Anathea E. Portier-Young, MABL, Ph.D.
Professor of Old Testament
Duke Divinity School
Professional Bio
Anathea Portier-Young is Professor of Old Testament at Duke University Divinity School. She holds a BA from Yale University, MA from Graduate Theological Union / Jesuit School of Theology, and PhD from Duke University. She is the author of two award-winning books, Apocalypse Against Empire: Theologies of Resistance in Early Judaism (Eerdmans, 2011) and The Prophetic Body: Embodiment and Mediation in Biblical Prophetic Literature (Oxford University Press, 2024), and co-editor with Gregory E. Sterling of Scripture and Social Justice: Catholic and Ecumenical Essays (Lexington, 2018). She is a co-author of At Home with the Word 2026 (Liturgy Training Publications, 2025) and At Home with the Word 2028 (forthcoming, 2027). An engaging and dynamic teacher, speaker, and preacher, she frequently lectures and leads workshops in a variety of settings on topics ranging from biblical prophetic and apocalyptic literature to intersections of Old Testament literature with Catholic social thought, liturgy, spirituality, and the arts.
Institution
Duke Divinity School
Full Member
OT Books
Hebrew Bible, Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, 1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings, Tobit, 1-2 Maccabees, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Joel, Jonah, Habakkuk
NT Books
Revelation
OT/NT Backgrounds #1
OT Apocrypha/Pseudepigrapha, Qumran/ Dead Sea Scrolls, Second Temple Studies
OT/NT Backgrounds #2
Israel History- Second Temple Period, Israel History- Hellenistic Judaism
OT Themes and Topics
Apocalyptic, Deuterocanonical Books, Early Judaism, Eschatology, Ethics, Old Testament Studies, Prophetic Literature, Prophetic Theology, Women and Gender in the Hebrew Bible
NT Topics
Apocalyptic, Liturgy, Spirituality
Hermeneutics
Biblical Ethics, Catholic Social Teaching, Pastoral Usage, Preaching Usage
Modern Languages (for research and speaking)
Spanish
Year Associate Member
1999
Year Full Member
2004
Studies
bibl. langs. at Jesuit Sch. of Theol., Berkeley/GTU, 1998 (MABL); at Duke Univ., 1998-2004 (Ph.D.).
Teaching
OT at Duke Divinity School, 2003- (current title Assoc. Prof.)
CBA Offices
CBQ Assoc. Ed., 2012-. CBA Consultor, 2011-13. Ad hoc Committee for Strategic Plan, 2010-12. Chair, Research Support Committee, 2022-2023. CBA consultor, 2023-2025., CBQMS/CBQI Associate Editor, 2024-2027.
Available formats for presentations
In-person, Virtual, Hybrid