
John Kern
Biography
John Kern is a PhD candidate in historical and systematic theology at Boston College, where he is finishing his dissertation, entitled “Charismatic Christ, Charismatic Christians: The Development of the Charisms as Social Graces in the Theology of St. Thomas Aquinas.” He earned an MA degree in Theology in 2016 and a BA in Biblical Text in 2013 both from Abilene Christian University. Kern’s research covers a number of issues in theology and philosophy. In theology, he explores the pneumatological and christological dimensions of the Church’s existence as well as the image of the Church as the "body of Christ", looking especially at medieval figures such as Thomas Aquinas, Richard of St. Victor, and Alexander of Hales as well as modern theologians such as Hans Urs von Balthasar, Yves Congar, and Sergius Bulgakov. In philosophy, Kern explores the history of Neoplatonism and its importance for Christian metaphysics. Kern teaches both New Testament in Context (REL 102) and Christianity and Culture (REL 301) for the Religion and Philosophy Division as well as the Great Books Colloquium sequence for the Humanities and Teacher Education Division.
Education
- PhD Candidate, Historical and Systematic Theology, Boston College, Anticipated 2022
Topics
- Pneumatology
- Thomas Aquinas
- Ecclesiology
- Christian Metaphysics
- Mysticism
- Hans Urs von Balthasar
- Sergius Bulgakov and Russian Sophiology
- Theology and the Horror Genre
Courses
- REL 102: New Testament in Context
- REL 301: Christianity and Culture
- Great Books Colloquium I, II, III, IV