March 17, 2025
An Interview with Dr. Philip E. Thompson
Professor of Theology and Church History
What inspired you to pursue your field of study?
For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by the past and have always asked the questions of “how” and “why.” Like many children, I once wanted to be a firefighter—but instead of checking out books about “a day in the life of a firefighter,” I found myself reading about the history of firefighting, great fires throughout history, and the science of firefighting. That curiosity about history and meaning never left me.
Over time, my academic journey became one of asking fundamental questions about interpretation. History is an interpretation of the past, and theology is the interpretation of faith—both with profound implications for how we understand the world and live within it. Ultimately, I was drawn to theology because, as the Canadian theologian Douglas John Hall puts it, theology is “thinking about everything all the time.” It is an expansive and integrative discipline, deeply embedded in narrative, ritual, symbol, and reason.
How did your academic journey lead you to ÎÚŃ»´«Ă˝?
My journey has been shaped by a deep love for both church history and theology, and my teaching career has allowed me to engage in both disciplines. I have spent my academic life studying and teaching about how theological ideas shape and are shaped by history, and I am particularly drawn to the theological vision of ÎÚŃ»´«Ă˝. Kairos’s approach to education—its commitment to forming thoughtful, faithful scholars and ministers in a community marked by theological hospitality—resonates deeply with my own passion for the discipline.
What excites you most about your discipline?
Theology is about seeking to understand faith, not just in the abstract but in its full, lived reality. Christianity, I believe, is the greatest and truest humanism—it is about God making us truly human, restoring us in the image of God. We live in a time when many are questioning faith as it has been handed down to them, and I see theology as a way to wrestle with those questions and find faithful, life-giving answers.
At the same time, we are also witnessing the failures of secularism and atheist humanism. The answer is not to abandon faith but to rediscover its depth and significance. Christian faith, properly understood, bears to us our only hope. That is why theology matters—because it helps us grapple with the most fundamental realities of existence and allows us to articulate a vision for faithful living in our time.
What books, theologians, or resources have influenced your work the most?
I often joke that an “occupational hazard” of talking with me is that I may assemble a reading, listening, or watching list for you. I am constantly engaging with books, podcasts, and other resources, and I love sharing them with students and colleagues.
Right now, I would recommend the podcasts Crackers and Grape Juice, OnScript, Everything Happens, and The Two Cities. On YouTube, I often watch Premier Unbelievable, The Veritas Forum, Lumen Christi Institute,Ěý˛ą˛Ô»ĺĚýThe Table (from Biola University).
As for theologians and historians, a very partial list of those who have influenced me includes Elizabeth Newman, Sarah Coakley, Katherine Sonderegger, Fleming Rutledge, Karen Kilby, M. Shawn Copeland, Robert Wilken, Barry Harvey, Rowan Williams, William Placher, Aidan Kavanagh, Don Saliers, Vigen Guroian, and Miroslav Volf.
There are also the significant voices of the long and recent past: James Cone, Herbert McCabe, Karl Barth, John Calvin, Julian of Norwich, Frances Willard, Martin Luther, and our own Walter Rauschenbusch. And I must mention poets and writers whose work has deeply shaped my thinking, such as Flannery O’Connor, T.S. Eliot, W.H. Auden, Malcolm Guite, Scott Cairns, Christian Wiman, Madeleine L’Engle, Anne Pierson Wiese, and Czeslaw Milosz.
Beyond these, I always encourage students to listen to the voices of indigenous, African, Latin American, and Asian theologians—perspectives that challenge us to imagine the world in new ways. After all, we can’t listen to enough other voices, can we?
What do you hope students take away from your teaching?
More than anything, I hope my students come away with a deep love for asking meaningful questions. Theological study is not about simply acquiring knowledge—it’s about learning to think deeply and faithfully, to interpret wisely, and to engage with the richness of Christian tradition in ways that shape how we live.
I also hope that my students leave with a clearer understanding of the church as a sign of Christ and the Commonwealth of God in the midst of the world. My current research focuses on the ecclesiological and sacramental thought of early Baptist life, and I am particularly interested in helping students see how theology and church life are intertwined.
At its core, theology is about truth-seeking, but it is also about transformation. My greatest hope is that my students carry with them not just theological knowledge, but a vision for how theology can shape their lives and ministries in meaningful ways.
Looking Ahead
Dr. Thompson’s reflections remind us that theology is not just an academic pursuit—it’s a way of seeing, questioning, and making sense of the world in light of faith. His passion for history, interpretation, and deep theological inquiry challenges us to think critically and engage meaningfully with the voices of the past and present.
In our next interview, we’ll continue this journey of exploration with another faculty member, diving into their unique insights and academic passions. Stay tuned for more thought-provoking conversations!