Dr. Brach S. Jennings, B.A., B.A., M.Div., M.Th., Th.M.

• 2026- Postdoctoral University Assistant for the Project “Paul Tillich’s Correspondence 1933-1951”, Protestant-Theological Faculty of the University of Vienna (Project Leader: Univ-Prof. Dr. Christian Danz)
• 2025-2026 Office Assistant and Theologian in Residence, Grace Lutheran Church, Lincoln, California
• 2025- Research Fellow, Protestant-Theological Faculty of the University of Vienna (Univ.-Prof. Dr. Christian Danz)
• 2022-2024 Vicar, Friedensgemeinde Pforzheim
• 2022 Doctorate in Systematic Theology magna cum laude at the University of Tübingen (1st Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Jürgen Moltmann)
• 2019-2021 Freelance Editor, Mohr Siebeck Publishers, Tübingen
• 2018-2022 Research Assistant to Dr. Linda E. Thomas, The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
• 2018 Preacher, St. Andrews Lutheran Church, Glenwood, Illinois
• 2017-2019 Studies in Systematic Theology, The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (Th.M.)
• 2017-2019 Circulation Assistant, JKM Academic Library, Chicago, IL
• 2016-2017 Marketing Coordinator, Augsburg Fortress Publishers, Minneapolis, Minesota
• 2015-2017 Studies in Systematic Theology, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota (M.Th., with distinction)
• 2014-2015 Intern Pastor, First Lutheran Church, Astoria, Oregon
• 2011-2015 Studies in Theology, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (Berkeley, California) of California Lutheran University (M.Div.)
• 2006-2011 Studies in History, Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois (B.A., magna cum laude)
• 2006-2011 Studies in Music, Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois (B.A., magna cum laude)
• 27.2.1988 Born in Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America

• 20th century systematic theology (esp. Karl Barth and Paul Tillich)
• Liberation theologies (esp. James H. Cone’s Black Theology)
• Material dogmatics (esp. Christology and Trinity)
• Theology and Life of Martin Luther
• History of Christian doctrine
• Theological Hermeneutics
• Biblical Theolog(ies)

Monograph

• Jennings, Brach S. Transfiguring a Theologia Crucis through James Cone. Dogmatik in der Moderne. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2023

Journal Articles

• “The Waiting Trinity of Holy Saturday: A Hermeneutical-Artistic Proposal", Theology Today, July 30, 2026.
• “Traces of a theology of the cross in James H. Cone’s Black Theology and Black Power" in Communio Viatorum 67, no. 3 (2025): 231-57.
• “Witnesses to Jesus Christ and Older Friends in the Faith: Reflections on Teaching Youth in the Church" in Flourish: A Journal of Progressive Ministry, Winter 2026 Digital Issue.
• “A Theologian of Hope: Memories of Jürgen Moltmann" in Word and World 44, no. 4 (2024): 469-82.
• “St. Augustine and Malcolm X as Theological Figures in Relation to a Contemporary Theologia Crucis in Solidarity with the #BlackLivesMatter Movement" in Currents in Theology and Mission 49, no. 1 (2022): 64-70.
• “There are Other Worlds than These: Exploring Stephen King’s The Gunslinger and the Theology of Paul Tillich" in Currents in Theology and Mission 48, no.2 (2021): 36-42.  
• “Interpreting Martin Luther’s Theologia Crucis Eschatologically as Deep Incarnation for Ecological Justice" in Communio Viatorum 62, no. 3 (2020): 266-79.
• “Rudolf Bultmann as Theologian of Radical Trust in the Gospel" in Currents in Theology and Mission 45, no. 4 (2018): 35-40.
• “The Courage to Be: Paul Tillich’s Existentialist Theology of the Cross in Relation to Martin Luther" in Dialog 57, no. 3 (2018): 211-18.

Book Chapters

• “Interpreting Martin Luther’s Theologia Crucis Eschatologically as Deep Incarnation for Ecological Justice", in Gotthold Knecht, ed., Erhebt eure Häupter, weil sich eure Erlösung Naht: Dankesschrift für Jürgen Moltmann zum 96. Geburtstag (Nürtingen: Denkhaus Verlag, 2022), 178-88.

Book Reviews

• Review of Stephen R. Haynes, The Battle for Bonhoeffer: Debating Discipleship in the Age of Trump in Dialog: A Journal of Theology 58, no. 2 (2019): 156-57.  

Blog Posts

• “The Challenge and Opportunity of Corona Times" in Was Zählt!-Blog, Claussen-Simon-Stiftung, August 2020.
• “An Unmined Gem in James Cone’s Theology" in We Talk. We Listen: Conversations about Diversity, July 2018.

Academic Teaching

• April 2021-July 2021: Evangelisches Stift, Tübingen: Theological Locus Instructor, “Eberhard Jüngel’s God as the Mystery of the World: Theology’s Place in the Academy”
• November 2020-February 2021: Evangelisches Stift, Tübingen: Theological Locus Instructor, “James Cone’s Black Liberation Theology as theologia crucis”
• January 2019: LSTC: Teaching Assistant & Co-Teacher with Dr. Mark Swanson, “Grace Incarnate: The Lutheran Confessional Writings” 3-week Intensive Course
• October 2018: McCormick Seminary: Guest Teacher 1 Session, Science Fiction & Theology, “Stephen King’s The Gunslinger and the Theology of Paul Tillich”
• April 2018: LSTC: Guest Teacher, 1 Session, Lutheran Confessions, “Martin Luther’s Understanding of the Lord’s Supper”
• March 2018: LSTC: Guest Teacher, 1 Session, History & Theology II, “Major Theologians of the 19th and 20th Centuries”
• January 2018: LSTC: Guest Teacher, 1 Session, Lutheran Confessions, “Church and Ministry in the Lutheran Confessions”

Selected Church Teaching

• March 2026: St. James Episcopal Church (Lincoln, CA), 1 session adult education forum “You are Accepted: The Late Paul Tillich’s Understanding of Justification”
• February-March 2026: Grace Lutheran Church (Lincoln, CA), 5-week adult education forum “James Cone’s The Cross and the Lynching Tree in Relation to Cone’s Early Theology”
• January-February 2026: Grace Lutheran Church (Lincoln, CA), 5-week adult education forum “Martin Luther: A Late Medieval Pastor for Today”
• September-November 2025: Grace Lutheran Church (Lincoln, CA), 7-week adult education forum “Dinner Church: A Book Study on Pamela Eisenbaum’s Paul was not a Christian”
• May-July 2025: Grace Lutheran Church/Easy Company Café (Lincoln, CA), 11-week adult education public theology forum “Beer and Bible: A Book Study on Marcus J. Borg’s Reading the Bible Again for the First Time”
• April 2025: St. James Episcopal Church (Lincoln, CA), 1 session adult education forum “The Historical Jesus and the Life of the Church”
• September-October 2024: Evangelische Friedensgemeinde, Pforzheim (Germany), 3-week adult education forum “James Cones Schwarze Theologie der Befreiung in den USA”
• February 2024: Evangelische Kirche, Langensteinbach (Germany), Confirmation Guest Teacher, 1 session “Das Leben und die Theologie Martin Luthers”
• February-March 2018: Trinity Lutheran Church (Forest Park, IL), Theologian in Residence, 6 weeks
•  April 2017: Pilgrim Lutheran Church & St. Clement’s Episcopal Church (St. Paul, MN), 1 session adult education forum at each church “Martin Luther’s Theology of the Cross and Activism”
• February-April 2016: Bethany Lutheran Church (Minneapolis, MN), 6-week adult education forum “Martin Luther’s Theology for Today”
• July-August 2015: First Lutheran Church (Astoria, OR), 6-week adult education forum “An Introduction to James Cone’s Black Liberation Theology”
• February-April 2015: First Lutheran Church (Astoria, OR), 6-week adult education forum “An Introduction to the Emerging Church”
• January-March 2015: First Lutheran Church (Astoria, OR), 13-week adult education forum “Lutheran Theology: Jesus Christ for Us Today”
• September-November 2014: First Lutheran Church (Astoria, OR), 9-week adult education forum “An Introduction to Martin Luther’s Life and Theology”

Other Teaching

• September 2022-September 2024: Public school teacher, Pforzheim (Germany), Approx. 4 hrs./week, Protestant and Catholic Religion (Experience with Grades 1 through 6)

• 2026-2027 North American Paul Tillich Society Fellow ($250 travel award, and mentorship)
• 2019-2022 Dissertation Plus Scholarship, Claussen-Simon-Stiftung, Hamburg (48,600€)
• 2019-2020 Ecumenical Scholarship, Evangelisches Stift, Tübingen (Full Room & Board Grant)
• 2019 Eric W. Gritsch Memorial Fund Fellowship for Reformation Studies ($5,000)
• 2017-2021 Advanced Theological Study Grants, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ($7,550)
• 2017-2019 Half-Tuition Scholarship, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago ($19,500)
• 2015-2017 M.Th. Study Grant, Luther Seminary ($6,120) 
• 2014 Winner, 3rd Place, Eric W. Gritsch Memorial Fund National Essay Contest ($250 Prize)
• 2011-2014 Full-Tuition M.Div. Scholarship, ELCA Fund for Leaders in Mission ($36,000)

United Church of Christ