matters RELIGIONUNC CHARLOTTE DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES MAY 2016

Photo by Haley Twist A Message from Dr. Robinson, Department Chair As spring semes- graduate student conference on the turer in spring 2016. Joanne Robin- ter ends and sum- topic “Religion and the Other.” Grad- son received the American Academy mer sessions begin, uate students came from UVA, SFU, of Religion Award for Excellence in I would like to ex- Arizona State, Vanderbilt, UC Santa Teaching in spring 2016. James Ta- tend my apprecia- Barbara, Harvard, University of Den- bor’s blog (http://jamestabor.com) is tion to all students, ver, and Concordia Seminary for an consistently rated in the Top Ten of staff, and faculty evening and a day of rich intellectual the “Top 50 Biblioblogs,” (the list in- of the Department of Religious Stud- exchange. Joe Winters, now of Duke cludes more than 500 blogs) with over ies. My deepest appreciation goes to University, and Eric Mortensen, Guil- 1.5 million page views since 2012. Jenna Baker, who keeps the office run- ford College, gave plenary addresses. On the student front, M.A. student ning smoothly and makes coming in Thanks to the ingenuity and drive of Josh Williams was a nominee for the to work a pleasure. Special thanks as the graduate students, we are also now Graduate School’s Outstanding Assis- well to Haley Twist, Editor-in-Chief the hosts of Resonance: A Religious tant Award in spring 2016. M.A. stu- of this newsletter and our in-house Studies Journal, which publishes a dents Chelsea Carskaddon and Haley graphic designer, and to all of the stu- peer-reviewed article by a graduate Twist received second and third place dents who contributed to this edition student each month (resonanceRSJ. respectively in the “Best Oral Presen- of our department newsletter. org). tation in the Arts, Humanities, Educa- This newsletter aims to capture some Scholarly productivity abounded in tion” category at the spring Graduate of what happened in 2015-16, a year 2015, with the department receiving Research Symposium. Among under- of change, productivity, and recogni- three awards for external funding in graduates, Casey Aldridge will work tion. Our changes are many, and some addition to publishing four mono- as a Charlotte Research Scholar this are still in process. Our excitement at graphs and six peer-reviewed journal summer under the direction of Bar- welcoming William Sherman (Ph.D. articles; giving twelve conference pa- bara Thiede. Undergraduate student Stanford University) to our position pers and nine invited lectures; and Jarred Batchelor Hamilton won first in Islamic Studies has been tempered contributing two chapters to academic place for Religious Studies and Jacob by his acceptance of a prestigious books. Graduate students also gave Groves, major in Religious Studies, ACLS/Mellon Post-Dissertation Fel- four papers at academic conferences won the department award for His- lowship. He and Alexandra Kaloya- in 2015. tory in the Undergraduate Research nides (Ph.D. Yale University), who is Recognition for our work has come Conference. currently in a two-year postdoctoral from many places. John Reeves was Here’s to looking forward to another position at the Ho Center for Bud- the 2015 recipient of the Gradu- year of positive change, remarkable dhist Studies at Yale University, will ate Medallion, Hebrew Union Col- productivity, and continued recogni- join us in fall 2017. lege-Jewish Institute of Religion, in tion of faculty and students for their Quite a bit of change has happened recognition of ‘outstanding contribu- hard work and contributions to the in the M.A. program, which has been tions to scholarship’ and ‘commitment, field of religious studies. revised to improve time-to-degree and dedication, and service to Judaism allow faculty to mentor our students and the Jewish people for the past 25 FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA more closely. In March, an extraor- years.’ Barbara Thiede was named a Facebook.com/ReligiousStudiesUNCC dinary group of graduate students finalist for the CLAS Award for Out- @UNCC_Rels | ReligiousStudies.uncc.edu joined together to host the inaugural standing Teaching by a Full-time Lec- FACULTY NEWS 2 Introducing our Early Entry M.A. program Requirements: Undergraduates, get a jump start on your graduate work in Religious Studies • To be considered for Early Entry admission, a student must be enrolled Beginning in the spring of 2016, we Benefits: at UNC Charlotte and complete and offer the opportunity for students in- submit an application via the Grad- terested in our MA program to earn up • Early Entry students will have pro- uate School’s admissions system, to 12 graduate credit hours while com- visional acceptance to the graduate https://mygradschool.uncc.edu, and pleting their undergraduate religious program, pending the award of the supply supporting documents. studies major. Students accepted into baccalaureate degree, generally with- • A student may be accepted at any early entry will be able to count up to in two semesters. time after completion of 75 or more 12 hours of their 4000-level under- • The MA in Religious Studies ear- hours of undergraduate course work, graduate courses toward the 30 hours ly-entry program is accelerated. Un- although it is expected that close to 90 required as part of the completion of der this model, up to twelve hours hours of undergraduate course work the religious studies MA, at the un- earned at the graduate level may be will have been earned by the time the dergraduate cost of tuition. Graduate substituted for required undergrad- first graduate course is taken. School Early Entry Program Form uate hours. In other words, up to twelve hours of graduate work may • A student must have at least a 3.2 and Description be “double-counted” toward both the overall GPA Early Entry: Get a Jump on Your baccalaureate and graduate degrees. • Taken and earned an acceptable Graduate Education Individual programs may allow addi- score on the appropriate graduate tional hours at the graduate level to be standardized test. Exceptional undergraduate students substituted. In no case may more than For more information, see the web- attending UNC Charlotte are encour- 12 hours be double-counted. site of the Department of Religious aged to apply to graduate programs • Early Entry students will be charged Studies. Please speak to the depart- and begin work toward their graduate undergraduate tuition and fees for all ment’s graduate program director degree before completion of their bac- courses (graduate and undergraduate) (Sean McCloud) and undergraduate calaureate degree. In those programs for which they register. Upon com- program director (Dan White) if you offering this outstanding opportuni- pletion of the baccalaureate degree, are interested in this opportunity. ty, undergraduate students can get a students will be charged graduate tu- head start on their graduate degree. ition and fees. Julia Robinson continues research on the First United Presbyterian Church of Charlotte Examining the history of the church, she looks at how its formation impacted Charlotte’s planning and communities BY HALEY TWIST After publishing Arguing that the church’s formation byterian Church about the history of her most recent impacted all major categories of Char- both churches as part of the Divided book last April, lotte, including its education, politics, by Race Joint Discussion Series. Race, Religion, and economy, and urban planning, Rob- After completing additional re- the Pulpit: Rev. inson is looking at the ways African search in the coming months, which Robert L. Bradby and the Making of Americans and whites utilized Chris- includes conducting more oral inter- Urban Detroit, Dr. Julia Robinson is tianity to form identities and power views and examining original papers now at work on her next book project. equities. and ledgers at the Presbyterian Her- Her research focuses on the histo- Since last summer, she has been in- itage Center in Montreat, N.C. and ry of the First United Presbyterian terviewing the descendants of some of the Presbyterian Historical Society in Church of Charlotte—the first Afri- the original establishing church mem- Philadelphia, Pa., she hopes to have can American Presbyterian society in bers, and also looks at the Church’s re- the first draft of her monograph com- Mecklenburg County—and how it has lationship with Charlotte’s First Pres- pleted in 2017. formed the larger African American byterian Church. On May 15th and community in Charlotte since 1866. 22nd, 2016, she spoke at First Pres- 3 FACULTY NEWS Department receives grant from the Wabash Center With grant funding, the Department is researching RELS student experiences BY CHELSEA CARSKADDON

DEPARTMENT FACULTY

Department Chair Joanna Maguire Robinson - Ph.D., University of Chicago Last fall, Kent Brintnall and Jo- retreat is now being used to develop Full-Time Faculty anne Robinson were awarded a grant phase two, which will take place in fall Kent Brintnall - Ph.D., Emory University through the Wabash Center for 2016. This will consist of three to four Eric Hoenes del Pinal - Ph.D., Teaching and Learning in Theolo- focus workshops during which the University of California, San Diego gy and Religion. Since, the two have faculty can work on different aspects Kathryn Johnson - Ph.D., Harvard been working to ensure the Depart- of their teaching, such as assessment— Tina Katsanos - M.A., USC Columbia ment faculty are making their excel- including development of assign- Sean McCloud - Ph.D., UNC Chapel Hill lent teaching explicit. ments and evaluation of writing—and John C. Reeves - Ph.D. Hebrew Union Our faculty has long been told by recruitment. Phase three will begin in College-Jewish Institute of Religion students that it is the professors who spring 2017, as students will again be Julia Maria Robinson - Ph.D., ultimately convince students to be- brought into the project and given the Michigan State University come majors and minors in the pro- opportunity to respond to what the Janna Shedd - M.A., UNC Charlotte gram. Brintnall and Robinson wanted faculty think they have learned about Celia Sinclair - M.A., Yale Divinity School to look further into this, seeking what effective teaching. The project will it was about the professors that was end with the faculty participating in James D. Tabor - Ph.D., University of Chicago drawing students to become religion a regional conference with Religious Barbara Thiede - Ph.D., University of Missouri scholars. Studies faculty from nearby univer- J. Daniel White - Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania The grant is allowing them to con- sities to discuss teaching techniques. duct a three-phase study. The first Dr. Bobbi Patterson, a Professor of Part-Time Faculty phase, a focus group, took place earlier Pedagogy from Emory University, David Clausen - M.A., UNC Charlotte this semester. Students who had taken will be the keynote speaker at this con- Hugh Goforth - M.A., UNC Charlotte at least two courses within the Depart- ference. Marcy Goldstein - Ph.D. Santa Barbara ment were invited to participate in an Brintnall explains how this project, Mary Hamner - M.A., UNC Charlotte online survey and/or focus group, an- although only finishing up its first Julie Hawks - M.A., UNC Charlotte swering questions about their experi- phase, has already been a success be- Hadia Mubarak - Ph.D., Georgetown University ences within the classroom. The sur- cause it has given the faculty, who Francis Penkava - Ph.D., Arizona State University vey data and focus group transcripts already care about teaching well, Janna Shedd - M.A., UNC Charlotte were used to develop the curriculum the time and resources to talk to and Chip Trammell - Ph.D. Rice University for a faculty retreat that was held in learn from one another. He hopes this mid-April. After the retreat, there can project will help the Department or- Robert Young - M.A., UNC Charlotte be no doubt that our faculty are excit- ganize a clear operational list that can Ashley Zulovitz - M.A., UNC Charlotte ed and energized to dig deeper into both guide the work of current faculty Administration this discussion about teaching and to and inform the work of new faculty Jenna Baker - B.A., UNC Greensboro further develop skills as excellent pro- members, so that the Department can fessors. develop a common vision of effective Information gathered at the faculty and engaging teaching. FACULTY NEWS 4 Get to know Shimon Gibson, visiting scholar Gibson, the man behind the Mt. Zion Excavations, has worked with the Religious Studies and History Departments as a visiting professor of archeology BY CHELSEA CARSKADDON Shimon Gibson about the Department’s own James served as an adjunct Tabor. Gibson and Tabor excavated FACULTY BOOKSHELF faculty for the Re- the site with help from UNC Char- Published in April 2015 ligious Studies De- lotte students from 2000-2003. partment for some When that project was complete time, and is now a Race, Religion, Gibson made mention of some old ex- and the Pulpit: visiting professor cavation sites from the 1970’s that had Rev. Robert L. Bradby of archaeology in been left to him. It was from there that and the Making of the UNC Charlotte History Depart- the Mt. Zion excavations were given Urban Detroit ment. Gibson developed a passion for a new life, and in 2009 Gibson and archaeology as a young child. As early Tabor began bringing students to help Julia Robinson as nine years old he became involved rejuvenate the old excavation sites of with archaeology in Israel and began a Mt. Zion. Published in May 2015 self-teaching regimen learning to sur- Currently Gibson and Tabor are vey the deserts of the Holy Land. He working to make the Mount Zion American received formal training from the In- Project more interdisciplinary by get- Possessions: stitute of Archaeology at the Univer- ting engineering, history, and religious Fighting Demons in sity College of London and the Uni- studies students and faculty more the Contemporary versity of the Holy Land. From his involved. Gibson hopes the project United States BA to his Ph.D, Dr. Gibson focused will help create enormous amounts of Sean McCloud on the landscapes of Palestine, and research and create many opportuni- for the past 30 years he has conducted ties for scholarship and new publica- numerous excavations and surveys in tions. Ultimately his goal is to inspire different parts of Israel. others to seek out new knowledge by Published in August 2015 Gibson became involved with UNC creating opportunities for students to Negative Ecstasies: Charlotte when he came across a cave enrich their lives and follow their own Georges Bataille and west of Jerusalem, which had draw- interests. Gibson is very happy to be the Study of Religion. ings of John the Baptist. He was look- involved with UNC Charlotte, and Perspectives in ing for someone to help him excavate grateful to those who made it possible. Continental and study the cave when he heard Philosophy Kent Brintnall & Jeremy Biles ADDITIONAL FACULTY NEWS Barbara Thiedewas a finalist for the CLAS Award for Excellence in Published in December 2015 Teaching by a Full-Time Lecturer. Waiting in Sean McCloud and Kent Brintnall both gave talks as part of the Thinking Christian Traditions: Matters series for the inaugural New Student Convocation in August. Balancing Ideology Kathryn Johnson spoke on “The Rise of Isis” in UNC Charlotte’s Great and Utopia Decisions Lecture Series last February. Joanne Robinson Julia Robinson will be part of the CLAS Personally Speaking Lecture Series in January 2017. 5 FACULTY NEWS Religious Studies faculty involved in online summer teaching initiative Department faculty continue to work with the Center for Teaching and Learning to develop online summer courses BY HALEY TWIST A handful of de- A The biggest takeaway for me oc- partment faculty curred after the class was over. Fall Q How did you get involved with have been partici- session was about to begin and I was this initiative? pating in a series of in my office when there was a knock workshops run by A I've taught face-to-face in the on my door. A student I had never Sam Eneman and summer sessions for the past few years seen before introduced himself; I Kurt Richter in the so I signed up to do it again last sum- recognized the name from my online Center for Teaching and Learning. mer 2015. In the meantime, and I'm roster. He was an exceptional student, The workshops, which were designed not exactly sure how this happened, one who doubled the required word specifically for religious studies facul- the department made the move to put count on every post and assignment ty, assist in the development of online all of our RELS summer offerings on- and who made connections with summer courses and advanved utili- line. I wasn't sold on the idea at first, other students in the class. He shook zation of Moodle. Those involved in- but we had some training sessions at my hand warmly. He said,and it was clude full-time faculty Tina Katsanos, the Center for Teaching and Learning obvious, that he was shy and he had Published in May 2015 Celia Sinclair, Sean McCloud, Kath- in Kennedy. We asked for an online a speech impediment. What would ryn Johnson, and Julia Robinson, and course to teach us how to set up online have been almost debilitating in a part-time faculty Janna Shedd, Marcy courses. CTL delivered (Sam Eneman face-to-face class was a non-issue on- Goldstein, and Chip Trammell. Julie was in charge of that piece). Even with line, as this student soared above and Hawks, part-time faculty, has been this experience, I still needed lots of beyond my expectations for student working with them to complete their time in May to set up my online LBST participation and involvement. That work. 2101 class for Summer Session 2 and was enough to make me declare that Last year we spoke with Katsanos I required lots of tutoring and trouble I am SOLD on the online experience. about her experiences with this, and shooting from Julie Hawks. This is a format where writing is val- this year Sinclair has answered similar ued, where participation matters, and Q What have you learned from your questions about her own involvement where deep learning is evident. with the initiative. involvement?

that, but I plan to try to do my part. I Barbara Thiede is at work on two IRB-approved studies was able to teach RELS 2104 Hebrew BY ZANNAH KIMBREL Scriptures/Old Testament simultane- Dr. Barbara Thiede generated plenty of wry discussion ously onsite and online for a full year. is currently involved among the academic community. Un- This summer I’ll analyze the data. with two IRB-ap- fortunately, little research has been Project #2: proved pedagogical done to compare online and onsite The second project, unfortunately, is studies. Here, she student performances based on the going to have to remain something of gives us an idea of same course, taught at the same time, a mystery for now. According to IRB what she has been with the same delivery of components protocol for this particular study, not working on, and what her future re- and content and with the same in- much information can be revealed. So search looks like. structor. Studies that have attempted for now, we will have to be satisfied Project #1: “Location, Location: to base their comparisons on like com- with the knowledge that the study ponents base their conclusions on in- Comparing Student Outcomes in a has something to do with religion and significant data. Existing research in gender (in addition to race), and make Synchronous Online and Onsite Course the field has also not included efforts sure to be on the lookout for next in Religious Studies” to determine whether statistical tests year’s newsletter, at which point all Figuring out what works and what are appropriate to the data. will be revealed! doesn’t in online learning settings has Not sure whether I can rectify all FACULTY NEWS 6 FOLLOWING UP: FACULTY RESEARCH UPDATES FROM THE 2015 ISSUE Daniel White conducts fieldwork in India after receiving Carpenter Foundation grant The grant funded his ethnographic research about “Hindu” cultural faith traditions from the perspectives of gay and bisexual men BY HALEY TWIST Dan White spent ual--primarily because their parents know others who have attempted sui- nine weeks in India were not accepting and/or they did cide over similar issues. He found that last summer con- not want to bring about any social em- his interviewees wanted to be honest, ducting research on barrassment on their parents. but feared being ostracized by their how gay and bixex- 2. Many of these men either are or society. Many of his interviewees con- ual men view them- will be married to women because of tinue to be in touch with him—even selves in the context social expectations, and many will not almost a year later—to ask questions of India’s larger Hin- let anyone know about their sexuality and offer additional thoughts. White du cultural faith traditions. His re- (it is still considered a criminal offense hopes that he can return to India in the search, which was funded by the Car- to be gay in India). near future so that they may continue penter Foundation, and allowed him 3. Most of the men he interviewed to talk with someone who listens, has to conduct interviews with over 100 are deeply committed to the mytho- some empathetic understanding of men over the age of 21 in nine major logical rituals of Hindu traditions, and their cultural issues and the problems Indian cities. they do not see their gods and goddess- they are facing, and who will keep in White felt that he was able to have es as being offended by their sexuality. confidence their real identity. truly honest conversations with the Sadly, in conducting his interviews As White is finishing his secondary men he interviewed, and he came and working with some non-govern- research, his findings will appear in away with three major findings: mental organizations that offer sup- book form in the near future. 1. Most men he spoke to were still port for Indian gay and bisexual men, afraid of being “out” as gay or bisex- White found that most of the men John C. Reeves continues his research after receiving prestigious ACLS Fellowship He continues to pursue his award-winning project “Illuminating the Afterlife of Ancient Apocryphal Jewish Literature” BY JACOB GROVES John Reeves con- Reeves’ research works to explore, ko Reed (University of Pennsylvania) tinues his research “the afterlife of apocryphal works to be released by Oxford University after taking an ed- among literate circles within the Is- Press. In the future Reeves also plans ucational leave last lamicate cultural sphere wherein to author a book that endeavors to give fall funded by a Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and other a comprehensive explanation of the prestigious ACLS scriptural communities were active transmission of these texts through the fellowship. His cur- contributors and interlocutors.” He Late Antique and Medieval world. rent research focus- attempts to trace the paths of literary Scholars of pseudepigrapha are ex- es on the transmission and preserva- transmission of these texts in order to cited about his research and, though tion of Jewish Pseudepigraphic and explain how they moved from Jewish there are a limited number of scholars Apocryphal literature within Muslim, communities in the East, through var- in this field, the study is energetic and Christian, and popular literature of ious other scriptural groups, and ulti- growing. While Reeves is hopeful for Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. mately became re-absorbed by Jewish the continued growth of scholarship These sorts of texts have been a point communities of the West. in extracanonical texts, he notes that of interest for Reeves “since graduate He has recently given lectures in some are “still resistant to bible being school,” and have been a driving force Philadelphia and Chapel Hill on his supplanted from its point of domi- in the scholarship that has made up current work and is in the process of nance.” his career. authoring a book with Annette Yoshi- 7 FACULTY NEWS Celia Sinclair talks her Joanne Robinson receives AAR Excellence in Teaching Award experience with e-portfolios She will also appear as a featured speaker during the 2016 annual meeting BY: ADAM AUSTIN, EXCHANGE.UNCC.EDU BY HALEY TWIST In keeping with the For innovative concept of order and how it affects hu- campus-wide effort teaching methods man systems, also provided her with to utilize digital tech- that extend well be- a chance to apply and refine her new nologies, a handful yond a traditional teaching dynamic. of Department facul- classroom setting, Robinson wanted students to gain ty are involved in an Joanne Maguire not only religious literacy, but also a e-portfolio initiative. Robinson has re- passion for intellectual exploration, These are intended ceived the 2016 resulting in skills and knowledge they to collect students’ work and ideas for American Academy of Religion Ex- could use in their future lives. Class future reference, and to evolve as their cellence in Teaching Award. projects included creating collabora- studies evolve. Among those who have Since joining the UNC Charlotte tive websites, conducting fieldwork, implemented e-portfolios into their faculty in 1996, Robinson has focused and staging debates on controversial syllabi, Celia Sinclair shares her expe- on how students engage with the class- topics. riences with the tool thus far. room environment. She sees the job of Engaging students proved the key a teacher as creating an environment to the development of more complex Q How did you get involved with that helps students leave as more in- views of the abstract ideas studied. this initiative? formed, more reflective, and more ca- She considered students’ commit- pable and resourceful thinkers. ments, how prepared they were for A “Tina Katsanos and I were in- “I now see that classrooms are a space the rigors of college work, and their volved in a pilot for the CTC (Criti- for learning how to take chances, for drive in courses that not connected to cal Thinking and Communication) testing out new knowledge, and for their academic majors. initiative in the General Education playing with ideas,” she said in her She will receive the award on No- offerings. There were five of us who teaching statement for the award. vember 20, 2016, during the annu- worked with First Year Writing folks In 2011, the National Endowment al national meeting in San Antonio, to extend their work into the LBST for the Humanities awarded her fund- Texas. She will be a featured speaker curricula. FYWP has always used ing to develop a new course called during the event. The award comes portfolios, more recently ePs, to ad- “Ordering the World.” The course, with a $1,000 cash prize. dress their student learning outcomes. while focused on the foundational When we upfitted our LBST classes for the pilot, we decided to build on students’ work in FYWP and to make explicit the CTC objectives via an end of semester eP project. We had lots of help from FYWP folk and our collab- oration was, for me at least, a success.”

Q What have you learned from your RESONANCE is a new digital journal edited by graduate students in UNC Charlotte’s involvement? Department of Religious Studies. It offers scholars of religion a forum to explore critical issues within the field. A “I am sold on the value of “portfo- The journal has a yearly theme that corresponds with our Religious Studies Graduate lio thinking” for my LBST courses. I Student Conference, and this year that theme is “Religion and the Other.” We feature a am requiring ePs as the ‘final project’ monthly graduate student spotlight that challenge ideas of identity, diversity, and in all four classes. They will be com- normativity, as well as questions the presence of those items historically and modernly ing in soon (I write this the last week within religious contexts. of Spring term) and I can’t wait to see Follow Us: Visit ResonanceRSJ.org to read the current spotlight. ResonanceRSJ what is submitted on exam day.” STUDENT NEWS 8 The Department’s Theta Alpha Kappa Honor Society, Alpha Mu Theta, hosts its first induction The chapter honored faculty and exceptional students last December BY HALEY TWIST CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR GRADUATES!

Spring 2016 Graduate Students Julie Bruce | Thesis: “Apocalyptic Mother: The World Turned Upside Down in The Book of Margery Kempe” Faculty and students were recognized in a ceremony last December. PHOTO BY JENNA BAKER Joshua Williams | Thesis: Last year, the Department became chartered and founded in the spring “Soaring with Dragons: Finding an institutional chapter of the Theta of 2015. Served by Tyler Blevins as Intimacy and Play in Young Alpha Kappa National Honor Society the president, Rhondra Bacon as the Adult Literature” for Religious Studies and Theology. vice president, and Gabrielle Haley as UNC Charlotte is one of more than the secretary, the inaugural induction Steven Jedael | Thesis: 300 schools in the United States affili- ceremony took place last December, “Counting Days in Ancient ated with the society. as students and faculty were indivitu- Babylon: Eclipses, Omens, and Our chapter, Alpha Mu Theta, was ally recognized. Calendrics During the Old Babylonian Period (1750-1600 BCE)”

Fall 2015 Graduate Students Joshua Miller | Thesis: “Utopic Pessimism: The OUR 2015-16 UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS Messianic Underpinnings of the Antinatalist Polemic” Lambda Chi Alpha - Loy H. The recipient of the Richard A. Witherspoon Scholarship in Underwood Scholarship in Fall 2015 Undergraduates Religious Studies: Religious Studies has not yet been determined. Cohen Atkins Kelsey Briddle Jacob Groves Joshua Cable Adam Hinesley Christopher Holland Kaitlyn Hubbard The Lambda Chi Alpha-Loy Richard A. Underwood was hired Sean Kane Igor Khodochinskiy H. Witherspoon Scholarship is in 1975 to teach religion and William Melton Catherine Miller named for the founding chair of modern culture and to serve as Joshua Nguyen Alex Psaroudis the department, first hired in 1964 department chair. He retired in Hayley Smith and now Professor Emeritus of 1992. His widow, Joan Underwood, Philosophy and Religious Studies. funds the scholarship. Recipients for both awards are chosen by the faculty annually. Recipients have demonstrated by their academic performance a serious commitment to the field of religious studies. 9 STUDENT NEWS GRADUATE STUDENT CORNER The strange disappearance

2015-16 Graduate Student Jason Graham of our Department yard signs Conference Presentations: “Religion: What’s Math Got to Where did they go? No one knows... Do With It, and Why the Hell Julie Bruce Study Religion at a University?” “Embodiment in The Book of UNC Charlotte Graduate Margery Kempe” Research Symposium, 2016 Southeastern Commission for the Study of Religion, 2016 “What’s Math Got to Do With It?: Dynamical Systems Chelsea Carskaddon Theory and Religious Studies” “The Problem that Haunts our UNC Charlotte Religious Studies Society: The Ghostly Other” Graduate Conference, 2016 Syracuse University Religion In early January, the Department Graduate Conference, 2016 Josh Williams placed a variety of yard signs around “St. Eragon: A Modern campus as part of our “Religion Mat- “Apocalypticism: An Excuse Hagiography” for Othering”* ters” campaign to alert folks that we Southeastern Commission for the exist (and are more relevant than UNC Charlotte Graduate Study of Religion, 2016 Research Symposium, 2016 ever). Quickly, however, the signs be- gan to disappear one by one, and left “Justifying Religious Violence” Haley Twist no traces of who or what abducted “Remaking Gendered NC Religious Studies Association them. Luckily, our own Zannah Kim- Vengeance and Classed Annual Conference, 2015 brel has some theories that might just Criminality: A Comparative lead us to the truth: Analysis of I Spit on Your Grave Zannah Kimbrel • Ancient aliens 1978 and 2010” “Queering Identities in • Taken by the demon/dibbuk that re- University of Colorado Boulder Jewish Law” sides in the Macy 2nd floor bathroom Media, Religion, and Gender NC Religious Studies Association • Archeologists from the future are Conference, 2016 Annual Conference, 2015 time traveling and taking the signs back to their societies as proof of our “Virtual Selves Collide: Religion “Synagogues and Brothels: The primitive religious system. and Self-Identity Online”** Intersections of Anti- UNC Charlotte Graduate Semitism and Misogyny in John SUPPORT YOUR DEPARTMENT Research Symposium, 2016 Chrysostom’s Discourse Against Thanks to generous individuals such as Loy Judaizing Christians” H. Witherspoon, Dr. William Pfischner, the Southeastern Commission for the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, the Phillips Study of Religion, 2016 *Winner of 2nd Place Best Oral family, Alice B. Tate, Carol Ann Douglas, and Presentation for the Humanities, “TiK ToK, on the clock but the Education, and the Arts category Joan Underwood, the department is able to party don’t stop, no?: Queerness, award student scholarships and support Intersex, and Anti-Futurity” **Winner of 3rd Place Best Oral research and public lectures. If you would UNC Charlotte Religious Studies Presentation for the Humanities, like to make a tax-deductible contribution Graduate Conference, 2016 Education, and the Arts category that supports those causes, please visit the department webpage (religiousstudies.uncc. edu) and click on the “Donate Now” link. STUDENT NEWS 10 Reflections on the AAR and why religious studies matters What I learned as a A grad student talks navigating the 2016 American Academy of Religion conference first-time teacher BY ZANNAH KIMBREL A grad student reflects on teaching his Last November, a few zealous grad- get there. You have to go to a lot of con- first course, “Black Mirror,” this semester uate students (Julie Bruce, Chelsea ferences, shake a lot of hands belong- BY JOSH WILLIAMS Carskaddon, Haley Twist, Josh Wil- ing to men in argyle socks whose re- From the chaos of finalizing a sylla- liams, and myself) decided to make search you don’t care about, and face bus to the chaotic rush of grading final the trip to Atlanta, where the nation- a lot of rejection- facts which we, as papers, teaching can be overwhelm- al AAR/SBL (American Academy graduate students, are just beginning ing. Being on my own has been stress- of Religion/Society of Biblical Liter- to understand. ful at many times. Teaching and the ature) conference was hosting their Objectively, this does not sound like preparation for class each week takes yearly meeting. fun. It is grueling, infuriating, and ex- exorbitant amounts of time and ex- For the uninitiated, academic con- hausting. So why do we it? cessive amounts of effort. However, ferences are where graduate students Let me let you in on a little secret. the experience of teaching in front of and more seasoned scholars within a The world of the academic study of a classroom is well worth all the time certain field come together and theo- religion is amazing. Thousands of and effort. Through this experience, I retically share their most recent proj- people from all over the globe come have found that undergraduates hold ects. Sections based in different areas together every year to discuss topics as amazing insight into the world, and of the field organize even more specific dissimilar as “Coptic Biblical Lexicog- their thoughts challenged how I think panels; each of these feature a few pa- raphy” and “Made for TV: The Popu- about certain issues. My students en- per presentations or panelist speakers. lar Religion of Television Shows, Real gaged with the discussions and en- There are receptions (and free food, as or Not”. It is a unique and profound joyed thinking through difficult sub- we learned!) galore, filled with enthu- experience. jects and ideas. siastic, (bordering on desperate, in the The conference was an opportunity One rewarding part of teaching case of graduate students) shmoozing. to be around people who, like us, are comes from seeing students excited None of the UNCC grad students utterly fascinated (and in some cases, about a topic. When your students was scheduled to present at this con- obsessed) with religion. We, who are come into class already talking about ference, something that has become so used to reactions like, “oh...that’s the material for the day, then you essentially a requirement for entry nice I guess”, or, “I’m not really reli- know it is going to be a class full of into Ph.D. programs and the later se- gious” (what does that even mean??), intense, well-rounded discussion. Stu- curing of a faculty position. However, when telling anyone outside of our dents’ excitement pours out of them we wanted to soak up some academia, small department that we do Religious energizing the room, making the en- and to see what all the proverbial Studies. tire class period fun and engaging. At “fuss” over the AAR was about. We In a big way, it showed us that we are these times teaching is the best activ- also wanted to watch some of our il- not alone. And that what we are pas- ity; you can watch as students think lustrious faculty (including Joanne sionate about matters to a surprising and actively work problems out with Robinson, Sean McCloud, and Barba- number of people. each other. ra Thiede) and alumni (Mary Hamner This is an incredibly important thing By far, though, the most rewarding and Justin Mullis) present their work. for those of us who are just beginning aspect of teaching comes when stu- Do I sound skeptical? Academia, af- on our academic journeys. We are still dents take things away from the class. ter all, is not always the fantasy of sit- trying to figure out how to navigate all Whether it is improvement on devel- ting quietly in an office hidden behind of the complexities of this intensely oping a written argument or taking stacks of books, immersed in writing interdisciplinary field, and figure out ideas into the world, students ponder- yet another award winning book. exactly where we fit inside of it. ing the thoughts you present to other Maybe this eventually comes true for The tweed jacket, of course, is op- places and hearing about them is the some of us, but it takes a long time to tional. Cont. on pg. 13 11 STUDENT NEWS Graduate Student Committee was The beginnings of the RELS Graduate Student Committee official and in dire need of short nick- A warm welcome from the Committee president, Chelsea Carskaddon name (which is still in the works). BY CHELSEA CARSKADDON The committee has already been able I know it’s tough for the Department to help our funding crisis. We were to have to decline the grand ideas of able to acquire partial funding for the students and faculty for growth sim- Graduate Student Conference, we ply because we lack the funding. So, were able to get almost $400 to help when I heard it would be possible for a student present a paper at a con- Picture here - Exit Strategy? the Department to receive additional ference in Syracuse, and we hosted funding for students if we started an an end-of-the-year graduate student on-campus club it was a no-brainer for celebration at Exit Strategy. We have me. I had to start the club, and I had to plans to use funding to send a few of start it fast. our students to the 2016 AAR annual A group of graduate students went to Exit Strategy in early May (and successfully escaped). The process was not as tedious as I meeting in San Antonio, to host sever- initially thought it would be. I simply al more graduate student events, and I am sure it comes as no surprise needed to find a couple of students to help relieve the Department of the that our department, as wonderful willing to be on the board: Haley expenses for the 2017 graduate stu- as it may be, is constantly concerned Twist volunteered to be the VP, Zan- dent conference. about funding for students, faculty nah Kimbrel was more than excited But, most importantly, we hope this and its various events. I became well to be the secretary, and Josh Williams committee will create a space for all of acquainted with the limits of ‘discre- was informed that he was the treasur- the graduate students to have more of tionary’ funding as several students er. We wrote our committee constitu- a voice in creating a better, more uni- and I planned the inaugural Religious tion, and after a few meetings over a fied, and more active Religious Stud- Studies Graduate Student Confer- few short weeks, the Religious Studies ies Department. ence back in March. Reflections on SECSOR: An undergraduate’s conference experience BY CASEY ALDRIDGE This March, I had the opportunity er undergraduates and graduates pro- doing now, including talks on the po- and honor to travel with a cadre of ducing fantastic research. In just the litical theology of Karl Barth and on graduate students in the Religious panel I sat on, other undergraduates Second Temple Judaism, and b) the Studies’ M.A. program to Atlanta, presented research on “ISIS Brides,” opportunity to spend time with and Georgia for the Southeastern Confer- narratives of Mary Magdalene, and get to know some of the students in ence for the Study of Religion. I was analysis of “commemoration in colo- Charlotte’s graduate program. Having attending to present my paper, “Con- nial India.” Fortunately, several of the taken classes at the 4000 level on cam- textual Theology in Context: Roles graduate students came and listened pus, I’ve been in classroom settings of Afrikaner and African Theologies to my talk – a favor that I tried my best with many of the graduate students during Apartheid” at Saturday after- to return during their presentations – before, but SECSOR was the first noon’s undergraduate panel. and I was able to hold my own during time that I’d actually talked to many In the weeks leading up to SECSOR, the Q&A. It was a phenomenal learn- of them. I had presented two other class papers ing experience, which I hope I will In a world where it’s all too often un- at regional and statewide conferences, draw on for years to come. fashionable to talk about religion, even but nothing on the level of SECSOR. While it was great to present at or especially in an academic context, it It was exciting to be a very small part SECSOR, what I most appreciated was refreshing to spend the weekend of a much larger academic conference, of SECSOR was a) being able to lis- (and the start to spring break) with but also very daunting to have to pres- ten to presentations in fields relevant other students just as passionate about ent my own work among so many oth- to the coursework and research I’m their studies as I am about mine. STUDENT NEWS 12

Revisiting our Inaugural Graduate Student Conference

BY HALEY TWIST Bodies that Matter,” accompanied by ered the keynote speech, “Re-Mythol- On March 18th and 19th, 2016, the respondants William Jarrett (Dept. ogizing Shangri-La.” Department hosted its inaugural grad- of Anthropology) and Mark Sanders Planned by students Julie Bruce, uate student conference. Inspired by (Dept. of Philosophy). The follow- Chelsea Carskaddon, Josh Williams, the theme “Religion and the Other,” ing day featured twelve impressive and Haley Twist, the conference was the conference hosted graduate stu- student presentations, including the a successful and strong start to what dents and professors from nine uni- Department’s own Jason Graham and will hopefully become a yearly De- versies across the country. Zannah Kimbrel, across three panels partment event. Department alumnus Joe Winters with respondants Kent Brintnall, Sean The Department extends our thanks (now Duke University) returned to McCloud, John Reeves, and Gregg to everyone who attended and sup- UNC Charlotte to kick off the two- Starrett (Dept. of Anthropology). Eric ported the conference, and we look day event with his lecture on “Black Mortensen (Guilford College) deliv- forward to hosting the next one. 13 STUDENT NEWS Alumni Update: Gabrielle Alsop The 2014 RELS graduate reminisces on the Department, her religious studies background, and talks her future in public policy BY GABRIELLE ALSOP It’s hard to religions and how they affect people time I left I knew that I could do any- believe that and the world around them is, in my thing I wanted to do. I know enough it’s been a year opinion, invaluable. I also feel like I to know that that change came from and a half since was more prepared for the workload great help from every single professor I graduated of graduate school in general after my I encountered. I have never felt such from UNC time in the Department. A 12-page support from faculty as I did with you Charlotte with paper just seems like writing a brief all. Everyone pushed me to do my my BA in Re- summary after some of those RELS best, and cared about me enough to ligious Studies. It’s amazing how fast classes. call me when I wasn’t doing just that. time flies. Every single day that goes I know so many of us students of reli- I am in graduate school now because by I miss UNC Charlotte, and the Re- gion get strange questions when we tell of the support from you all, and I will ligious Studies department in particu- people our major, “What kind of job forever be grateful. lar just a little bit more. Currently, I can you get with that degree?”, “Oh, so Current RELS students, know that am getting my Masters in Social Work you couldn’t decide what you wanted you are so lucky to have faculty that and graduate certificate in Manage- to do?”, and my personal favorite, “So really care about you and want you to ment from Winthrop. Don’t get me you want to be a pastor?” Don’t get me succeed. I believe in myself because wrong, I’m having so much fun pursu- wrong, some of us did and do want to you all believed in me. ing my academic career, but my time be pastors, but there are so many rea- So, what’s next for me? This month in the RELS Department will always sons for picking a major in religious I will be attending the NEW Lead- be my first love. I feel so fortunate to studies, and some of them are hard to ership South Carolina summit. It’s a have somehow found Religious Stud- even put into words. For me, religion conference to get women involved in ies in the myriad of majors at UNC taught me things about people and policy and politics in the south. Since Charlotte. Truly, a hidden gem. cultures that I couldn’t find anywhere I began my Masters I started learn- I can say without hesitation that my else. I also found a camaraderie among ing more about public policy and it studies in the department have served the other students that I hadn’t found is something I am very interested in. me well moving forward. Social Work before, and honestly haven’t felt since. I would like to get my PhD in Public is so different from Religious Studies, I love my cohort at Winthrop, but as Policy once I finish my current degree, however I feel better prepared to in- I said, the RELS Department was my but one step at a time. So, be on the teract with diverse groups of people first love, and we all know nothing in lookout, as I may end up back at UNC coming from this background. Reli- the world can compare to that. Charlotte getting my PhD. gion is important in everyone’s lives, I’d also like to take a moment to ac- To everyone in the department—I and whether they are participating in knowledge the RELS faculty. As a miss you. I think about you all fre- it or not, it affects the world around student I was very unsure of myself quently, and I hope that things are us. The ability to understand other coming into the program, and by the well.

Continued from pg. 10 most satisfying thing when teaching. Overall, the experience of teaching meaningless. Before this experience, Being the catalyst for further thought has been an enjoyable one, even the I did not have the greatest opinion of and exploration of the world we live days where everything went wrong. students’ abilities to think broadly or in, for me, expresses the central point One thing I have learned through this process information on a higher level. of what we do. When you see students teaching experience is that students Now, having taught an entire semes- actively participate with material in make all the difference. You can be ter, I can say that students make the this way, teaching becomes that much the most interactive, exciting teach- teaching worthwhile and turn the cha- more valuable. er ever, but without students it is all os into a wonderful experience. LECTURES & COLLOQUIA 14 Religion Matters: A documentary film series Rebekka King on Julie Hawks reflects on the six-film series that aimed to increase religious arenessaw “Proportional Prosperity” BY JULIE HAWKS The Middle Tennessee University professor Recent events in the world and on ders with Celia Sinclair; Jonestown: visited campus in early April the campus of UNC Charlotte en- The Life and Death of Peoples Temple BY ZANNAH KIMBREL courage us to be more deliberate and with James Tabor; Devil’s Playground open in our discussions about religion with Sean McCloud; Osama with On April 4th, 2016 and religious difference. As a 2010 Kathryn Johnson; Samsara with Janna the Department was Pew Forum study showed, Americans Shedd; and Constantine’s Sword with fortunate enough to know very little about religions oth- Julie Hawks. host Dr. Rebekka er than their own. Stephen Prothero, King (Middle Ten- scholar of religion at Boston Univer- Thank you for an insightful and nessee University). sity demonstrated in Religious Liter- “ well-rounded class without King delivered a talk acy: What Every American Needs which I might never have gotten entitled, “Propor- to Know – and Doesn’t (2007) that the chance to truly learn about tional Prosperity: Class, Language, Americans are deeply “religious” and religion as a pillar of our and Philosemitism in American Evan- yet remarkably ignorant about reli- foundation as the human race. gelicalism”. gion. Feedback from the students proved” The project, one which is relative- To help expose students to the that the series was a success. ly new for King, grew out of local complexities of religions in cultures Student Sebastian Alvarez Espinoza ethnography in Tennessee’s non-de- around the world and to help stu- said, “I loved this class very deeply, it nominational charismatic Christian dents navigate media representations gave me a sense of understanding of church, “Shield of Faith.” The church of those complexities, Joanne Robin- other religions through different per- is affiliated with the Oklahoma-based son developed “Religion Matters: A spectives which has in a way made me “Covenant Ministries.” Documentary Film Series” for which a better person. From the first movie King’s research involves a study of she received a grant from the Chan- we watched about Amish culture, the the “Shield of Faith” community, cellor’s Diversity Challenge Fund. Taliban government in Afghanistan, which is one of a number of Jewish-af- The one-credit course was offered to the origin of the cross in the Chris- finity Christian groups who claim to during the Spring 2016 semester. The tian church. For every single one of be Jewish or partially Jewish, despite six films focused on a wide range of these faiths one tends to look at the just no traditional Jewish cultural, ethnic, topics, including rumspringa (a lit- what is shown to one without actually or religious family or heritage. tle-known aspect of Amish life), Jim understanding the meaning behind Her investigations have examined Jones and the murder-suicide of 900 what every faith actually is. These are how this group relates to Judaism, and members of the Peoples Temple, the movies which I had no knowledge of how this specific version of prosperity fundamentalist Taliban regime and and now are part of the person I come gospel has gained traction in this par- its treatment of women, cycles of life to be today.” ticular southern community. and death around the world, college And E.W. said, “I very much enjoyed students traveling through Morocco this class and all the inner perspec- and confronting the supposed “clash tive it gave to many different religions of civilizations” between Islam and and even just ways of life across the the West, and the growing scandal of globe. Thank you for an insightful and religious infiltration in the U.S. mili- well-rounded class without which I CALLING ALL ALUMNI tary and the terrible consequences of might never have gotten the chance to We want to hear from you. religion’s influence on America’s for- truly learn about religion as a pillar of Send Dr. Robinson an email eign policy. our foundation as the human race.” ([email protected]) to Discussions followed each film, led Many thanks to everyone who con- let us know what you’re doing. by a faculty respondent. The films tributed to the series success. and respondents were Crossing Bor- 15 LECTURES & COLLOQUIA Michael Stone’s visit to campus to discuss “Secret Groups in Ancient Judaism” The former Hebrew University of Jerusalem Gavin Levin de Nur Professor of Religious Studies spoke on campus last September BY JULIE BRUCE Dr. Michael Stone es of a secret group because, before justify its authority. This connection visited our campus their discovery, those secrets were led to his final insight, that just as on September 21st, unknown to everyone outside of the pseudopigraphy is sometimes read, 2015 for a lively initiated group. not as the author’s experience, but as discussion regarding In more detail he explained that the the seer’s experience, “pseudoesoter- “Secret Groups in group at Qumran was a hierarchical ic” literature may be read as secret, Ancient Judaism.” society, allowing their secrets to be when it is actually quite public. Professor Stone revealed only to a selected number of Stone holds a PhD from Harvard and presented his newest research on individuals through stages of initia- a DLitt. from the University of Mel- the social function of secret societies tion where the initiates received closer bourne. He was appointed to the He- in Ancient Judaism, the topic of his contact with the “purity of the many” brew University of Jerusalem in 1966 forthcoming book on esoteric (knowl- as they moved up in status towards the and became Gavin Levin de Nur Pro- edge hidden from outsiders) trajecto- level of their leader, who possessed fessor of Religious Studies and Pro- ries in early Judaism. the greatest number of secrets. Stone fessor of Armenian Studies in 1980. He made a thought-provoking dis- made a point to note that no sort of Now retired, he holds an Honorary tinction between the secret books knowledge is inherently esoteric, but DHL from Hebrew Union College, of Qumran and what he calls “pseu- societies privilege the knowledge and an Honorary Doctor from the Arme- doesoteric” literature. Further, he it becomes esoteric. nian National Academy of Sciences, elaborated that the books at Qumran Therefore, he compares what he calls and he is the recipient of the Landau were found by archaeologists, that “pseudoesoteric” literature to pseu- Prize for Contribution to the Human- they genuinely possessed the protect- dopigraphy—literature that is written ities from Israel. ed teachings, knowledge, and practic- in the name of a prophet, usually to

ADDITIONAL LECTURES & COLLOQUIA William Sherman on the Jason Bivens on “Jazz and Sarah Dees on Native origins of the Afghan Tribes American Religion” American religions Dr. William Sherman, a recent Ph.D. Dr. Jason Bivens, a professor at Dr. Sarah Dees, a lecturer at the Uni- graduate from Stanford University North Carolina State University who versity of Tennessee Knoxville, gave a (who will be joining the Department specializes in religion and American talk entitled, “The Materialization of in fall 2017 after his completion of an culture, gave a talk entitled, “Jazz and Native American Religions” at a De- ACLS/Mellon Post-Dissertation Fel- American Religion at a Department partment colloquium on April 18th, lowship) presented a lecture entitled, colloquium on April 13th, 2016. The 2016. As an ethnohistorian whose “The Unpredictable Pasts and Apoca- talk explained the research behind his research examines the relationship be- lyptic Futures of Afghan Genealogies: recent book, Spirits Rejoice! Jazz and tween race and religion as it has been The Entangled History of Christian American Religion, his exploration of articulated in scholarly, legal, and and Muslim Approaches to the Myth- the history of jazz and jazz musicians, popular realms, her talk was based on ological Origins of the Afghan Tribes” and the music’s indisputable ties to research from her book, The Scientific at a Department colloquium on April race, religion, and American culture. Study of Native American Religions, 7th, 2016. The talk explored narrative 1879-1903. tropes associated with the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. 16 LECTURES & COLLOQUIA STUDY ABROAD Jeffrey Kripal visits campus Discover the details about the yearly Mt. Zion excavation for the thirty-second Annual headed by Dr. James Tabor Witherspoon Lecture Sudents are encouraged to partake in this rare opportunity to explore Jerusalem BY CHELSEA CARSKADDON BY HALEY TWIST Dr. James Tabor serves as co-direc- tor of a yearly excavation in Mt. Zion. Participating in this dig is a rare oppor- tunity as UNC Charlotte is the only American university licensed to carry out such excavations in Jerusalem. Be- low James provides answers to some important questions for students in- terested in participating in future digs. PHOTO BY HALEY TWIST Dr. Jeffrey Kripal delivered a lecture Why participate? entitled “Biological Gods: Science The combination of being in the his- (Fiction) and Some Emergent Mythol- toric city of Jerusalem and exploring ogies” on February 29th, 2016 for the its ancient past and its diverse and thirty-second annual Loy H. Wither- conflict-filled present makes this par- spoon Lecture in Religious Studies. ticular opportunity stand out among Colleen Falvey, former religious studies student. Photo by James Tabor Kripal is the J. Newton Rayzor Chair other study abroad programs. The in Philosophy and Religious Thought, participants typically stay at a hotel in Is archaeology experience required? and his research focuses on “New the old city surrounded by the sights, No prior experience in archaeology is Comparativism” and paranormal smells, and sounds of Jewish, Chris- required for this dig. Students will be communities within the study of re- tian, and Muslim cultures. prepped with orientation sessions and ligion. His fascinating lecture delved Students also get a chance to see a are guided in all aspects of prepara- into a variety of case studies involv- bit of Israel including the Dead Sea, tion. Students are also put into teams ing UFO abduction and mythology Masada, and Galilee. Finding the un- over certain supervised areas, so the mapping, and prefaced his next book, expected during the dig perhaps pro- primary concern is to work and learn. which is coauthored with Whitley vides the greatest thrill—and thus to The program will accept students re- Strieber—the author of Communion, be contributing to reconstructing our gardless of the major or interest. The 1987. understanding of the past. dig is not limited to religious studies The Loy H. Witherspoon Lectures in students, but instead draws a diverse Religious Studies, the oldest and most What should I expect? mix of students from throughout the prestigious endowed lecture series at This opportunity is challenging but university as well as participants from UNC Charlotte, was established in rewarding. The group is up by 5:30 around the world. When participat- 1984 to honor the distinguished ca- a.m., walks to the dig site and works ing as a student, one will have the op- reer and service of Professor Loy H. until noon, but students get free time portunity to earn up to three hours of Witherspoon, the first chairperson of during the afternoons and evenings academic credit through UNC Char- the UNC Charlotte’s Department other than the days the group partici- lotte’s Educational Abroad Program, of Religious Studies. He is currently pates in special tours or lectures. though one may also participate as a Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and visitor. Religion within the department.

EDITORIAL STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: HALEY TWIST STAFF WRITERS: CASEY ALDRIDGE, JULIE BRUCE, CHELSEA CARSKADDON, JACOB GROVES, JULIE HAWKS, ZANNAH KIMBREL, JOSH WILLIAMS