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Rev. Scot Bontrager O.S.L., PhD

Senior Pastor, First United Methodist Church Garland

8417 Timber Crest Ct.
Frisco, TX 75035 USA
+1 (972) 850-8509

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About Me

I'm a Methodist Pastor and theologain, with a Ph.D. in systematic theology. I earned my M.Div from Perkins School of Theology and my PhD from Southern Methodist University. My research areas are St.Augustine, the doctrine of Original Sin, theological epistemology, metaphysics, philosophical theology, ascetic theology and protestant monasticism.

I am a brother in the Order of St. Luke, a religious order dedicated to sacramental and liturgical practice, study and life.

My Research

The Doctrine of Original Sin

St. Augustine

Theological Epistemology - Reformed 20th Cent. Epistemology

Process Metaphysics

Christian Patristic Theology

The Spiritual Senses in John Wesley's Theology

Ascetic Theology; Protestant Monasticism & Neo-monasticism

Volition in ancient and contemporary philosophy

If you have insomnia, I've made some recent papers available here.

Curriculum Vitae

Education:

Ph.D., Religious Studies: Systematic Theology, Southern Methodist University Graduate Program in Religous Studies
Concentrations: Augustine, Wesleyean, Thomistic and Process Theologies
Dissertation: Augustine's Concept of Volition and its Significance for the Doctrine of Original Sin

M.Div, SMU Perkins School of Theology, 2009
Concentrations: Theological Epistemology, Systematic Theology
Thesis: Credo "Thy Nature and Thy Name is Love"

B.A., Philosophy, University of North Texas, 2005
Concentrations: Epistemology, Philosophy of Religion, Philosophy of Science
German Minor

Publications

Book Review: Howard Vanderwall, ed. The Church of All Ages: Generations Worshiping Together in Doxology: A Journal of Worship Vol 25, May 2008, pp. 156-8.

Languages

English (native)

German (reading and conversational)

Biblical Hebrew (reading)

Latin

Grants and Fellowships

GPRS Fellowship (2009-2010, 2010-2011)

Perkins Chapel Curate (2010-2011)

Awards and Honors

M.Div: Magna Cum Laude

B.A.: 3.98 cumulative GPA at UNT

Albert Cook Outler Award, 2008. Most outstanding theological paper for "Thy Nature and Thy Name is Love."

Jerry W. Hobbs Award in Worship, 2008. For worship scholarship and leadership

Activities and Societies

Graduate Program in Religious Studies representative to the Perkins Student Assn.

Prior. Perkins Chapter of the Order of St. Luke, 2004-2012

Conference Participation

Theology, Aesthetics and Culture: Conversations with the Work of David W Brown; September 2010. St. Andrews, Scotland (invited participant)

Divine Revelation: Meaning, Authority, and Canon; May 2011. Notre Dame, South Bend, IA (invited participant)

Messianic Judaism & the Church working Group; June 2011. Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX (graduate assistant)

About hCard and FOAF:

No, I'm not narcissistic. I'm playing around with hCard, FOAF and other social networking cross-site integration mechanisms. The vast majority of my contact information has been out in the whois and IANA enterprise number databases since 1995, so I really have nothing to hide. I figured that I'd see if the promises pay out if I really did let Google, Yahoo!, Microsoft and AOL just index my life. I've not put anything out on the net that I'm (very) ashamed of. Sure, I've changed my opinions on a few things--that happens as you grow and change--but most everything on the web has a date stamp on it. If you want to see if something I've said is still current, ask. If you feel like stalking me, you are in for a boring time. I don't do much other than read and write, go to church, play an occasional video game and goof around with technology. My spam filters are pretty good. Oh, click on one of the ad links below and help a brother out.

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Thanks to Jen Maher-Bongrager for doing the design work for this page.