Flagler Guest Professor Justin Forbes

We welcome Prof. Dr. Justin Forbes to the Philosophical Faculty of Julius-Maximilians-Universität (JMU) Würzburg as the Flagler Guest Professor for Winter Term 2026/2027.

During his stay in Würzburg, Professor Justin Forbes will continue research at the intersection of practical theology and the public life. Building on his work with The Missing Voices Project and the Center for Religion and Culture at Flagler College, his current research explores how Christian communities can cultivate resilient forms of democratic participation, moral imagination, and belonging in an era of political polarization and social fragmentation. Drawing together theology, developmental trauma theory, and community-based research, his work examines the practices through which faith communities become places of healing, civic formation, and the pursuit of the common good.

As a visiting professor in the Department of American Studies, Professor Forbes will teach Religion, Politics, and the American Experiment, an interdisciplinary course exploring the complex relationship between religion and public life in the United States. Through historical case studies and contemporary debates, students will examine the role of religious communities in shaping American democracy, public policy, and civic identity.

In the Department of History, Professor Forbes will also teach Martin Luther King Jr., St. Augustine, and the Struggle for Justice, a seminar examining the Civil Rights Movement through the lens of King's vision of the Beloved Community and the pivotal events that unfolded in St. Augustine, Florida. The course explores how local movements for justice illuminate broader questions of democracy, religion, nonviolent resistance, and social change.

Professor Forbes's work will also be featured in public lectures and conversations hosted by the University of Würzburg during the semester.

Professional Biography

Prof. Dr. Justin Forbes is Assistant Professor of Religion at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida, where he serves as Director of the Center for Religion and Culture An ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), he holds degrees from Flagler College and Princeton Theological Seminary and earned his Ph.D. in Divinity from the University of Aberdeen.

A practical theologian whose work bridges the academy, the church, and public life, Professor Forbes's research explores how communities of faith cultivate human flourishing, democratic participation, and belonging in an increasingly polarized society. His scholarship brings together practical theology, youth ministry, developmental trauma, disability theology, and public theology, with particular attention to the voices and experiences of communities that have historically been marginalized within both church and society.

As Director of the Center for Religion and Culture, Professor Forbes has led the development of interdisciplinary initiatives that connect academic research with public engagement. Since its founding, the Center has secured multi-million dollar grants to support collaborative research, public scholarship, and community partnerships addressing issues of faith, culture, and the common good. Through projects such as The Missing Voices Project, the Center brings together scholars, practitioners, and community leaders to amplify historically marginalized voices and foster dialogue across academic, religious, and civic contexts.

At Flagler College, Professor Forbes teaches courses in practical theology, pastoral care, Christian spirituality, and religion in public life. His teaching emphasizes the integration of rigorous scholarship with civic engagement, preparing students to become thoughtful leaders in churches, nonprofit organizations, educational settings, and the broader public sphere.