Biblical and Theological Publications

Academic and Peer-Reviewed Scholarship

Melvin L. Otey, Churches and Civil Restrictions on Religious Assemblies: Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic, 57.4 Loyola University Chicago Law Journal  ________ (forthcoming 2026).

Melvin L. Otey, Light Shining Out of Darkness: Race, Churches of Christ, and the Death of Botham Jean, 67:2 Restoration Quarterly 79–92 (2025).

Melvin L. Otey, Christian Faith and Marijuana Use After Federal Rescheduling, 22.2 Indiana Health Law Review 351–379 (2025).

Melvin L. Otey, Toward a Broader Theocentric Environmentalism, 35 Duke Environmental Law & Policy Forum 1–32 (2024).

Melvin L. Otey, Luke’s Invitation to a Life of Prayer, 51.4 Currents in Theology and Mission 20–26 (2024).

Melvin L. Otey, The Ancient Pedigree of Homosexuality as the Sin of Sodom, 49.1 Themelios 32–43 (2024).

Melvin L. Otey, What Churches Should Do When Civil Authorities Restrict their Assemblies, 81.2 Theology Today 126–135 (2024).

Melvin L. Otey, A Modern Reflection on Premodern Allegory, 1:1 Studies of Biblical Interest 21–30 (2023/2024).

Melvin L. Otey, Jesus’ High Priestly Inquisitor in John Eighteen, 26.1 Stone-Campbell Journal 81–95 (2023).

Melvin L. Otey, The Propriety of Multiple Meanings in Scripture, 65:2 Restoration Quarterly 94–102 (2023).

Melvin L. Otey, The Unity of the Shrewd Steward Pericope: Luke 16:1–13 Reconsidered, 180 Bibliotheca Sacra 441–451 (2023).

Melvin L. Otey, What Christians Need to Know About “Legalized” Marijuana, 48.2 Themelios 395–403 (2023).

Melvin L. Otey, Witness Sequestration and the Failure of Proof in Jesus’s Sanhedrin Trial (Mark 14:55–59), 65:3 Restoration Quarterly 149–160 (2023).

Melvin L. Otey, Jesus's Objections During His Preliminary Examination and Modern Notions of Due Process, 35:1 Regent Law Review 91–134 (2022).

(Select) Other Publications

Glenn Colley, Ben Giselbach, Hiram Kemp, and Melvin L. Otey. It’s There in Black and White: Scriptural Answers to 37 Questions People Are Asking about Racial Tension in the Church. PlainSimpleFaith, 2020.

Melvin L. Otey, Medical Marijuana: The Legal Aspects, Sufficient Evidence: A Journal of Christian Apologetics, 2017, at 123.

Melvin L. Otey, What Does the Bible Say about Having a Sex Change? Reason and Revelation, Nov. 2016.

Melvin L. Otey, Fostering Unity Through Sound Doctrine, Gospel Advocate, Apr. 2016, at 16.

Melvin L. Otey, That the World May Believe, Gospel Advocate, Feb. 2016, at 23.

Melvin L. Otey, A Christian Response to the Homosexual Agenda, Gospel Advocate, Apr. 2014, at 23.

Melvin L. Otey, Communicating the Gospel in America’s Emerging Culture, Gospel Advocate, Apr. 2013, at 37.

Book Reviews

Melvin L. Otey. Review of After Botham: Healing from My Brother's Murder by a Police Officer in Stone-Campbell Journal ___ (2025) (accepted and forthcoming).

Melvin L. Otey. Review of Just Discipleship: Biblical Justice in an Unjust World in Stone-Campbell Journal ___ (2025) (accepted and forthcoming).

Melvin L. Otey. Review of Paul and Empire Criticism: Why and How? in Journal for the Study of the New Testament ___ (2025) (accepted and forthcoming).

Melvin L. Otey. Review of Paul’s Gospel: Empire, Race, and Ethnicity in Restoration Quarterly ___ (2025) (accepted and forthcoming).

Melvin L. Otey. Review of Reforming Criminal Justice: A Christian Proposal in Stone-Campbell Journal ___ (2025) (accepted and forthcoming).

Melvin L. Otey. Review of Servant Lawyer: Facing the Challenges of Christian Faith in Everyday Law Practice in Religious Studies Review ___ (2025) (accepted and forthcoming)

Melvin L. Otey. Review of The Trials of Jesus: Evidence, Conclusions, and Aftermath in Themelios ___ (2025) (accepted and forthcoming)

Melvin L. Otey. Review of Comparative Law: A Very Short Introduction in Religious Studies Review 51:2 (2025): 495–496.

Melvin L. Otey. Review of Jesus and the Powers: Christian Political Witness in an Age of Totalitarian Terror and Dysfunctional Democracies in Toronto Journal of Theology 41:1 (2025): 105–106.

Melvin L. Otey. Review of A Life of Alexander Campbell by Douglas A. Foster in Church History and Religious Culture 104:1 (2024): 143–145.

Melvin L. Otey. Review of Hard-Fighting Soldiers: A History of African American Churches of Christ by Edward J. Robinson in Church History and Religious Culture 103:3–4 (2023): 425–427.

Melvin L. Otey. Review of Luke-Acts in Modern Interpretation by Stanley E. Porter and Ron C. Fay (eds.) in Stone-Campbell Journal 26:1 (2023): 147–148.

Melvin L. Otey. Review of The Innocence of Pontius Pilate by David Lloyd Dusenbury in Religious Studies Review 49:2 (2023): 213–214.

Melvin L. Otey. Review of The Septuagint: What it is and Why it Matters by Gregory R. Lanier and William A. Ross in Restoration Quarterly 65:2 (2023): 115–116.

Melvin L. Otey. Review of Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope by Esau McCaulley in Restoration Quarterly 64:4 (2022): 249–250.

Melvin L. Otey. Review of Ethics Beyond Rule by Keith D. Stanglin in The Christian Chronicle (March 2022): 36.