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Jacob Shatzer

Jacob Shatzer

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs; Professor of Theological Studies

About

Jacob Shatzer is a theologian, author, and fourth-generation Chicago Cubs fan. As Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs he has the privilege of serving the stellar faculty of Â鶹ÊÓƵ University as they work together to provide students with transformative, Christ-centered higher education across a wide variety of academic programs and fields. An alumnus of Â鶹ÊÓƵ, Dr. Shatzer earned the BA in Biblical Studies-Languages and went on to Southern Seminary for his MDiv. After graduating from Marquette University with a PhD in religious studies with an emphasis on theological ethics he taught at Sterling College and Palm Beach Atlantic University. Dr. Shatzer has served at Â鶹ÊÓƵ since 2017, first as Associate Dean of Theology & Missions then as Associate Provost and Dean of Instruction. He teaches Bible, theology, and ethics and has written on topics ranging from theological hermeneutics to transhumanism to the integration of faith and learning. His books include A Spreading and Abiding Hope, Transhumanism and the Image of God, Faithful Learning, and Biblical Ethics. Jacob and his wife, Keshia, both hail from Iowa and have four children born in Kentucky, Wisconsin, and Kansas. They live in Jackson and are members of West Jackson Baptist Church. Jacob balances his academic pursuits with (occasional) cooking and (sometimes competitive) running.

Education

  • Ph.D, Marquette University

  • M.Div., Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

  • B.A., Â鶹ÊÓƵ University

Scholarship

Books

Articles

  • Fake and Future ‘Humans’: Artificial Intelligence, Transhumanism, and the Question of the Person (2021)

    Southwestern Baptist Journal of Theology

  • Christian Scholars Review Blog

  • Front Porch Republic

  • International Alliance for Christian Education

  • International Alliance for Christian Education

  • Robots, Jobs, and Leisure: Being Human in the Face of Technological Disruption (2019)

    Ethics & Medicine

  • Some Further Thoughts on Transhumanism (2019)

    BibleMesh

  • Front Porch Republic

  • New Year, New You? The Allure of Transhumanism (2019)

    The Gospel Coolition

  • A Limited Image?: Practitioners, Patients, and Playing God (2018)

    Ethics and Medicine

  • Theological Interpretation of Scripture and Evangelicals: An Apology for The Fundamentals (2018)

    Pro Ecclesia

  • Dignity’s Danger (2017)

    Ethics & Medicine

  • Wendell Berry’s ‘Risk’: In the Middle on Gay Marriage? (2017)

    Themelios

  • Does the Just War Tradition Need Selective Conscientious Objection? (2015)

    The Abbeville Review

  • Theology and Technology: Mapping the Questions (2015)

    Ethics & Medicine

  • Is the Technological Imperative Imperative? (2015)

    Ethics & Medicine (Guest Editorial)

  • Posthuman Liturgy? Virtual Worlds, Robotics, and Human Flourishing (2013)

    The New Bioethics

  • Are We Forming Ourselves for a Posthuman Future? (2012)

    Ethics & Medicine

  • Virtue, Vice, and Virtual Worlds: A Theological Perspective on Moral Formation (2012)

    Journal of Religion, Media and Digital Culture

Presentations

  • Promise or Peril?: Progressive Evangelicals, Technology, and Social Justice in the 1970s, (2019)

    Evangelical Theological Society Annual Meeting

  • Discontents and Dangers: Theological Critique in an Age of Democracy, Inc., (2019)

    ERLC Research Institute

  • Robots, Jobs, and Leisure: Being Human in the Face of Technological Disruption (2018)

    Evangelical Theological Society Annual Meeting

  • The Mission of Theological Courses in Christian Universities, (2018)

    Evangelical Theological Society Annual Meeting

  • Robots, Leisure, and Being Human (2018)

    Bioethics and Being Human, the Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity 25th Annual Summer Conference

  • Monsters at Work: Frankenstein, Artificial Intelligence, and Work (2018)

    Southeastern Conference on Christianity and Literature

  • Protean Ethics?: Protestantism, Theological Ethics, and the Problem of Change (2017)

    Evangelical Theological Society Annual Meeting

  • Posthuman Discipleship: Moral Formation and Historic Christianity (2016)

    Evangelical Theological Society Annual Meeting

  • Wendell Berry’s ‘Risk’: Marriage, Family, Morality, and Law (2015)

    Evangelical Theological Society Annual Meeting

  • Does Just War Theory Need Selective Conscientious Objection? (2014)

    Evangelical Theological Society Annual Meeting

  • Modern Myths and Moral Formation in Christian Theology and Ethics (2013)

    Evangelical Theological Society Annual Meeting

  • Tools; A Theological Evaluation of Technology and the Problem of Creative Care (2012)

    Evangelical Theological Society Annual Meeting

  • Christ-Centered Witness: A Way Forward for Evangelical Global Theology? (2012)

    Evangelical Theological Midwest Regional Meeting

  • The Trumpeting of Particularity; ‘Witness’ in the Theology of Karl Barth and Tariq Ramadan (2012)

    Americal Academy of Religion Upper Midwest Regional Meeting

  • Theology and Technology; Asking and Answering Questions about Human Making (2012)

    Evangelical Theological Society Midwest Regional Meeting

  • Forming Ourselves for a Posthuman Future?: Virtual Reality and Robotics (2011)

    The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity's 18th Annual Summer Conference

  • Ancient Passions, Modern Emotions, and Moral Psychology in Christian Ethics (2011)

    American Academy of Religion Upper Midwest Regional Meeting