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Homebrewed Christianity

Jacob Erickson: Emerging Trends in Theology & Ethics

Homebrewed Christianity

Dr. Tripp Fuller | Theologian, Philosopher, Minister

Religion & Spirituality, Christianity

4.6612 Ratings

🗓️ 21 July 2025

⏱️ 79 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In this conversation, I got to catch up with my friend Jacob Erickson, who's doing some inspiring work at Trinity College Dublin, where they've just launched a new Master's in Theology and Social Justice. What struck me most was how Jake and his colleagues are embodying this broader transformation happening in theological education - moving beyond those traditional disciplinary boundaries to create genuinely interdisciplinary spaces where theology isn't just talking aboutother fields, but actually thinking with scientists, activists, and practitioners. We dug into how this shift has happened over the last couple decades - from philosophers bracketing God to study religion as a phenomenon, to theologians like Tillich doing theology of culture, to the changing student body that's bringing questions that don't fit neatly into traditional confessional boxes. Jake's insights about wisdom versus knowledge really hit home - how religious traditions offer this "porous knowledge" that comes with demands and can't be separated from formation and embodiment. And I loved hearing about his work with plant studies and how hanging out with botanists and mycologists at Harvard is opening up new ways of thinking about everything from Christology to what it means to be entangled with other creatures. It's exactly the kind of risky, playful, boundary-crossing work that makes theology come alive. Dr. Jacob J. Erickson is Assistant Professor of Theological Ethics in the School of Religion, Theology, and Peace Studies at Trinity College Dublin. 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. You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube Previous Episodes with Dr. Erickson The Becoming of a Lutheran Queer Eco-Process Theologian from North Dakota a Theopoetics of the Earth Apocalyptic #ProcessParty with Catherine Keller & Jacob Erickson ONLINE SUMMIT:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Democracy in Tension - NAVIGATING THE INTERLOCKING CRISES OF DEMOCRACY AND RELIGION ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Democracy today faces profound challenges – polarization, inequality, populist authoritarianism, and widespread cynicism are eroding the foundations of democratic life. Yet, what if democracy's greatest strength lies not in eliminating these tensions, but in productively embracing them?The summit will navigate the complex terrain between political equality and social justice, liberal freedom and democratic sovereignty, and ethical demands and political action. As always, the class is donation-based, including 0. INFO & Sign-Up at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.HomebrewedClasses.com⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Theology Beer Camp ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠is a unique three-day conference that brings together of theology nerds and craft beer for a blend of intellectual engagement, community building, and fun. Guests this year include John Dominic Crossan, Kelly Brown Douglas, Philip Clayton, Stacey Floyd-Thomas, Jeffery Pugh, Juan Floyd-Thomas, Andy Root, Grace Ji-Sun Kim, Noreen Herzfeld, Reggie Williams, Casper ter Kuile, and more! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get info and tickets here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. _____________________ This podcast is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Homebrewed Christianity⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ production. Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the Homebrewed Christianity⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Theology Nerd Throwdown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Rise of Bonhoeffer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 70,000 other people by joining our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Substack - Process This!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get instant access to over 50 classes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TheologyClass.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow the podcast, drop a review⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, send ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠feedback/questions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or become a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠member of the HBC Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

What is up theology nerds?

0:08.7

This is Tripp in returning to the podcast as theologian, philosopher, ethicist, and one really cool friend to have.

0:19.4

Jacob Erickson.

0:20.9

He's a professor at Trinity College, Dublin, over in Ireland, and they got a brand new degree that they just launched on theology and social justice.

0:31.6

And when he was posting about it online, I messaged him because, well, one, I know plenty of listeners might be interested in getting

0:39.1

to spend the air in Ireland doing theology and social justice, but even more interesting

0:43.8

to me are how many different schools that are traditional religious or theological schools

0:50.6

are pioneering new master's programs that are inherently interdisciplinary. What is the

0:57.8

shape of theological education and religious studies and how they're interacting with other

1:02.8

disciplines? How has the task of being a theologian today changed and morphed and moved

1:09.0

over time from what it was just even when Jacob and I started

1:12.9

our own graduate education, let alone a generation before that.

1:17.8

This conversation is a ton of fun.

1:20.7

We look at just what the nature and task of theology is, how it's changing, what gets us jazzed

1:26.2

and excited about it, talk about a host of new and

1:28.6

different trajectories that it takes place. And most of all, I get to talk to Jake, who is just

1:34.9

quite a bit of fun to talk to. And I'm pumped, pumped that he's coming, coming home all the way

1:41.1

across the ocean, to hang out with everyone at Theology Beer Camp this October in St. Paul, Minnesota.

1:48.1

So come one, come all.

1:49.6

Theology Beer Camp 2025.com.

1:53.4

Get on it.

2:00.0

Hello, everyone.

...

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