Sam Thomas, Ph.D.

Professor

Book this person as a speaker:

Email: sthomas@callutheran.edu
Phone: (805) 493-3693

Speeches:

• Jewish-Christian Relations from Antiquity to the Present
  This discussion addresses Jewish-Christian relations from the ancient world to contemporary developments, focusing on the theological and historical grounds for separation and dispute, as well as the historical consequences of negative attitudes toward the "other." Also discussed will be recent movements toward mutual understanding and the ability to embrace one another.

• The Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls
  This talk gives a basic introduction to the Dead Sea Scrolls and the site of Qumran, and discusses their significance for understanding the Bible and the origins of Judaism and Christianity. The talk also addresses some contemporary debates and controversies about these ancient scrolls.

• What is the Bible? A Material History of the Text
  This talk begins with the origins of writing as a cultural practice, and discusses the evolution of writing from ancient Israel through early and Medieval Judaism and Christianity. Why writing? Why texts? The talk also gives some attention to the ritual uses of the Bible and some of the intriguing questions raised by new textual technologies.

• Food, Faith, and Sustainability
  This talk discusses the realities of contemporary food production and raises questions about the ethics of food - locally and globally. It addresses questions such as: what are the ethical dimensions of production, distribution, and consumption? How might religious (especially Christian) faith inform decision-making around food? How is eating a religiously significant act?

• Gardens Then and Now
  This talk considers: What is a garden? In Western cultural, religious, and intellectual traditions, gardens play a central role in the drama of what it means to be human. The talk begins with gardens in the ancient world and ends with contemporary ones.

Dr. Thomas teaches, writes, and researches at the intersections of religion, environmental studies, and food studies. He is the founding director of the SEEd Project at Cal Lutheran--a small campus regenerative farm and demonstration site for experiential learning--and currently serves as chair of the Religion department. 

In addition to his teaching and research, he serves on the Faculty Steering Committee of the Center for Equality and Justice and the board of directors of Los Padres ForestWatch, and is a member of the Slow Fox Collective. He runs a small woodworking studio called Wildbird Woodworks, where he designs and makes hand-crafted furniture and household accessories using local, sustainable timber.

His current writing projects include a trade-press book on nature, craft, spirituality, and the possibility of human community in the Anthropocene, in addition to several shorter essay-length works on trees, awe, wonder, practice, and other assorted topics.