Biography:Jens Zimmermann (philosopher)

Short description: Canadian philosopher

Jens Zimmermann(b. 1965) is a Christian philosopher and theologian who specializes in hermeneutics and the philosophical and theological roots of humanism. He is currently J.I. Packer Chair of Theology at Regent College.

Between 2006 and 2020, he held the position of Canada Research Professor at Trinity Western University, Langley, British Columbia, Canada. He is a visiting research fellow at the Center for Theology and Modern European Thought at the University of Oxford, served as visiting Professor at Regent College (2017-2019), was awarded a research fellowship at Trinity Hall (Cambridge, 2016-2017), and a British Academy Visiting Fellowship (Christ Church, Oxford, 2018-2019).

Education and academic career

Degrees:

• Ph.D. Philosophy, 2010. Johannes Gutenberg Universität.
• Ph.D. Comparative Literature, 1997. University of British Columbia.
• M.A. Comparative Literature, 1993. University of British Columbia.
• B.A. English Literature and Language, 1992. University of British Columbia.

Academic Positions:

• J.I. Packer Chair of Theology, Regent College, September, 2020–Present
• Canada Research Professor for Interpretation, Religion, and Culture, 2010-2016.
• Visiting Professor for Philosophy, Theology, and Literature, Regent College, 2017-2019.
• Visiting Research Fellow, British Academy, Christ Church, Oxford, 2018-2019.
• Visiting Research Fellow, Trinity Hall, Cambridge University, September 2016 - June 2017.
• Canadian Research Council (CRC) Chair in Interpretation, Religion and Culture, September 2006 - 2016.
• Professor of the Humanities (Philosophy, Literary Theory), Trinity Western University, September 2006 – August 2020.

Selected publications

Monographs

• Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Christian Humanism. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2019. ISBN:9780198832560
• Hermeneutics: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015. ISBN:9780199685356
• Humanism and Religion: A Call for The Renewal of Western Culture. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012. ISBN:9780199697755
• Incarnational Humanism: A Philosophy of Culture for the Church in the World. Westmont, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2012. ISBN:9780830839032
• Theologische Hermeneutik: ein trinitarisch-christologischer Entwurf. Freiburg: Herder, 2008. ISBN:9783451291937
• The Passionate Intellect: Incarnational Humanism and the Future of University Education. (Co-authored with Norman Klassen). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic Press, 2006. ISBN:9780801027345
• Recovering Theological Hermeneutics. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic Press, 2004. ISBN:9781610976442

Edited Books

• Re-Envisioning Christian Humanism. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017.
• Reimagening the Sacred. Richard Kearney Debates God with James Wood, Charles Taylor, Julia Kristeva, Gianni Vattimo, Simon Critchley, Jean-Luc Marion, John Caputo, David Tracy, Jens Zimmermann and Merold Westphal. (Co-edited with Richard Kearney). New York: Columbia University Press, 2015.
• Whose Will Be Done? Essays on Sovereignty and Religion (Co-edited with John Dyck and Paul Rowe). Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield/Lexington (2015).
• Heidegger und die Dichtung/Heidegger and Poetics. Heidegger Jahrbuch 8 (Co-edited with Alfred Denker and Holger Zaborowski). Freiburg: Alber Verlag, 2014.
• Christians and the Middle East Conflict. (Co-edited with John Dyck and Paul Rowe). London, UK: Routledge, 2014.
• A Spoke in the Wheel: The Political in the Theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer/Dem Rad in die Speichen fallen: Das Politische in der Theologie Dietrich Bonhoeffers. (Co-edited with Kirsten Busch Nielsen and Ralf Wüstenberg). Gütersloh: Gütersloher Verlagshaus, 2013.
• God Speaks to Us: Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Biblical Hermeneutics. (Co-edited with Ralf Wüstenberg). Germany: Peter Lang, 2013.
• Bonhoeffer, Religion and Politics: 4th International Bonhoeffer Colloquium. (Co-edited with Christiane Tietz). Germany: Peter Lang, 2012.
• Through a Glass Darkly: Suffering, the Sacred, and the Sublime in Literature and Theory. (Co-edited with Holly Nelson and Lynn Szabo). Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2010.
• Politics and the Religious Imagination. (Co-edited with John Dyck and Paul Rowe). London, UK: Routledge, 2010.
• Being Human, Becoming Human: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Social Thought. (Co-edited with Brian Gregor). Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2010.
• Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Continental Thought: Cruciform Philosophy. (Co-edited with Brian Gregor). Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 2009.

External Links

• Personal website
• Zimmermann's Christian Humanism Speaker Series
• Jens Zimmermann on Recovering Humanism