Connecting Ancient Traditions with Contemporary Life
I help people connect ancient traditions with contemporary life, equipping them with the skills and practices to confidently read biblical texts for themselves—free from hearsay and assumptions. I lead bold explorations into the subjects that matter most, creating a space where we can ask real questions without fear or judgment and uncover new perspectives.
Bringing our whole selves—bodies and all—into the process of seeking deeper knowledge and wisdom is essential for the healing and flourishing of all creation.
Our senses and emotions, along with our embodied intellect, are valuable sources of knowledge. Since God is a fan of Incarnation, we’re in good company!
Guided by John 10:10—“I came that they might have LIFE and have it abundantly”—my work centers on abundant life, embodied life, eternal life, and precious life. Whether addressing specific books of the Bible or broader themes such as disability, women in the Bible, death and the afterlife, psychedelics and Christianity, or leading trips to biblical lands, life is the leitmotif that runs through all I do.
About
Rev. Dr. Jaime Clark-Soles
I am a Professor of New Testament and Altshuler Distinguished Teaching Professor at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University. I received my B.A. from Stetson University focusing on both Philosophy and Russian Studies. I earned my M.Div. from Yale Divinity School and my Ph.D. in New Testament from Yale University.
Particular areas of
Scholarly expertise & publication
Author of numerous books & essays
My books include 1 Corinthians: Searching the Depths of God (2021), Women in the Bible (2020), Reading John for Dear Life: A Spiritual Walk with the Fourth Gospel (2016), Engaging the Word: The New Testament and the Christian Believer (2010); Death and the Afterlife in the New Testament (2006); and Scripture Cannot Be Broken: The Social Function of the Use of Scripture in the Fourth Gospel (2003). I am currently writing two books: Psychedelics and Soul Care: What Christians Need to Know (Eerdmans) and The Agony, the Ecstasy, and the Ordinary: Experiencing God in the New Testament.
Speaking & writing
I enjoy speaking widely and writing for both academic and popular audiences. I have contributed articles to preaching resources both in print and online (including Feasting on the Word, Feasting on the Gospels, and workingpreacher.org), and have served on the board of the Center for Preaching Excellence.
A leading scholar
I have served on the Journal of Biblical Literature editorial board and currently serve on the Journal of Disability and Religion editorial board. My essay “Disability and the Johannine Literature” appears in Disability and the Bible: A Commentary. I am the recipient of a Ford Senior Research Fellowship and have served on the steering committee of the “Ethics and Biblical Interpretation” section and the “Johannine Literature” section of the Society of Biblical Literature.
I serve as a Field Scholar for the Emory Center for Psychedelics and Spirituality and am an active member of the Transforming Chaplaincy Psychedelic Care Network. I am certified in Psychedelic Assisted Therapies and Research through the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS).
