Dr. Simeon Zahl

Biography

Simeon Zahl is a Professor of Christian Theology at the Faculty of Divinity. His research interests encompass the historical development of constructive theology from 1500 to the present. His recent monograph focuses on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit and proposes a new interpretation of its role in the work of salvation through the lens of affect and embodiment, published by Oxford University Press in 2020. With expertise in Christian Theology, Professor Zahl holds a degree in German History and Literature from Harvard and a doctorate in Theology from Cambridge. After completing his doctorate, he held a postdoctoral position at Cambridge and a research fellowship at St John’s College, Oxford. Before returning to Cambridge as an Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology at the University of Nottingham, Professor Zahl's research has examined the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, the role of experience and emotion in Christian religious life, and the theological legacy of the Protestant Reformation. His ongoing projects also involve significant themes such as Augustine, nineteenth-century theology, and the contributions of cognitive science to theology. He is currently writing a new book on the contemporary relevance of the doctrine of sin. Between 2018 and 2022, he was the Principal Investigator of the project 'Affect Knowledge-Production Theology Religious Studies,' funded by the Templeton World Charity Foundation, in collaboration with Professor Donovan Schaefer from the University of Pennsylvania.

Research Interests

Courses