Faculty & Research
Scholars Who Teach. Teachers Who Research.
Karlstadt faculty are active researchers, published scholars, and dedicated mentors — forming the next generation of theological thinkers through close supervision and genuine intellectual partnership.
Our Faculty
Scholars of International Standing
Prof. Dr. Heinrich Braun
Professor of Systematic Theology
PhD, University of Edinburgh
Dr. Braun is a leading scholar of Reformed dogmatics and Trinitarian theology. He is the author of three monographs and over forty peer-reviewed articles, and serves as General Editor of the Karlstadt Journal of Theology.
Current Research: Current research focuses on the retrieval of classical theism in contemporary evangelical theology.
Prof. Dr. Amara Diallo
Professor of Old Testament
PhD, University of Oxford
Dr. Diallo is a specialist in Hebrew wisdom literature and African biblical hermeneutics. She brings the exegetical rigor of Oxford scholarship to the global theological conversation, with particular attention to the reception of the Old Testament in African Christianity.
Current Research: Current research examines the book of Job in the context of African traditional religion and Christian theology.
Prof. Dr. James Whitfield
Professor of Church History
PhD, Princeton Theological Seminary
Dr. Whitfield is a historian of the Reformation and Puritan periods, with particular expertise in the theology of John Owen and the Westminster Assembly. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.
Current Research: Current research examines the doctrine of union with Christ in seventeenth-century Reformed theology.
Prof. Dr. Yuki Tanaka
Professor of New Testament
PhD, Cambridge University
Dr. Tanaka is a Cambridge-trained New Testament scholar specializing in Pauline theology and Greek exegesis. She is the author of a landmark commentary on Romans and a member of the Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas.
Current Research: Current research focuses on the theology of participation in Christ in Paul's letter to the Galatians.
Prof. Dr. Samuel Okafor
Professor of Missiology
PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary
Dr. Okafor is a missiologist and theologian of global Christianity, with extensive field experience in West Africa and Southeast Asia. He is a leading voice in the theology of the church's global mission.
Current Research: Current research examines the theological foundations of church planting movements in sub-Saharan Africa.
Prof. Dr. Elena Vasquez
Professor of Christian Philosophy
PhD, University of Notre Dame
Dr. Vasquez is a philosopher of religion trained at Notre Dame, specializing in Reformed epistemology and the rationality of Christian belief. She is a contributor to the Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Religion.
Current Research: Current research examines the relationship between faith and reason in the Reformed tradition from Calvin to Plantinga.
Research Centers
Centers of Scholarly Excellence
Center for Reformed Theology
Dedicated to the scholarly retrieval and contemporary application of the Reformed theological tradition. Hosts an annual international conference and publishes a monograph series.
Director: Prof. Dr. Heinrich Braun
Center for Global Christianity
Researches the growth, theology, and challenges of Christianity in the Global South. Partners with institutions in Africa, Asia, and Latin America for collaborative research projects.
Director: Prof. Dr. Samuel Okafor
Center for Biblical Languages
Provides advanced resources for the study of Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic, including a digital critical apparatus and language learning laboratory for online students.
Director: Prof. Dr. Amara Diallo
Center for Apologetics & Philosophy
Engages the intellectual challenges to Christian faith with rigorous philosophical and theological scholarship. Hosts public lectures and produces accessible scholarly resources.
Director: Prof. Dr. Elena Vasquez
Peer-Review Journal
Karlstadt Journal of Theology
A peer-reviewed journal of international theological scholarship
The Karlstadt Journal of Theology (KJT) is a double-blind peer-reviewed academic journal publishing original research in all areas of theological inquiry. Published twice annually, KJT is indexed in ATLA Religion Database and open-access through the DOAJ.
Focus Areas
- Biblical Studies and Exegesis
- Systematic and Historical Theology
- Philosophy of Religion and Apologetics
- Missiology and Global Christianity
- Pastoral Theology and Ministry Studies
Doctoral Supervision
Doctoral Supervision
Karlstadt's doctoral supervision model is modeled on the Oxford/Cambridge tutorial system. Each doctoral student is assigned a primary supervisor and a second reader, with regular one-to-one supervision sessions, annual progress reviews, and participation in the doctoral research colloquium.
One-to-One Supervision
Every doctoral student receives dedicated one-to-one supervision from a faculty expert in their field, with a minimum of monthly supervision sessions.
Annual Progress Review
All doctoral students undergo a formal annual review by a panel of faculty, assessing research progress, writing quality, and timeline to completion.
Research Colloquium
The doctoral research colloquium meets monthly, providing a forum for candidates to present work in progress and receive peer and faculty critique.
Viva Voce Examination
PhD dissertations are examined by an external examiner in a formal oral defense (viva voce), ensuring international standards of doctoral examination.