Bob Dylan’s conversion to Christianity and his subsequent Gospel albums have long delighted and puzzled his fans. However, the themes he explored through a theological lens can be found in his earliest compositions. In this episode, Celucien L. Joseph, Ph.D., theologian, literary scholar, and chair of the English department at San Jacinto College, discusses his current work on Christianity, Vodou, and Secularism, and his thoughts on themes of justice, redemption, and grace in Dylan’s work.
Dr. Joseph earned his B.A. from The Baptist College of Florida. He holds an M.A. in French language and literature from the University of Louisville (Louisville, KY). In addition, he holds an Advanced Master of Divinity (M.Div) in Biblical and Theological Studies, from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville, KY), and a Master of Theology (Th.M.) in New Testament, from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (Fort Worth, TX). He received his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from the University of Texas at Dallas (Richardson, TX), where he studied Literary Studies with an emphasis in African American Intellectual History, Caribbean Culture and Literature, and African American Literature. Professor Joseph’s second Ph.D. in Systematic Theology and Christian Ethics is from the University of Pretoria (Pretoria, South Africa). He has done additional studies in Religious Studies and the Humanities at the University of Louisville. A prolific scholar and writer, Dr. Joseph has published over three-dozen articles and over a dozen books that have advanced scholarship on Christianity and Vodou. He continues to be a leading voice in the field.
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