LSU Religious Studies Faculty


	LSU Religious Studies Faculty
course index course descriptions library resources requirements for a concentration/minor religious studies program philosophy program department of philosophy and religious studies home	PAULA K. ARAI Associate Professor Ph.D. Harvard University (1993). Dr. Arai joined the Religious Studies faculty in 2007 as a specialist in Buddhist Studies. Her research interests include Japanese Buddhist rituals and practices, women's experiences and contributions, and healing. Her primary research is based on anthropological fieldwork in Japan. She is the author of Women Living Zen: Japanese Soto Buddhist Nuns (1999) and several book chapters and journal articles. In addition to the introductory course in Asian religions (REL 2027), Dr. Arai will teach the popular course in Buddhism (REL 4800) and will develop and teach courses specific to her fields of research. DELBERT R. BURKETT dburket@lsu.edu Associate Professor, New Testament and Early Christianity Ph.D. Duke University (1989). Dr. Burkett came to LSU in the fall of 1996. He regularly offers a course in the New Testament and Christian origins (REL 1005) as well as an honors course that examines traditions about Jesus (REL 2006). His textbook An Introduction to the New Testament and the Origins of Christianity was published by Cambridge University Press in 2002. Dr. Burkett also teaches other courses that examine the history of religious ideas, such as Apocalypse Then and Now (REL 3051), A History of God (REL 4050), and Ideas of the Afterlife (REL 4060), . His research interests include the canonical gospels and apocalyptic thought, both of which are reflected in his book, The Son of Man Debate: A History and Evaluation (Cambridge, 1999). Other publications include The Son of the Man in the Gospel of John (Sheffield, 1991); and "Two Accounts of Lazarus' Resurrection in John 11" (Novum Testamentum 36, 1994). His most recent book, Rethinking the Gospel Sources: From Proto-Mark to Mark (T & T Clark International, forthcoming) presents a new solution to the Synoptic Problem. DAVID B. HARNED Professor Emeritus Ph.D. Yale University (1963). Professor Harned specializes in Christian thought and ethics. His publications include Creed and Personal Identity (Fortress, 1981), Faith and Virtue (United Church Press, 1976), and numerous articles. JOHN B. HENDERSON jbhende@lsu.edu Professor of History and Religious Studies Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley (1977). Dr. Henderson offers a course on the Religions of China and Japan (REL 4191). Recent publications include The Construction of Orthodoxy and Heresy: Neo-Confucian, Islamic, Jewish, and Early Christian Patterns (SUNY Press, 1998), and Scripture, Canon, and Commentary: A Comparison of Confucian and Western Exegesis (Princeton, 1991), in addition to numerous articles. STUART A. IRVINE sirvine@lsu.edu Associate Professor, Old Testament and Israelite Religion Ph.D. Emory University (1989). Dr. Irvine offers courses in Hebrew Bible/Old Testament (REL 1004), archaeology and the Bible (REL 3004), and Israelite history (REL 4125). His current research involves eighth-century Israelite history and prophecy. Recent publications include "The Rise of the House of Jehu" (JSOT Press, 2001) and "Enmity in the House of God (Hosea 9:7-9)" (Journal of Biblical Literature 117, 1998: 645-53). His book, Isaiah, Ahaz, and the Syro-Ephraimitic Crisis, was published by Scholars Press in 1990. CHARLES ISBELL cisbel1@lsu.edu Assistant Professor, Hebrew Language and Jewish Studies Ph.D. Brandeis University. Dr. Isbell teaches the four semester sequence in Biblical Hebrew, now fully approved for credit to fulfill the foreign language requirement for graduation (REL 1001, 1002 and REL 2003, 2004). Students in the first two semesters of this sequence use Dr. Isbell's own textbook, Introduction to Biblical Hebrew (Shangri-La, 2002), and some students also use his parsing guide, Teacher's Guide: A Manual for Introduction to Biblical Hebrew (Shangri-La, 2003). He also offers courses in Hebrew Bible/Old Testament (REL 1004), Western Religions (REL 2029), Judaism (REL 3100), and Hebrew Prophets (REL 3104). He has also written several other books, including God's Scribes: How the Bible Became the Bible (Shangri-La, 1999) and The Function of Exodus Motifs in Biblical Narratives: Theological Didactic Drama (Mellen Press, 2002). Recent articles include "Why We Read Jonah on Yom Kippur" and "YHWH and the Gods of Egypt" (Journal of the Central Conference of American Rabbis), and "The Feminine Touch in the Legend of Moses" (Women in Judaism). He formerly served as editor of H-JUDAIC, the electronic journal for Professors of Judaica. RODGER KAMENETZ enkame@lsu.edu http://kamenetz.com Professor of English and Religious Studies M.A. Stanford University (1975). Professor Kamenetz is a renowned poet and essayist of Judaism. His recent non-fiction works -- The Jew in the Lotus (1995) and Stalking Elijah (1997) -- explore a personal encounter between Judaism and Buddhism. The founding director of the Jewish Studies program, Professor Kamenetz offers various courses in Jewish Studies, such as Jewish Mystical Literature and Jewish Dream Interpretation (REL 4236). JOHN R. MAY jmay2@lsu.edu Alumni Professor of English and Religious Studies Ph.D. Emory University (1971). Dr. May teaches courses in religion and literature, as well as a popular course on Religion and Film (REL 3238). A specialist in both Southern literature and religion and film, among his many publications are The Pruning Word: The Parables of Flannery O'Connor (Notre Dame, 1976) and Image and Likeness: Religious Visions in American Film Classics (Paulist, 1992), for which he served as editor. REEM MESHAL rmeshal@lsu.edu Assistant Professor, Islamic Studies Ph.D. McGill University, Institute of Islamic Studies (2006). Dr. Meshal joined the LSU faculty in 2005. In addition to courses in Islamic Studies, she regularly offers the survey of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (REL 2029) and a course in fundamentalisms and religious nationalism (REL 3092, also offered as INTL 3092). Her current research project is "The Informal Path: Sijils and Functionaries of Custom in Ottoman Cairo." C. GARY PETTIGREW cpetti1@lsu.edu Adjunct Instructor Ph.D. Louisiana State University (1977). Dr. Pettigrew offers Religion and Parapsychology (REL 3203), a course surveying beliefs about anomalous human experiences, including psychic phenomena, witchcraft, UFOlogy, and near death experiences. He has published numerous articles in the field of psychology, and is currently interested in factors influencing the formation of beliefs by individuals. In 1998, he presented "A Neuropsychological Correlate of Belief in the Miraculous and Occult?" at the inaugural meeting of the Society for the Multidisciplinary Study of Consciousness, San Francisco. GAIL HINICH SUTHERLAND gsuther@lsu.edu Associate Professor, Asian Religions Associate Chair, Religious Studies Ph.D. University of Chicago (1988). Dr. Sutherland offers courses in Asian religions, including the introductory course in Eastern Religions (REL 2027) and the upper-division courses in Hinduism (REL 4600) and Buddhism (REL 4800). She has also designed and added to the Religious Studies curriculum courses on Women and Religion (REL 3300) and Religion, Gender, and Society (REL 4032). Her research interests include the body, sexuality, food, gender, and ethical reversals in Indian religions. Among her publications are The Disguises of the Demon: The Development of the Yaksa in Hinduism and Buddhism (SUNY, 1991) and "Asvaghosa and Saigyo: A Comparison of Two Buddhist Poets" (Religion and Literature, 1991). She is currently engaged in research on Asian religions in the American South. For the 1999-2000 academic year, Dr. Sutherland obtained a grant to do research and teach at Harvard Divinity School. JOHN WHITTAKER jwhitt1@lsu.edu Professor, Philosophy of Religion Ph.D. Yale University (1974). Dr. Whittaker was the first Professor of Religious Studies at LSU and the first Director of the Religious Studies Program. He teaches the courses Faith and Doubt (REL 2001), Psychological Theories of Religion (REL 3201), Contemplative Spirituality (REL 3010), History of Modern Christian Thought (REL 4012), and Kierkegaard (REL 4228). His research has been in the field of the philosophy of religion, as reflected in his books, Matters of Faith and Matters of Principle (Trinity University Press, 1981) and The Logic of Religious Persuasion (Peter Lang, 1991). His most recent publications are The Possibilities of Sense: Essays in Honour of D. Z. Phillips (edited by John H. Whittaker; Palgrave, 2002) and two articles on the concept of religious authority. MADHURI MUKKAMALA YADLAPATI myadlapa@lsu.edu Instructor Ph.D. Yale University (2002) Since 2004, Dr. Yadlapati has offered courses in Religions of the World (REL 1000), Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (REL 2029 and the Honors section REL 2030), History of Modern Christian Thought (REL 4012), Women and Religion (REL 3300), Faith and Doubt (REL 2001), and a Special Topics course on Hindu-Christian Dialogue (REL 4010). Her research interests include modern philosophy of religion and the concerns of interreligious dialogue. Her article “Sita and Sarah: Female Complementarity or Special Revelation” will appear in the Journal of Indo-Judaic Studies.