missions work – South Sudan, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Mexico
Professional History:
Adjunct Professor – Multnomah University; Elementary (K – 8th) teacher; Graduate lecturer – University of St Andrews; Online Instructor – Western Seminary
Personal:
Loves spending time with his wife (Amanda), water sports – boating and white water rafting, reading books about the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible and interpretation, watching movies that require thought (…and plenty that require no thought), and spending time outdoors
Trinity International University
BA, Duke University
MA, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
PhD, Duke University
Theology of Reformation
Professor of Theology
Cairn University
BS in Bible, Cairn University
MDiv, Capital Bible Seminary
ThM, Capital Bible Seminary
PhD, University of Aberdeen
Dr. Jonathan Master teaches theology, church history, and New Testament at Cairn. He also oversees Cairn’s honors program, part of Cairn’s Center for University Studies.
Dr. Master also serves as executive editor of the online magazine Place for Truth, as well as host of the podcast Theology on the Go (both sponsored by the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals). He has authored the book A Question of Consensus (Fortress Press) and a number of articles, in addition to editing The God We Worship (P&R). Prior to teaching, he served in pastoral ministry for ten years.
Publications:
- The God We Worship, ed. (P & R Publishing, 2016)
- A Question of Consensus: The Doctrine of Assurance After The Westminster Confession, (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2015).
- “Who is the ‘Woman’ in 1 Timothy 2?” [co-authored with John R. Master] The McMaster Journal of Theology and Ministry 10 (2008-2009): 3-21.
- “Exodus 32 as an Argument for Traditional Theism.” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 45, no. 4 (December 2002): 585-98.
- Review of Beauty Will Save the World: Recovering the Human in an Ideological Age by Gregory Wolfe. Englewood Review of Books 4, no. 16 (July 2011). http://erb.kingdomnow.org/
AB, Princeton University Dr. Gundlach specializes in American intellectual, cultural, and religious history and also enjoys teaching broadly in world civilization, the philosophy and methods of history, and church history – having recently taken Trinity College students to Europe for the Western Cultural Heritage class and taught Reformation History and Theology for the Ambex program in Germany. He serves as director of the division of Humanities and as book review editor for Fides et Historia, the journal of the Conference on Faith and History. Dr. Gundlach is the author of Process and Providence: The Evolution Question at Princeton, 1845-1929, and is currently at work on a biography of Princeton theologian B.B. Warfield. Dr. Gundlach is the Director of the Division of Humanities. Publications:
Professor of History
Trinity International University
MA, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
MA, PhD, University of Rochester
TIU Director, Division of Humanities
Process and Providence: The Evolution Question at Princeton, 1845-1929 (Eerdmans, 2013)
B. B. Warfield: Essays on His Life and Thought, ed. Gary Johnson (P&R, 2007).
Dr. Gundlach is currently at work on a biography of Princeton theologian B. B. Warfield.
D. L. Moody Professor of Theology
Moody Bible Institute
BA, Wheaton College
MA, Wheaton College Graduate School
MA, Marquette University
ABD, Open University
Publications:
- “Proclaiming Jesus in Water, Bread, and Wine: The Place of Baptism and Communion in the Gospel.” In Proclaiming Jesus: Essays on the Centrality of Christ in the Church in Honor of Joseph M. Stowell, ed. Thomas H. L. Cornman, Chicago: Moody, 2007, 113-37
- “Nothing but the Blood: The Substitutionary Atonement of Christ.” In Foundational Faith: Unchangeable Truth for an Ever-Changing World, ed. John Koessler, Chicago: Moody, 2003, 129-51
- “R. A. Torrey.” In Encyclopedia of Religious Revivals in America, ed. Michael McClymond. Westport: Greenwood, 2006.
- “Moody Monthly.” In Popular Religious Magazines in the United States, ed. Mark P. Fackler and Charles H. Lippy. Westport: Greenwood, 1998.
- “How Christian Schools are Coping with the Computer Invasion.” Christian Advertising Forum. (1984).
Professional Interests:
History of Religion in America, Reformation, Christianity and Culture
Personal Interests:
College Football, Major League Baseball, Coaching Baseball, Military History, Biographies
Professor of Christian Education
The Master's University
B.A., Biola University
Th.M., Dallas Theological Seminary
Ph.D., University of Southern California
As a TMC (Master’s College) professor, Dr. Behle is a four-time recipient of the TMC “Teacher-of-the-Year” Award (1989, 1997, 2003, and 2008). In addition to teaching responsibilities at The Master’s College he has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California and at Biola University. His research and scholarly interest focus on the foundations of American higher education (historical, philosophical, and social); historical aspects of student life and collegiate culture; and the role of religion in higher education. He is particularly noted for his work on early history of the University of Illinois and the historiography of the land-grant college movement in general. His publications have appeared in Christian Education Journal, The Master’s Seminary Journal, History of Education Quarterly, Christian Higher Education and History of Higher Education Annual.
Dr. Behle is recognized in several biographical directories including Who’s Who in American Education and Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. He is a member of the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) and the History of Education Society (HES). He has been inducted into Phi Delta Kappa, the international educational honor fraternity. He also serves as Academic Coordinator and as a short-term instructor for the Israel-Bible Extension (IBEX) program of The Master’s College. He is a member of Evangelical Free Church of the Canyons. He enjoys kayaking, travel, reading. skiing, and spending time with his wife Kelly, and his children, Brittany and John.
Professor of Theology
Corban University
B.S. Western Oregon State College
M.Div. Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, Pacific Northwest Campus
Ph.D. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Enjoys reading (favorite book of all time: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis), watching good movies, listening to good music. Married to Terri in 1983; two children
Associate Professor of Theology
Colorado Christian University
- Ph.D. Systematic Theology (Marquette University)
- M.Div. (Bethel Seminary-San Diego)
- B.A. (California State University-San Diego)
Other Experience:
- Dissertation Fellowship, Marquette University, 2006-2007
- Stipendienprogramm, Johannes a Lasco Bibliothek, Emden, Germany, 2006-2007
- Full Teaching Assistantship, Marquette University, 2004-2006
- One-half Teaching Assistantship, Marquette University, 2003-2004
- Teaching Assistantship, Bethel Seminary, San Diego, 2001-2003
- Eta Beta Rho (Hebrew Honor Society), 2002-2003
- Zondervan Publishing “Greek Award”, 2001
Professional Accomplishments:
Professional Development and Conference Participation:
- “Christocentric versus Theocentric Theological Methods in the Secular Age: The Significance of Karl Barth for Contemporary Evangelical Higher Education;” Secularization and Revival: The Fate of Religion in Modern Intellectual History, Third Annual Baylor Symposium on Faith and Culture, Waco, Texas, October 2009
- “Currents of Justification: Calvin’s Theology in, with, and under the Registers of the Geneva Consistory 1542-1544;” Sixteenth Century Society and Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, October 2005
- “The Expressive-Constitutive Word: Karl Barth, Charles Taylor, and the Nature of Language;” American Academy of Religion Upper-Midwest Regional Conference, St. Paul, Minnesota, April 2005
Published Articles and Book Chapters:
- “God’s Self-Specification: His Being is His Electing,” Scottish Journal of Theology 62:1 (2009): 1-25
- “Karl Barth,” in Dictionary of Christian Spirituality, ed. Glen G. Scorgie (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010)
- “Knowledge of God,” in Dictionary of Christian Spirituality, ed. Glen G. Scorgie (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010)
- “God Is As He Wants to Be: Letting God be God in the Relationship between Will and Being,” in Trinity and Election in Contemporary Theology, ed. Michael Dempsey (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, forthcoming)
Translations:
- Peter Opitz, “Calvin as Bible Translator from the Model of the Hebrew Psalter,” in Herman J. Selderhuis, ed., Calvinus sacrorum literarum interpres: Papers of the International Congress on Calvin Research 2006 (Gottingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2008)
Senior Minister
Holy Trinity Presbyterian Church
Masters of Divinity, Westminster
Ph.D., Westminster
Steve Casselli has been Senior Minister at HTPC since 1998. Steve grew up in Columbus, Ohio and is a graduate of Denison University. He worked in campus ministry at the University of Michigan and served as pastoral intern at Park Cities Presbyterian, Dallas, Texas and Bucks Central Presbyterian in Pennsylvania. Steve received a Masters of Divinity from Westminster Theological Seminary (1994), and a Ph.D. from Westminster in May, 2007.
Steve and his wife Missy have been married since 1986. They have three children, C.J., Daniel and Katie. Steve continues to be an avid Lacrosse enthusiast and is helping grow the sport in the Tampa area.
Associate Professor of Church History and Theology
School of Divinity, Liberty University
BA in Biblical Studies from Bryan College
ThM in Historical Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary
PhD in Church History from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Dr. Cleaver grew up in Chicago, married Amy in 1989, and has two girls and two boys. He is involved in discipleship, family, worship, and drama ministries in church. Dr. Cleaver teaches courses in church history, theology, and apologetics to students specially preparing for various kinds of professional ministry. Dr. Cleaver is an avid unicycle rider and deep-dish, Chicago-style pizza maker.
Trinity International University
BA, Duke University
MA, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
PhD, Duke University
Art History of the Western World
B.A., York College Professor Grant Horner’s academic specialty is the literature, theology and philosophy of the Renaissance and Reformation, with primary concentration in Milton, Shakespeare, Erasmus, Luther, Calvin and late sixteenth and seventeenth century intellectual and cultural history. His research and writing has focused on Christian Humanism in the Reformation, particularly the complex relationship between developing Reformed thought and Classical Graeco-Roman pagan mythology and philosophy. He has worked on the citation of classical Greek and Latin authorities by Renaissance writers, published on theology and the arts, and is actively researching and writing a full-length work on John Milton and John Calvin. His book on film and theology is under contract with Crossway and will appear in late Fall 2009. Horner was named “Professor of the Year” in May 2001, his second year at The Master’s College, and again in 2007. He has taught at the University of Alabama and UNC-Chapel Hill, and was appointed Hudson Strode Scholar in Renaissance Studies (1994-96). At Master’s, Professor Horner teaches courses on Medieval and Renaissance literature, Film Studies, Shakespeare, Milton, Drama, Poetry and Poetics, Comedy, Critical Theory, Western Art History, Epic, Christian Humanism, and Classical Latin. He also serves as Chair of Humanities in the Rhetoric School at Trinity Classical Academy. Prof. Horner speaks regularly in a number of venues including national radio, particularly on current theological trends, philosophy and popular culture. He has spoken to Berkeley students on Christianity and popular culture, was invited to lecture at Caltech on representations of human consciousness in philosophy and art, and speaks regularly on the radio. He and his wife, Joanne, have three children: Seth, Josiah and Rachel, and they live in Santa Clarita, California. They love to watch and discuss movies! Grant has been involved heavily in rock climbing, ice climbing, and mountaineering since 1979, and he has made four one-day speed-climbing ascents of Yosemite Valley’s 3000′ El Capitan – the largest vertical granite cliff in the world. He is one of a handful of climbers who has done the route in less than 24 hours (usual ascents are 3-6 days). He spends much of the summer in the High Sierra on huge, high-altitude rock walls. He has recently rekindled a longtime passion for sailing around the Channel Islands off Southern California’s Pacific coast.
Associate Professor of English
The Master's University
M.A., University of Alabama
Ph.D./ABD , University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Additional Ph.D. work at Duke University
PhD Fellow, Claremont
Joined TMC 1999
B.A. in English from Ohio State University Published Works: “As a Christian, I thought it would be wonderful to teach at a Christian college since I had taught at secular universities and colleges before. Prospective students should know that they would be hard pressed to find a more caring college than Corban. We have an excellent English department with lots of outlets for creativity.” I grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and still cheer for Ohio State’s football team. I was a pitcher for softball teams for 30+ years. I have played lots of tennis and have been a member of many USTA tennis teams. My favorite place to eat in Salem is China Faith, at least some days. My favorite Bible verse is, “For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not ‘Yes’ and ‘No,’ but in him it has always been ‘Yes.’ For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘yes’ in Christ.” I Corinthians 1: 19-20. A quirky thing about me – I love rodeos. Here’s another – I got locked in a graveyard in Canterbury England when the rest of my family was 6000+ miles away, and nobody knew I was there!”
Professor of English
Corban University
M.A. in English from Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia
Ph.D. in English from Ohio State University
“I am married and have three children. Along with Literature, I am very much interested in music. I play the piano and write music. I have written six Christmas programs for children, including the scripts and music, and I compose the music for the Corban Theater Arts Camp.
After serving as provost on an interim basis to begin the 2013 academic year, Linda Samek was officially named the university’s provost in December of 2013. Previously, Samek was dean of George Fox’s School of Education (2008-2013) and served as provost at Corban University. She has also worked as deputy director and coordinator of teacher education for Oregon’s Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (2001-02) and as co-director of the Oregon University System’s Quality Assurance in Teaching Program (2000-01). As an educator, Samek chaired a number of accreditation teams for the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, and she’s been a member of various statewide task forces shaping public PreK-12 education, including the Chalkboard Project Task Force on Teacher and Administrator Quality and the Education Pathways Project. Her hiring as dean of the School of Education in 2008 marked a return to George Fox for Samek, who taught at the university from 1996 to 2000 and was chair of the school’s Department of Education from 1997 to 2000. In all, she has more than 30 years of experience in higher education. Prior to her four-year tenure at George Fox in the late 1990s, she worked for 16 years at Corban in a variety of roles, including chair of the school’s Department of Education and Mathematics, as an associate professor of education and mathematics, and as director of teacher education. Samek earned a bachelor’s degree in science education/mathematics from Oregon State, a master’s degree in math education from Portland State University, and a doctorate in educational leadership from Portland State. She enjoys reading, hiking, and spending time with her family on their farm in Sublimity, Ore.
Provost
George Fox University
Assistant Professor of History, Humanities and Social Science
Cairn University
B.S. in Education, B.S. in Bible, Cairn University
M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, University of Virginia
Ph.D. in World History, St. John’s University (Candidate – 2017)
Mr. Chris Palladino serves as the Chair of the Department of History and teaches courses on history, geography, sociology, and education at Cairn.
Mr. Palladino also serves as the section chair on Teaching and Learning for the New York State Political Science Association and as an adjunct professor teaching the history of art for AMBEX (Regensburg, Germany). He regularly leads professional development workshops on interdisciplinary teaching and learning, conversation, curriculum development, and worldview integration to teachers in the Philadelphia and New York areas, as well as in Beijing, China, and Seoul, Korea.
Prior to teaching at Cairn, he taught high school social studies for 12 years in Lynchburg, VA, where he also coached soccer and cross country. He was named the Lynchburg City Teacher of the Year and a Bank of America Neighborhood Champion in 2005.
Mr. Palladino and his wife, Heather, have two children, a daughter and son.
Dr. Casbon received his undergraduate degree from Florida State University. He completed his master’s degree from West Georgia University and finished his doctoral studies at the University of Alabama. His professional experiences include careers in private and public education. His passion for teaching eventually led him to Lewis & Clark College, where he served as a Professor of Education in the Graduate School of Professional Studies. In 1996, Dr. Casbon became Dean of Lewis & Clark’s Graduate School of Professional Studies, where he built innovative programs in education and psychology. His work as Dean included the acquisition, development, and preparation of the College’s South Campus. During his tenure as CEO, Vice-Provost, and Professor of Education at OSU-Cascades Campus, the regional campus has tripled its enrollment, added new programs and faculty, and made steady strides in procuring scholarship funds for students. In a recent survey conducted by the Oregon University System (June, 2003), OSU-Cascades out-polled every state institution as a “university” of interest for Oregon students. Dr. Casbon’s latest scholarly contribution, Teaching with Fire: Poetry that Sustains the Courage to Teach (2003, Jossey-Bass) is a collection of poems that is helping teachers in our public schools to restore their faith in the profession of teaching. Dr. Casbon serves on several professional boards.
Professor of Education
Oregon State University
Modern European Literature
B.A. Master’s College “Corban is a place where we learn to think like Christians, and by that I do not mean that we present our students with a list of approved ideas. We help them identify the big questions, and we read and talk together about how the Christian story is revealed in Scripture speaks to these questions. In other words, we think hard about what it means to be a redeemed human being in our thinking and doing, living out what Christians understand to be our identity and our vocation.” “On a personal note, Bonnie and I have been married since 1965. I’m from upstate New York, she’s from Long Island, and we met in college in Southern California. We have four children and six grandchildren. She likes gardening, I like sports, travel and canoeing. Traveling has led to some awkward moments, including being examined with more interest than I would have liked by a big barracuda patrolling a reef where I was snorkeling near Key Largo; and falling off of a boat into the Thames river between London and Oxford. (If you’re thinking of doing the same, here’s an important geographical note: the sea off the Florida Keys is warmer and clearer than English rivers. On the other hand, English rivers do not house large fish with teeth like finishing nails.)”
Professor of Humanities
Corban University
B.A. California State University at Los Angeles
M.A. California State University at Los Angeles
Professor of English
Columbia International University

B.A., Taylor University; M.A., Indiana University; Ph.D. Candidate, University of South Carolina
Steve was born and raised in Austria, where his parents served as missionaries. Before joining CIU’s undergraduate faculty in 2001, he studied literature and art at Taylor University and Indiana University in the Midwest, and taught third culture kids at Black Forest Academy in Germany. Steve enjoys teaching, reading old books, helping to lead student tours to Europe, playing soccer, and spending family time with his wife and best friend Sara and their three children Abigail, Jacob, and David. Steve’s passion for his students is that they might grow into maturity in Christ—in every area of life (Col. 1:28-29).
B.A., Taylor University; M.A. (Art History), M.A. (Comparative Literature), Indiana University; Ph.D. Candidate, University of South Carolina; adjunct faculty, Taylor University, 1996; missionary and teacher, Black Forest Academy, Germany, 1996-99; teacher, Lighthouse Christian Academy, Bloomington, Ind.,
2000-2001.