معرفی
Paul Siewers is Associate Professor of English at Bucknell University and Orthodox Christian Chaplain serving the Bucknell community. He holds leadership roles as faculty coordinator of the Bucknell Greenway, Director of the Bucknell Program for American Leadership, founding convenor of the Bucknell Faculty Staff Christian Association, and Editor of The Paideia Review. A former William E. Simon Visiting Fellow at Princeton University's James Madison Program, he previously worked as an award-winning Urban Affairs Writer for the Chicago Sun-Times and National Correspondent for The Christian Science Monitor.
His educational background includes:
- Ph.D. and M.A. in English, University of Illinois
- M.A. in Early British Studies, University of Wales
- M.S.J. from Medill School of Journalism
- Diploma in Pastoral Theology from St. John of Kronstadt Pastoral School
- Liturgical Training at Holy Trinity Monastery
Siewers' research centers on the intersection of Christian theology, environmental thought, and literary resistance to totalitarianism. His work explores ecopoetics and ecosemiotics through medieval literature, nature philosophy, and 21st-century journalism. He investigates how early Christian and Celtic literary traditions inform contemporary ecological consciousness, while examining literary responses to authoritarian regimes and the role of 'Great Books' education in sustaining democratic discourse. His scholarship bridges theological inquiry with environmental humanities and media studies.
His recent publications reveal persistent engagement with Orthodox Christian perspectives on ecology, political theology, and literary resistance. The works consistently connect historical theological concepts to modern crises—linking early Irish ecosemiotics to contemporary environmental thought, Dostoevskian universalism to current theological debates, and Cold War spirituality to emerging globalist ideologies. His Tolkien scholarship demonstrates how fantasy literature processes cultural trauma and spiritual longing.
Scientific recognition includes:
- William E. Simon Visiting Fellowship in Religion and Public Life
- Award-winning Urban Affairs Writer designation from Chicago Sun-Times
Siewers actively mentors through documentary projects like Stories of the Susquehanna Valley and coordinates sustainability initiatives via the President's Sustainability Council. His grant-funded work connects Bucknell to regional ecological and cultural preservation efforts, while his leadership in the American Leadership Program develops civic engagement frameworks rooted in classical education. Current projects survey Christian ecopoetics and comparative American-Russian ecosemiotics.
He directs the Bucknell Greenway ecological corridor project and oversees the Stories of the Susquehanna Valley student documentary series, which explores regional history, conservation, and cultural identity through public television productions. These initiatives integrate academic research with community engagement, focusing on environmental stewardship and historical preservation in Pennsylvania's river valley ecosystems.
