Stephen H. Webb

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Stephen H. Webb is a theologian and philosopher of religion.

Webb graduated from Wabash College in 1983, earned his Ph.D. at the University of Chicago, and has been teaching at Wabash College as Professor of Religion and Philosophy since 1988. Born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, he grew up at Englewood Christian Church, an evangelical church in the Restoration Movement. He recounts his experiences there in Taking Religion to School. He joined the Disciples of Christ during graduate school but soon became disenchanted with their lack of theological direction. After a brief period as a Lutheran, he is presently considering the Roman Catholic Church.

He is known for his work on animals, vegetarianism, and diet. He co-founded the Christian Vegetarian Association (ChristianVeg.com), but was removed from his position as co-chairman in 2006 after writing several articles in which he admitted to eating meat occasionally. He defends the value of animals by reaffirming traditional notions of human uniqueness and human responsibility for nature. Many animal rights arguments are influenced by a levelling of the differences between humans and animals as well as a levelling of the differences between God and the world. This vision of a non-dogmatic and non-legalistic vegetarianism linked to traditional biblical principles rather than the pantheism of the New Age movement or the abdication of human uniqueness entailed in animal rights legislation has been controversial in both theological and philosophical circles.

Most recently, Dr. Webb has turned his attention to politics and culture. Within this field, Webb has generated waves with his book American Providence, in which he defends the idea that the doctrine of providence has been a crucial ingredient in American history and American identity. Providential interpretations of American national aspirations went into decline after the Vietnam War, but with President Bush's openness regarding the role of faith in his presidency, providence has returned to the public square. Webb argues that even anti-Americanism is dependent upon providential logic, because conspiracy theories about how evil America is grant America a special role in world history. He also argues that the future belongs to the triad of capitalism, democracy, and various forms of evangelical Christianity, not limited to explicitly evangelical churches.

His most recent book, Dylan Redeemed: From Highway 61 to Saved, is a reassessment of Bob Dylan's musical career that focuses on Dylan's mid-life conversion to Christianity. He is currently working on a book entitled, Christianity and Its Enemies.

Stephen Webb lives in Brownsburg, Indiana with his wife, Diane Timmerman, who is an Associate Professor of Theatre at Butler University, and their three children (Charis, Barek and Asher) and two Dachshunds (Max and Herbie).

[edit] Bibliography

Dylan Redeemed: From Highway 61 to Saved (Continuum, 2006)
The Divine Voice: Christian Proclamation and the Theology of Sound (Brazos Press, 2004)
American Providence: A Nation with a Mission (Continuum, 2004)
Good Eating: The Bible, Diet and the Proper Love of Animals (Grand Rapids: Brazos Press/Baker, 2001)
Taking Religion to School: Christian Theology and Secular Education.(Brazos Press, 2000, 253 pages with notes)
On God and Dogs: A Christian Theology of Compassion for Animals (With a Foreword by Andrew Linzey) (Oxford University Press, 1998)
The Gifting God: A Trinitarian Ethics of Excess (Oxford University Press, 1996)
Blessed Excess: Religion and the Hyperbolic Imagination (SUNY Series in Rhetoric and Theology) (Albany: SUNY Press, 1993)
Refiguring Theology: The Rhetoric of Karl Barth (SUNY, 1991)