Lexi Eikelboom

Dr. Lexi Eikelboom is a Senior Research Fellow in theology and religion at the Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry, Australian Catholic University. She completed her PhD at the University of Oxford in 2016 and previously served as a Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow at Indiana Wesleyan University (2015–2018). Her interdisciplinary work bridges theology, philosophy, art, and psychology, with a focus on how embodied practices influence theological discourse.

Research Expertise: Eikelboom’s research centers on rhythm as a theological framework, art-as-ritual practices, and the epistemology of embodied experience. She integrates methods from phenomenology, ritual studies, and aesthetics to explore:

• How art generates spiritual knowledge in secular contexts
• The role of rhythm in metaphysical and doctrinal systems
• Cultural influences on theological concepts through bodily practices

Major Projects: She led the Templeton Religion Trust-funded initiative Spiritual Understanding in a Secular Age: Engaging Art as Religious Ritual (2021–2023, $230,000 USD), collaborating with international researchers and artists to develop ritual-based frameworks for spiritual engagement with art. This project produced an interdisciplinary volume and influenced both religious communities and art institutions.

Advising: Eikelboom mentors PhD students on topics including Catholic eschatology (David Schutz), Trinitarian theology (Beshoy Tawadrous), and the problem of evil (Celeste Kumar).