Scot McKnight is a recognized authority on the New Testament, early Christianity, and the historical Jesus. McKnight, author or editor of 50 books, is a Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary in Lombard, Ill. His latest book is The Heaven Promise: Engaging the Bible’s Truth About Life to Come (Oct. 6, 2015/WaterBrook Press). McKnight has given interviews on radio programs across the nation, has appeared on television and regularly speaks at local churches, conferences, colleges, and seminaries in the USA and abroad. McKnight obtained his Ph.D. at the University of Nottingham (1986).

He writes regularly on his popular blog Jesus Creed, hosted on Patheos.com. Among McKnight’s many writing credits is the award-winning book by the same name The Jesus Creed: Loving God, Loving Others (Paraclete, 2004), which won the Christianity Today Book of the Year for Christian Living. McKnight is a member of the Society of Biblical Literature.

After having written Bible commentaries, academic works and even co-authoring a children’s book with his daughter, McKnight is tackling a mysterious and highly-speculated about topic in The Heaven Promise. “I have been interested in heaven since I was a child,” he says. “I have read about it for years and years, and I have touched briefly on it in other publications, but I wanted to do a full study that keeps away from the constant speculation about heaven and focuses more on the big ideas about heaven (God, Jesus, happiness/pleasure, eternal life, God’s global and beloved community).”

When it comes to understanding more about heaven, McKnight encourages readers to start with the Bible and to start with the fact that Heaven is a promise.“Heaven is God’s promise that he will accomplish what he said he will accomplish. Heaven is as secure as God’s promise, as good as God’s faithfulness and as gracious as God’s love. Heaven is God’s promise to us,” writes McKnight.

A father and a grandfather, McKnight lives in the Chicago suburbs with his wife Kris.