Background: Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, Carl was raised in and around Oak Ridge, the “atomic city,” where his father worked in a nuclear plant. An only child, Carl grew up in the Lonsdale Christian Church in Knoxville, and the West Village Christian Church in Oak Ridge, along with brief stays in a couple of other local churches.
Personal Information: He was born on February 3, 1951, to Carl, Sr., and Mary Kate (Cooper) Bridges. He married his wife Glenda (Ford) in 1971. They have two children, Cynthia (Coffey) and Donn, and four grandchildren.
Education: He graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Johnson Bible College in Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1972. He received a Master of Divinity degree from Lincoln (Illinois) Christian Seminary in 1976. In 1984 he received a Th.M. degree from Union Theological Seminary in Virginia, and in 1990 a Ph.D. in New Testament from the same institution. His dissertation was entitled "Paul and the Pneumatics: A Study in Social Control.” He has also studied at the University of Oklahoma (Summer Institute of Linguistics, 1972), Ghana Christian College and Seminary, Virginia Commonwealth University, and the University of Tennessee.
Ministry Experience: After student ministries in Kentucky and Illinois, Carl served as a missionary to Ghana for seven years. After returning to the USA, he served three years as associate minister at the Fairmount Christian Church in Richmond, Virginia. At present he serves as an elder and adult Sunday School teacher at Cornerstone Christian Church in Knoxville.
Teaching Experience: Carl taught at Ghana Christian College and Seminary for six years, and at Johnson Bible College since 1987. He taught in Milligan College’s adult degree completion program in 1992. At Johnson he teaches ¾ of his time in undergraduate classes and ¼ time online in the MA in New Testament program, in addition to occasional work in Johnson’s LAMP adult degree completion program and the undergraduate correspondence program.
Academic Interests and Experience: His interests include the Gospels and cross-cultural biblical interpretation. He is a member of the Society of Biblical Literature. He has published articles and reviews in magazines, academic journals, and books, including entries in Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible and the Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology.
Interests and Hobbies: Carl’s interests include Civil War history, target shooting, and reading fiction. He spends as much time as possible with his grandchildren. |
