Education: BS, California Institute of Technology, 1978; MBA, Stanford University, 1981; MDiv, Fuller Theological Seminary, 2001; PhD, University of St. Andrews (Scotland), 2010. At SPU 2004-2022. Emeritus since 2022.
Bruce Baker’s teaching and writing explores technology, culture, business, and ethics through a theological lens. As an ordained Presbyterian minister, and former business executive, Bruce brings a rare combination of experience to his role in the university. As a startup company co-founder (Four Pi Systems Corp.), he earned five patents for inventions in X-ray physics, software, and computer vision. When Hewlett-Packard bought his company in 1992, he joined Microsoft as the general manager of a new business unit to develop mobile computing devices. He left Microsoft to attend seminary in 1996, and was ordained to pastoral ministry at University Presbyterian Church in Seattle in 2001. He served also as executive pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Bellevue. He joined the SPU faculty in 2010.
Dr. Baker teaches a variety of ethics, spirituality, and management courses at SPU. His current research focuses on ethical and spiritual issues related to AI. He also serves on the boards of AI and Faith, Scholarleaders International, and Reconciliation Ministries, which he founded to support Palestinian-Israeli peace-making efforts. Dr. Baker earned degrees at the California Institute of Technology, Stanford Business School, Fuller Theological Seminary, and the University of St. Andrews, Scotland (Ph.D. in Theology).
Selected Publications
- Baker, Bruce, and Tom Parks. (2019). "The Gleaner's Edge: The Modern-Day Power of an Old Testament Practice to Transform How We Do Business (Cover Story)." Christianity Today July/August 2019: 28-34.
- Baker, B. (2018). Gleaning as a Transformational Business Model for Solidarity with the Poor and Marginalized, in Poverty, Injustice, and Inequality as Challenges for Christian Humanism, ed. Martin Schlag, and Daniela Ortiz. Berlin: Duncker and Humblot, 96-115.
- Baker, B. (2016). Free Markets with Caritas: A Transformational Concept of Efficiency, in Free Markets with Solidarity and Sustainability, ed. Martin Schlag, and J. Mercado. Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of America Press, 92-112.
- Baker, B. (2015). Entrepreneurship as a Sign of Common Grace, Journal of Markets & Morality 18(1): 81-98.
- Wong, K., Baker, B. and Franz, R. (2015). Reimagining Business Education as Formation, Christian Scholar’s Review, 45(1): 5-24