Andrew Fitz-Gibbon

Andrew Fitz-Gibbon is a SUNY Distinguished Service Professor and Professor of Philosophy at the State University of New York at Cortland, where he also serves as Chair of the Philosophy Department and Director of the Center for Ethics, Peace and Social Justice. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and the American Philosophical Practitioners Association, and serves as President of Concerned Philosophers for Peace. His work bridges academic philosophy with practical applications in community building and nonviolent social transformation.

Dr. Fitz-Gibbon earned his PhD from Newcastle University in the United Kingdom. His academic journey has been complemented by his spiritual leadership as bishop-abbot of the Lindisfarne Community, a secular monastic order exploring interfaith spirituality. Prior to his academic career, he served as an accredited minister with the Baptist Union of Great Britain and Ireland from 1981-1999.

Professor Fitz-Gibbon's research spans ethics, nonviolence, love, mysticism, and community building. His work uniquely integrates philosophical rigor with practical applications in peacebuilding, social justice, and spiritual formation. He has made significant contributions to understanding nonviolent approaches to conflict resolution, the philosophical foundations of pacifism, and the intersection of spirituality and social transformation. His scholarship often addresses contemporary issues through both theoretical frameworks and practical applications, particularly in contexts of violence, trauma, and community healing.

His publications reveal a consistent focus on practical philosophy, with particular attention to nonviolent approaches in diverse contexts from international conflict to foster care systems. Fitz-Gibbon's work demonstrates how philosophical insights can inform concrete practices of peacebuilding and community formation, often drawing connections between ancient wisdom traditions and contemporary challenges. His scholarship bridges academic philosophy with grassroots community work, particularly through his leadership in the Lindisfarne Community.

• Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
• Fellow of the American Philosophical Practitioners Association

As Director of the Center for Ethics, Peace and Social Justice at SUNY Cortland, Fitz-Gibbon has secured numerous grants supporting research on nonviolent conflict resolution and community building. He has mentored students in philosophy, peace studies, and ethics, encouraging practical applications of philosophical insights. His collaborative work with Jane Fitz-Gibbon on topics ranging from foster care to spiritual community has produced significant interdisciplinary scholarship.

Through the Lindisfarne Community, which he co-leads as bishop-abbot, Fitz-Gibbon has created a living laboratory for exploring secular monasticism and interfaith spiritual practice. This community serves as both a research site and practical application of his philosophical work on community, spirituality, and nonviolence. His approach integrates academic scholarship with embodied practice, creating a unique model for philosophical engagement with real-world issues.