Professor (Church History, Spiritual Formation)

The Rev. Dr. James D. Smith III has practiced integrated ministry as pastor-teacher for 35+ years. He currently serves as President and Professor of Church History and Spiritual Formation at Pacific Theological Seminary. He also has ministered as Associate Pastor of Sea Change Church (formerly La Jolla Christian Fellowship) since 2013.

As Bethel Seminary faculty since 1988, he continues to offer courses on occasion as Professor of Church History, Emeritus—and each spring teaches at Richmont Graduate University in Atlanta. He has lectured extensively at the University of San Diego (1993-2010) and offered classes at Eastern/Palmer Seminary (Philadelphia) and Southern Seminary (Louisville). Globally, Jim has taught at Daystar University (Nairobi), in Latin America (including YWAM) and Arabia - and twice been visiting scholar at Regent’s Park College, Oxford University.

Ordained in 1978, ministry has brought seven pastoral positions, including senior/lead roles for BGC/Converge congregations in Boston, Minneapolis and San Diego - serving also in ABC and PCUSA churches. Preaching on occasion at Sea Change, he also enjoys ministering in other (often multi-cultural) fellowships. As AAR, ASCH and CBE member, interests engage biography, spiritual life and ministry, history of missions and women in the Christian tradition. Serving as a Harvard Teaching Fellow with Henri Nouwen, Margaret R. Miles and Helmut Koester was truly formative!

As San Diego natives, Jim married Linda Westmoreland on July 4, 1972. They’ve been further blessed and stretched by three children and six grandchildren.

Education
ThD, Harvard University
ThM, Harvard Divinity School
MDiv, Bethel Seminary
AB, San Diego State University.

Recent Work
Books co-edited are The Fabric of Early Christianity, The Subjective Eye, the Encyclopedia of Christian Literature, and the ECPA award-winning Dictionary of Christian Spirituality.

In recent years, he’s been a cited consultant in Justo Gonzalez’ revision of The Story of Christianity (2 vol) and missional To All Nations, From All Nations - and also John Mulder’s Finding God: A Treasury of Conversion Stories. Editorial advisory for the Encyclopedia of Christian Education (3 vol), and topical contributions to the Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States (5 vol) express lifetime interests.

Long a contributor to Christian History magazine, favorite projects have involved serving as advisory editor for “Christianity in Early Africa” (Issue 105) and “Christian History through Images- 2000 Years of Art & Faith” (Issue 144). Over 200 essays have appeared in historical, religious and sports (notably baseball: SABR) publications and projects.

In 2015 (after re-publishing Julia Kavanagh’s historic 1852 Women of Christianity) came Lifetime Achievement recognition from Christians For Biblical Equality (CBE). Since then, he’s introduced new editions of Harvard mentor George H. Williams’ Christian Attitudes Toward Nature and Wilderness & Paradise in Christian Thought.

He published a new-edition English translation of Jean Gerson’s medieval classic On Bringing Children to Jesus in 2018. This inspired a subsequent AAR presentation: “Imitating Christ, Valuing Children, Advocating Human Rights”. In 2024, he was consultant and wrote the forward to Jane L. Crane’s volume Who Leads? A Concise Look at Top Bible Scholars on the Male-Female Question.