Andrew Purves

Who is Andrew Purves?

Andrew Purves is a Christian theologian in the Reformed tradition through the Church of Scotland. He holds the Chair in Reformed Theology at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.

A native of Edinburgh, Scotland, Purves earned degrees in philosophy and divinity from the University of Edinburgh, and a Th. M. degree from Duke Divinity School. His Ph. D. is from the University of Edinburgh. In Scotland, he studied under Thomas F. Torrance. Torrance, his brother James Torrance, Athanasius, John Calvin, Karl Barth, and Jurgen Moltmann were all important influences in Purves' theological development.

Originally licensed as a clergyman by the Church of Scotland, Purves relocated to the United States in 1978. He was ordained in 1979. He served as pastor of the Hebron Presbyterian Church in Clinton, PA until 1983, when he began teaching at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.

Purves' primary concerns surround Christology. He continually argues for a vital connection between the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ in his vicarious humanity and the Christian life; a connection founded upon the believer's union with Christ.