JOHN PETER KENNEY

I am fascinated by the emergence of monotheism in antiquity. My interests are both conceptual and historical. I want to understand why this commitment to an ultimate One/God developed, and how this belief answered the perennial questions of human life, including the existence of evil and the immortality of the human soul. Because ancient thinkers were engaged in the pursuit of wisdom, and not just in conceptual problem solving, their writings can provide insights for our own reflections today.

My first book examined the development of pagan monotheism among Platonists, especially Plotinus. I then turned to the study of Augustine, writing three books on his thought. What Augustine had to say about God and the soul seems to me compelling and arresting and profound, and well worth trying to grasp on its own terms. I also edited a volume on Philo of Alexandria, the Hellenistic Jewish philosopher, and recently co-edited a history of Christian Platonism.

I began to pursue this research at Bowdoin College, where I majored in Classics and Philosophy. I did graduate work in Ancient Philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania and then completed my Ph.D. in Religious Studies at Brown University. I also did post-graduate work at Harvard University with funding from a National Endowment for the Humanities research fellowship. I taught for 15 years at Reed College in Oregon as Professor of Religion and Humanities, and then became Dean of the College and Professor of Religious Studies at Saint Michael’s College in Vermont. I am now Professor Emeritus but I am continuing my research and writing.