Education
A.B., Syracuse University
M.Div., Union Theological Seminary
Ph.D., University of Arizona
Memberships
Theta Alpha Kappa – National Honorary Society for Theology and Religion Research
Affiliate of the Pluralism Project at Harvard University.
Career Highlights
Publications: East Comes West: Asian Religions and Cultures in North America (Pilgrim Press, 1985), Islamic Cultures in North America (Pilgrim Press, 1985), Strangers in This Land: Pluralism and the Reponse to Diversity in the United States (Pilgrim Press: 1988), Strangers in This Land: Religion, Pluralism and the American Dream (Revised Edition, McFarland Press, 2010), Letters from a Distant Shore: The Journal of Sarah Ann Breath (Gorgias Press 2008), “Asian Religions in the United States: The Role of the 1893 World’s Parliament of Religions in Shaping an Evolving Pluralist Ideology” in The Cambridge History of Religions in America (Cambridge University Press, forthcoming, Spring 2012), Developing a text on the Vallabha Sampradaya, a Hindu devotional sect, in the United States. Forthcoming – McFarland Press.
Courses Taught
Hinduism in America
Buddhism in America
Psychology of Religion
Intro to Religion and Culture
Ancient Egyptian Religion
Spirituality and Wellness
Death and Dying
Why Choose Cedar Crest?
Cedar Crest College is a student centered institution. I value the classroom experience and the opportunities to work with students. I have taught at Cedar Crest for 20 years and have been enriched by this emphasis which is qualitatively different from many other institutions.
Advice
I am interested in experiential education and consider it to be an important part of Religious Studies. I routinely take students to visit temples and mosques in the United States and also take them abroad. I have taken students to Egypt and India. This is an important part of education which builds on global awareness and connectivity.
Inspiration
I am constantly influenced by the expanding presence of mainstream Asian religions in the U.S. The religious face of America is changing rapidly as Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism, Jainism and other traditions make the United States their home. In time, this will also change the fabric of American culture, connecting us with a wide variety of peoples and cultures.
How Did You Become a Teacher?
I taught as a teaching assistant and instructor while a graduate student at the University of Arizona. It was at that point that I became aware that this was what I wanted to do.