As Interim Provost and Inaugural Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Matthew E. Gordley provides collaborative and visionary leadership in support of the academic mission of the university. Since joining the Carlow University community in 2015, he has focused on supporting student learning and faculty success through his inclusive leadership style and passion for liberal arts and Mercy education. A signature aspect of his work has involved the creation of partnerships and collaborations across departments and outside of the university that lead to innovative opportunities for student learning. Under Dr. Gordley’s leadership the college has received over $27 million in grants from the National Science Foundation, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the U.S. Department of Education, the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the Council of Independent Colleges, and numerous foundations. Dr. Gordley has also led the college in the creation of new and re-engineered programs including an MS in Cardiovascular Perfusion, BS in Data Analytics, BS in Computer Science, BS in Esports Business Management, AS in Neurodiagnostic Technology, MA in Art, several MEd programs aligned to regional needs, and an Education Doctorate. In these ways Dr. Gordley has demonstrated a strong ability to advance the college’s mission in support of the University’s strategic plan, the Carlow Commitment 2025. 

Dr. Gordley is a leading expert in the study of Christianity and Judaism in antiquity with a focus on reading the New Testament in its original cultural and historical contexts. His latest book, Social Justice in the Stories of Jesus: The Ethical Challenge of the Parables (to be released in January 2024),explores the parables through Carlow’s Mercy lens. His three previous books explore early Jewish and Christian psalms and hymns with a focus on how these kinds of poetic texts promote a vision of reality and foster a sense of communal identity for the authors and their communities. His research has been published in the Journal of Biblical Literature, Journal of Jewish Studies, Journal of Ancient Judaism, Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha, Catholic Biblical Quarterly, Journal of Catholic Higher Education, and the Journal for the Study of Paul and His Letters. He is a member of the American Academy of Religion, Catholic Biblical Association, Society of Biblical Literature, and the international Society of New Testament Studies.  

Dr. Gordley earned a PhD in theology from the University of Notre Dame, an MDiv from Alliance Theological Seminary, and a BA from Wheaton College (IL). Prior to joining Carlow University, Dr. Gordley served as an associate dean, department chair, and faculty member at Regent University.