John Utz

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Literature and Theology, Duke University Divinity School

M.A.R., Yale Divinity School,
Ph.D., Yale University,

Dr. Utz is interested in the renewal of the role of writing within the life of the church and the formation of its ministry. His work explores both the theological depths of conventional literature and the rhetorical challenges of writing theology well. As the director of the Duke Center for Theological Writing, he oversees programming, tutoring, curriculum, and electronic support that will strengthen our use of language at the seminary level and throughout the church. His research interests include the role of literature in grief and remembrance and the relationship between theology and aesthetics, in addition to a broader interest in American literature and culture. His teaching revolves around the historical employment of literary texts for pastoral and ethical discernment; recent courses include The Poetic Imagination and Christianity and Contemporary Literature.