James Smoker

PHD CANDIDATE

Hometown: Nanaimo, British Columbia
Education: B.A. (Creative Writing) Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo, BC
Diploma (Television Production) Southern Alberta Institute for Technology, Calgary, Alberta
M.A. (History of Christianity) Regent College, Vancouver, BC
ThM (Interdisciplinary Studies) Regent College, Vancouver, BC

Thesis Topic
Under the supervision of Judith Wolfe and Gavin Hopps, James’s research explores Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s definition of the imagination as a means of perceiving and repeating the divine creative act, set in contrast with both the dark imagery present in his poetic works and the way his own imagination tormented him in nightmares and persistent self-destructive fantasies. Coleridge’s considerable collections of notebooks, letters, essay fragments, and lectures—not to mention well-established poetry, drama, and prose—are a rich body of texts to explore. They reflect a brilliant interdisciplinary thinker grappling with his creative power, faith, doubts, health, and his constant search for rest in God.

Other Information
James’s academic career has followed two tracks: one as a researcher and the other as an administrator. He earned an MA in Theological Studies and a Master of Theology at Regent College (in Vancouver, Canada) while also working as the Assistant to the Academic Dean. Now he is writing his PhD dissertation with ITIA while working a full-time job as Registrar at Regent. He has also published articles with Christ and Pop Culture, Plough, and serves as an associate editor with Transpositions. When he’s not working or writing, James enjoys reading all sorts of fiction, trying new recipes, and catching up on all of the pop-culture he missed in his homeschooled childhood.

James is married to Siobhan, and they have three children, Eilidh, Ian, and Sadie.

Contact
[email protected]