About

I have been professor of Old Testament at Northern Baptist Seminary since 1988. Before coming to Northern Baptist, I served as Professor of Old Testament at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri where I taught from 1983-88.

Born in Brazil, I came to the USA in 1963. I am a graduate of California Baptist University, Riverside, California (B. A., 1968), Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, Mill Valley, California (M.Div., 1971), The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky (Ph. D. 1983). I have also done additional graduate work at the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, California (1971-1973).

While attending college, I pastored churches in Pomona and San Juan Capistrano in Southern California. While I worked on my M.Div., I served as a missionary with the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention with Brazilians and Portuguese who lived in San Francisco. I also served as the speaker for the Portuguese Baptist Hour, a weekly radio program in Portuguese.

After graduating from the seminary, I pastored a Spanish-speaking church in San Jose, California. In addition to the pastorate in California, I have also pastored in Kentucky, Missouri, and Illinois.

In 2000, I served as Vice-President of The National Association of Baptist Professors of Religion (NABPR), and in 2001 served as their President.

I authored Paso a Paso por el Antiguo Testamento, “1 and 2 Chronicles,” published in the Mercer Commentary on the Bible, and “Deuteronomio,” published in the Comentario Biblico Mundo Hispano, Perspective on the Old Testament and Hebrew, and “1 and 2 Kings,” published in The New Interpreter’s Study Bible. My latest book is Rereading the Biblical Text: Searching for Meaning and Understanding. This book can be purchased at Amazon.com.

In addition, I have published more than 200 articles and book reviews in English, Spanish, and Russian. My academic work has been published in The Anchor Bible Dictionary, The Mercer Dictionary of the Bible, The Holman Bible Dictionary, Jewish Bible Quarterly, Perspective in Religious Studies, Biblical Illustrator, Old Testament Abstracts, The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, The Journal of Biblical Literature, and Biblical Archaeologist, and the New Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible.

I live in Illinois with my wife of more than forty-six  years, Donna. I have three grown sons, JR, Chris and James, and five granddaughters.

35 Responses to About

  1. Hello Doctor:
    My name is Hector Molano and I`m a teacher in a little seminary in Bogotá Colombia South America, I found your page and blog and really you have very good posts. To me is a great help because try to find good books here is so difficult and if you finally can find one is very expensive and far from my budget.
    Ok, but I write to you for a question, I´m studying the passage of Judges 19 the levite and his concubine and I found there the city of Gibeah, is this city the same that Gibeon? this is important and I think it´s the same one, because in 2Sam there is a revenge and the bodies of that people were hanging in Gibeah. It´s important because Gibeah was the city of Saul and the people of his city deceived to israelites, then the text maybe show us that Saul really was from a bad place and the text present a clear propaganda to the real king, David.
    In God´s love

    Héctor Molano
    address calle 184 #18-22 t.9 ap. 302
    mobile phone 3168586320
    Bogotá Colombia South America

    Note: I apologize for my bad writting english I can read better. And finally if you have old books that maybe don´t use, consider giving to me (upps maybe it´s an imprudent request, please don´t feel bad for this)

    Like

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  4. Greetings Doc,

    Been enjoying your articles at the blogger sites for awhile now. Glad that you made the move to WordPress!

    Like

  5. I have enjoyed reading your blog and look forward to spending some time reading more. I’m a student and I love learning, and your blog is a place for that to happen. Thanks

    Like

    • Graham,

      Welcome to my blog. I am glad to know that you enjoy my posts. I try to write on issues of interest to my students. Many of the posts on my blog have come out of discussions in the classroom. Visit my blog as often as you can.

      Claude Mariottini

      Like

  6. Your articles are very much encouraging and would love to stay at the rivers of life since I am a ministry pastor here in Kenya can you get me some old copies of your articles on hard copies. Kindly conduct me via my e-mail silaschibole@yahoo.com
    or postal address; Pastor Silas Chibole Amulundu
    P.O. BOX 180 SHIANDA – 50106
    KENYA. EAST AFRICA

    Like

  7. Ester says:

    thank you for your article and insights especially on those character whom we hardly think of..

    Like

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  10. Alberto Matias says:

    Hi, do you have other studies or comments on spanish. I just download paso a paso por el antiguo testamento, found it great. Also paso a paso por el nuevo testamento soon startto study it.
    Where can i find more of your work or studies in spanish.

    Like

    • Alberto,

      You can find my commentary on Deuteronomio, published in the Comentario Bíblico Mundo Hispano. Volume 3 (El Paso, TX.: Editorial Mundo Hispano, 1999), 319-558.

      I hope you enjoy reading my commentary on Deuteronomy.

      Claude F. Mariottini
      Emeritus Professor of Old Testament
      Northern Baptist Seminary

      Like

  11. Brianna Mariottini says:

    Hi vovo I love your article! Love, Brianna

    Like

  12. bobspen says:

    My dear brother, in the Lord, Claude: I am a retired Southern Baptist pastor living in the far north Texas town of Denison. I am a graduate of SWBTS and have pastored in Texas, New Mexico and lastly in South Carolina. I am currently teaching the Minor Prophets on Wednesday evening, filling in for the absence of a pastor in our church. In my research of the book of Micah I stumbled onto your blog and was delighted to find the additional help you give. I just wanted to thank you for your assistance. I too have a blog called The Christian Writers Office (thechristianwritersoffice.com) in which I try to write uplifting thoughts to those who subscribe along with sending a monthly newsletter to my subscribers. God bless you my friend and it is a delight to meet you.

    Blessings,

    Bob Lankford

    Like

    • Dear Bob,

      Thank you for your nice words. I am also a retired Southern Baptist pastor. I graduated from Southern Seminary and have served churches in California, Kentucky, Missouri, and Illinois. I served with the Home Mission Board and the Sunday School Board (their names have changed now). I was a professor of Old Testament for more than 30 years. Now I spend my time writing. I write for pastors and for people who love the Old Testament. I am so glad that my posts have helped you. If you look at the Archive section of my blog you will find many other posts that can be of help to you.

      I am about to revise my blogroll and I will include your blog. Thank you for linking my blog to your blog. God bless you in your ministry.

      Claude Mariottini

      Like

  13. Keith Cannon says:

    Claude…. Concerning the supposed mistranslation of the Bible by Christians on the subject of witches, you should be informed that the Talmud states that a Rabbi killed 80 witches in one day and it happened before Christianity. You really need to do some research….

    Like

    • Keith,

      Thank you for your comment. My post on witches was only a quotation from an article published in Haaretz. I also made reference that the author of the article mentioned that the Septuagint mistranslated the Hebrew word. If I were writing an article about witches in ancient Israel, I would do research before I wrote the article. But I was not writing an article; I was just citing the article published in Haaretz.

      Claude Mariottini

      Like

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  15. Dylan Tripe says:

    Are you actually related to Moses ?

    Like

  16. Wilson Kato says:

    Praise God!
    Dr. Claude.
    This is wonderful news or revelation.
    My spirit is much more Enjoyable the massage of God And encouraging me,
    Dear Dr. Can you get me same copies via my email.
    God bless you so much.
    Pr. Wilson Kato

    Like

    • Dear Brother Wilson,

      If you visit the Archive section of my blog, you will find a list of other Bible studies. You will also find articles in PDF format that you can download and read at home. What else do you need? Let me know.

      Claude Mariottini

      Like

  17. Rev Fidel "Butch" Montoya says:

    A real important blog. I would like to add my email address for future posts as I find your work critical to the days in which we live.

    Like

    • Rev. Fidel,

      Thank you for your nice words. I seek to write posts that will help people develop a love for the Old Testament. On my blog there is a place where you can sign to receive all my posts by email.

      If you like my posts, you will love my new book, Divine Violence and the Character of God. You can buy the book with a 40% discount. If you are interested, send me an email at drmariottini@gmail.con. On the subject line write Divine Violence.

      Welcome to my blog.

      Claude Mariottini

      Like

  18. Robert Daniel Haggy says:

    Dear Dr. Mariottini,

    It is with fond memories of sitting in the front row of Old Testament History in the Fall Semester 1984 at SBU that I find myself as I read your blog. You were such a blessing to me. You are so intelligent but now as I read your blog and your replies to comments I see, once again, the humble authority given by God and earned in your many years of education, life learning, and experience you have garnered.

    You were kind and patient with me writing my miniature essays to the quizzes you gave us each day. I enjoyed history and loved the Bible but you had a way of bringing new life forth out of what was often thought of by many as the dull, boring, lifeless part of the Bible. I find myself unable to explain the profound impact you had on the deeping of my love for God, the Father. I walked away from that class with a level of understanding, (and my lack of understanding) of the Father and all He has done for us.

    My education and training on how to write a paper were sorely lacking and too plainly obvious at the end of the semester when you assigned to me as my subject, King Pekahiah. It was a challenge I loved and hated. I loved it and felt, (and still feel) honored you would give me such a challenge. I hated the lack of resources I found. I searched multiple libraries for resource material and found nearly nothing. I think I hate my own failure to find resources more than the lack of their availability. And I hated writing papers as I had never been taught or prepared how to write a paper. I felt disappointed, proud, and grateful for the grade I received from you on that paper. It most assuredly must have been the most ill-written one you have ever read. You were kind, and gracious as I am sure you are today. Thankfully through other college classes and personal study and experience I learned to do much better. Now that paper is a wonderful reminder of a great class and teacher. The memory is a reminder to be humble and do my best even if I’m not quite sure of how to apply what I know.

    You and Dr. Dan Cochrane were the two most influential men on my faith and intellect. As a brother in Christ, scholar, mentor, and wonderful human being I still love you so much to this day though we have not spoken in nearly 40 years. I love and miss our brother Dr. Dan but am thankful I will rejoice in Christ with him and you someday in heaven.

    Sincerely,

    Robert D. Haggy

    P.S. If you would like, I would be thoroughly honored if you would care to converse by email or any other means you wish.

    Like

    • Robert,

      I really enjoyed my years at SBU. When I came to Bolivar, I had just finished my PhD work. I was trying to become a good professor. Your words and the words of many former students assure me that my efforts were not in vain. Many students complained about the research paper, but writing a paper was the best way for students to know more about a specific topic. It also helped them develop their writing skills, a skill that they would use for the rest of their lives.

      I would be glad to dialogue with you over email. You can write me at my private email: drcfmariottini@gmail.com.

      Thank you for your comments and thank you for visiting my blog.

      Claude Mariottini

      Liked by 1 person

  19. bobspen says:

    Dr. Mariottini, living in Texas did not give me the opportunity to sit at your feet as a student. I graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1987. I only stumbled upon your blog about 3 or 4 years ago and was thrilled to have read a couple of your books and do enjoy your blog. You have been gracious to even address a couple my OT questions, for which I am deeply grateful. I wish to thank you for your generosity and your in-depth responses.

    Bob Lankford

    Like

    • Bob,

      I appreciate you visiting my blog regularly and expressing your opinion of what you read by clicking the “Like” button. I almost went to Southwestern in 1968. I was already accepted. I visited the campus before I attended the Southern Baptist Convention in Huston where I made a motion on the floor of the convention. I decided to stay in California where I attended Golden Gate Seminary.

      I am sure you had great Old Testament teachers at SWBTS. It would have been my honor to have had you in my Old Testament classes. Even though you did not study with me, I hope my posts can contribute a little bit to your appreciation for the Old Testament as the Scripture of the church. As always, I am open to questions and requests about the Old Testament.

      May the Lord richly bless your ministry.

      Claude Mariottini

      Liked by 1 person

  20. Ron Susek says:

    Good morning, Dr. Mariottini. i stumbled upon your posts this morning and am thankful for my discovery. Years ago, I met John Booko. He challenged me to write about the Assyrians. Long story short, I wrote The Assyrian Prophecy. Covid hindered the launch but it is taking root now. Your blog regarding the Assyrians was spot on and encouraging. It would be most refreshing to speak with you in the days ahead. God has opened a global outreach for our ministry, which can be viewed at faithwalk.org. I am planning to do some specialized teaching directed to the Assyrian cause. I would welcome any material you have done on the Assyrian people. God bless you.

    Like

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