Dr Ximian Xu (BEng, LLM, MDiv (1st Class Hons.), MTh (Dist.), PhD)
Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Theology and Ethics of Artificial Intelligence

- School of Divinity
- Edinburgh Futures Institute
Contact details
- Email: Simeon.Xu@ed.ac.uk
- Web: Academia
- Web: Research Gate
Address
- Street
-
School of Divinity, Mound Place
- City
- Edinburgh
- Post code
- EH1 2LX
Background
Ximian Xu (preferred name: Simeon) came to the University of Edinburgh to study theology in 2013. Before that, he was awarded Bachelor of Engineering in China and Master of International Trade and Commerce Law in Australia. Ximian completed Master of Divinity (First Class Honour), Master of Theology (Distinction), and PhD in systematic theology in, respectively, 2013, 2016 and 2020.
Simeon has published several articles on Herman Bavinck, Karl Barth, contextual theology. He is currently working on theological engagement with ethics of artificial intelligence. He is the founding editor of Studies in Dutch Neo-Calvinism Series (Chinese).
Qualifications
BEng, LLM, MDiv (Hons.), MTh (Dist.), PhD
Responsibilities & affiliations
Co-editor, Studies in Dutch Neo-Calvinism Series (Chinese)
Undergraduate teaching
Theology and Contemporary Science
Theology in the Age of Technology
Postgraduate teaching
Cosmos, Cell and Creator
Mind, Matter, and Spirit
History of Science and Religion in the Christian Tradition
Theology, Ethics and Technology
Research summary
- Theology and technology (esp. artificial intelligence, surveillance)
- Dutch Neo-Calvinism (esp. Herman Bavinck)
- Karl Barth
- Contextual theology (esp. Reformed theology in mainland China)
Affiliated research centres
Research activities
- Artificial Intelligence and the Christian Churches
- A Theological Account of Artificial Moral Agency
- Artificial Moral Agency: A Reformed Appraisal to
- Human Sustainability in the Age of Technology: A Theological Proposal on Technomoral Human Futures
- 初探荷兰新加尔文主义中的“归正原则”[Exploring 'Reformed Principle' in Dutch Neo-Calvinism]
- Herman Bavinck Centennial Congress 1921-2021
- Reformation 175
- Gone Digital: How Digitality Disrupts Theology to
- Chinese Theologies II: Non-Mainstream to
- Oxford Symposium on Religious Studies
- 2019 Society for the Study of Christian Ethics Conference to
- 2019 Kuyper Conference at Calvin College and Seminary
- 5th European Conference on Neo-Calvinism to
- Advanced Theological Studies Fellowship
-
A theological account of artificial moral agency
(18 pages)
In:
Studies in Christian Ethics, pp. 1-18
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/09539468231163002
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
How to make sino-reformed theology possible?: Retrieving Abraham Kuyper’s proto-reformed contextual theology
(23 pages)
In:
Journal of Chinese Theology, vol. 8, pp. 163-185
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/27726606-20220010
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Confessing faith: Freedom of conscience, actualized confession of faith and confessional allegiance
(27 pages)
In:
Horizons: The Journal of the College Theology Society, vol. 49, pp. 357–383
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/hor.2022.51
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Theology as the Science of God: Herman Bavinck's Wetenschappelijke Theology for the Modern World
(272 pages)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.13109/9783666560682
Research output: › Book (Published) -
Theologie Herman Bavinck bevat drie lessen voor Chinese kerken
In:
Reformatorisch Dagblad
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
巴文克与21世纪的华人教会何干?
In:
Christianity Today
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Gloriously intertwined: A Bavinckian account of the single organism of dogmatics and ethics
(20 pages)
In:
International Journal of Systematic Theology, vol. 24, pp. 80–99
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ijst.12519
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Did Christ have a conscience?: Revisiting the debates on Christ’s (un)fallen humanity
In:
Theological Studies, vol. 82, pp. 583-602
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00405639211051084
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
改革宗伦理学: 卷一
(614 pages)
Research output: › Book (Published) -
The scientific calling of the Church: Herman Bavinck's exhortation for the Churches in mainland China
(25 pages)
In:
Studies in World Christianity, vol. 27, pp. 145-169
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3366/swc.2021.0340
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Karl Barth's ontology of holy scripture revisited
(15 pages)
In:
Scottish Journal of Theology, vol. 74, pp. 26-40
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S003693062100003X
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
政治、宗教和领域主权
(182 pages)
Research output: › Book (Published) -
诠释学导论
(458 pages)
Research output: › Book (Published) -
主日简史: 从新约到新的创造
(202 pages)
Research output: › Book (Published) -
三位一体和有机体: 赫尔曼·巴文克之有机主旨新释
(276 pages)
Research output: › Book (Published) -
Herman Bavinck on the Dialectic Catholicity of Reformed Theology
Research output: Contribution to Symposium › Abstract (Published) -
赫尔曼·巴文克论荷兰新加尔文主义
(138 pages)
Research output: › Book (Published) -
Appreciative and faithful?: Karl Barth’s use of Herman Bavinck’s view of God’s incomprehensibility
(21 pages)
In:
Journal of Reformed Theology, vol. 13, pp. 26-46
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/15697312-01301009
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Herman Bavinck’s ‘Yes’ and Karl Barth’s ‘No’: Constructing a dialectic-in-organic approach to the theology of general revelation
(29 pages)
In:
Modern Theology, vol. 35, pp. 323-351
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/moth.12469
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
The sage of sages: T. C. Chao's Christology in Yesu Zhuan
(19 pages)
In:
Studies in World Christianity, vol. 23, pp. 162-180
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3366/swc.2017.0182
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published)
Conference details
Virtuous AI?: Cultural Evolution, Artificial Intelligence, and Virtue (Centre for Theology and the Natural Sciences, Graduate Theological Union, 24-26 July 2023)
- Paper: ‘Virtually Virtuous AI and Human Moral Life: A Theological Exploration’
AI and the Christian Churches (School of Divinity, University of Edinburgh, 23 February 2023)
- Paper: ‘When AI Ministers Come: Christian Pastoral Care and Responsibility’
ETS Research Seminar (Edinburgh Theological Seminary; invited; 24 January 2023)
- Paper: ‘A Theological Account of Artificial Moral Agency’
Annual Conference of Society for the Study of Christian Ethics Annual Conference, Westcott House, Cambridge (8-10 September 2022)
- Paper: ‘Artificial Moral Agency: A Reformed Appraisal’ 8-10 September 2022
Global Sustainability – Science and Religion in Dialogue (European Society for the Study of Science and Theology, May 2022)
- Paper: 'Human Sustainability in the Age of Technology: A Theological Proposal on Technomoral Human Futures.'
Gone Digital: How Digitality Disrupts Theology (Durham University, July 2021)
- Paper responding to ‘Relationship status: “It’s complicated”. Digital Humanities-Methods and Systematic Theology’.
Chinese Theologies II: Non-Mainstream (Yale Macmillan Center, Yale University, June 2021)
- Paper: ‘Give Us Dutch Neo-Calvinism: Retrieving and Reconsidering Dutch Neo-Calvinism in the Chinese Context’.
Oxford Symposium on Religious Studies (University of Oxford, December 2019)
- Paper: ‘Herman Bavinck on the Dialectical Catholicity of Reformed Theology’.
Society for the Study of Christian Ethics Conference (London School of Theology, September 2019)
- Paper: ‘Herman Bavinck’s Doxologically Intertwining Dogmatics and Ethics’.
Kuyper Conference (Calvin University, April 2019)
- Paper: ‘The Scientific Calling of the Church: Herman Bavinck’s Exhortation for the Churches in Mainland China’.
5th European Conference on Neo-Calvinism (Leuven, August 2018)
- Paper: ‘Herman Bavinck on the Doxological Character of Scientific Theology’.
Advanced Theological Studies Fellowship (Theologische Universiteit Kampen, May-June 2018)
- Paper: ‘Critically Assessing Karl Barth’s Appreciative Use of Herman Bavinck’s View of God’s Incomprehensibility’.
Organiser
1. Workshop: Artificial Intelligence and the Christian Churches (Co-organised with Dr Michael Fuller) 23 February 2023
- School of Divinity, University of Edinburgh; 23 February 2023; In partnership with the Church of Scotland’s Society, Religion and Technology
- Awarded CAHSS KE Grant by the University of Edinburgh for this workshop
2. Artificial Intelligence in Pastoral Care for the Christian Churches (Organiser) 30 November 2022
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School of Divinity, University of Edinburgh
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Awarded Postdoctoral Enrichment Award by the Alan Turing Institute for this conference