Chris McKinny
Chris McKinny has a PhD from Bar Ilan University (Israel). His dissertation focused on the historical geography and archaeology of the town lists of Judah and Benjamin in the book of Joshua. He also is a core staff member of the Tel Burna Archaeological Project and currently involved in several other writing and research projects. His past projects include "My People as Your People: A Textual and Archaeological Analysis of the Reign of Jehoshaphat" (Peter Lang, 2016) and "The Regnal Chronology of the Kings of Israel and Judah" (BiblePlaces, 2015). He currently serve as an adjunct faculty member at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, The Master's University (IBEX), and William Jessup University.
Presenter at
Bible & Archaeology Fest XXVI, November 17 – 19, 2023
Armageddon – A Royal Reversal
Armageddon (Rev 16:16) is one of the most well-known place names in the Bible. Despite the widespread usage of the term in popular culture, Armageddon’s historical geographical background has not been adequately explored or understood – in my opinion. In this lecture, we will examine the meaning of Armageddon in light of the literary context of the Book of Revelation and the historical context of the late 1st century CE. Most significantly, we will discuss the usage of Armageddon against the background of the death of King Josiah in the Hebrew Bible and recent archaeological investigations in the Jezreel Valley.
Spring Bible & Archaeology Fest 2023
A Tale of Two Swords – David’s Rise and Saul’s Demise
A misinterpretation of the archaeological evidence at Beth-shean has caused modern scholars to misunderstand the biblical portrayal of the death of Saul at Mount Gilboa, as well as the aftermath of what happened to Saul’s bodily remains and weaponry (1 Samuel 31). This misinterpretation has also obscured what I believe is a very intricate and sophisticated literary motif that runs throughout 1 Samuel 13–31. I call this narrative – the Tale of Two Swords. Once this biblical archaeological misinterpretation is corrected – the re-telling of the story with its epic elements allows modern readers to appreciate the literary beauty of David’s rise.
