JOSHUA R. FARRIS
Accomplished Professor; Editor; Speaker; Consultant
Dr. Farris’s primary reason for teaching, writing, and consulting is the love that he has for leading students toward wisdom.
BIO
Joshua Farris was born on March 9, 1982 in Cordova, South Carolina. Shortly thereafter, his Father was stationed in Germany and the Farris family moved to Germany. Then, the Farris family was stationed in Izmir, Turkey. Upon arriving back in the states in 1987, the Farris family moved to Scott Air Force Base near Belleville, IL. His Father retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1993, upon which the Family lived near Scott Air Force base for the remainder of Joshua’s childhood leading into his college years. With a desire for theological ministry, Joshua moved to Chesterfield, Mo. where he attended Missouri Baptist University. While there he studied Philosophy and Theology. Upon finishing a B.A. and an M.A., he proceeded to Louisville, Kentucky to pursue divinity studies at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. His formal education concluded with the Ph.D in Theology and Religious Studies from the University of Bristol, England. After leaving England, he and his wife moved to Houston, Tx. In 2014, Joshua began working as an affiliate of the Theology department, and in 2015 he was hired full time to teach in The Academy and the Honors College at Houston Baptist University. He has been an affiliate at Fuller Seminary and HBU. An Assistant Professor at HBU. He was the Chester and Margaret Paluch Lecturer at Mundelein Seminary. He was a Lecturer in Ethics at The University of Auburn (Montgomery). He is now volunteering at Missional University by designing the Science and Theology program. He is also Lecturer at London School of Theology and the Humboldt Experienced Researcher Fellow at the University of Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
RESUME
Professional Experience
Humboldt Experienced Researcher Fellow
Fellow at the University of Bochum, Bochum, Germany focusing on biologically-engaged religious anthropology for 15 months
Professor of Theology of Science
Missional University, Augusta, SC. Designer of a new program in Scientific Theology in the Department of Environmental and Scientific Theology, School of Theology. This is the first program of its kind.
2019-2020
CHESTER AND MARGARET PALUCH LECTURER
University of Saint Mary of the Lake is the theological school of the Archdiocese of Chicago along with 20 other diocese in the US, and abroad in Europe and Africa. Mundelein Seminary serves thirty-five dioceses in the US. Sponsored by Margaret Paluch and the Paluch Family Foundation, two public lectures will be given. The first lecture, “On the Existence and Meaning of the Soul,” which expounds on the nature of the soul from a philosophical, dogmatic, and scientific context with a particular defense given to Thomist and Cartesian varieties. The second lecture, “Why there is an Intermediate State,” will briefly consider the evidences for the afterlife and, specifically, the need for a disembodied intermediate state as both philosophically coherent and a dogmatic essential to the Christian tradition.
2018-2019
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
Expound the great books of western civilization through Socratic discussion via a religious vantage point and with the clarity of analytic philosophy. Guide students in the visualization and application of ideas and attitudes that shaped and continue to influence the western world. Engage students in lecture and participatory instruction for such courses as Hermeneutics, Mere Christian Theology and Tradition, and Christian Theology and Tradition.
Spring 2019
RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP
While at the Creation Project, Carl F.H. Henry Center at TEDS, the soul of 'Science and Religion' was explored in light of the origin of the soul at the intersection of the human origins discussion.
RESUME
Professional Experience
DIRECTOR
2016-2018
Oversaw and directed the Academy mission to extend University classes to Houston area high school students and enhance ability to earn transferrable college credit. Stimulated successful outcomes in the training and management of 10 professors serving 70-100 students. Facilitated administrative functions such as training in Socratic dialogue, registering students, leading promotions, and coordinating the academic council.
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
2015-2018
Delivered instruction and facilitated the understanding and navigation through historical ideology. Introduced a broad spectrum of students to critical and thought-provoking topics by teaching Great Books I, II, and III (Western Civilization I, Writing for Wisdom, and Introduction to Philosophy), Theology and Tradition, Systematic Theology, Philosophical Theology, Introduction to the Bible, and a wide variety of topical courses within the Honors College.
AFFILIATE ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
2016-2018
Conveyed instruction to students attending a multidenominational Christian evangelical seminary with regional campuses throughout the western United States. Taught The Church’s Understanding of God and Christ in Its Theological Reflection with heavy content instruction and simulated system theology.
PUBLICATIONS
Research and Articles
January 2017
Contributing to the body of knowledge by advancing the first contemporary monograph religious defense of substance dualism by redeploying philosophy of mind and theological anthropology resources in the human origins discussions. Specifically, researchers of human origins and the dualism literature will benefit from the development of a novel argument favoring what I dubbed “emergent-creationism”. Revitalized and updated a traditional view of the “imago dei”. Edited a series of books critiquing materialism.
COURSES
Joshua R. Farris teaches and lectures popular courses at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. He is also available for consultation in writing, research, publishing, and editing.
October 2019
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APPLIED ETHICS
Spring 2020
Applied ethics surveys ethical issues in the public sphere, e.g., from capital punishment, abortion, environmental ethics, immigration, animals, euthanasia, parental rights in medicine, among others.
INTRO TO PHILOSOPHY
2020
Intro to philosophy is an undergraduate course that surveys basic philosophical topics, figures, and arguments in the wider western philosophical tradition.
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