Grad Profiles

Jason Oliver Evans
Doctoral Student
University of Virginia
Department of Religious Studies
323 Gibson Hall
PO Box 400126
Charlottesville, VA 22904-4126
Education
Doctor of Philosophy in Religious Studies (anticipated completion date: May 2024)
Area of Study: Christian Theological Perspectives
Graduate Certificate: Gender and Sexuality Studies
University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
Master of Theology, 2013
Concentration in Theology and Ethics
Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Master of Divinity, 2012
Certificate in Baptist Studies
Duke University, Durham, NC
Bachelor of Science in Speech Communication, 2008
Concentration in Broadcasting
Millersville University of Pennsylvania, Millersville, PA
Research Interests
Christology; Soteriology (Atonement); Trinitarian Theology; Pneumatology; Creation and Theological Anthropology; Liberation Theologies; Theology of Karl Barth; Theological and Social Ethics; Theological Hermeneutics; Practical Theology; Theories and Methods in African American Religion; Africana Studies; Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies
Professional Experience
Graduate Teaching Assistant, 2019 - Present
- Business, Ethics, and Society course (Spring 2022
- Introduction to American Studies (Fall 2021)
- Introduction to African-American and African Studies II course (Spring 2021)
- Introduction to African-American and African Studies I course (Fall 2020)
- Spiritual, But Not Religious: Spirituality in America course (Spring 2020)
- Elements of Christian Thought course (Fall 2019)
Funded Research Contributor, Race, Religion, and Democracy Lab, University of Virginia, 2019 - Present
- Assisted with conferences and contributed funded research for two special projects sponsored by the UVA Religion, Race, and Democracy Lab.
Grants, Fellowships, and Awards
- Recipient, Dissertation Fellowship, Louisville Institute, 2022-2023
- Member, The Raven Society, University of Virginia, 2021-
- Summer Research Grant, Religion, Race, & Democracy Lab, University of Virginia, 2020 - 2020
- Summer Research Grant, Religion, Race, & Democracy Lab, University of Virginia, 2019 - 2019
- Graduate Fellowship, Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture, Duke University, 2011 - 2012
- Carlyle Marney Scholarship, Baptist House of Studies, The Divinity School, Duke University, 2011 - 2012
- Divinity Annual Award, The Divinity School, Duke University, 2009 - 2012
- African-American/Latino Alumni Scholarship, Millersville University of Pennsylvania, 2006 - 2007
Peer-Reviewed Academic Publications
- “Sources of Light: Resources for Baptist Churches Practicing Theology,” edited by Amy L. Chilton and Steven R. Harmon, Reading Religion: A Publication of the American Academy of Religion. Date of Review: April 17, 2022.
- Review of Kathleen T. Talvacchia, “Embracing Disruptive Coherence: Coming Out as Erotic Ethical Practice,” Theology & Sexuality, 25:3, 229-231. DOI: 10.1080/13558358.2020.1718998
Special Projects
- Funded research contributor, “Repairing the Breach: Pandemic, Protests, and the Polls,” Religion, Race, & Democracy Lab, University of Virginia. Published November 10, 2020.
- Funded research contributor, "#BlackLivesMatter: Black Women’s Perspectives on Faith, Feminism, and Freedom,” Religion, Race, & Democracy Lab, University of Virginia. Published February 20, 2020.
Selected Panels and Presentations
- Panelist, “Being and Belonging: Queer Christians in Conversation.” Co-Sponsored by Theological Horizons and UKirk UVA, A Presbyterian Student Fellowship. Charlottesville, VA, April 8, 2022.
- Graduate Student Respondent. “Ways of Hearing, Ways of Knowing: Listening for the Sounds of Religion” Virtual Workshop, Department of Theology. Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO, October 22, 2021.
- Panelist, SymPOSEium: Black Queer Theology. Upperman African American Cultural Center. University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC (anticipated: October 13, 2021).
- Guest Lecturer, “James H. Cone and the Black Theology Movement.” Given at Eugene Lang College, The New School, New York, NY, September 15, 2021.
- Moderator, “Boundless Love: Black Queerness and Spirituality.” One Book, One Philadelphia. The Free Library of Philadelphia. Presented Online by Joseph E. Coleman Regional Library, Philadelphia, PA, May 25, 2021.
Public Writing
- “Christians hold many views on Jesus’ resurrection—a theologian explains the differing views among Baptists." The Conversation, April 14, 2022.
- "How Baptists hold differing views on the resurrection of Christ and why this matters.” The Conversation, April 15, 2021.
- "How the Ebenezer Baptist Church has been a seat of Black power for generations in Atlanta.” The Conversation, January 15, 2021.
- "Whose Christian Flesh Is This?” Response to Christian Flesh by Paul J. Griffiths. Syndicate Network, July 7, 2020.
- "Jesus in the Black Christian Imagination, Pt. 2." Urban Faith Magazine, October 22, 2014.
- "Jesus Christ in the Black Christian Imagination, Pt. 1." Urban Faith Magazine, October 20, 2014.
- "The Faith of Our Fathers: Reclaiming the (North African) Church Fathers.” Urban Faith Magazine, February 13, 2014.
Media
- "Episode 42: Who the Son Sets Free ft. Jason Oliver Evans,” interview, Brewin’ Black, hosted by Scholar P and T-Shaw, April 2, 2021.
- Interview, Moment of Truth with David Moses, 106.5 ELMNT FM, Toronto, Ontario, March 2, 2021
- "Black, Queer, and Saved with Rev. Jason Oliver Evans,” interview, Fruits of the Spirit, hosted by Enrique Cintron, December 18, 2020.