Reverend Samuelson holds a BA in Biblical Studies, an MA in Christian Thought (Olivet Nazarene University), and an MPhil in Medieval History from the University of Cambridge, where he completed a dissertation on Byzantine iconography under the supervision of Prof Peter Sarris. He earned his PhD at the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies (IOCS), UK, focusing on expressions of theōsis in monastic texts of the Täwaḥǝdo Tradition, and has broad interest in the Gǝʿǝz literature of the Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox Churches
Calum has studied Spiritual Formation for over a decade and frequently distils his academic work for the benefit of the global Church. As an ordained minister (Methodist Tradition), Calum has served multiple congregations as a pastor, trained leaders in Africa, and continues to train church leaders around Europe—especially within the African diaspora. He has published numerous journal articles, book chapters, and other pieces, including public policy research for the Jubilee Centre (Cambridge).
Reverend Samuelson has taught university courses in Theology and Biblical Studies in Chicago and Nairobi and presented research in various capacities throughout Europe. He has also been involved in several international projects that aim to preserve, catalogue, transcribe, and translate Medieval Ethiopic manuscripts (e.g. The Ethiopic Manuscript Imaging Project [EMIP] and the Beta Maṣāḥǝft [Universität Hamburg]) in addition to acting as a Board Member for the Lausanne-Orthodox Initiative (LOI). In addition to his role at Sankt Ignatios, Calum also works as a Research Associate at the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies (OCMS) on an Ethiopian Orthodox project funded by the Templeton Trust (through Fuller Theological Seminary) and the Canadian Bible Society. He is based at Sankt Ignatios where he conducts research and participates in the Department of Tewahedo Christian Studies and the Collegium for Biblical Studies.
Role
Post-Doctoral Fellow
calum.samuelson@sanktignatios.org