Teaching the Word: A Conversation with Dr. Carmen Joy Imes on Her Call to Academia

In this episode of The Stark Difference, we sit down with Dr. Carmen Joy Imes, Associate Professor of Old Testament at Biola University's Talbot School of Theology.

Dr. Imes traces her journey from a missions-focused college student to her current role as an Old Testament professor and scholar. She also offers thoughtful guidance on engaging difficult Old Testament passages and reflects on the church’s call to live as a family.

Highlights:

• [7:00] Unexpected path from missionary work to Old Testament scholarship.

• [14:00] Wrestling with women’s roles in ministry and what changed her understanding of the topic.

• [30:00] How to engage hard biblical texts like Canaanite violence and divine justice.

• [46:00] Sneak peek into her upcoming book Becoming God’s Family: Why the Church Still Matters and why community is central to Christian identity.