David P. Gushee

David P. Gushee is a Christian ethicist, scholar, ordained Baptist pastor, author, and public intellectual whose work has influenced moral discourse in both church and academic settings for more than three decades. Gushee earned a doctorate in Christian ethics from Union Theological Seminary in New York and has served as Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics at Mercer University. He is also Chair of Christian Social Ethics at Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam and Senior Research Fellow at the International Baptist Theological Study Centre.

Gushee was the principal drafter of both the "Evangelical Climate Initiative" and the "Evangelical Declaration Against Torture," which contributed to shaping conversations in church and society about climate change and human rights. He is the author, co-author, editor, or co-editor of 30 books, including the bestsellers "Kingdom Ethics" and "Changing Our Mind," as well as other notable works such as "Defending Democracy from Its Christian Enemies," "After Evangelicalism," and "The Moral Teachings of Jesus." "Kingdom Ethics" was named Theology/Ethics Book of the Year by Christianity Today and has been translated into eight languages. "The Sacredness of Human Life" was nominated for the Grawemeyer Award. Gushee is also recognized for his scholarship in Holocaust studies, particularly through his book "Righteous Gentiles of the Holocaust."

Gushee underwent a period of introspection regarding the evangelical Christian Church's stance on LGBTQ+ inclusion and publicly called for full acceptance of LGBTQ+ people by the Christian Church, publishing "Changing Our Mind: A Call from America's Leading Evangelical Ethics Scholar for Full Acceptance of LGBT Christians in the Church." The book became a significant text in discussions about faith and inclusion. "After Evangelicalism" was also nominated for the Grawemeyer Award and was named one of the Top 10 Books of the Year by the Academy of Parish Clergy.

Gushee is a past president of both the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Christian Ethics. He has served as president of Evangelicals for Human Rights, advocating for an end to torture. Gushee is a columnist for Baptist News Global and has contributed to Religion News Service, Christianity Today, The Washington Post, and Sojourners. He is also a visiting fellow at the McDonald Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Life at the University of Oxford. Gushee's work spans Holocaust studies, human rights, political theology, and post-evangelicalism, maintaining a presence at the intersection of Christian faith, ethics, and public life.