EDUCATION
University of Chicago, Ph.D. (2000)
University of Chicago, M.Div. (1992)
California State University, Sacramento, B.A. (1988)
PROFESSIONAL HISTORY
W. George Matton Professor of Philosophy and Religion, Centre College (2017-Present)
Professor of Religion and Philosophy, Centre College (2016-2017)
NEH Associate Professor of Religion and Philosophy, Centre College (2010-2013)
Associate Professor of Religion and Philosophy, Centre College (2007-2016)
Assistant Professor of Religion, Centre College (2002-2006)
Visiting Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, DePaul University (2000-02)
PUBLICATIONS
Books
How to Think Philosophically (Fortress Press, under contract)
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Theology, and Political Resistance, with Lori Brandt Hale (Lexington Books, 2020)
Paul Ricoeur and the Poetic Imperative: The Creative Tension Between Love and Justice (SUNY, 2007)
Paul Ricoeur and Contemporary Moral Thought, with William Schweiker and John Wall (Routledge, 2002)
Book chapters
“Richard Kearney: Anathesim, or (Re)Imagining God After God.” In Varieties of Post-theism (Forthcoming)
“‘Make straight in the desert a highway’: Relating Present and Future in Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Walter Benjamin” in Bonhoeffer and the Responsibility for a Coming Generation: Doing Theology in a Time Out of Joint. Edited by Robert Vosloo, Teddy Sakupapa, Karola Radler, and Ashwin Thyssen (T&T Clark, forthcoming)
“Political Meditations in Confessional Keys: The Political Theologies of Carl Schmitt, Walter Benjamin, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer” in Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Theology, and Political Resistance. Edited by Lori Brandt Hale and W. David Hall (Lexington Books, 2020)
“Beyond the Friend-Enemy Distinction: Hospitality as a Political Paradigm” in Love and Justice, Consonance or Dissonance? Edited by Ingolf U. Dalferth and Trevor W. Kimball (Mohr Siebeck, 2019)
“Paul Ricoeur” in Bloomsbury Handbook of Literary and Cultural Theory. Edited by Jeffery R. Di Leo (Bloomsbury Press, 2018)
“The Human Form in the Phenomenon of Life” in Responsibility and the Enhancement of Life: Essays in Honor of William Schweiker. Edited by Guenter Thomas and Heike Springhart (Evangelische Verlagsanstalt, 2017)
“The Coming Community: Agamben, Benjamin, and the Hope for a Materialist-Messianic Redemption of the Present,” in Hope and the Longing for Utopia: Futures and Illusions in Theology and Narrative. Edited by Daniel Boscaljon (Pickwick Publications, 2014)
“The Practice of Memory: Vichian Imagination in Re-membering the Integrity of Life Before God,” in Theological Reflection and the Pursuit of Ideals: Theology, Human Flourishing, and Freedom. Edited by David Jaspers, Dale Wright, Maria Antonaccio, and William Schweiker (Ashgate, 2013)
“The Modern Day Followers of the Lamb: The Rhetoric of Suffering and the Politics of Identity in the Left Behind Series,” in Subverting Scripture: Contemporary Echos of the Bible. Edited by Beth Hawkins Benedix (Palgrave-Macmillan, 2009)
“The Site of Christian Ethics,” in Paul Ricoeur and Contemporary Moral Thought. Edited by W. David Hall, William Schweiker, and John Wall (Routledge, 2002)
Articles
“The Seminar on God and the Human Future: A Report on the 2019 Spring Meeting.” The 4th R, vol. 32, no. 4 (July-August, 2019)
“On the Possibility of (Un)Naming God: Thinking Theologically Along the Lines of Literature.” Journal of Literature and Thelology, vol. 29, no. 2 (June, 2015)
“A Collusion of Tropes: Simile, Hyperbole, Metaphor, and Irony in the Work of Theology.” Intertexts: A Journal of Comparative and Theoretical Reflection, vol. 16. no. 2 (Fall, 2012)
Response to Cristina Bucur’s review, Conversations in Religion and Theology, vol. 8, no. 1 (May, 2010)
“The Primacy of Rhetoric: Ernesto Grassi’s Recovery of Humanism and the Possibilities for Philosophy and Religious Studies.” The Religion and Culture Web Forum of the Martin Marty Center for the Advanced Study of Religion (July, 2010)
“All American Messiah: The Death of Captain America and the Symbolism of American Messianic Aspiration.” Postscripts: The Journal of Sacred Texts and Contemporary Worlds, vol. 3.2-3 (August-November, 2007, released April 2010)
“The Economy of the Gift: Paul Ricoeur’s Poetic Redescription of Reality.” Journal of Literature and Theology, vol 20, no. 2 (June, 2006)
“Does Creation Equal Nature: Confronting the Christian Confusion about Ecology and Cosmology.” Journal of the American Academy of Religion, vol. 73, no. 3 (September, 2005); reprinted in Religion and the Environment, ed. Roger S. Gottleib (Routledge, 2010), and in Religion and Science, ed. Sarah Fletcher Harding and Nancy Morvillo (Routledge, 2010).
“Remembering Paul Ricoeur.” Sightings (June 16, 2005)
Reviews
Esther D. Reed, The Limit of Responsibility: Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Ethics for a Globalizing Era. Theology, vol. 122, no. 6 (November 2019)
Peter DeVries, Paul Ricoeur’s Hermeneutics and the Discourse of Mark 13: Appropriating the Apocalypitic. Theology Today vol. 74, no. 4 (January, 2018)
Michael Kirwan, Girard and Theology. Dialog: A Journal of Theology, vol. 50, no. 4 (December, 2011)
William Lane Craig and J.P. Moreland, eds, The Blackwell Companion to Natural Theology. Dialog: A Journal of Theology, vol. 50, no. 2 (June, 2011)
Peter C. Hodgson, Liberal Theology: A Radical Vision. Dialog: A Journal of Theology, vol. 49, no. 1 (Spring 2010)
Paul Ricoeur, Reflections on the Just. Journal of Religion, vol. 89, no. 3 (July, 2009)
Arvind Sharma, To the Things Themselves: Essays in the Discourse and Practice of the Phenomenology of Religion. The Journal of Religion, vol. 87, no. 2 (April, 2007)
Donald Fairbairn, Grace and Christology in the Early Church. Religious Studies Review, vol. 32, no. 2 (April 2006)
Richard A. Layton, Didymus the Blind and His Cicrle in Late-Antique Alexandria: Virtue and Narrative in Biblical Scholarship. Religious Studies Review, vol. 31, nos. 1 & 2 (January & April, 2005)
Gianni Vattimo, After Christianity. The Journal of Religion, vol. 83, no. 4 (October, 2003)
John D. Caputo, Mark Dooley, and Michael J. Scanlon, eds., Questioning God. The Journal of Religion, vol. 82, no. 4 (October, 2002)
Tyler T. Roberts, Contesting Spirit: Nietzsche, Affirmation, Religion. The Journal of Religion, vol. 80, no.2 (April, 2000)
Morny Joy, Paul Ricoeur and Narrative: Context and Contestation. The Journal of Religion, vol. 79, no. 3 (July, 1999)
Dawn McCance, Posts: Re Addressing the Ethical. The Journal of Religion, vol. 77, no. 4 (October, 1997)
Article manuscript reviews for The Bonhoeffer Legacy: An International Journal, Bulletin de la Société Américaine de Philosophie de Langue Française, The Iowa Journal of Cultural Studies, The Journal of Literature and Theology, The Journal of Religion, The Journal of Religious Ethics, Religions, and ReVision: A Journal of Consciousness and Transformation.
Book manuscript reviews for Fordham University Press and Northwestern University Press.
PAPERS AND PRESENTATIONS
Refereed conference papers
“‘Make straight in the desert a highway. . .’: Relating Past and Future in Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Walter Benjamin” International Bonhoeffer Congress, Stellenbosch, South Africa (January, 2020)
“Student Perceptions of the Philosophy Classroom,” Hypatia/APA Committee on the Status of Women Conference, Villanova, PA (May, 2015)
“Plumbing the Pipeline Problem,” Perspectives on Gender, Irvine, CA (October, 2014)
“Enacting Traditions: Ricoeur and the Possibilities of an Aesthetic Religiosity,” Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, Chicago (November, 2012)
“Shades of Irony: Giambattista Vico’s ‘Barbarism of Reflection,’ the (Post)Modern Glorification of the Ironist, and the Possibilities for a Theological Appropriation of Irony,” Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, Atlanta, GA (November, 2010)
“The Practice of Memory: Vichian Imagination in Re-membering the Integrity of Life Before God,” Conference of the International Society for Religion, Literature, and Culture, Oxford, UK (September, 2010)
“The Primacy of Rhetorical Speech: Philosophy and Religion Among the Humanists,” Annual Meeting of the American Comparative Literature Association, Cambridge, MA (March, 2009)
“All American Messiah: The Death of Captain America and the Symbolism of American Messianic Aspiration,” Annual Meeting of the American Comparative Literature Association, Long Beach, CA (April, 2008)
“A Poetics of the Divine: God as Otherwise than Being.” Gods Absent and Present (two-day seminar), Annual Meeting of the American Comparative Literature Association, Princeton, NJ (March 2006)
“Visions of the End: Debates Over the Nature and Fuction of Apocalyptic Texts.” Roundtable on Literary (Mis)Readings of Religious Texts, Annual Meeting of the Midwest Modern Language Association, Milwaukee, WI (November 2005)
“What’s God’s Story? The (American) Politics of Telling Tales about God.” International Conference on Narrative, Louisville, KY (April 2005)
“Who’s Left Behind? Christian Apocalypticism in Contemporary Culture Debates.” Seminar on the Rhetoric of Christian Fundamentalism and Empire, Annual Meeting of the American Comparative Literature Association, State College, PA (March 2005), and Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Conference on the Study of Religion, Winston-Salem, NC (March 2005)
“The Economy of the Gift: Paul Ricoeur and the (Re)Generation of Religious Discourse.” Seminar on Literature and the Post-Secular, Annual Meeting of the American Comparative Literature Association, San Marcos, CA (March, 2003)
“The Site of Christian Ethics: Love and Justice in the Work of Paul Ricoeur.” Ethics and Meaning in Public Life: A Conference on Paul Ricoeur and Contemporary Moral Thought, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL (October, 1999)
“Love’s Justice: The Religious Dimensions of Paul Ricoeur’s Ethical Theory.” The Annual Meeting of the Western Conference on the Study of Religion, Claremont, CA (March, 1998)
“Identity and/or Subjectivity: Salvation or Bondage? The Debate Over Identity Between Alasdair MacIntyre and Michel Foucault.” The Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, Chicago, IL (November, 1994)
Invited lectures/participation
Panelist, “Bonhoeffer, Race, Resistance, and Politics,” Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, San Antonio, TX (November, 2021)
Respondent, “Paul Ricoeur and Political Theology,” Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, San Antonio, TX (November, 2021)
Respondent to Terence Martin, Truth and Irony: Philosophical Meditations on Erasmus, Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, San Antonio, TX (November, 2016)
“Beyond the Friend-Enemy Distinction: Hospitality as a Political Paradigm,” Annual Philosophy and Religion Conference, Claremont CA (February, 2016)
Respondant to Matthew Pianalto, “Patience and/as Constancy: How Far Can We Go?” Spring Meeting of the Kentucky Philosophical Association, Transylvania University, Lexington, KY (March, 2013)
“A Collusion of Tropes: Analogy, Hyperbole, Metaphor, and Irony in Mark’s Parable of the Mustard Seed,” The Divinity School of the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL (March, 2010)
“Rhetorical Theology,” Disciples Divinity House of the University of the Chicago, Chicago, IL (Feburary, 2010)
“Figuring Faith: A Literary-Rhetorical Approach to the Religious,” Annual Meeting of the Association of Disciples for Theological Discussion, Indianapolis, IN (October, 2009)
Lecture Chair, “Culturing Theologies and Theologizing Cultures: Overatures Toward Interdisciplinary Theories and Theologies of Cultures,” 2009 D.R. Sharpe Lectures, The Divinity School of the University of Chicago (April, 2009)
Respondant, Spring Meeting of the Kentucky Philosophical Association, Danville, KY (April, 2009)
Panel respondant, Consultation on Religion and Humanism, Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, Chicago, IL (November, 2008)
Panelist, New Books Panel, Spring Meeting of the Kentucky Philosophical Association, Lexington, KY (April, 2008)
“Narrating God: Rethinking Scripture and the Divine with Ricoeur and Blanchot,” Invited lecture, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY (April, 2008)
“Otherwise than Being: Speaking about God After Feuerbach and Nietzsche,” The Sophia Lecture, Transylvania University, Lexington, KY (March. 2008)
Panelist, “Forum on Sports and Religion,” Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, Washington, DC (November, 2006)
“Followers of the Lamb: The Rhetoric of Suffering and the Politics of Identity in Contemporary Apocalypticism.” Religion and Nation: 2006 Nexus Interdisciplinary Conference, Knoxville, TN (April, 2006)
“Sports as Religion.” Second Wind (Wednesday Evening Fellowship), The Presbyterian Church of Danville, KY (October, 2004)
“People of the Book: Islamic People and History.” Guest Lecture, First Christian Church, Danville, KY (September, 2002)
TEACHING
Philosophy Courses
PHI110: Introduction to Philosophy
PHI160: Philosophy of Art
PHI170: Philosophy of Religion
PHI277: Robots, Androids, and Cyborgs
PHI331: Nietzsche
PHI340: Phenomenology
PHI350: Existentialism
PHI355: The Philosophy of Pragmatism
PHI380: 20th Century Continental Philosophy
Religion Courses
DLM110: Adventures in Monotheism
REL110: The Christian Experience
REL120: History of Christian Thought
REL140: Philosophy of Religion
REL150: Western Religious Traditions
REL220: Contemporary Moral Issues: Economic Justice
REL228: Business, Ethics, and Society
REL299: Theory and Method in the Study of Religion
REL353: Existentialism
REL371: Feminist Theologies
REL374: Basketball as Religion
General Education Core Courses
DLM110: What is a Human Being?
DLM310: Breaking the Law: Civil Disobedience, Political Resistance, Anarchy
Study Abroad Courses
ARH310/REL310: The Art of Pilgrimage: Spain
REL311: The Holy Land: Israel
REL456: Life and Death in Varanasi: India
REL459: Jews, Christians, and Muslims in Morocco and Spain: Morocco and Spain
OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY
Series Co-editor, “Faith and Politics: Political Theology in a New Key,” Lexington Books/Rowman & Littlefield (2022-present)
Co-Chair, The Ricoeur Group/Program Unit, The American Academy of Religion (2018-2021)
Conference organizer and convener, “‘Human, Truly Human’: Theological Ethics and the Integrity of Life,” The University of Chicago (November, 2012)
Chair, “Panel on Theological Humanism and Atheist Theology,” Biannual Meeting of the International Society of Religion, Literature and Culture, Copenhagen, Denmark (October, 2012)
Convener, “Panel Discussion on Religion and the Human Future: An Essay on Theological Discussion,” Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, Montreal, QC (November, 2009)
Seminar Organizer, “Literary Meditations on Philosophy and Religion,” Annual Meeting of the American Comparative Literature Association, Cambridge, MA (March, 2009)
Seminar Organizer, “Second Comings and Strange Goings (On): Versions of the Messianic.” Annual Meeting of the American Comparative Literature Association, Long Beach, CA (April, 2008)
Seminar Organizer, “Religion, Literature, and the Political in Modernity,” Annual Meeting of the American Comparative Literature Association, Long Beach, CA (April, 2008)
Organizer and convener, “Is Humanism a Dead Topic in the Study of Religion,” Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, San Diego, CA (November, 2007)
Chair, Permanent Section on Religion and Literature, Annual Meeting of the Midwest Modern Language Association, Cleveland, OH (November, 2007)
Secretary, Permanent Section on Religion and Literature, Annual Meeting of the Midwest Modern Language Association, Chicago, IL (November, 2006)
Seminar organizer, “Writing the Divine: Literary Meetings of Humans and Gods.” Annual Meeting of the American Comparative Literature Association, Princeton, NJ (March 2006)
Seminar organizer, “Gods Absent and Present.” Annual Meeting of the American Comparative Literature Association, Princeton, NJ (March 2006)
Conference organizer, “Ethics and Meaning in Public Life: A Conference on Paul Ricoeur and Contemporary Moral Thought,” The University of Chicago (October 21-22, 1999)
Co-organizer, Student Ethics Conference, The University of Chicago (1994, 1995)
PROFESSIONAL HONORS AND DEVELOPMENT
W. George Matton Endowed Professorship, Centre College (2017-Present)
NEH Associate Professorship, Centre College (2010-13)
Senior Fellow, Martin Marty Center for the Advanced Study of Religion, Divinity School of the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL (2009-10)
Centre Scholar, Centre College (2007-09)
Stodghill Research Professorship, Centre College (2006-07)
Faculty Seminar, “Twenty-first Century Liberal Education: A Contested Concept.” Transylvania University, Lexington, KY (August, 2006)
Fellow, Teaching and Learning Workshop, Associated Colleges of the South, Rollins College, Winter Park, FL (June, 2005)
Fellow, Wabash Centre for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion: Study on Teaching Introductory Theology and Religion: Lessons from the Practices of Fifty Effective Teachers, Indianapolis, IN (2005)
The Kirk Award for Excellence in Teaching, Centre College (2005)
RESEARCH AND TEACHING INTERESTS
Continental Philosophy
Political Philosophy and Theology
Philosophical Theology
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
American Academy of Religion (AAR)
International Society for Religion, Literature, and Culture (ISRLC)
Westar Institute
