I have a PhD in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary, where I studied under Profs. Oliver Crisp and Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen. My interests lie in Christian systematic theology, phenomenological philosophy, and the intersection of the two.
My most recent research has been concerned with the critique of the theological methodological and onto-epistemological presuppositions of the catholic tradition. I have three books in which I present my case:
Orthodoxy and Heresy (Cambridge Elements in the Problems of God; Cambridge University Press, 2022). “Orthodoxy” and “heresy” are essential categories by which the “catholic” theological tradition evaluates the (im)propriety of various beliefs and practices relative to its non-negotiable commitments. This Element sketches moments in the development of Christian “orthodoxy” and “heresy” in time, as much in the Old and New Testament as in the history of the Church. It also touches upon the vexed theological-methodological question of the relation between Scripture and ecclesial Tradition before concluding with a critique of the “catholic” tradition’s preoccupation with “orthodoxy” and “heresy” in favor of a Christian theology “without anathemas” that is concerned only for truth.
Theology of the Manifest: Christianity without Metaphysics (Lexington Press/Fortress Academic, 2023). This philosophical-theological work proposes a radical critique of the methodological and onto-epistemological presuppositions of the catholic tradition and a reinterpretation of the Christian faith along phenomenological lines as a Christianity “without metaphysics.” It addresses questions of theological method, onto-epistemology, the nature and existence of God, the person and work of Jesus, the doctrine of the Church, and the sacraments of baptism and Eucharist. It especially draws from and synthesizes the thought of Huldrych Zwingli and Michel Henry.
Theological Authority in the Church: Reconsidering Traditionalism and Hierarchy (Cascade Books, 2023). This work argues by means of the interpretation of the New Testament texts themselves in favor of a “low” conception of ecclesial authority in theology. It maintains that no one in the church has any further authority than that of derivatively, fallibly, and in principle reversibly relating and bearing witness to the teachings of Jesus and the works of God in Him. It concludes with an essay about the consequences of this thesis for the practice of Christian theology and the nature of Christian faith itself. It draws principally from the thought of Huldrych Zwingli and Adolf von Harnack. You can hear me talk about this book with Dr. Chris Tilling on the OnScript podcast here.
I consider these critiques important for the future of Protestant theology and specifically endorse a “post-catholic” mentality for Protestant theologians in which truth rather than authority is the sole criterion for Christian theological inquiry.
I am also going to be publishing the following books in the next year.
Trinity and Incarnation: A Post-Catholic Theology (Cascade Books, forthcoming). This book argues that the doctrine of God taken for granted in the catholic tradition (divine transcendence, creatio ex nihilo, divine simplicity) makes it exceptionally difficult to offer an intelligible and coherent interpretation of the doctrines of Trinity and Incarnation. It then argues for an alternative understanding of these doctrines in light of a qualified monistic conception of God and a “Spirit Christological” interpretation of Jesus’s relation to the Father as presented in the New Testament.
Eating Christ’s Flesh: A Case for Memorialism (Cascade Books, forthcoming). This book presents a biblical, historical, and philosophical case for a Memorialist understanding of the Eucharist and against the Pneumatic and Real Presence alternatives. It addresses the biblical loci classici (the bread of life discourse, the words of institution, Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians), various early church sources (the Didache, Ignatius, Justin, Irenaeus, and Tertullian), and the philosophical interpretation of the Eucharist in Huldrych Zwingli and Michel Henry.
My dissertation was titled A constructive-theological phenomenology of Scripture. It was passed with distinction by Profs. Oliver Crisp, Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen, and Rev. John Behr. Behr said it has something to say to the whole Church.
I have a YouTube channel to which I upload videos discussing matters of Christian theology: “Words of Life” with Dr. Steven Nemes.
I am a rather amateurish musician. I’ve produced this song: “My Dinner with Andrei.” It features my friend, Brian Hernandez, on the keys. Dedicated in friendship to Andrei N.
If you would like to contact me for any reason, but especially if you would like to pay me to write about things that are interesting to me, you can use the following form:
Steven Nemes, PhD 