John B. White is a Research Fellow at the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship at Brigham Young University. An interdisciplinary scholar, his work brings theological ethics, theology, and practical theology into conversation with contemporary cultural and institutional contexts, including sport, medicine, business, and various forms of chaplaincy. His research addresses questions of character formation, moral agency, embodiment, and discipleship, with particular attention to how institutions shape human flourishing.
Dr. White joins BYU from Baylor University, where he served from 2011 to 2025 as a tenured Associate Professor of Practical Theology and Ethics at George W. Truett Theological Seminary. During his time at Baylor, he was Director of the Graduate Chaplaincy Program and co-founder of the Faith & Sports Institute, which he established with his wife, Cindy White. In these roles, he provided academic and grant leadership as a principal investigator for nationally recognized initiatives integrating faith, ethics, sport, chaplaincy training, and innovative pedagogy.
Dr. White earned his PhD from the University of Edinburgh, where his doctoral work focused on theological ethics and anthropology, with examiners including Oliver O’Donovan and Robin Gill. His scholarship engages thinkers such as Augustine, Karol Wojtyła (John Paul II), Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and contemporary moral theologians. He has published widely in peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes and is the author or editor of multiple books with major academic presses, including Routledge, Mercer Press, Cambridge Scholars, and Oxford University Press.
In addition to his academic publications, Dr. White is a nationally published scholar and public commentator whose work has appeared in Sports Illustrated, USA Today, Christianity Today, and The Wall Street Journal. He is also a co-founder of the BYU Y-Sport Program, a faith-based initiative focused on youth sports formation and holistic development.
At the Maxwell Institute, Dr. White’s appointment focuses on research, writing, mentoring, and collaborative projects that advance the Institute’s mission to support rigorous scholarship grounded in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and attentive to its relevance for contemporary life. He has spoken of his gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to BYU’s educational aims and strong athletic tradition by supporting initiatives that integrate faith, character, and spiritual formation with excellence in sport.
Dr. White and his wife have three adult children and two grandchildren.