Clinton E. Arnold (born 1958) is a New Testament scholar; in late 2025 he is the Research Professor of the New Testament at the Talbot School of Theology at Biola University in California.
Education and family Arnold earned his B.A.(1980) from Biola, his M.Div. (1983) from the related Talbot Theological Seminary, and his Ph.D. (1986) in New Testament exegesis at the University of Aberdeen. In 1991, he completed post-doctoral studies in the historical context of the epistle to the Colossians at Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen. Arnold was named the new dean of Talbot School of Theology in May 2012.
Arnold married Barbara (née Erickson) in 1981, and together they have three children.
Career
He was the dean at Talbot School of Theology until 2023 and 2011 president of the Evangelical Theological Society. Arnold's research interest is in the Pauline writings, the book of Acts, Graeco-Roman religions, the rise of Christianity in Asia Minor, and the theology of sanctification (including modern-day exorcism and spiritual warfare).Christianity Today, September 3, 2001, "Exorcism 101" https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2001/september3/5.58.html We can pray and ask God to deliver someone from evil, but it may be necessary to address a spirit directly in the way that Jesus did. ... our right to exercise authority in his name over this realm, we can issue a firm and direct command to an intruding spirit with the expectation that it will leave. He has authored over a dozen books, dozens of scholarly articles, and several entries in biblical dictionaries and study Bibles. In late 2025, his H-index was 18.
In the past, he served as a regular columnist for Discipleship Journal, and is the general editor of the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary Series.
Works
Thesis
Books
(2007) 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus
(2018) A Frustrating Answer to the Christian Faith
Articles
References