Christian George Jewell and Joe L. Huitt Assistant Professor of Religious Education Montgomery Hall 405.585.4436   OBU Box 61186 500 West University Shawnee, OK 74804

Dr. Christian George joined the faculty of OBU in 2011 as the Jewell and Joe L. Huitt Assistant Professor of Religious Education. He received his PhD in theology from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland, where he also served for three years as a doctoral tutor. George received his Master of Divinity degree from Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama, and his bachelor’s degree from Samford University.

George is the author of several books including Sex, Sushi, & Salvation, Godology, and Sacred Travels. He has contributed to the Journal of Theological Studies, Theology in Scotland, and Perichoresis Journal of Theology, and also to popular theological magazines such as Conversations and Modern Reformation. His work has been featured in Christianity Today, The Christian Century, and Preaching, and he has been interviewed on Moody Broadcasting Radio and other syndicated shows in the U.S. and throughout the world. He has served as a peer reviewer for InterVarsity Press and a consultant for Faith and Culture Books for Zondervan Publishing House.

George has presented papers at conferences including the Society for the Study of Theology in Utrecht, The Netherlands; the History of Scotland Forum in Edinburgh, Scotland; the Interdisciplinarity in Theology and Religion conference in Durham, England; and the Sale di Lettura at the University of Rome, Italy. He preaches and speaks regularly throughout North America and Europe in churches, at spiritual retreats, at youth and college camps, and in university chapel services. George’s passion for world evangelism has taken him to more than thirty countries for short-term mission work.

George has served his denomination as a messenger to the Southern Baptist Convention, as a member of the Teller’s Committee of the SBC, and currently as a member of the Worship and Spirituality Commission of the Baptist World Alliance. He has participated in BWA meetings in South Korea, Sweden, Germany, Canada, and England, and regularly writes Bible study curriculum for LifeWay Christian Resources. New to Oklahoma, George and his wife, Rebecca, are enjoying visiting the many Baptist churches of Shawnee.

In his spare time, George enjoys ping pong, martial arts, jazz piano, golf, and racquetball. Students: If you successfully beat him in a game of racquetball or ping pong, you will have the opportunity to drop your lowest quiz grade. Thus far, he is undefeated.

You can visit him online.

Educational Background:

Selected Publications and/or Professional Activities:

Books

• C. H. Spurgeon: A Life (History Maker Series, Christian Focus Publications, forthcoming 2013)
• Godology: Because Knowing God Changes Everything (Moody Publishers, 2009)
• Jonathan Edwards: America’s Genius (Christian Focus Publications, 2008)
• Sex, Sushi, and Salvation: Thoughts on Intimacy, Community, and Eternity (Moody Publishers, 2008)
• Sacred Travels: Recovering the Ancient Practice of Pilgrimage (InterVarsity Press, 2006)
• Charles Haddon Spurgeon: The Prince of Preachers (Christian Focus Publications, 2006)

Journal Articles and Reviews

• “Religion and the Great Exhibition of 1851,” by Geoffrey Cantor (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011), Journal of Theological Studies, forthcoming Spring 2012
• “An Analysis of the Doctrine of the Priesthood of Jesus Christ in the Functional Christology of Charles Haddon Spurgeon,” Theology of Scotland, Spring 2011
• “Medieval Labyrinth Walking and the Evangelical Tradition,” Conversations, Spring 2011
• “Sola Scriptura, Etc.: Evangelicals, Emergents, and Additional Sources of Authority,”Modern Reformation, November 2010
• “Incarnating the Incarnation: A Theological Analysis of the Ontological Christology of Charles Haddon Spurgeon,” Perichoresis Journal of Theology, Emanuel University of Oradea, Romania, Spring 2010
• “In the Steps of Luther: Finding Refuge from the Storm,” Christianity Today, 3 April 2009
• “Younger Evangelicals: A Restlessness for Revival,” The Founders Journal, Spring 2008
• “A Study of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Accusation of ‘Positivism of Revelation’ Against the Critically Realistic Dialectical Theology of Karl Barth,” Reformed Perspectives, Volume 10, Number 1, February 2008
• “Holding the Hem,” Preaching, September – October 2008, Volume 24, Number 2
• “The Pilgrim Way: Discovering the Ancient Practice of Pilgrimage” by Christian George,Conversations Journal, October 2007

Papers

• “He Is They: There Is One God in Three Persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” University of St. Andrews, 8 February 2010
• “Charles Haddon Spurgeon’s Ontological Christology,” History of Scotland Forum, Edinburgh, 10 October 2009
• “Virtual Pilgrimage: How Technology Has Revolutionized the Medieval Practice of Pilgrimage,” Textual Revolutions Conference, University of Stirling, Spring 2009
• “Incarnating the Incarnation: An Analysis of Logos Sarx Egeneto in the Ontological Christology of Charles Haddon Spurgeon,” Society for the Study of Theology, Utrecht, Netherlands, 30 March – 2 April 2008
• “Pilgrimage at the Intersection of Theology and the Arts,” Interdisciplinarity in Theology and Religion Conference, University of Durham, Fall 2008
• “A Theology of Pilgrimage in the Christian Tradition,” Church History Conference, Kinnoull, Scotland, Spring 2009
• “The Christology of Charles Haddon Spurgeon and Its Place in Victorian Society,” History and Theology Forum of Scotland, 10 October 2009
• “A Brief Discussion of ‘Pilgrimages’ by R. S. Thomas,” Institute for Theology, Imagination, and the Arts Seminar, University of St. Andrews, 17 October 2008

Select Articles

• “Born to Fly: Legend of the Starduster,” Longleaf Style, Fall 2010
• “Charles Carter: An Ordinary Pastor with an Extraordinary Message,” Together for the Gospel, Fall 2010
• “Journey to the Edge,” Longleaf Style, Spring 2010
• “Pilgrim’s Progress,” St. Andrews Citizen, 25 December 2009
• “Discovering God in the Ordinary,” Ignite Your Faith, Spring 2009
• “The Afterlife: Fact or Fiction?” Longleaf Style, Winter 2009
• “Swimming Against the Stream,” Worshipping Warriors, Fall 2008
• “Seeing the Invisible,” Walking with Christ Through Lent, Beeson Divinity School, 2008
• “Chopsticks and Praise Songs,” Worshipping Warriors, February 2008
• “Matt Hughes on Training, Fighting, and Winning,” Black Belt, February 2008
• “A Hint of Heaven,” Let’s Worship, Spring 2007
• “Prodigal Pilgrims” in A Faithful Soldier, edited by Nancy Smith and Stan Bethea, Jacksonville, Fla.: First Baptist Church, 2005
• “Movie Puts Splinters Back on Cross,” The Samford Crimson, 25 February 2001
• “Encourage Your Fellow Students,” The Samford Crimson, 25 April 2001

Denominational Publications

• “Gospel Epic,” Lifeway Christian Resources, forthcoming September 2012
• “One Anothering,” LifeMatters, LifeWay Christian Resources, August 2011
• “Putting Possessions in Perspective” LifeMatters, LifeWay Christian Resources, June 2011
• “The Case for the Christian Life” LifeMatters, LifeWay Christian Resources, November 2010
• “The Case for Jesus” LifeMatters, LifeWay Christian Resources, October 2010
• “The Case for Hope” LifeMatters, LifeWay Christian Resources, September 2010
• “I (Still) Do” LifeMatters, LifeWay Christian Resources, May 2010
• “Review of Boy in the Striped Pajamas,” myMISSIONfulfilled, 6 October 2009
• “Review of Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris,” myMISSIONfulfilled, 6 October 2009
• “Review of ‘Hosanna’ by Hillsong United,” myMISSIONfulfilled, 6 October 2009
• “A Hint of Heaven,” myMISSIONfulfilled, 25 August 2009
• “Pig Latin Prayers, Etc.,” myMISSIONfulfilled, 18 August 2009
• “From Mess to Masterpiece,” myMISSIONfulfilled, 8 December 2009
• “Practicing God’s Presence: Experiencing Christ in the Ordinary,” myMISSIONfulfilled, 22 December 2009
• “Into the Flesh,” HomeLife, October 2009
• “In Progress,” Christian Single, August 2007
• “Skellig Michael,” Youth Worker, Spring 2007
• “Staircase to Heaven,” Christian Single, Spring 2007
• “How South Koreans Taught Me to Pray,” Pray! August 2007
• “The Roses Will Bloom Again,” Baptist Press, 13 April 2006

Select Conferences and Sermons

• “Theology and Postmodernism,” Prayer and Discipleship Conference, Spring Baptist Church, Spring, TX, August 2010
• “Less of Me, More of Thee,” Keynote Sermon, Beeson Pastors School, Beeson Divinity School, July 2010
• “Preaching to Postmoderns: Connecting to a New Generation,” Beeson Pastors School, Beeson Divinity School, July 2010
• “Why Theology Matters,” Laity Lodge, Leakey, TX, July 2010
• “A Divine Valentine: Exegesis of Isaiah 8-9,” St. Andrews Baptist Church, St. Andrews, Scotland, 14 February 2010
• “Knowing God Up Close and Personally,” Christian Union, University of St. Andrews, 9 December 2009
• “The Theology of Pilgrimage,” Christ Episcopal Church, Delaware, September 2009
• “The Importance of Theology,” College Church, Wheaton, IL, 6 September 2009
• “Between Two Rocks” Judson College Chapel, Marion, AL, September 2009
• “The Cost of Christianity,” Southeastern Bible College, Birmingham, AL, 16 September 2009
• “Medieval Theology and the Practice of Pilgrimage,” Prayer and Discipleship Conference, Spring Baptist Church, Spring, TX, August 2009
• “Sacred Travels: How You And Your Church Can Practice the Spiritual Discipline of Pilgrimage,” Beeson Pastors School, Beeson Divinity School, July 2009
• “Between a Rock and a Hard Place,” Moody Bible Institute Chapel, Chicago, IL, August 2009
• “Godology, Sex, Sushi, & Salvation, and Sacred Travels,” Cathedral Church of the Advent, Birmingham, AL, Summer 2009
• “Sushi Faith,” First Baptist Church, Statesboro, GA, Summer 2009
• “Postmodernism and Evangelism,” Calvary Baptist Church, New Orleans, LA, August 2008
• “Sex, Sushi, & Salvation,” Vintage Church, New Orleans, LA, August 2008
• “Postmodernism and Twentysomething Spirituality,” LifeWay Conference on Discipleship and Evangelism, Glorietta, NM, July 2008
• “Twenty-Third Psalm through the Eyes of an Artist,” First Baptist Church, Birmingham, AL, May 2008
• "Holy Faces, Holy Places, Holy Spaces," Quest 2K8 Retreat: Life as Pilgrimage, Colorado Episcopal Diocese, April 2008
• “Raw Faith,” Samford University Chapel, Birmingham, AL, April 2008
• “Exegesis of Psalm 107,” Baptist Collegiate Ministry, Delta State University, MS, Spring 2008
• “What Do You Worship?” Baptist Collegiate Ministry, Delta State University, 28 February 2008
• “Satisfying the Soul,” Baptist Collegiate Ministry, Delta State University, 27 February 2008
• “The Glorious Glue of God,” First Baptist Sylacauga, Sylacauga, AL, Summer 2007
• “Holding the Hem,” Beeson Divinity School, Birmingham, AL, May 2007
• “Evangelism,” First Baptist Church, Birmingham, AL, Fall 2006

Professional Memberships

• Evangelical Theological Society
• Society for the Study of Theology
• Evangelical Alliance

Research Interests

• Historic evangelical theology
• Pilgrimage and Medieval theology
• Christology and biblical hermeneutics
• Postmodernism, technology, and younger evangelicalism
• Celtic monasticism
• Franciscan spirituality
• Spiritual formation
• Spiritual disciplines
• Preaching and the arts