Samuel Kaldas

Dr Samuel Kaldas is a Lecturer in Philosophy at the School of Philosophy & Theology, University of Notre Dame Australia (Sydney Campus). He holds a PhD from the University of Sydney (2020) and specializes in early modern philosophy, philosophy of religion, patristics, and Coptic studies. He is an affiliate of the Notre Dame Centre for the History of Philosophy (CHOP) since 2024 and has held research fellowships at the University of Sydney and Fordham University.

His educational background includes a BA(Hons) from the University of Sydney, a Graduate Certificate in Theology from the Sydney College of Divinity, and a PhD from the University of Sydney. His research bridges philosophy and theology, particularly in the intersections of Eastern Orthodox thought, early modern philosophy, and Coptic intellectual traditions.

Samuel's research focuses on the Cambridge Platonists, moral philosophy, forgiveness, asceticism, and experiential theology. His work explores how reason, virtue, and divine participation shape human flourishing. He has published on figures such as Ralph Cudworth, St John Chrysostom, and Matta Al-Miskīn, and his scholarship often draws connections between ancient, medieval, and modern philosophical and theological developments.

The 15 most recent publications reflect a strong trend in combining historical philosophical analysis with theological insight, particularly in early modern and patristic contexts. His work spans religious epistemology, moral psychology, and the philosophy of asceticism, with increasing attention to Coptic and Eastern Orthodox perspectives on science, virtue, and divine revelation.

His scientific awards include the Distinguished Research Fellowship in Coptic Orthodox Studies (Fordham, 2021–2022), the Anderson Junior Research Fellowship (Sydney, 2021), the Lucy Firth Publication Prize (2019), and the GHS and IR Lightroller Scholarship (2018).

Dr Kaldas has supervised research students in philosophy and theology and has been involved in interdisciplinary projects and grants related to religious studies and philosophical theology. He has presented at major international conferences and contributes to scholarly discourse through active participation in professional associations. He has previously served as Director of Research at St Cyril’s Coptic Orthodox Theological College, where he taught and led research initiatives.

He is affiliated with the Australasian Association of Philosophers, the Society of Christian Philosophers, ISCAST (Christians in Science and Technology), the International Association for Coptic Studies, and the International Orthodox Theological Association, reflecting his interdisciplinary and ecumenical scholarly engagement.