R. Anthony Buck

R. Anthony Buck holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in Theology from the University of Oxford. His research focuses on the question of what does it mean to theologize if we follow cognitive research to see storying as a fundamental cognitive process humans use to understand, to feel, to connect, and to act, that is, could theology become more inclusive, more translatable, more persuasive, and more actionable if it used stories? Using Pierre Bourdieu's sociological analysis, he also interrogates the sociological systems which have led to the current practice of theologising and continue to shape it. Thus, this research deploys Bourdieu's sociological analysis on academic theology and incorporates cognitive science research on narrativisation in order to subvert the symbolic violence displayed towards narrative forms of theology and construct a more academically legitimate and scientifically informed expression of narrative theologising and remove structural barriers to academic narrative theologising. Hopefully, this will make theology more inclusive and an act of intellectual liberation, by reorienting from seeking knowledge as a form of social power towards pursuing love in phronetic narration in which genuine knowledge can be found and life liberated from symbolic violence.

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His next monograph project, Saving Predestination: Divine, Human, and AI Agency and the Nature and Narrative Logic of Salvation, will construct a contemporary Christian doctrine of predestination in which the narrative and affect enact the core logic of predestination in which the Triune God saves those whom He chooses in love and to love as both an expression of and invitation into His own agency in time and eternity for His glory. It will achieve this while integrating insights of cognitive science and addressing questions of artificial intelligence. 

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His recent appointment as a Mesa Scholar with Mesa Global involves both continuing groundbreaking interdisciplinary research, providing theological education in areas across the world, especially those places in need of highly trained and capable theological educators, and expanding access to academic resources, opportunities, and theological collaboration. 

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