At Palm Beach Atlantic University, the rigorous study of philosophy therefore moves us to pursue wisdom and knowledge for human flourishing. If you are also captivated by this vision for the pursuit of truth, then we invite you to join our dynamic community at PBA. Fueled by the conviction that all truth finds its source in Christ, the Master of Arts in Philosophy of Religion degree (MAPR) aims to prepare you for making an impact in His kingdom in three ways:
An Innovative Degree for the 21st Century Christian Leader
- Strong emphasis on public philosophy that engages thoughtfully with culture
- A vibrant learning community with small, in-person classes throughout the program
- Rigorous philosophical training, exploring a wide variety of topics in religion, theology, ethics, science, culture, and art from a Christian perspective
- Affordable tuition, with scholarships and graduate student worker opportunities
- Cutting-edge education from top-tier Christian philosophers with strong ministry experience
- Solid foundation for further postgraduate studies in leading research universities
- Learn from leading Christian philosophers who are dynamic teachers and caring mentors with a strong record of academic publishing.
Take classes such as:
- Philosophy of Religion
- Philosophical Theology
- Metaphysics
- Public Philosophy
- Philosophy of Science
- Philosophy and Literature
Master of Arts, Philosophy of Religion Faculty
Full-time Faculty
Dr. Paul Gould
Associate Professor of Philosophy of Religion and Director of the M.A. Philosophy of Religion program
Dr. Gould is the author or editor of ten scholarly and popular-level books including Cultural Apologetics, Philosophy: A Christian Introduction (Zondervan, 2019), and The Story of the Cosmos (Harvest House, 2019). He has been a visiting scholar at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School’s Henry Center, working on the intersection of science and faith, and is the founder and president of the Two Tasks Institute. He is a widely sought-after speaker in apologetics and philosophy. He speaks regularly at universities, churches, and ministries around the country, including Summit Ministries, the C.S. Lewis Institute, and the Evangelical Philosophical Society’s annual apologetics conference. You can find out more about Dr. Gould and his work at www.paul–gould.com and http://www.twotasksinstitute.
EDUCATION: B.A., Miami University (Ohio); M.A., Talbot School of Theology; Ph.D., Purdue University.
Dr. Paul Copan
Professor Of Philosophy And Ethics; Pledger Family Chair Of Philosophy And Ethics
Paul Copan is the author and editor of over 30 books, including True for You, But Not for Me (Bethany House); That’s Just Your Interpretation; How Do You Know You’re Not Wrong?; When God Goes to Starbucks and Is God a Moral Monster? Making Sense of the Old Testament God (all with Baker); Loving Wisdom: Christian Philosophy of Religion (Chalice Press); and A Little Book for New Philosophers (IVP Academic).
He has co-authored Creation Out of Nothing: A Biblical, Philosophical, and Scientific Exploration (Baker Academic), An Introduction to Biblical Ethics: Walking in the Way of Wisdom (IVP Academic), The Gospel in the Marketplace of Ideas (IVP Academic), and Did God Really Command Genocide? (Baker). He has co-edited three books on the historical Jesus and three other books in the philosophy of religion, The Rationality of Theism (Routledge), The Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Religion (Routledge), and Philosophy of Religion: Classic and Contemporary Issues (Blackwell). He has co-edited (with William Craig) Passionate Conviction and Contending with Christianity’s Critics, and Come Let Us Reason (all with B&H Academic), and he is co-editor of The Zondervan Dictionary of Christianity and Science. He has contributed to over 30 books, and he has written many articles and book reviews for various professional and popular journals.
For six years he served as the president of the Evangelical Philosophical Society, he has been a visiting scholar at Oxford University, and he regularly speaks on university campuses, at conferences, and to church groups. Paul and his wife, Jacqueline, have six children, and they reside in West Palm Beach, Florida.
EDUCATION: B.A., Columbia International University; M.A., M.Div., Trinity International University; Ph.D., Marquette University.
Dr. Brandon Rickabaugh
Assistant Professor Of Philosophy And Research Scholar On Public Philosophy, Palm Beach Atlantic University
Dr. Rickabaugh has publications in various academic journals and books with Oxford University Press and Willey-Blackwell. He has been a Research Fellow at Baylor University for the Accountability as a Relational Virtue Project, and a Graduate Fellow in neuroscience for the SCP Science Cross-Training Grant with the John Templeton Foundation. He is currently the Franz Brentano Fellow in the Metaphysics of Mind at The Martin Institute.
Dr. Rickabaugh’s dissertation, The Conscious Mind Unified (co-directed by Alexander Pruss and Timothy O’Connor) received the philosophy department’s Outstanding Dissertation of the Year award. He was named Top 40 Most Impactful Faculty at Baylor University (2018-2019) by the student body. He has given talks at universities in the US and UK, including Oxford, Durham, UC Davis, UT Austin, CU Boulder, and Yale.
Dr. Rickabaugh’s academic work focuses on the nature of consciousness and how it informs our understanding of human nature, the nature and activity of God, and human flourishing. In the broadest sense, his work seeks to understand what unifies ultimate reality and human persons. He also engages public-facing philosophy exploring how the nature of consciousness and human persons relate to emerging technologies in artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and neuroscience.
Dr. Rickabaugh is the recipient of a generous $200,000 research grant to further his work in public-facing philosophy and to finish three book projects over the next two years. Brandon and his wife, Laura, have three children.
Find out more about Dr. Rickabaugh and his work at more at www.brandonrickabaugh.com
EDUCATION: B.A., University of California, Irvine; M.A., Talbot School of Theology, Biola University; Ph.D., Baylor University.
Visiting Faculty
Dr. R.T. Mullins
Visiting Professor Of Philosophy Of Religion, Palm Beach Atlantic University
Dr. R.T. Mullins has published over 40 essays on various topics in philosophical theology related to models of God, the philosophy of time, personal identity, the problem of evil, disability theology, the Trinity, and the incarnation. He has published three books, The End of the Timeless God (Oxford University Press, 2016), God and Emotion (Cambridge University Press, 2020), and Dios, las Escrituras y las Emociones (Universidad Peruana Union Press, 2021). He is also the co-editor for the Cascade series Studies in the Doctrine of God. Mullins has held research and teaching fellowships at the University of Notre Dame, the University of Cambridge, the University of St Andrews, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Helsinki, and the University of Lucerne. He is a member of different research groups across the UK and Europe such as the Society for the Philosophy of Time, and Emotion and Religion. He is a regularly invited speaker on different YouTube channels and podcasts. He even hosts his own podcast called The Reluctant Theologian. When not engaging in philosophical theology, he is often found at a metal show. You can find out more about his work at rtmullins.com.
Education: B.S., Point University; M.A., Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; Ph.D., University of St Andrews.