Philip Jenkins
Encyclopedia
Philip Jenkins is as of 2010 the Edwin Erle Sparks Professor of Humanities at Pennsylvania State University
(PSU). He was Professor (from 1993) and a Distinguished Professor (from 1997) of History and Religious studies at the same institution; and also assistant, associate and then full professor of Criminal Justice and American Studies at PSU, 1980–1993. He is also a Distinguished Senior Fellow at Baylor University
's Institute for Studies of Religion.
Jenkins is a contributing editor for The American Conservative
and writes a monthly column for The Christian Century
. He has also written articles for Christianity Today
, First Things
, and The Atlantic.
, Wales
in 1952 and studied at Clare College in the University of Cambridge
taking double first–class honours in both History and Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic Studies. Jenkins then studied for his PhD under the supervision of Sir John Plumb among others. Between 1977–1980, Jenkins worked as a researcher for Sir Leon Radzinowicz
, the pioneer of Criminology at Cambridge.
In 1979, Jenkins won the BBC quiz show, Mastermind
.
, which marked a change in his research focus. Jenkins has forged a reputation based on his work on global Christianity
as well as on emerging religious movements. Other research interests include post-1970 American history and crime
.
He conducted a study of the Quran and the Bible
in the light of the September 11 attacks and accusation that the former incites violence. However, he found that "the Bible contains far more verses praising or urging bloodshed than does the Quran."
In a 2010 interview with National Public Radio Jenkins stated that he believes "the Islamic scriptures in the Qur'an
were actually far less bloody and less violent than those in the Bible", citing explicit instructions in the Old Testament
calling for genocide
while the Qur'an calls for primarily defensive war. Jenkins went on to state that Islam, Judaism and Christianity had undergone a process he refers to as "holy amnesia" in which violence in sacred texts become symbolic action against one's sins. Islam had until recently also undergone the same process, in which jihad
became an internal struggle rather than war.
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
(PSU). He was Professor (from 1993) and a Distinguished Professor (from 1997) of History and Religious studies at the same institution; and also assistant, associate and then full professor of Criminal Justice and American Studies at PSU, 1980–1993. He is also a Distinguished Senior Fellow at Baylor University
Baylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...
's Institute for Studies of Religion.
Jenkins is a contributing editor for The American Conservative
The American Conservative
The American Conservative is a monthly U.S. opinion magazine published by Ron Unz. Its first editor was Scott McConnell, his successors being Kara Hopkins and the present incumbent, Daniel McCarthy....
and writes a monthly column for The Christian Century
The Christian Century
The Christian Century is a Christian magazine based in Chicago, Illinois. Considered the flagship magazine of U.S. mainline Protestantism, the biweekly reports on religious news; comments on theological, moral, and cultural issues; and reviews books, movies, and music...
. He has also written articles for Christianity Today
Christianity Today
Christianity Today is an Evangelical Christian periodical based in Carol Stream, Illinois. It is the flagship publication of its parent company Christianity Today International, claiming circulation figures of 140,000 and readership of 290,000...
, First Things
First Things
First Things is an ecumenical journal focused on creating a "religiously informed public philosophy for the ordering of society". The journal is inter-denominational and inter-religious, representing a broad intellectual tradition of Christian and Jewish critique of contemporary society...
, and The Atlantic.
Early life and work
Jenkins was born in Port TalbotPort Talbot
Port Talbot is a town in Neath Port Talbot, Wales. It had a population of 35,633 in 2001.-History:Port Talbot grew out of the original small port and market town of Aberafan , which belonged to the medieval Lords of Afan. The area of the parish of Margam lying on the west bank of the lower Afan...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
in 1952 and studied at Clare College in the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
taking double first–class honours in both History and Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic Studies. Jenkins then studied for his PhD under the supervision of Sir John Plumb among others. Between 1977–1980, Jenkins worked as a researcher for Sir Leon Radzinowicz
Leon Radzinowicz
Sir Leon Radzinowicz was an academic criminologist and the founding director of the Institute of Criminology at the University of Cambridge.He was born in Łódź, Poland and arrived in Cambridge in the late 1930s...
, the pioneer of Criminology at Cambridge.
In 1979, Jenkins won the BBC quiz show, Mastermind
Mastermind (TV series)
Mastermind is a British quiz show, well known for its challenging questions, intimidating setting and air of seriousness.Devised by Bill Wright, the basic format of Mastermind has never changed — four and in later contests five contestants face two rounds, one on a specialised subject of the...
.
Academic career
In 1980, Jenkins was appointed Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at Pennsylvania State UniversityPennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
, which marked a change in his research focus. Jenkins has forged a reputation based on his work on global Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
as well as on emerging religious movements. Other research interests include post-1970 American history and crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
.
He conducted a study of the Quran and the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
in the light of the September 11 attacks and accusation that the former incites violence. However, he found that "the Bible contains far more verses praising or urging bloodshed than does the Quran."
Beliefs about religious controversies
In 2002 Jenkins, who is a Catholic turned Episcopalian, discussed the Catholic sex abuse cases, asserting that "[his] research of cases over the past 20 years indicates no evidence whatever that Catholic or other celibate clergy are any more likely to be involved in misconduct or abuse than clergy of any other denomination—or indeed, than non-clergy. However determined news media may be to see this affair as a crisis of celibacy, the charge is just unsupported."In a 2010 interview with National Public Radio Jenkins stated that he believes "the Islamic scriptures in the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
were actually far less bloody and less violent than those in the Bible", citing explicit instructions in the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
calling for genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
while the Qur'an calls for primarily defensive war. Jenkins went on to state that Islam, Judaism and Christianity had undergone a process he refers to as "holy amnesia" in which violence in sacred texts become symbolic action against one's sins. Islam had until recently also undergone the same process, in which jihad
Jihad
Jihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...
became an internal struggle rather than war.
External links
- Personal website
- Interview with Philip Jenkins on "The Lost History of Christianity"