Sung Jin Park
Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew, Dean of Asian Studies
At a Glance
Biography
Sung Jin Park serves as the Dean of Asian Studies and Professor of Old Testament & Hebrew at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Prior to joining Midwestern, Dr. Park was an adjunct faculty member at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, where he taught Biblical Hebrew narratives, poetry, and syntax to Ph.D. and Rabbinical students. Additionally, he contributed as a research assistant in Syriac literature for the Comprehensive Aramaic Project at the same institute.
Dr. Park holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Material Science & Engineering from Hanyang University and POSTECH in South Korea. Before his call to full-time ministry, he worked as a research engineer at Hyundai Motor Company for six years, securing 32 international patents and utilities. After relocating to the United States, he earned a Th.M. in Old and New Testaments from Dallas Theological Seminary, as well as an M.Phil. and a Ph.D. in Judaic, Hebraic, and Cognate Studies and Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Studies from Hebrew Union College.
Dr. Park’s research focuses on Biblical Hebrew poetry and narratives, the diachronic linguistic development of Semitic languages, Deuteronomic laws and their practical applications, religions of Israel and Ugarit, and the Masoretic accentuation system. His notable publications include Typology in Biblical Hebrew Meter: A Generative Metrical Approach (2017) and The Fundamentals of Hebrew Accents: Divisions and Exegetical Roles beyond Syntax (2020), along with articles in internationally recognized academic journals. He also serves on the editorial board of the Journal for the Evangelical Study of the Old Testament and as a guest editor for the special issue Narrating the Divine: Exploring Biblical Hebrew Poetry and Narratives in Religions.
Dr. Park has received numerous honors and awards, including the Research Grant for Innovative Theological Education (In Trust, 2022-23), Professor of the Year (MBTS, 2022), the Isadore and Goldie Millstone Fellowship (HUC, 2005-09), the Rev. John Oak Foundation Scholarship (Sarang Community Church, Korea, 2005-07), the Merrill F. Unger Award in the Old Testament (DTS, 2004), the Seminary Full Scholarship for International Students (DTS, 1999-2003), the POSCO Research Fellowship (1991-93), the Hyundai Motors Research Fellowship (1991-93), the University Scholarship of Excellence (Hanyang, 1987-89), and the Korea National Research Foundation Scholarship of Excellence (Republic of Korea Government, 1989-91).
In his ministry, Dr. Park has served at the Cincinnati Chinese Church and the Arlington Chinese Church for 14 years and has been involved in the foreign laborer ministry at Sarang Community Church in Seoul, Korea. He is married to Alice, and they have three children: Eileen, Eunice, and Euclid.
Education
B.S. Hanyang University
Th.M. Dallas Theological Seminary (Old & New Testaments)
M.S. POSTECH
M.Phil. Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (Judaic, Hebraic & Cognate Studies)
Ph.D. Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (Hebrew Bible & ANE)
Publications by SUNG JIN PARK
The Fundamentals of Hebrew Accents: Divisions and Exegetical Roles beyond Syntax, Cambridge University Press, 2020
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Typology in Biblical Hebrew Meter: A Generative Metrical Approach, Edwin Mellen, 2017
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“Biblical Hebrew Poetry”, in “Where Shall Wisdom Be Found?” A Grammatical Tribute to Professor Stephen A. Kaufman (eds. Hélène Dallaire, Benjamin Noonan, and Jennifer E. Noonan; Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2017), 289-316.
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You Shall Purge the Evil from Your Midst: Legal Omissions and Reconstructions of the Illicit Sex Laws in Deuteronomy 22:22–29
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On the Disparity of Penalties in Deuteronomy 22:13–21
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The Validity of the Phonetic Value Changes of Shewa in Various Tiberian Accentual Contexts
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The Text and Translations of Job: A Comparative Study on Job with Other Versions in Light of Translation Techniques
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A New Historical Reconstruction of the Fall of Samaria
Read NowFaculty Q&A
As a Christian educator, I see teaching as a sacred participation in the life of the Church—the body of Christ called into communion across nations and generations. My classroom often becomes a microcosm of this communion, where students from diverse backgrounds are united in Christ. I approach each course not merely as information, but as formation—shaping minds and hearts for deeper fellowship with Christ and one another. Teaching, for me, is a joyful vocation through which I join Christ’s communion with His people, sharing in His ongoing work of building up the Church in truth, love, and global mission.
As Dean of Asian Studies, I love teaching at MBTS because of its rich cultural diversity. Our student body includes students from Korea, China, Taiwan, Thailand, India, and other nations. Engaging with them is not only a privilege to teach, but also a meaningful opportunity to learn from their cultural insights and lived experiences. This global diversity fuels a shared passion for the Church’s mission to the nations. I also deeply value the opportunity to interact with brilliant and kind colleagues whose scholarship and friendship sharpen my thinking and help me grow in my own ministry and academic calling. Together, we are equipping leaders for the global Church, and that is a joy and responsibility I treasure.
I am deeply encouraged by the courage, conviction, and spiritual maturity of our students—many of whom are being trained in their own countries while navigating complex and often restrictive environments. Some serve under constant surveillance; a few have even been arrested for proclaiming the gospel. Yet they persist in their studies with quiet determination and bold faith, believing that they are called to lead the Church in their nations.
Our program is intentionally structured to support students in these sensitive contexts. We offer accessible, high-quality theological education through online and hybrid formats, enabling students to remain embedded in their local churches and communities while being equipped for faithful ministry. This approach allows us to walk alongside them in real time, offering both academic formation and pastoral encouragement as they prepare to serve under difficult circumstances.
Their resilience and vision for the Church—not only locally, but globally—fill me with deep hope. It is an immense privilege to invest in their formation and to witness firsthand how God is raising up a new generation of leaders who will shepherd His people with wisdom, humility, and boldness.
