Jacob N. Van Sickle
Saint Louis University
Department of Theological Studies
1911 Lawrence St.
Saint Louis, MO 63110
314-556-4903
slu.academia.edu/JacobVanSickle
EDUCATION
Ph.D., Historical Theology, Saint Louis University, expected 2015
Dissertation: “Human Sexual Difference in the Theology of Maximus the Confessor: Sources and Synthesis”
Director: Peter W. Martens
Readers: Paul Blowers, Fr. Kenneth Steinhauser
Th.M., Patristics, Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, 2010
Thesis: “St. Basil’s Moralia: Translated and Contextually Analyzed”
Director: Fr. John Behr
Reader: Peter Bouteneff
M.Div., Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, 2009
Thesis: “Basil and the Art of Shepherding in Fourth Century Asia Minor: An Examination of His Epistolary Ministry”
Director: Fr. John Erickson
Reader: Fr. Harry Pappas
B.A., Classics, with Honors in Greek, Valparaiso University, 2006
Thesis: “Basil the Great’s Ad Adolescentes: A Textual Commentary andNew Translation with Introduction”
Director: Michael Kumpf
SpecialReinert Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning
Training:Certificate in University Teaching Skills, expected December 2014
Greek Paleography and Manuscript Studies
London International Paleography Summer School,2014
RESEARCH
Book:Basil the Great: On Christian Ethics(Greek and English). Crestwood, NY: Saint Vladimir’s Seminary Press, In press.
Book “How Difficulties in Transmitting the Texts of Basil’s AdversusEunomium 3.1
Chapter:and Maximus’ Letter to Marinus Led to the Rise and Fall of Ferrara-Florence.” In The Use of Textual Criticism for the Interpretation of Patristic Texts, edited by Kenneth Steinhauser and Scott Dermer, pp. 431–450. Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen, 2013.
Reviews:“On Difficulties in the Church Fathers: The Ambigua. Maximos the Confessor edited and translated by Nicholas Constas.” St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Quarterly (Forthcoming).
“Transforming Ourselves, Transforming the World: Justice in Jesuit Higher Education edited by Mary Beth Combs and Patricia Ruggiano Schmidt.”Teaching Theology and Religion (In press).
“Basil of Caesarea’s Anti-Eunomian Theory of Names. Christian Theology and Late-Antique Philosophy in the Fourth-Century Trinitarian Controversy by Mark DelCogliano.” Vigiliae Christianae 68, no. 1 (2014): 108–110.
“Maximus the Confessor: The Life of the Virgin by Stephen J. Shoemaker.” Journal of Early Christian Studies 21, no. 3 (2013): 475–476.
MSS in “Re-Evaluating the Role of Emperor John VIII in the Failed Union of
Preparation:Florence.” Journal of Ecclesiastical History (Under revision for resubmission).
With T. Alexander Giltner, “Better than Sex: Christ and Gender in the Anthropology of Gregory of Nyssa, Maximus the Confessor, and John Scottus Eriugena” (In progress).
Conference“Basil of Caesarea on the Right Use of Scripture.” Presented at the annual
Papers:meeting of the North American Patristics Society in Chicago, IL. 23 May 2014.
“Reevaluating John VIII’s Part in the Failed Union of Florence.” Presented at the First Annual Symposium on Medieval and Renaissance Studies in Saint Louis, MO. 19 June 2013.
“Apologia pro Commonitorium Sua: Vincent and the Modern Theorists ofDoctrinal Development.” Presented at the annual meeting of the North American Patristics Society in Chicago, IL. 25 May 2013.
“Reading Scripture with a Rhetor: John Chrysostom on Psalm 44 (LXX).” Presented at the annual meeting of the North American Patristics Society in Chicago, IL. 25 May 2012.
Invited “Students’ Cognitive Development: How It Informs Teaching.” Saint Louis
Talks:University’s Graduate Assistant Orientation. 21 August 2013.
“Material God: A Celebration of the Triumph of Orthodoxy.” Given at Holy Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, Saint Louis, MO. 26 February 2012.
TEACHING
2014–2015Department Teaching Assistant.
Fall 2014: Sole instructor of four discussion sections for the first-year course Theological Foundations, including discussion prep and grading of all written assignments and student participation.
Spring 2015: Instructor of record for two sections ofEarly Christianity, includingsyllabus and assessment design.
2013–2014 Online Instructor for the Reinert Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning. Seminars co-taught via Blackboard Learn: Course Designand Teaching Philosophy.
OTHER PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Graduate Assistant at the Reinert Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning, Saint Louis University, 2013–14.
Part of a team that administered the Certificate in University Teaching Skills; led workshops, online seminars and book groups; conducted Small Group Instructional Feedback sessions for university faculty, performed bibliographic research on pedagogy.
Research Assistant to John Renard, Professor of Islamic Studies, Saint Louis University, 2011–13.
Assisted with the editing and publication of four books: Fighting Words: Religion, Violence and the Interpretation of Sacred Texts, Islamic Theological Themes: A Primary Source Reader(both University of CaliforniaPress), The Handy Religion Answer Book, 2nd ed. and The Handy Islam Answer Book (both Visible Ink Press).
Research Assistant to Cornelia Horn, Assistant Professor of Early Christianity, Saint Louis University, 2010–11.
Assisted with the preparation of several articles and with the editing of The Chronicle of Pseudo-Zachariah Rhetor (Liverpool University Press).
SERVICE
Conference Organizer,“‘For the Good of Many’: Constantine and the Edict of Milan on its 1700th Anniversary.” Saint Louis University, 21 September 2013.
Associate Director, St. Irenaeus Orthodox Theological Institute, Saint Louis, MO. 2013–present.
Advisory Board,St. Irenaeus Orthodox Theological Institute, Saint Louis, MO. 2011–2013.
Student Action Committee, Department of Theological Studies, 2011–2013.
AWARDS and RECOGNITIONS
Jesuit Language Scholarship, summer 2014
Reinert Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning Graduate Assistantship, competitive across the University, 2013–2014
Summer Graduate Research Assistantship, Saint Louis University, 2011
Letter of Commendation for Academic Work, St. Vladimir’s Seminary, 2007
Christ College Scholar (Highest distinction granted to graduates of the interdisciplinary Honors College), 2006
Lumina Award, Valparaiso University, 2005
Founder’s Scholarship, full tuition, Valparaiso University, 2002–2006
LANGUAGES
Ancient Greek: reading fluency with strength in paleography
French, Latin, German, Modern Greek:reading proficiency
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
North American Patristics Society
American Society of Church History
Orthodox Theological Society in America
REFERENCES
Peter W. Martens
Assistant Professor of Early Christianity
Department of Theological Studies
Saint Louis University
3800 Lindell Blvd.
Saint Louis, MO 63108
Fr. John Behr
Dean, Professor of Patristics
St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary
575 Scarsdale Road
Crestwood, NY 10707
John Renard
Professor of Islamic Studies
Department of Theological Studies
Saint Louis University
3800 Lindell Blvd.
Saint Louis, MO 63108
Teaching Daniel Finucane
Reference:Associate Professor of Systematic Theology
Department of Theological Studies
Saint Louis University
3800 Lindell Blvd.
Saint Louis, MO 63108
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