Dr. Jacob Erickson
Assistant Professor, School of Religion
Biography
Ph.D. Drew University
M.Div. Yale Divinity School
M.A. Trinity College Dublin (jure officii)
B.A. St. Olaf College
Erickson has taught theology and ethics at Trinity since 2016, and has served as the School's Director of Research as well as chair of the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Faculty Research Ethics Committee. Prior to Trinity, he taught Religion and Environmental Studies at Saint Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, USA. Engaging questions of theology and the Anthropocene, he did his doctoral work at Drew University with Catherine Keller.
In his writing, Erickson meditates on the complex relationships of earth and divinity, decolonial environmental ethics and queer theory, classical Christian theologies and contemporary constructive theopoetics. You can read an interview about his queer theology teaching here. He is currently working on an extended project on the intersections of global warming and theology called A Theopoetics of the Earth: Divinity in the Anthropocene and finishing up a manuscript on queer ecotheology, titled Irreverent Theology: On the Queer Ecology of Creation. His book on climate grief and theopoetics is forthcoming with Fortress Press.
He's a contributor to a number of academic books of theology, The Huffington Post, and Religion Dispatches. His 2015 Religion Dispatches piece on Pope Francis' "climate encyclical" received a Wilbur Award from the Religion Communicators Council. He serves on the editorial board of Dialog: A Journal of Theology. Erickson is an active member of the American Academy of Religion and with Dr. Marit Trelstad, he co-chairs the Martin Luther and Global Lutheran Traditions Unit. He was recently appointed to the International Connections Committee which oversees AAR's International Grants competition. And he is past chair of the Sacred Texts, Theory, and Theological Construction Unit.
Hear an extended interview with Prof. Erickson on the Homebrewed Christianity Podcast.
Modules Taught 2022-23:
REU22331 Christology: Jesus in History, Politics and Love; REU33531 Theology and the Climate Crisis; REU12522 Love and Justice: Intersections in Theology and Ethics; REU44312 Queer Theological Ethics
Prof. Erickson is currently open to receiving proposals for PhD and postgraduate research, especially in the areas of:
Publications and Further Research Outputs
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Jacob J. Erickson, Epiphanic Ecologies: Queer Theopoetics for a Planet in Process, Center for Process Studies, 50th Anniversary, Claremont, California, February 15th-17, 2023
Jacob J. Erickson, Environmental Futures Roundtable Discussion, Philosophical Life of Plants, Bristol, UK, April 28th-29th, 2022
Jacob J. Erickson and Kris Kvam, Martin Luther and Global Lutheran Traditions Unit of the American Academy of Religion, AAR Annual Meeting, November 19th-22nd, 2022, Denver, Colorado, USA
Jacob J. Erickson, Divine Hydrophilia: A Response to Just Water, Syndicate Theology, 2022, p1 - 10
Jacob J. Erickson, [Forthcoming, Working Title] On the Floodtide of History: Climate Grief and the Theopoetics of Planetary Feeling, (Under Contract with Fortress Press), 2022
Jacob J. Erickson, Response to Michael Marder, The Garden and the Dump: Across More-than-Human Entanglements, Aarhus University (Virtual), Denmark, Sept. 15th-16th, 2021
Jacob J. Erickson, Review of Creation as Sacrament: Reflections on Ecology and Spirituality, by John Chryssavgis , Reading Religion, 2021
Jacob J. Erickson and Kris Kvam, Martin Luther and Global Lutheran Traditions Unit, American Academy of Religion, November 20th - 23rd, In:American Academy of Religion Annual Meeting 2021, 2021, San Antonio, TX, usa
Jacob J. Erickson, Process Theology: Response to John Cobb and Catherine Keller, Theology in a Time of Crisis, University of Edinburgh (Virtual), June 24th, 2020, University of Edinburgh
Jacob J. Erickson, Grief and New Creation: Theopoetics for a Pandemic, Dialog: A Journal of Theology, 2020, -
Jacob J. Erickson, An eschatology for today's world, SEARCH, 42, (2), 2020
Jacob J. Erickson, Review of Ecological Solidarities: Mobilizing Faith and Justice for an Entangled World , by Krista E. Hughes, Dhawn B. Martin, and Elaine Padilla , Dialog: A Journal of Theology, 2020
Jacob J. Erickson, Composting Christ: A Response to Tripp Fuller's Divine Self-Investment, Christ Among the Disciplines: An Online, Interdisciplinary Conference on Christology, Virtual, November 18-24, 2020
Jacob J. Erickson, Review of Christianity in a Time of Climate Change, by Kristen Poole , Dialog: A Journal of Theology, 2020
Jacob J. Erickson, Being an Environmentalist in a Time of Despair: A Counterpoint Conversation, Religion/Water/Climate: Changing Cultures and Landscapes; International Society for the Study of Religion, Nature, and Culture (ISSRNC), Cork, Ireland, June 13-16, 2019, 2019
European Journal of Food, Drink and Society, Dublin, Ireland, ARROW@TU Dublin, 2019
Jacob J. Erickson, A Gentle Reminder of the Earth: Sensual Theopoetics in Deep Time and the Expanded Present, Papers Session on the work of Anne Dufourmantelle, American Academy of Religion Annual Meeting, San Diego, California, USA, 2019
Jacob J. Erickson and Marion Grau, co-chairs, Sacred Texts, Theory, and Theological Construction Unit, American Academy of Religion, Nov, 2019, In:American Academy of Religion Annual Meeting, 2019, San Diego, California, USA
Jacob J. Erickson, Toxic Creativity, Deep Time, and Moral Pleasure: An Ecospirituality of Technology, Concilium: International Journal for Theology, (3), 2019
Jacob J. Erickson, On the Perpetual Desire for Oil: Apophatic Excess, Toxic Creativity, and a Spirituality of Prospective Failure, Religion/Water/Climate: Changing Cultures and Landscapes; International Society for the Study of Religion, Nature, and Culture (ISSRNC), Cork, Ireland, June 13-16, 2019, 2019
Jacob J. Erickson, Ghost Species: The Haunting of Inner Animalities, An Und Fur Sich, 2019
Jacob J. Erickson and Marion Grau, co-chairs, Sacred Texts, Theory, and Theological Construction Unit, American Academy of Religion, Nov. 2018, In:American Academy of Religion Annual Meeting, 2018, Denver, CO
Jacob J. Erickson, Book Review of Eco-Reformation: Grace and Hope for a Planet in Peril, Review of Eco-Reformation: Grace and Hope for a Planet in Peril, by Lisa E. Dahill and James B. Martin-Schramm , Worldviews, 22, (3), 2018, p289-291 (3)
Jacob J. Erickson, Laughing at the Anthropocene: De-Fanging Environmental Despair, American Academy of Religion Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, November 18-21, 2018
Dialog: A Journal of Theology, Wiley Blackwell, [eds.], 2018-2021
Jacob J. Erickson, Whispering Forests, Sacred Groves: Welcome to Night Vale's Abominable New Animism, American Academy of Religion Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, November 17th - 20th, 2018
Religions (Special Issue), Verdant: Knowing Plants, Planted Relations, Religion in Place, 9(11), (2018), Jacob J. Erickson and Lisa Dahill, [eds.]
"Irreverent Theology: On the Queer Ecology of Creation" in, editor(s)Whitney A. Bauman , Meaningful Flesh: Reflections on Religion and Nature for a Queer Planet., Punctum Books, 2017, pp55 - 80, [Jacob J. Erickson]
Jacob J. Erickson, Promiscuous Vines: On the Queer Emergence of a Theological Botany, American Academy of Religion Annual Meeting, Boston, MA, November 18-21, 2017, pp1-15
Jacob J. Erickson, Atmospheric Flesh, Syndicate, (February), 2017, p1-4, 41-49
Jacob J. Erickson and Marion Grau, Sacred Texts, Theory, and Theological Construction Unit of the American Academy of Religion, November 18-21, In:AAR, 2017, Boston
"Theophanic Materiality: Political Ecology, Inhuman Touch, and the Art of Andy Goldsworthy" in, editor(s)Catherine Keller and Mary-Jane Rubenstein , Entangled Worlds: Science, Religion, Materiality, New York, Fordham University Press, 2016, pp203 - 220, [Jacob J. Erickson]
"Tools for Religious Conviviality: Ivan Illich, Process Thought, and Political Ecology on a Multireligious Planet." in, editor(s)Santiago Slabodsky and Roland Faber , Living Traditions and Universal Conviviality: Prospects and Challenges for Peace in Multireligious Communities, Lanham, MD, Lexington Books, 2016, pp183 - 196, [Jacob J. Erickson]
"Falling in Love with the Earth: Francis' Faithful Ecology" in, editor(s)John B. Cobb, Jr., and Ignacio Castuera , For Our Common Home: Process-Relational Responses to Laudato si', Anoka, MN, Process Century Press, 2015, [Jacob J. Erickson]
"Doxological Diversities and Canticle Multiplicities: The Trinitarian Anthropologies of David H. Kelsey and Ivone Gebara" in, editor(s)Wesley Ariarajah and Chris Boesel , Divine Multiplicity: Trinities, Diversities and the Nature of Relation, New York, Fordham University Press, 2014, pp175 - 192, [Jacob J. Erickson]
"The Apophatic Animal: Towards a Negative Zootheological Imago Dei" in, editor(s)Stephen Moore , Divinanimality: Animal Theory, Creaturely Theology, New York, Fordham University Press, 2014, pp88 - 99, [Jacob J. Erickson]
Jacob J. Erickson, The Ambiguity of Jehu: A Reexamination of Sanctioned Violence in 2 Kings 9-10, Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting, New Historicism and the Hebrew Bible Unit, San Diego California, November 17th-20th, , 2007
Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications
Jacob Erickson, Christ Made Flesh: Ecological Embodiment, Christologies of the People: Embodiment and Proclamation, Virtual, January 19th, 2023, Westar Institute
Jacob J. Erickson, Frances Flannery, Matt Williams, Karen Jeffares, Zand Craig, Gillian Kingston, Eco-justice and Peace on the Island of Ireland and Beyond, ISE at 50 Webinars, Zoom, 2nd June, 2022, Irish School of Ecumenics, Dong Jin Kim
Tripp Fuller, Jacob J. Erickson, and Catherine Keller, Apocalypse and Process, A Process Party Live Stream, June 28th, 2021, Dr. Tripp Fuller of University of Edinburgh
Aoife King (ed), Rita Duffy, Caitríona Lally, Jacob J. Erickson, Donna Lyons et al., What the Pandemic Means: Perspectives from the Trinity Long Room Hub Covid-19 Blog Collection, 2021, - 1-56
Jacob J. Erickson, Anti-Intellectualism and Science: From Vaccinations to Climate Change, LERU Summer School: Re-evaluating the Role of the Expert, Trinity College Dublin (Virtual), August 11th, 2021
Jacob J. Erickson, Specters of Sorrow: Eco-Grief, Ambiguous Loss, and Religious Creativity, 2021, -
Jacob J. Erickson, Wild Spirituality: Queer Grief and Grievance in an Age of Extinctions, Virtual, Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York, April 15th, 2021, Union Seminary, The Insight Project
Jacob J. Erickson, A Climate Grief, Observed: Transforming Our Ecologies and Theologies of Magical Thinking, 2020, -
Jacob J. Erickson, Echo Effects of a Groaning Creation: Environmental Despair and its Theopoetics, University of Glasgow Graduate Seminar, February 6th, 2020, School of Critical Studies
Jacob J. Erickson, On Seeing that it's Good: Theologies of Climate for the Next Decade, 2020, -
Jacob J. Erickson, Tripp Fuller, Homebrewed Christianity Podcast, 2020, -
Jacob J. Erickson, Plagues and Pandemics: Behind the Headlines, Dublin, Ireland, March 26th, 2020, Trinity Long Room Hub
Jacob J. Erickson, Review of Encountering Earth: Thinking Theologically with the More-Than-Human World, by Trevor Bechtel (Editor), Matt Eaton (Editor), Tim Harvie (Editor) , Reading Religion, (August 14th), 2020
Jacob J. Erickson, 'Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology: Spotlights Podcast/Videocast', Episode 13, 2020, -
Prof Naomi Oreskes, Prof. Linda Doyle, Dr Susan Murphy, Dr. Jacob J. Erickson, Why Trust Science Panel, Tent of Bad Science - European Researchers' Week, Trinity College Dublin, November 24th, 2020
Jacob J. Erickson, COVID-19 Crisis Blog: Are we there yet? Beyond Apocalypse Fatigue and the New Normal, 2020, -
Jacob J. Erickson, Encountering the Other: Lutheran Theology,, Religious Ministry Formation Programme, March 19th, 2020, Loreto House
Jacob J. Erickson, Graduate Seminar, School of Divinity, University of Edinburgh, "Planetary Feeling: Theological Ethics and Ecospiritual Despair in an Era of Climate Crisis" Theology and Ethics Research Seminar, Edinburgh, Scotland, February 5th, 2020, Edinburgh School of Divinity
Jacob J. Erickson, "What is ecopiety?", Review of Ecopiety: Green Media and the Dilemma of Environmental Virtue, by Sarah McFarland Taylor , The Christian Century, (June 5th), 2020
Jacob J. Erickson, The Queer Matter of Ecospiritual Despair, Insight Colloquium, Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York, April 13th, 2019, Prof. John J. Thatamanil
Jacob J. .Erickson, Queer Identity and Religion: Enemies or Strange Bedfellows?, Identity Politics and Memory Contests, Trinity Long Room Hub, February 5th, 2019, Identities in Transformation Theme
Jacob J. Erickson, Social Media for Academics/Researchers, Trinity Long Room Hub, April 1st, 2019
Jacob J. Erickson, Of Uncommon Perceptions: A Memorial Lecture on Ecofeminist Theologian Anne Primavesi, Sacred Gaia: A Memorial Day in Honour of Anne Primavesi Pioneering Irish Eco-Feminist Theologian, Dublin, Ireland, November 2nd, 2019, Woman Spirit Ireland
Jacob J. Erickson, Encountering the Other: Lutheran Theology, Religious Ministry Formation Programme - Loreto House, March 14th, 2019
Lauren Boland, Neither religion or sexuality have ever been only one thing, 2019, -
Jacob J. Erickson, Faith & Sexuality, Launch of Dublin Pride, Dublin - City Council, June, 2018, Dublin Pride
Jacob J. Erickson, "Laudato si': Pope Francis and his Love Letter for the Earth": Workshop for RE Teachers in Ireland, 2018, -
Jacob J. Erickson, "Who Speaks for Christianity and Islam?", UCC - Cork, April 9th, 2018, Study of Religions - School of Asian Studies, in Cooperation with UCC LGBT Staff Network and Cork's Three Faiths Forum
Jacob J. Erickson, Panel response to theologian Dr. Mary Hunt, Mary Hunt in Trinity College, Mac Neill Theatre, Arts Building, Nassau Street, Trinity College Dublin 2, Ireland, September 10th, 2018, Trinity Centre for Gender and Women's Studies, Woman Spirit Ireland
Jacob J. Erickson, Encountering the Other: Lutheran Theology, Religious Ministry Formation Programme: Loreto House, Loreto House, April 19th, 2018, Loreto House
Jacob J. Erickson, Feminist Theology and Theopoetics, Saint Olaf College, 4-1, 2018
Jacob J. Erickson, 'Religious identities, or any identity, should never be reduced to a violent caricature', thejournal.ie, 2017, -
Jacob J. Erickson, Laudato si': A Springboard for Ambitious Climate Action in Ireland, Trinity College Dublin, November 16th, 2017, Trocraire, The Loyola Institute, Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice
Jacob J. Erickson, Pat Kenny Show, Newstalk , 2017, -
Jacob J. Erickson, Behind the Headlines: Trump's America, 60 Days In, Trinity Long Room Hub, March 20th, 2017, Trinity Long Room Hub
Jacob J. Erickson, Irish Inter-Church Meeting Workshop on Climate Justice and Care of Creation, St. Finian's Lutheran Church Dublin, November 14th, 2017, Irish Inter-Church Meeting
Jacob J. Erickson, Animating Ecological Desires: Prismatic Values for the Anthropocene, Green Values, Religion and Secularism, Trinity College Dublin, July 1st, 2017
Jacob J. Erickson, Vibrant Spirits and Resilient Matter: Expanding Horizons of Ecofeminist Thought, Woman Spirit Ireland Lecture Series, October 23rd, 2017
Research Expertise
Projects
- Title
- A Contemplative Pedagogy for our More-Than-Human World
- Summary
- The goal of this $7000 grant is to create a virtual learning community that queries and practices a contemplative pedagogy that is ecologically engaged.
- Funding Agency
- Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion
- Date From
- 2021
- Date To
- 2022
Recognition
Representations
Martin Luther and Global Lutheran Traditions Unit, American Academy of Religion, Co-Chair
Martin Luther and Global Lutheran Traditions Unit, American Academy of Religion, Steering Committee Member
Sacred Texts, Theory, and Theological Construction Unit of the American Academy of Religion. Co-Chair
Honors Examiner, Religion. Swarthmore College. Swarthmore, Pennsylvania USA.
Awards and Honours
Fellow, Panentheism and Religious Life Project, John Templeton Foundation
Fellow, Christ Seminar, Westar Institute
Digital Salon on Theological Education, Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion
Helen LePage and William Hale Chamberlain Prize, Drew University
Wilbur Award - Religion Communicators Council
Human Rights Campaign Summer Institute Fellowship Award. HRC Scholarship and Mentorship Program for Religious and Theological Study.
Grants for Advanced Theological Study, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Kierkegaard Summer Research Fellowship - Kierkegaard Library, Northfield, MN, USA
Junia Prize, St. Olaf College Religion Department
Memberships
American Academy of Religion (Co-Chair of the Martin Luther and Global Lutheran Traditions Unit)
European Forum for the study of Religion and the Environment
The International Society for the Study of Religion, Nature, and Culture