Jarmo Tarkki Senior Pastor, Bethania Lutheran Church, Solvang, California

Jarmo Tarkki (Ph.D., University of Helsinki) is Senior Pastor at Bethania Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Solvang, California. He is Adjunct Professor of Theology at California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, a Teaching Fellow in Philosophical Theology at the Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley, and the author of numerous books and articles on the philosophy of authority in religion, bioethics and social theory, published in journals and newspapers in Finland, Canada, and the United States. In addition to several academic as well as clerical positions, he has wide experiences in other areas of life, having been a sailor, prison chaplain, political campaign manager, editor-in-chief, columnist and a TV-host in Finland, among other things.

Books

• Tasa-arvo. Saavutuksia ja haasteita (Equality at a Dead End), 1998
• Yksilöiden oikeus itsemääräämiseen (Individual's Right for Self-determination), 1996
• Questioning Religious Authority. A Conceptual Analysis of Authority, its Justification and Use in the Context of Religious Belief, 1994

Academic Credentials

• Ph.D., University of Helsinki, Finland
• Th.M, University of Helsinki, Finland

Academic Appointments

• Adjunct Lecturer in Religious Studies at California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, CA
• Teaching Fellow in Philosophical Theology at the Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley, California, 2005–
• Visiting Scholar, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 2001–
• Post Doctoral Research Scholar, University of Helsinki, Finland, 1999–
• Visiting Scholar, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 1986–1993
• Research Fellow of the Academy of Finland, 1984–1986
• Research Scholar, Hebrew Union College, Cincinnati, OH, 1978–1986

Awards and Honors

• University of Helsinki, Finland:  Post-Doctoral Research Grant, "Semantic And Logical Analysis In Theology:  Heresy In Faith Traditions", 1999–2002
• SITRA Research Grant, "Equality at a Dead End", 1997–1998
• Champion of Finland in public speaking.  Awarded by the Finnish Teachers' Association, 1996
• Academy of Finland Research Fellowship, "Questioning Religious Authority", 1984–1986
• World Council of Churches Grant, 1978–1979
• Kuolemajärvi Säätiö Stipend, 1975
• First prize in Helsinki chess championship, 1976

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