John Bergsma

John Bergsma is an American Catholic theologian and biblical scholar specializing in the Old Testament and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Formerly a Protestant pastor who served for four years, Bergsma converted to Catholicism in 2001 while pursuing advanced studies.

Bergsma earned a Ph.D. in Theology from the University of Notre Dame in 2004 with high honors, following earlier degrees from Calvin Theological Seminary, including a Th.M., M.Div., and B.A. in Classical Languages. He has been a faculty member in the Department of Theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville since completing his doctorate, where he currently holds the position of full professor.

His scholarly work focuses on the Jewish roots of Christianity , drawing from ancient texts like the Dead Sea Scrolls to illuminate biblical themes. Notable publications include co-authoring the article “ Noah ’s Nakedness and the Curse on Canaan (Gen 9:20-27)” in the Journal of Biblical Literature (2005), as well as books such as Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls: Revealing the Jewish Roots of Christianity (2019) and Jesus and the Jubilee : The Biblical Roots of the Year of God's Favor (2024). Bergsma also engages in public speaking, ecumenical dialogue , and apologetics , contributing to Catholic-Protestant understanding through lectures and conferences.

John Bergsma was born in 1971 in Pearl City, Hawaii , and spent much of his childhood in Hawaii , where his family had connections through the U.S. Navy community as his father was a Navy chaplain, linked to West Michigan's Dutch Reformed heritage.

Raised in a devout Protestant household of Dutch Calvinist descent, Bergsma was immersed from an early age in the Christian Reformed Church tradition, which emphasized a rigorous biblical faith and viewed Catholic practices with suspicion. His parents fostered this environment, shaping his initial religious worldview and instilling a deep respect for Scripture that would influence his future pursuits.

During his high school years at Kalaheo High School in Kailua, Hawaii , graduating in 1989, Bergsma showed early academic promise, placing as first runner-up in a statewide televised scholarship competition. These formative experiences, combined with his family's theological emphasis, sparked his interests in classical languages and biblical studies , guiding him toward seminary training. He later transitioned to formal education at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan .

John Bergsma commenced his higher education at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan , earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classical Languages in December 1993. This undergraduate program, attended from 1989 to 1992, provided foundational training in ancient languages such as Greek and Latin, aligning with his later scholarly focus on biblical texts.

He continued his studies at Calvin Theological Seminary, also in Grand Rapids, where he obtained a Master of Divinity degree in May 1998. This degree emphasized theological and ministerial preparation within the Reformed tradition. Subsequently, Bergsma completed a Master of Theology at the same seminary in May 1999.

Bergsma pursued advanced research at the University of Notre Dame from 1999 to 2004, culminating in a Ph.D. in Theology awarded in March 2004 with high honors. His dissertation, titled "The Jubilee from Leviticus to Qumran ," examined the concept of the Jubilee year across biblical and Second Temple Jewish literature, under the direction of James C. VanderKam.

Bergsma's Protestant ministry commenced shortly after completing his undergraduate studies, when he took on the role of co-pastor at Coit Community Church, an inner-city urban mission congregation affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church in North America, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan . He served in this position from January 1995 to August 1998, leading a multi-ethnic parish in a challenging urban environment.