Using theology to open discussions about how we live

Professor of Christian Theology, Simeon Zahl, has taught in the Faculty of Divinity since 2018. He recently published his second book, The Holy Spirit and Christian Experience, on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit

1. How long have you been in Cambridge?

I studied here for a total of seven years, for my doctorate and my post-doc I was born in New York and when I first arrived in the UK from the USA, I was detained at the border then sent back home due to a change in student visa laws! I star ted a week late, but my Director of Studies was understanding and welcoming As a student here, I experienced the joy of one-to-one learning for the first time I returned to Cambridge in 2018 for a permanent post in the Faculty of Divinity.

2. What does it mean to join Jesus College as a Fellow?

It means a lot to me to join an intellectual community beyond my own area of study. It’s a big Fellowship and I’m still meeting people; I’ve attended three dinners in the last eight days! Ever yone has been relaxed, welcoming and friendly. The most rewarding aspect of my role here is engaging with students over time, from admissions through to undergraduates, postgraduates and beyond. I deliver all my super visions one-to-one, so I get to know students in a ver y helpful way The College system encourages a wonder ful depth of understanding, both intellectually and on a personal level

3. How did you first become interested in theology?

Although my dad is a Vicar and a Cathedral Dean, it didn’t occur to me to study theology until after I’d star ted my first degree in German histor y and literature at Har vard As an undergraduate, I found myself drawn to theoretical questions around histor y and philosophy and found that it was really generative to view them through the framework of religion – something of a forgotten angle at the time in humanities scholarship I tried one year of theology and found it to be a great fit because it linked histor y and philosophy and was closely connected to people’s day-to-day lives My dad taught me that Christianity can help us to ask questions and to open discussions, rather than shutting them down

4. Did your latest book open doors for you professionally?

The publication opened lots of doors, including my recent promotion to Professor It has received 18 reviews, and students from around the world have been in touch to discuss it I think the subject has wide appeal because it provides a template for how to approach theology, bringing questions about religion into the mainstream. It allows you to ask interesting questions about the relationship between ideas and human experience which are at the hear t of theology, but also relevant far beyond it. I’m writing my third book now It’s about the doctrine of sin, a concept which has become almost implausible to a lot of people in the modern world. I reframe the idea of sin as a diagnostic framework aimed at healing and hope, rather than a tool for judging people Theologians have been thinking about what Mar tin Luther King Jr called the ‘ gone-wrongness ’ of the world for a long time I think that theology can provide some power ful tools for thinking about the world’s problems in a compassionate and hopeful way

5. How is the discipline of theology developing?

Theology has had a fantastic year for applications at Jesus, despite the general dip in interest for small humanities subjects Our postgraduate community is thriving, there’s a huge amount of interest from around the world My current six PhD students are fantastic. We’re all engaged in related projects, which creates a great sense of energy I find it exciting that theology is becoming more interdisciplinar y. We engage in dialogue with many academic disciplines including psychology, literature and social anthropology

6. How do you unwind outside of work?

I was a runner, but I cycle more often now I enjoy reading and playing video games with my three children. I’m also interested in architecture; Cambridge is a great base to travel and explore beautiful, interesting, historic buildings.