The Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology is pleased to announce Mickey Mattox (PhD, Duke University) as the new editor of the Pro Ecclesia journal and Joel Chopp (PhD, University of Toronto) as the new managing editor. For the past 2 years, Mattox has served as the Flack Family Foundation Chair and professor of theology at Hillsdale College and Chopp recently accepted a post as assistant professor of Historical and Systematic Theology at Asbury Theological Seminary.
Prior to 2022, Mattox served as professor of theology for 19 years at Marquette University. Preceding his time at Marquette, Mattox was a research professor for 4 years at the Institute for Ecumenical Research in Strasbourg, France and assistant professor of theology for 5 years at Concordia University in Illinois.
Chopp came to Asbury after serving as visiting assistant professor of theology at Wheaton College. Before his time serving in the classroom, Chopp was the project and communications manager for 7 years for The Creation Project, supported by the John Templeton Foundation.
Mattox follows Phillip Cary as editor and, of course, Pro Ecclesia founding editors Robert Jenson and Carl Braaten, whom Mattox credits with significantly impacting his own theological development. Speaking of the significance of the Pro Ecclesia journal in the theological landscape, Mattox remarks, “I am convinced that Pro Ecclesia remains the premier academic journal of catholic and evangelical theology in North America today, and I want to do everything I can to see that it remains so.”
As editor, Mattox hopes to commend the journal to “a new generation of younger theologians.” Mattox goes on to say that “including new voices will work to strengthen and renew the CCET in its theological and ecumenical mission.”
Together, Mattox and Chopp bring a wealth of academic experience, professional research and love for and service to the church. They will serve the Center well as it seeks ways in which the Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant traditions can enrich one another in pursuit of Christian unity.
Mattox’s publications include “Defender of the Most Holy Matriarchs”: Martin Luther’s Interpretation of the Women of Genesis in the Enarrationes in Genesin, 1535-1545 (Brill), Luther at Leipzig: Martin Luther, the Leipzig Debate, and the Sixteenth-Century Reformations (Brill), Changing Churches: An Orthodox, Catholic, and Lutheran Theological Conversation (Eerdmans), and The Substance of the Faith: Luther’s Doctrinal Theology for Today (Fortress). Chopp is the author of numerous articles and the co-editor of Science and the Doctrine of Creation: The Approaches of Ten Modern Theologians (IVP) and co-author of the forthcoming Classical Theism for Protestants: Thomas Aquinas and the Future of Evangelical Theology (IVP).