معرفی
Kaz Hayashi serves as Associate Professor of Old Testament at Bethel Seminary and Associate Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences at Bethel University, where he began teaching in 2022. A Japanese native from Shizuoka prefecture, Dr. Hayashi brings a unique cross-cultural perspective to biblical studies, combining his Japanese heritage with extensive training in Old Testament scholarship and archaeology.
His educational background includes a B.A. in Pastoral Studies from Moody Bible Institute (2012), M.A. in Biblical & Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (2017), and Ph.D. in Religion from Baylor University (2022). Dr. Hayashi has participated in archaeological excavations in Israel and Palestine and currently serves as staff at Tel Shimron Excavations.
His research interests focus on the Books of Chronicles and Ezra/Nehemiah, the concept of time in the Old Testament and ancient Near East, biblical rhetoric and literary techniques, biblical imageries, and biblical stories in Japanese anime and popular culture. His scholarly work demonstrates a creative fusion of traditional biblical studies with contemporary cultural analysis, particularly examining how Japanese popular culture engages with biblical themes.
Dr. Hayashi's publications reflect his interdisciplinary approach, spanning from traditional Assyriological studies of cylinder seals to theological examinations of Japanese Vocaloid culture. His work on Achaemenid empire lists demonstrates expertise in both ancient Near Eastern history and biblical interpretation, while his analysis of Hatsune Miku bridges ancient theological concepts with modern digital culture.
Among his honors are the Baylor Libraries Special Collection Teaching Fellowship (2021), Glenn O. and Martell B. Hilburn Endowed Graduate Research Scholarship (2020), and multiple excavation fellowships from prestigious institutions including the American Schools of Overseas Research.
Beyond academia, Dr. Hayashi is an ordained minister in the Baptist General Convention with extensive church experience including interim worship leadership, youth pastoral work, chaplaincy, and teaching various age groups. He maintains active involvement in professional organizations including the Society of Biblical Literature, American Schools of Oriental Research, and the Institute for Biblical Research.
