James Petigru Boyce (January 11, 1827 – December 28, 1888) was an American pastor, theologian, professor, chaplain, and a principle founder of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

He was educated at Brown University under Francis Wayland, whose sermons contributed to Boyce's conversion.

His acquaintance with Charles Hodge, a Presbyterian minister and fellow Princeton graduate, led Boyce to adopt Calvinistic theology.

After completing studies at Princeton, he served as pastor of the Columbia S.C. Baptist Church and as a faculty member at Furman University.

News reports at the time indicated that he had been suffering from gout and that while traveling his condition worsened and became fatal.