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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

Dr. Jacob J. Erickson (pronouns: he/him) is Assistant Professor of Theological Ethics in the School of Religion, Theology, and Peace Studies at Trinity College Dublin and Director of Undergraduate Teaching and Learning for the School. A constructive theologian and theological ethicist, Erickson writes to evoke an ecotheology of planetary conviviality--the playful and just cherishing of life together--in the midst of current ecological crises, ecological injustice, emerging perspectives in the wake of global warming, and new challenges in energy production.

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:

  • Constructive Theology, Theopoetics, and Ethics
  • Religion and Ecology, Ecotheology, Anthropocene Studies, Climate Ethics, Ecojustice, Ecospirituality, and the Environmental Humanities
  • Posthumanisms, Critical Animal and Plant Studies and Religion
  • Negative Theology, Mysticism, and Ethics
  • Queer Theory and Theology, Religion and Sexuality
  • Process Theology and Philosophy

Publications and Further Research Outputs

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Worldviews: Global Religions, Culture, and Ecology, Brill, 2024 Editorial Board, 2024 URL

Jacob J. Erickson, Epiphanic Ecologies: Queer Theopoetics for a Planet in Process, Center for Process Studies, 50th Anniversary, Claremont, California, February 15th-17, 2023 Conference Paper, 2023 URL

Jacob J. Erickson, The Apophatic Botany of Agnes Arber: Toward a Vegetal Mysticism, American Academy of Religion Annual meeting, San Antonio, Texas, USA, November 18-21, 2023, 2023 Conference Paper, 2023 URL

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 Book, 2022

Jacob J. Erickson, Environmental Futures Roundtable Discussion, Philosophical Life of Plants, Bristol, UK, April 28th-29th, 2022 Invited Talk, 2022 URL

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 Meetings /Conferences Organised, 2022 URL

Jacob J. Erickson, Divine Hydrophilia: A Response to Just Water, Syndicate Theology, 2022, p1 - 10 Journal Article, 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 Conference Paper, 2021 URL

Jacob J. Erickson, Review of Creation as Sacrament: Reflections on Ecology and Spirituality, by John Chryssavgis , Reading Religion, 2021 Review, 2021 URL

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 Meetings /Conferences Organised, 2021 URL

Jacob J. Erickson, Grief and New Creation: Theopoetics for a Pandemic, Dialog: A Journal of Theology, 2020, - Miscellaneous, 2020 URL

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 Conference Paper, 2020 URL

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 Invited Talk, 2020 URL

Jacob J. Erickson, Review of Christianity in a Time of Climate Change, by Kristen Poole , Dialog: A Journal of Theology, 2020 Review, 2020 URL

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 Review, 2020 URL

Jacob J. Erickson, An eschatology for today's world, SEARCH, 42, (2), 2020 Journal Article, 2020 URL

European Journal of Food, Drink and Society, Dublin, Ireland, ARROW@TU Dublin, 2019 Editorial Board, 2019 URL

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 Meetings /Conferences Organised, 2019

Jacob J. Erickson, Ghost Species: The Haunting of Inner Animalities, An Und Fur Sich, 2019 Journal Article, 2019 URL

Jacob J. Erickson, Toxic Creativity, Deep Time, and Moral Pleasure: An Ecospirituality of Technology, Concilium: International Journal for Theology, (3), 2019 Journal Article, 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 Conference Paper, 2019

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 Conference Paper, 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 Conference Paper, 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 Meetings /Conferences Organised, 2018

Jacob J. Erickson, Laughing at the Anthropocene: De-Fanging Environmental Despair, American Academy of Religion Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, November 18-21, 2018 Conference Paper, 2018

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 Conference Paper, 2018

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) Review, 2018 URL

Dialog: A Journal of Theology, Wiley Blackwell, [eds.], 2018-2021 Editorial Board, 2018

Religions (Special Issue), Verdant: Knowing Plants, Planted Relations, Religion in Place, 9(11), (2018), Jacob J. Erickson and Lisa Dahill, [eds.] Journal, 2018

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 Conference Paper, 2017

"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] Book Chapter, 2017

Jacob J. Erickson, Atmospheric Flesh, Syndicate, (February), 2017, p1-4, 41-49 Journal Article, 2017 URL

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 Meetings /Conferences Organised, 2017

"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] Book Chapter, 2016

"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] Book Chapter, 2016

"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] Book Chapter, 2015

"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] Book Chapter, 2014

"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] Book Chapter, 2014

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 Conference Paper, 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 Invited Talk, 2023 URL

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 Invited Talk, 2022 URL URL

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 Invited Talk, 2021 URL URL

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 Invited Talk, 2021 URL

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 Miscellaneous, 2021 TARA - Full Text DOI

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 Invited Talk, 2021 URL

Jacob J. Erickson, Specters of Sorrow: Eco-Grief, Ambiguous Loss, and Religious Creativity, 2021, - Miscellaneous, 2021 URL

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 Invited Talk, 2020

Jacob J. Erickson, 'Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology: Spotlights Podcast/Videocast', Episode 13, 2020, - Broadcast, 2020 URL

Jacob J. Erickson, Encountering the Other: Lutheran Theology,, Religious Ministry Formation Programme, March 19th, 2020, Loreto House Invited Talk, 2020

Jacob J. Erickson, Tripp Fuller, Homebrewed Christianity Podcast, 2020, - Miscellaneous, 2020 URL

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 Invited Talk, 2020

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 Review, 2020 URL

Jacob J. Erickson, COVID-19 Crisis Blog: Are we there yet? Beyond Apocalypse Fatigue and the New Normal, 2020, - Miscellaneous, 2020 URL

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 Review, 2020 URL

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 Invited Talk, 2020

Jacob J. Erickson, On Seeing that it's Good: Theologies of Climate for the Next Decade, 2020, - Miscellaneous, 2020

Jacob J. Erickson, Plagues and Pandemics: Behind the Headlines, Dublin, Ireland, March 26th, 2020, Trinity Long Room Hub Invited Talk, 2020 URL URL

Jacob J. Erickson, A Climate Grief, Observed: Transforming Our Ecologies and Theologies of Magical Thinking, 2020, - Miscellaneous, 2020 URL

Jacob J. Erickson, Social Media for Academics/Researchers, Trinity Long Room Hub, April 1st, 2019 Invited Talk, 2019

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 Invited Talk, 2019

Lauren Boland, Neither religion or sexuality have ever been only one thing, 2019, - Miscellaneous, 2019 URL

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 Invited Talk, 2019

Jacob J. Erickson, Encountering the Other: Lutheran Theology, Religious Ministry Formation Programme - Loreto House, March 14th, 2019 Invited Talk, 2019

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 Invited Talk, 2019

Jacob J. Erickson, "Laudato si': Pope Francis and his Love Letter for the Earth": Workshop for RE Teachers in Ireland, 2018, - Miscellaneous, 2018

Jacob J. Erickson, Encountering the Other: Lutheran Theology, Religious Ministry Formation Programme: Loreto House, Loreto House, April 19th, 2018, Loreto House Invited Talk, 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 Invited Talk, 2018

Jacob J. Erickson, Feminist Theology and Theopoetics, Saint Olaf College, 4-1, 2018 Invited Talk, 2018

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 Invited Talk, 2018

Jacob J. Erickson, Faith & Sexuality, Launch of Dublin Pride, Dublin - City Council, June, 2018, Dublin Pride Invited Talk, 2018

Jacob J. Erickson, 'Religious identities, or any identity, should never be reduced to a violent caricature', thejournal.ie, 2017, - Miscellaneous, 2017 URL

Jacob J. Erickson, Vibrant Spirits and Resilient Matter: Expanding Horizons of Ecofeminist Thought, Woman Spirit Ireland Lecture Series, October 23rd, 2017 Invited Talk, 2017 URL

Jacob J. Erickson, Pat Kenny Show, Newstalk , 2017, - Miscellaneous, 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 Invited Talk, 2017

Jacob J. Erickson, Behind the Headlines: Trump's America, 60 Days In, Trinity Long Room Hub, March 20th, 2017, Trinity Long Room Hub Invited Talk, 2017

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 Invited Talk, 2017

Jacob J. Erickson, Animating Ecological Desires: Prismatic Values for the Anthropocene, Green Values, Religion and Secularism, Trinity College Dublin, July 1st, 2017 Invited Talk, 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

Keywords

Affect Theory; Alfred North Whitehead; Animal Ethics; apophatic theology; Climate Change; Critical theory and Theology; Ecological Theology; ecotheology; Elephants; Environmental Ethics; Environmental Humanities; Feminist theology and philosophy; global warming; land art; Lutheranism; Martin Luther; Mysticism; negative theology; Paul Tillich; political ecology; poststructuralism; process philosophy; Process Theology; queer theology; Queer Theory; Religion; religion and science; Religion, Gender, and Sexuality; Sexuality; Theology; Theology ; theopoetics

Recognition

Representations

Martin Luther and Global Lutheran Traditions Unit, American Academy of Religion, Co-Chair 2021 - Present

Martin Luther and Global Lutheran Traditions Unit, American Academy of Religion, Steering Committee Member 2018 - 2020

Sacred Texts, Theory, and Theological Construction Unit of the American Academy of Religion. Co-Chair 2014 - 2020

Honors Examiner, Religion. Swarthmore College. Swarthmore, Pennsylvania USA. 2021 -

Awards and Honours

Fellow, Panentheism and Religious Life Project, John Templeton Foundation 2021

Fellow, Christ Seminar, Westar Institute 2021

Digital Salon on Theological Education, Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion 2020-2021

Helen LePage and William Hale Chamberlain Prize, Drew University May 2019

Wilbur Award - Religion Communicators Council April 2016

Human Rights Campaign Summer Institute Fellowship Award. HRC Scholarship and Mentorship Program for Religious and Theological Study. 2011

Grants for Advanced Theological Study, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America 2010-11, 2011-12, 12-13, 13-14, 14-15

Kierkegaard Summer Research Fellowship - Kierkegaard Library, Northfield, MN, USA 2009

Junia Prize, St. Olaf College Religion Department May 2006

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