Signifying on the World Religions Paradigm: My Introduction to Religion Course

Posted on by Richard Newton

This fall I joined Elizabethtown College as an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies. The department is situated in a comprehensive liberal arts college with historical roots in the Church of the Brethren. Students of all disciplines may take Religious Studies courses in fulfillment of an elective, core curriculum, or degree requirements. The varied intellectual interests … Continue reading Signifying on the World Religions Paradigm: My Introduction to Religion Course

Biblical Disproportion, or How Not to Share Your Views on Facebook

Posted on by Richard Newton

For a moment can we put aside images of a god who would sacrifice a child to save the world or destroy the world save for one family? Whatever one makes of such images, we cease to be human if their imagery fails to haunt us.

When Texts Sell

Posted on by Richard Newton

I have never really felt comfortable with the presumed division between teaching and scholarship. The challenges and insights of my students inspire me to research. In fact, I do my best work after my ideas are have been vetted in the classroom. My primary area of study is the anthropology or social construction of scriptures. … Continue reading When Texts Sell

To Exclude or Not To Exclude: The Politics of the World’s Religions Syllabus

Posted on by Richard Newton

There's no way of getting around it. Some student will ask me why I don't cover "X" religion in my survey course. It happens all the time. And I usually tell them how, given our limited time together, we can only cover so many traditions. Unfortunately that will appease most students. But I hope by … Continue reading To Exclude or Not To Exclude: The Politics of the World’s Religions Syllabus

Excavating the Significance of Nazareth Via the Church of the Nazarene

Posted on by Richard Newton

This project examines the role “Nazareth” plays in the ideology of the Church of the Nazarene. In the early days of the movement, Nazareth signifies a critique of Methodist bureaucratic lethargy. But in the movement's latter history, Nazareth becomes a rallying point for the denomination's members to live up to a broader commitment to Evangelical … Continue reading Excavating the Significance of Nazareth Via the Church of the Nazarene