Biography: Brandon is a philosopher, theologian, pastor, husband, father, son, and friend. He enjoys playing basketball (and most other games and sports), getting outdoors, spending time with his family, visiting people, raising talk to the level of discussion, taking action, working at it, and finding enjoyment in his work.

Share a few facts about your specific area(s) of expertise that you bring to the classroom: In Volume 1 of his Systematic Theology, Paul Tillich contrasts “controlling knowledge” (knowledge) with “receiving knowledge” (self-knowledge) and then claims that “the quest for the knowledge of revelation” (theology) is to be undertaken for the sake of unity (intrapersonal and interpersonal). My research has tended to focus on the relationship between modes of self-knowledge and possibilities for unity. There are three basic kinds of self-knowledge (theoretical, practical, and existential). I need to know “where I am.” I need to know “who I am in relation to you and who you are in relation to me.” And I need to know “who I am in myself (and who you are in yourself).” To live well, (1) I have to locate myself in nature and put the way that I relate to my environment in good order; (2) I have to locate myself in culture and put the way that I participate in human practices in good order; and (3) by participation (in being, as Aquinas might say), I have to come to know myself well enough to accept true recognition and resist false recognition and become present to those addressing me. I am especially interested in tasks (2) and (3) — in the work of clarifying what our options are and what is at stake as we undertake these tasks (philosophy) and in the work of unfolding the ways that faith, hope, and love change our options and what is at stake (theology).

Share a few pieces of information that represent your teaching experience and why you love working with students: For years, I have had the good fortune to teach philosophy courses full-time at Georgia State University. Philosophy is the art of making distinctions. To draw a distinction is an action that makes new thoughts and actions possible. Teaching philosophy is a uniquely worthwhile task insofar as I am not only making distinctions for my students that make new thoughts and actions possible for them but also, and mainly, teaching them the art of making distinctions so that they might enter into discussions (with others and with me) as persons who are trained to make new thoughts and possible (for others and for me) by making distinctions – ideally the right ones, at the right times, for the right reasons.