Featured author – Dr Yannick Imbert
Yannick Imbert is professor of apologetics at Faculté Jean Calvin, Aix-en-Provence, France. He earned his doctorate at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia (USA) studying J.R.R. Tolkien’s theory of imagination. Dr Imbert has published a book on Tolkien, From Imagination to Faërie: Tolkien’s Thomist Fantasy, as well as several articles in specialised journals and series, including Inkling Studies and the Comarë series by Walking Tree Publishers. His interest in Tolkien has led him to be participate in a major project, The Inklings and King Arthur, which won the Mythopoeic Awards, a major recognition in Tolkien and fantasy studies.
He is actively involved with the National Council of French Evangelicals, being a member of its Theological committee. He is also a regular contributor to several French evangelical blogs, including Évangile 21 and the faith & culture blog Visio Mundus.
Imbert holds the William Edgar chair of Apologetics, named after Dr William Edgar, who was professor of apologetics at Faculté Jean Calvin before teaching at Westminster Theological Seminary. Edgar recently retired after more than forty years of teaching apologetics and playing jazz with his band. It is a great honour for Yannick to occupy the chair named after Dr Edgar, who has not only been a great teacher but is also a wonderful friend, together with his wife Barbara.
As an apologist, Imbert’s special research interests include imagination and fantasy, the intersection of faith and culture. He is interested in particular in the many ways in which the society is evolving, especially through technology. During the past decade, he has studied transhumanism and written two books on this cultural movement which aims at transforming human nature. The most recent one is Le charme de l’andréide. His current project is in the field of theological aesthetics.
Yannick was born in rural France, in a small village near Valence. He grew up playing in the fields and forests of his countryside and hiking his beloved French Alps. He is married to Erin, whom he met during the fortieth anniversary of Faculté Jean Calvin, and they live on the seminary campus. Erin also works at the seminary, serving as the librarian. Erin and Yannick enjoy taking long walks with their dog Soprano, as well as gardening, even though they live in the city. When he is not writing theology, Yannick pursues his fascination for fantasy and science-fiction by reading everything he can put his hands on. He also writes poetry for himself as a way to respond to the aesthetics of God’s creation.
