Heiko Wenzel

Heiko Wenzel serves as Professor of Old Testament Studies at Free Theological University Giessen and as Post-doctoral Research Assistant in Old Testament Studies at ETF Leuven. His academic profile bridges biblical scholarship with Islamic studies, focusing particularly on the Book of the Twelve (Minor Prophets) and interfaith dialogue between Christian and Islamic scriptural interpretation traditions.

Wenzel's educational background includes a Ph.D. from Wheaton College (2008), an MA in Islamic Studies and Theology from Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen (2000), and M.Div. equivalent from Freie Theologische Akademie Giessen (1996). His classical language training (Latinum, Graecum, Hebraicum) completed in 1991/1992 provides foundational expertise for his biblical scholarship.

His research centers on Old Testament exegesis with three interconnected strands: 1) The Book of the Twelve, where he examines both textual details and broader canonical questions; 2) Biblical anthropology, particularly how the Hebrew Bible conceptualizes human nature; and 3) Islam-Christian relations, exploring connections between biblical texts and Islamic theological interpretation. His work demonstrates how ancient texts continue to shape modern religious identities and intergroup relations.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a growing emphasis on comparative religious studies, particularly examining how biblical texts are interpreted across religious boundaries. His scholarship often bridges textual analysis with theological implications, creating a rich interdisciplinary approach that moves from detailed grammatical studies to broad theological reflections on scriptural interpretation across faith traditions.

Wenzel maintains active membership in key scholarly organizations:

• Society of Biblical Literature (2007-present)
• European Association for Biblical Studies (2009-present)
• Evangelical Theological Society (2012-present)

His teaching career spans multiple institutions, beginning as a Teaching Assistant at Freien Theologischen Akademie/Hochschule Giessen (2006-2010) where he taught both Old Testament and Islamic Studies, then advancing to Professor at Free Theological University Giessen (2010-present) while simultaneously serving as Post-doctoral Research Assistant at ETF Leuven (2012-present). This dual appointment reflects his interdisciplinary expertise bridging traditional biblical scholarship with contemporary interfaith concerns.