2027
Sacred Spaces in Human Thought: Rethinking God, Humanity, and the World
Tentative title
Keynote · Ruhr University Bochum · Bochum, Germany
May 20–22, 2027
ConfirmedTalks & Media
Lectures, papers, and conversations.
Keynote and invited lectures at Oxford, Warsaw, Innsbruck, Paderborn, and Mundelein; refereed papers at the EPS, ETS, and AAR; and a long run of podcast, radio, and video conversations for the wider public.
103 recorded engagements across 8 categories
Upcoming & Recent
3Confirmed forthcoming engagements, listed chronologically with the nearest year first.
2027
Mysticism in Analytic Philosophy of Mind and Philosophy of Religion
Workshop Lecture · Puducherry, India
February 15–19, 2027
Confirmed2026
Fifth World Congress on Logic and Religion
Workshop Paper · Vancouver, Canada
September 23–27, 2026
ConfirmedProfessional & Research Engagement
Consciousness & Agency in Organoids and Synthetic Hybrids
Consultant · John Templeton Foundation · Madrid, Spain
Confirmed / ForthcomingKeynote Lectures
6Plenary and keynote addresses on the soul, atonement, and design-engaged theology at universities and learned societies in Europe and North America.
Analyzing Substitutionary Atonement: A Theological Prolegomena
Evangelical Philosophical Society, Spring Keynote
Spring 2025 · New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisiana
A prolegomena to the doctrine of atonement, clarifying the conceptual groundwork required before adjudicating between penal, reparative, and satisfaction accounts of substitution.
Recording link forthcoming.
Persons, Thomas, and Modernity
Đakovo University — Keynote Invitation
Đakovo, Croatia
A keynote reading of Thomistic personhood against the modern self, asking what the tradition still supplies that late-modern anthropologies cannot.
Recording link forthcoming.
Introduction to Design and Systematic Theology / Theistic-Dualism for Design-Engaged Theology
Cosmic Mind, Divine Action, and Design-Engaged Theology — Plenary Speaker
April 10, 2023
Two plenary addresses situating theistic dualism within design-engaged theology and mapping how systematic theology can take divine action seriously without collapsing into naturalism.
Recording link forthcoming.
Motivating the Soul Idea (even Cartesianism) in Neuroscience
Warsaw University — Plenary/Keynote Speaker
November 2022 · Warsaw, Poland
A case that Cartesian commitments remain live and even fruitful for the neuroscientific study of consciousness, rather than being ruled out in advance.
Recording link forthcoming.
Which Simple View of Personal Identity?
Humane Philosophy Project Summer School — Distinguished Lecturer
Summer 2023
A distinguished lectureship distinguishing the varieties of the simple view of personal identity and defending the one best suited to Christian anthropology.
Recording link forthcoming.
2019 Paluch Lecture
Mundelein Seminary — Chester & Margaret Paluch Lecturer
2019 · Mundelein, Illinois
The annual Paluch Lecture in philosophical theology, delivered during Farris's tenure as Chester and Margaret Paluch Lecturer.
Recording link forthcoming.
Invited Lectures
11Special lectures and named invitations hosted by university faculties, research centres, and theological colleges.
The Creation of Self
University of Oxford — Faculty of Theology and Religion, Ian Ramsey Centre & Humane Philosophy Lecture Series
May 2023 · Main Lecture Room, Oxford, England
A public lecture on personal identity and the origin of the self, presenting the central argument of The Creation of Self to an Oxford audience.
Recording link forthcoming.
Ensouled Personal Identity: From Womb to Tomb
University of Innsbruck
May 2023 · Innsbruck, Austria
Tracing the identity of the human person across the whole arc of a life, from conception through death, on a soul-first account.
Recording link forthcoming.
Reconsidering Substitutionary Atonement
Paderborn University — Master Class, Guest Speaker
November 2022 · Paderborn, Germany
A master class on satisfaction and the penal suffering of Christ in Christian soteriology, hosted by the Institute for Catholic Theology.
René Descartes: The Man Behind the Green Curtain
Boyce College — Guest Speaker
January 30, 2023 · Louisville, Kentucky
A revisionist portrait of Descartes, separating the caricature inherited by contemporary philosophy of mind from the historical figure.
Recording link forthcoming.
Naturalism / Theological Naturalism
Humane Philosophy Summer School — Lecturer
September 2022
Two summer-school lectures diagnosing naturalism as a metaphysical commitment and assessing its theological variants.
Recording link forthcoming.
On the Articles of Religion: Original Sin
Cranmer Theological House — Special Lecture
Spring 2020 · Dallas, Texas
An Anglican reading of original sin through the Articles of Religion, for ordinands and clergy.
Recording link forthcoming.
A Brief Theological Anthropology
Augustine Center, Georgetown University — Special Course
February 13, 2021 (annual) · Washington, D.C.
An annual compressed course introducing the doctrine of humanity to university students and faculty.
Recording link forthcoming.
Capital Punishment: A Defense / Gender, Sex, and Marriage
St. Paul's Theological College — Invited Lectures
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Two invited lectures in moral theology, treating punishment and the created goods of sexual difference and marriage.
Recording link forthcoming.
Theological Anthropology
Awakening School of Theology — Special Lectures
Jacksonville, Florida
A lecture series introducing theological anthropology to students preparing for ministry.
Recording link forthcoming.
Philosophical Analysis on the Nature of Faith
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary — Guest Lecturer, Introduction to Christian Philosophy
November 18, 2008 · Louisville, Kentucky
A guest lecture analyzing competing philosophical accounts of the nature of faith.
Recording link forthcoming.
An Expositional Synopsis of Audi's Epistemology
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary — Guest Lecturer, Epistemology
November 19, 2008 · Louisville, Kentucky
An exposition of Robert Audi's epistemology for a course now taught as Faith, Reason and Authority.
Recording link forthcoming.
Conference Presentations
36Refereed papers and panel contributions at the Evangelical Philosophical Society, the American Academy of Religion, the Evangelical Theological Society, and international conferences.
A Modest Assessment of Theological Naturalism
Society for Philosophy of Religion
February 2023
A measured evaluation of theological naturalism's explanatory ambitions and its costs for classical theism.
Recording link forthcoming.
Critical Engagement with Theological Naturalism
Humane Philosophy Conference
September 2022
A critical paper pressing whether theological naturalism can preserve divine action and the human soul.
Recording link forthcoming.
Idealist Solutions to Beatific Vision and the Body Problem
Evangelical Philosophical Society
2020
An idealist proposal for the long-standing puzzle of how embodied creatures can see God.
Recording link forthcoming.
Strong Supernaturalism in Reformed Orthodoxy: God and the Soul in the Meaning of Life
Evangelical Philosophical Society, National
2019
Retrieving Reformed orthodoxy's supernaturalism as a resource for accounts of meaning grounded in God and the soul.
Recording link forthcoming.
Which Penalty, Whose Atonement? Revisiting Christus Odium
Evangelical Theological Society, National — Christus Odium Panel
November 20, 2019 · Grand Hyatt, San Diego, California
A panel contribution scrutinizing the Christus odium construal of penal substitution.
Recording link forthcoming.
Panpsychism's Particularity Problem
Evangelical Philosophical Society, Southwest Region
March 8, 2019
An argument that panpsychism cannot account for the particularity of individual conscious subjects.
Recording link forthcoming.
Response to the Panelists on The Soul of Theological Anthropology
Evangelical Philosophical Society session at the American Academy of Religion
2018
An author-response at an author-meets-critics panel on The Soul of Theological Anthropology: A Cartesian Exploration.
Recording link forthcoming.
The Coherence of Conciliar Christology: Philosophy or Theology
EPS session at the American Academy of Religion — Panel on Tim Pawl's Conciliar Christology
2018
A panel paper on whether the coherence of conciliar Christology is settled philosophically or theologically.
Recording link forthcoming.
Repairing Craig's Theory of Atonement
Evangelical Philosophical Society
2018
A constructive repair of William Lane Craig's penal-substitutionary model along reparative lines.
Recording link forthcoming.
Souls, Emergent, Created: The Particularity Problem
Personal Identity Summer School, organized by the Moscow Center for Consciousness Studies
2018 · Malta
Why emergentist accounts of the soul struggle to explain why this soul rather than another.
Recording link forthcoming.
Cartesian Theism or Emergent-Theism
Analytic Theology Project, University of Innsbruck
2018 · Innsbruck, Austria
Setting Cartesian and emergentist theisms against one another as rival frames for the origin of persons.
Recording link forthcoming.
Souls, Emergent and Created: Why Mere Emergent Substance Dualism is Insufficient
Pantologia, Houston Baptist University Interdisciplinary Colloquia
February 9, 2018 · Houston, Texas
A case that emergent substance dualism must be supplemented by a creationist account of the soul's origin.
Recording link forthcoming.
Idealism, Dualism, and Christology
American Academy of Religion — Panel on Andrew Loke's Kryptic Christology
November 2017
A panel response reading kryptic Christology through idealist and dualist commitments.
Recording link forthcoming.
This is my beloved Son, Whom I hate: A Critique of one version of Penal Substitution
Evangelical Theological Society (with S. Mark Hamilton)
November 2017
A joint critique of the claim that the Father's wrath toward the Son is required by penal substitution.
Recording link forthcoming.
Edwards on Created Substance: Great Idea or Actual Substance
Evangelical Theological Society, Models of God Section
November 16, 2016
An Edwardsean question about whether created substances are divine ideas or genuine substances.
Recording link forthcoming.
Theological Anthropology in Philosophical Perspective
American Academy of Religion, panel through the Evangelical Philosophical Society
November 18, 2016
A panel discussion locating the doctrine of humanity within contemporary philosophy.
Recording link forthcoming.
Reparative Substitution, Divine Love and the Moral Law
Evangelical Philosophical Society, Southwest Region (with S. Mark Hamilton)
April 1–2, 2016 · Dallas, Texas
Developing reparative substitution as an account of atonement grounded in divine love and law.
Recording link forthcoming.
Origin of the Soul and the Problem of Sin's Transmission
The Self in Light of Divinity Conference, Heythrop College
November 12, 2015 · London, England
How competing accounts of the soul's origin bear on the transmission of original sin.
Recording link forthcoming.
Closing Comments: Analytic Theology, Anthropology and Biblical Interpretation
Book Launch for the Ashgate Research Companion to Theological Anthropology, Heythrop College
November 12, 2015 · London, England
Closing remarks at the launch conference for the Companion to Theological Anthropology.
Recording link forthcoming.
Christian Dualism and Resurrection
Evangelical Theological and Philosophical Society, Southwest Region, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
April 10, 2015 · New Orleans, Louisiana
What bodily resurrection requires of a dualist anthropology.
Recording link forthcoming.
Reparative Substitution: Toward a Hybrid Theory of the Atonement
Evangelical Theological and Philosophical Society, Southwest Region (with S. Mark Hamilton)
April 10, 2015 · New Orleans, Louisiana
The first full statement of reparative substitution as a hybrid atonement theory.
Recording link forthcoming.
Jonathan Edwards's Idealism, Imago Dei, and Contemporary Theology
Evangelical Philosophical Society, Annual
2014 · San Diego, California
Edwards's idealism as a resource for contemporary accounts of the image of God.
Recording link forthcoming.
Exploring the Relationship between God and the Soul
Institute of Philosophy and Theological Research
September 19, 2014 · Fort Worth, Texas
On the dependence of the soul upon God for its origin and continued existence.
Recording link forthcoming.
A Constructive Exploration of Kathryn Tanner's Imago Dei with an Augustinian Imago Dei
Evangelical Philosophical Society, Annual
2013 · Baltimore, Maryland
Reading Tanner's christological image of God alongside an Augustinian alternative.
Recording link forthcoming.
Augustinian Anthropology as Hylomorphism or Immaterialism: Retrieving Augustine for Contemporary Anthropology
International Conference on Medieval and Renaissance Thought, Sam Houston State University
April 5, 2013 · Huntsville, Texas
Whether Augustine's anthropology is best read hylomorphically or immaterially.
Recording link forthcoming.
The Ontological Union of Body and Soul: One or Two Things?
American Academy of Religion, Southwest Conference
2013
On the unity of the human composite and how many things a human being is.
Recording link forthcoming.
The Teleological Dimension of the Soul
Evangelical Philosophical Society, Southwest Conference
2013
The soul understood teleologically, as ordered toward an end beyond itself.
Recording link forthcoming.
Emergent Substance Dualist Christology
Tyndale House Study Group, Philosophy of Religion (co-written with Jonathan Chan)
July 2012 · Cambridge, England
A christological test case for emergent substance dualism.
Recording link forthcoming.
A Relational, Narrative or Cartesian Self: A Theologically Integrated View of the Soul as Stative and Dynamic
Society for the Study of Christian Ethics, Spring Postgraduate Forum
April 23, 2012
Integrating relational and narrative selfhood with a Cartesian substrate.
Recording link forthcoming.
Creationist-Souls, Original Corruption and Christian Theism
1st Global Conference: Sins, Vices and Virtues
March 18, 2012
Whether a creationist account of the soul can carry the doctrine of original corruption. Supported by a £350 University of Bristol Alumni Foundation travel grant.
Recording link forthcoming.
Composite-Self or Cartesian-Self: Origins and Composite or Cartesian Substance Dualism
University of Bristol THRS Postgraduate Annual Conference, 'Spreading the Word'
March 10, 2012 · Bristol, England
A paper comparing composite and Cartesian construals of the self and their origin stories.
Recording link forthcoming.
Four Views on the Origin of the Soul
University of Bristol THRS Postgraduate Annual Conference — Poster Presentation
March 9, 2012 · Bristol, England
A poster mapping creationism, traducianism, emergentism, and pre-existence.
Recording link forthcoming.
Cartesian Substance Dualism, Personal Identity and the Imago Dei
University of Bristol THRS Postgraduate Reading Group
Autumn 2011 · Bristol, England
Connecting Cartesian dualism to the image of God and the persistence of persons.
Recording link forthcoming.
William Hasker and the Origin of the Soul
British Society for the Philosophy of Religion — God, Mind and Knowledge
September 15, 2011 · England
An engagement with Hasker on emergence and the soul's origin. Supported by a £250 University of Bristol graduate travel grant.
Recording link forthcoming.
Hasker's Emergent Substance Dualism and the Debate Over Origins
Tyndale House Study Group
June 30, 2011 · Cambridge, England
An early statement of the origins debate between emergentist and creationist dualisms.
Recording link forthcoming.
Why Cartesian Substance Dualism?
University of Bristol Postgraduate Religious Studies and Theology Conference
March 12, 2011 · Bristol, England
The opening case for Cartesian substance dualism that would shape the following decade of research.
Recording link forthcoming.
Academic Talks
7Colloquia, panels presided over, and seminar sessions within academic societies and institutes.
Presider, Beatific Vision in Science and Theology Panel
Evangelical Philosophical Society at the American Academy of Religion
2020
Chaired a panel discussion on the beatific vision at the intersection of theology and the sciences.
Recording link forthcoming.
Presider, Modern Philosophy of Theological Anthropology Panel
Evangelical Philosophical Society at the American Academy of Religion
2019
Chaired a panel on modern philosophical treatments of the doctrine of humanity.
Recording link forthcoming.
Introduction — Mind and Persons
Society of Christian Philosophers, Mountain Pacific Region
March 6, 2019
Framing remarks opening a regional meeting on the theme of mind and persons.
Recording link forthcoming.
Criticisms of Christus Odium Penal Substitution
Pantologia, Houston Baptist University Interdisciplinary Colloquia (with S. Mark Hamilton)
October 2017 · Houston, Texas
An interdisciplinary colloquium paper against the Christus odium reading of the cross.
Recording link forthcoming.
What if God was one of us: Thisness, A Recommendation for Thinking about God
Evangelical Philosophical Society (with Tyler D. McNabb)
November 2017
A proposal for thinking about divine particularity in terms of thisness.
Recording link forthcoming.
Reparative Substitution and Communal Atonement
Evangelical Philosophical Society (with S. Mark Hamilton)
November 2017
Extending reparative substitution from individual to communal atonement.
Recording link forthcoming.
The Soul of Education
Fides et Veritas Lecture Series
November 2020
On what a soul-centered anthropology means for the aims and practice of education.
Recording link forthcoming.
Podcast Interviews
28Long-form conversations on the soul, consciousness, atonement, and Christian anthropology.
Cartesianism (three episodes)
February 2022Mind Matters
A three-part conversation on Descartes and the mind.
Listen / watch →Naturalism and the Mind
June 2023Mind Matters
On what naturalism cannot explain about conscious minds.
Link forthcoming.
Cartesianism, Science, Naturalisms, and Transgenderism
2023Mind Matters
Cartesian anthropology brought to bear on contested questions of sex and identity.
Link forthcoming.
Atonement Theories on Trial
February 2022Theology Unleashed
A debate-style survey of competing atonement theories.
Link forthcoming.
Atonement, Parts 1 and 2 (with S. Mark Hamilton)
November 2020The Reluctant Theologian Podcast
A two-part conversation on reparative substitution.
Listen / watch →Joshua Farris — Theological Anthropology
2020OnScript, with Amy Brown Hughes
An interview on An Introduction to Theological Anthropology.
Listen / watch →An Introduction to Theological Anthropology
August 25, 2020Mere Fidelity
A roundtable on the textbook and the state of the doctrine of humanity.
Listen / watch →Substance Dualism with Joshua R. Farris
August 19, 2020The London Lyceum
An introduction to substance dualism for a general audience.
Listen / watch →What is the Soul?
2020Big Men Big Theology
A primer on the soul and why it still matters.
Listen / watch →Intro to Theological Anthropology — humans both creaturely and divine
May 7, 2020Faith and Honor (Anglican Audio), with Fr. Bart Gingerich
An Anglican conversation on the doctrine of humanity.
Link forthcoming.
Theological Anthropology
November 9, 2020The Faith Colloquium, episode 49
An extended interview on the doctrine of the human person.
Link forthcoming.
Theological Anthropology
August 2021Faith Colloquium
A follow-up conversation on anthropology and formation.
Listen / watch →On the Most Important Questions to Get Right
February 2021Basecamp Live
On the questions classical educators cannot afford to answer badly.
Listen / watch →Cartesian and Thomistic Dualism
September 2020Pogos
Comparing two classical dualisms.
Link forthcoming.
On the Impact of Soulful Impressions
2020Pogos
On impressions, affect, and the life of the soul.
Link forthcoming.
On Deification & Totalizing Christological Anthropology
October 2020Pogos
Whether christological anthropology can be made to carry everything.
Link forthcoming.
Episode 8 — Michael Interviews Joshua Farris and Jordan Wessling on Philosophy
March 9, 2019Crossing Borders: Reformed Nomadics in a Digital Wilderness (Davenant Institute)
A conversation on doing philosophy as a Christian.
Link forthcoming.
What's the Point of the Soul?
August 27, 2019What's the Point?
A short, accessible case for the soul.
Listen / watch →What's the Point of the Tradition?
September 3, 2019What's the Point?
Why tradition remains indispensable to Christian thought.
Link forthcoming.
The Soul, and the Nature of Personal Identity
February 27, 2016God-Talk
An early interview on identity and the soul.
Link forthcoming.
The Soul in the Afterlife
April 4, 2016God-Talk
On the intermediate state and life after death.
Link forthcoming.
Severance — Why Are We Still Down Here in the Dark?
July 2022Postmodern Realities
A theological reading of Severance and the divided self.
Link forthcoming.
Ozark
November 2022Postmodern Realities
Moral formation and corruption in prestige television.
Link forthcoming.
The Creation of Self
2023Furthering Christendom
An interview on the book and the origin of the soul.
Link forthcoming.
The Creation of Self
August 2023The Charge
A case for the soul against materialism.
Link forthcoming.
The Creation of Self
August 2023Our Town
A local-audience conversation on the book.
Link forthcoming.
On Christian Physicalism
December 12, 2020Furthering Christendom
A philosopher interview on the problems facing Christian physicalism.
Link forthcoming.
Regular Guest
God's Story Podcast
Recurring appearances on theology, philosophy, and the Christian life.
Link forthcoming.
Media Interviews
4Radio and broadcast appearances for general audiences.
Defending the Human Soul
June 15, 2023Crosswalk Radio, with Gino Geraci
A radio-hour defense of the soul for a broad audience.
Listen / watch →Ancient Wisdom for Contemporary Times
2020–presentKVLF, Big Bend Radio — weekly show
Alpine, Texas
A weekly radio show hosted while serving as Executive Director of Alpine Christian School.
Link forthcoming.
A Show of Faith: Religion, Politics and Culture with an Edge
September 14, 2014AM 1070 KNTH — Radio Interview
Houston, Texas
An interview concerning Trinity School of Theology and its work.
Link forthcoming.
The Self, Body, Identities and the Christian Culture
June 2023Conversations that Matter
On embodiment, identity, and the pressures of contemporary culture.
Link forthcoming.
Videos
7Recorded lectures and video conversations available online.
Personal Identity and the Creation of Self
May 2023Ian Ramsey Centre & Humane Philosophy Lecture Series, University of Oxford
Video of the Oxford special lecture.
Link forthcoming.
Democracy of the Dead with Dr. Joshua Farris
2020Democracy of the Dead
A video conversation on tradition and the human person.
Link forthcoming.
Exploring the Incarnation with Dr. Joshua R. Farris
Spring 2020Muslim Metaphysician
A cross-tradition video dialogue on the doctrine of the incarnation.
Link forthcoming.
You Should Think You're a Soul. Here's Why
Video interview
A short-format case for believing you are a soul.
Link forthcoming.
Did God Make You a Soul? YES!
Video interview
On divine creation and the origin of the individual soul.
Link forthcoming.
Debate with James White: For Whom Did Christ Die?
Recorded debate
A public debate on the extent and intent of the atonement.
Link forthcoming.
Master Course in Raising Families: The Theology of Family
Raising Christian Families
A recorded master course on the theology of the family (forthcoming).
Link forthcoming.
Guest Appearances
4Pub-table talks, parish evenings, and other public conversations.
Bless His Heart: Why You Not Only Ought to Believe in the Soul but You Actually Do!
September 21, 2014The Bible and Beer Consortium
Fort Worth, Texas
A public talk arguing that belief in the soul is not optional but already operative in ordinary life.
Link forthcoming.
What Was I Before I Was Born and Why Does It Matter?
August 14, 2018Theology on Tap
An evening talk on pre-natal identity and the origin of the person.
Link forthcoming.
Conversation 05: Dr. Joshua Farris
2020Democracy of the Dead
A guest conversation on theology and the western tradition.
Link forthcoming.
Tapping Theology
Host
Ongoing conversations at the pub-table intersection of theology, philosophy, and everyday Christian life.
Link forthcoming.
Booking & speaking
Josh speaks at churches, conferences, universities, and leadership gatherings on the soul, consciousness, AI and human dignity, and the renewal of Christian anthropology. To discuss a lecture, retreat, or extended teaching series, use the contact page.
Details are drawn from the current curriculum vitae. Where a recording exists but has not yet been cleared for republication, the link is marked forthcoming.