2 Corinthians has been called the sleeping giant of Paul’s theology. At its heart lies a paradox that both comforts and unsettles: “My grace is sufficient for you,” the risen Jesus tells Paul, “for my power is perfected in weakness.” Few churches, ancient or modern, know what to do with that claim. In celebration of B. G. White’s new book, Pain and Paradox in 2 Corinthians: The Transformative Function of Strength in Weakness (IVP Academic, 2026), this lecture explores how to interpret one of Paul’s richest letters and why its vision of Christ’s upside-down power might be exactly what the church today needs to hear.

The Dean’s Forum discussion is free and is open to the public. No RSVP required for those joining online.

Registration is only required for those planning to attend in person at Gordon-Conwell—Hamilton. Lunch will be provided for those attending in person.

Register by Wednesday, October 28

The Dean’s Forum is hosted by the Academic Dean’s office. The event will take place in Alumni Hall in Kerr Building at the Hamilton campus of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. It will be streamed live through Facebook and at www.gcts.edu/live.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Dr. B.G. White is a faculty member in New Testament at Boston College. He has been a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard Divinity School and has taught at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Reformed Theological Seminary. He is the author of Pain and Paradox in 2 Corinthians: The Transformative Function of Strength in Weakness (IVP Academic, 2026 / Mohr Siebeck, 2021) and has published peer-reviewed articles in a variety of journals, including Journal for the Study of the New Testament and Journal of Theological Studies. He has been a guest editor at the Journal of Theological Interpretation and his commentary on issues at the intersection of faith and culture has appeared in major outlets including Christianity Today and The Boston Globe. He has previously served in pastoral ministry and is a Senior Fellow of The Center for Pastor Theologians.

Dr. Patricia Batten is assistant professor of preaching and director of chapel at Gordon-Conwell. She pastored a small church in Kennebunkport, Maine after receiving her MDiv from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. She later pursued her passion for teaching after earning her DMin in preaching. Pat finds great pleasure in teaching soon-to-be pastors how to preach expository sermons, and is delighted to be involved in academia and in ministry. She’s convinced that her preaching makes her teaching more effective and her teaching makes her a better preacher. She is co-editor of Models for Biblical Preaching: Expository Sermons from the Old Testament (Baker Academic, 2014) and author of Parenting by Faith: What Jesus Said to Parents (Hendrickson Publishing Group, 2019).

Dr. Sean McDonough is the Mary French Rockefeller Distinguished Professor of New Testament. He came to Gordon-Conwell in 2000 from Pacific Theological College in Suva, Fiji, where he had served as the Chair of the Biblical Studies Department and as a lecturer in New Testament. His research interests include creation/cosmology in the Bible and the Ancient Near East, Hellenistic Judaism, Greek philosophy and religion, and the Book of Revelation. Dr. McDonough is the author of Truth’s Consuming Ecstasy: Literary and Philosophical Investigations of the Apocalypse of John (Baylor University Press, 2025). He is a Sunday School teacher and occasional preacher at First Congregational Church in Hamilton.