Ryan Lister
Dean of Students and Professor of Christian Theology
B.A. in English Literature from The Citadel; M.Div., Biblical and Theological Studies from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; Ph.D., Systematic Theology from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Lister is a two-time graduate of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Ph.D., Systematic Theology; M.Div., Biblical and Theological Studies), and his teaching and writing focus on the presence of God in redemptive history, systematic theology, and the intersection of theology, creativity, and Christian living. He earned his B.A. in English Literature from The Citadel.
Before returning to Louisville, Lister served as Professor of Theology at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon, and as Director of the Residency Program at Regents School of Austin. He has also taught at Biola University, California Baptist University, Charleston Southern University, and Louisiana College, and held pastoral roles in churches in Oregon and South Carolina.
An accomplished author, Lister wrote The Presence of God: Its Place in the Storyline of Scripture and the Story of Our Lives (Crossway, 2014) and Emblems of the Infinite King (Crossway, 2019), and co-authored the Reclaimed Creativity series with Thomas Terry of Humble Beast. His articles have appeared with The Gospel Coalition, Desiring God, and Crossway, and he has spoken widely on theology, discipleship, and creativity.
As Dean of Students, Lister leads Boyce’s student life efforts, shepherding students in their spiritual, academic, and personal development. He is passionate about cultivating a Christ-centered campus community that prepares students for faithful service to Christ and the church.