Graduate Program in Religion
Laura Robinson will be graduating with the PhD this May 2023 after successfully defending her dissertation “Mission, Jews, and Gentiles in the Gospel of Matthew” this spring, in which Professors Mark Goodacre and Joel Marcus were co-advisors. Robinson, an Indiana native, graduated with distinction with a Bachelor of Arts from Indiana University, and received two master’s degrees from Wheaton College. She was awarded a J. B. Duke Fellowship for four years, an award aimed at helping attract and develop outstanding scholars at… read more about Robinson Slated for May Graduation »
Four faculty from Duke’s Trinity College of Arts & Sciences and three alumni have been named to this year’s cohort of Guggenheim Fellows. The honorees for 2023 include German Studies Professor Stefani Engelstein, Professor Lillian B. Pierce of Mathematics, Religious Studies Professor Leela Prasad, and Professor of Physics Christopher Walter. Duke alumni Lucy Corin, Jon-Sesrie Goff and Jennifer Graber were also recognized. Now in its 98th year, the Guggenheim Fellowships recognize exceptional mid-career scholars and… read more about Four Trinity Faculty and Three Alums Named 2023 Guggenheim Fellows »
Quite a number of Duke students and faculty will be presenting in the AAR/SBL annual conference to be held in Denver, Colorado November 19-22, 2022. The joint annual conference of the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Biblical Literature is perhaps the most important conference of the year for those in the field of Religious Studies. More than 1,000 events—academic sessions, additional meetings, receptions, tours, and workshops—will be offered at this annual conference. Below are listed the participants for… read more about Duke Invades Denver, Colorado for AAR/SBL Annual Conference »
Jonathan Homrighausen was so moved when he first saw The Saint John's Bible as a student docent in Santa Clara University’s archives and special collections, he wrote his own book about it. And then another. A modern illuminated manuscript, with the last page completed in 2011, this Bible was created by a team of scribes and illustrators commissioned by Saint John’s Abbey and University. Homrighausen's first book about The Saint John’s Bible focused on its illustrations, but he wanted to spend more time with the letters… read more about When Modern Calligraphy Is Paired with Ancient Scripture »
Our congratulations go out to Dr. Nathan Hershberger, who graduated with the PhD in Religious Studies in September! Dr. Hershberger came to Duke University equipped with a Bachelor of Arts from Eastern Mennonite University and a Master of Arts from University of Virginia. At Duke, Hershberger’s major field was Christian Theological Studies, and minor fields were Islamic Studies and Political Theory. His dissertation “Tending Scripture’s Wounds: Suffering, Moral Formation, and the Bible” was supervised by Dr. Luke Bretherton… read more about Hershberger Graduates in September »
We celebrate with our alumnus Dr. Nathan Tilley, who graduated in September with the PhD in Religious Studies. His dissertation “Human Perfection in the Thought of Bābai the Great: Tradition and Development in East Syrian Theology” was directed by Dr. J. Warren Smith, and Professors Christopher Beeley, Robin Darling Young (Catholic University of America), and Luke Bretherton served on his dissertation committee in July. Tilley earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master of… read more about Tilley Graduates in September »
PhD candidate Susannah Duerr has secured funding with The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation for a dissertation fellowship in Buddhist studies. You can read more about her award here. read more about Susannah Duerr Secures Fellowship »
Dr. Rebecca Mendelson, who graduated in 2020 from The Graduate Program in Religion, took a position as Japanese studies librarian at the University of Pennsylvania. Read about her work there in this article published in Penn Today. read more about Dr. Rebecca Mendelson Settles in as Penn Librarian »
Dr. Ian Mills, who graduated in December from the Graduate Program in Religion, is eligible for the May hooding and commencement ceremony at Duke University. Mills was one of the few applicants chosen for the Graduate Program in Religion who came to us directly following his undergraduate degree, a B.A. from the University of Minnesota. During his time at Duke, Mills published three peer-reviewed journal articles, two book chapters and two book reviews. He had extensive teaching experience as well, acting as a teaching… read more about Ian Mills Eligible for May Commencement »
Our candidate for the PhD, Zexi (Jesse) Sun, will graduate this May along with two others in the Graduate Program in Religion. Sun’s dissertation “War, Revolution and Chinese Protestant Intellectuals: A Twentieth-Century Odyssey” was advised by Dr. Xi Lian. Sun holds a B. A. with Honors from Calvin College, M.A. from Stanford University, and M.T.S. from Calvin Theological Seminary. Sun has written and published extensively during his five short years in the program, with five peer reviewed articles, two… read more about Zexi (Jesse) Sun Prepares to Graduate »
Grazina Bielousova, PhD candidate in Religion, Aesthetics and Society, successfully defended her dissertation March 31, 2022. She wrote on the topic “The Making of Savage Europe: Religious Difference and The Idea of Eastern Europe” and her committee was co-chaired by Dr. J. Kameron Carter and Dr. Joseph Winters. Her PhD from Duke University will be conferred in May, 2022. She has been awarded the Certificate in College Teaching from Duke University and the Coaching Skills for Learner-Centered Conversation… read more about Grazina Bielousova Graduating in May »
Cody David will be graduating with his PhD in May, 2022 after just five years in the Graduate Program in Religion studying Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. His academic career has been marked by excellence – valedictorian at Ave Maria University and very high grade-point averages at both the University of Notre Dame (Master of Theological Studies) and Duke University. His awards include the Saint Thomas Aquinas Award for Balance and Eutrapalia, the Classics Department Award at Ave Maria University and the 2020… read more about Cody David Set to Graduate »
Three GPR students have successfully defended their dissertation, and are set for a May 2022 graduation. Candidates Cody David, Jesse (Zexi) Sun, and Grazina Bielousova will be invited to attend a hooding ceremony on May 7, among other Duke commencement activities on the weekend of May 6-8. Cody David's dissertation committee for "The Economics of Redemption and Retribution in Isaiah 40-66" was chaired by Dr. Marc Brettler. The defense was held over Zoom on March 22, 2022. Cody has been part of the… read more about Congratulations to Spring 2022 Defenders »
Dr. Emily Dubie, recent alumna of the Graduate Program in Religion, has been selected as one of the ten winners of the 2022 Manfred Lautenschlaeger Award for Theological Promise. The awards ceremony will take place in the "Alte Aula," the Old Hall of the University of Heidelberg, Germany on May 27. There will be a colloquium on May 28 and 30, in which Dr. Dubie and other awardees will be asked to present for 20 minutes on their next major research project. read more about Emily Dubie Selected as a 2022 Winner »
Andrew Remington Rillera (New Testament) successfully defended his dissertation “Paul’s Philonic Opponent: Unveiling the One Who Calls Himself a Jew in Romans 2:17” on July 20, 2021 in time for September graduation. Prof. Douglas Campbell was his dissertation advisor, and others serving on the committee were Drs. Curtis Freeman, J. Ross Wagner, and Susan Eastman. Rillera came to our program via Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, and was chosen as a Dean’s Graduate Fellow. Rillera has published quite a… read more about Rillera Successfully Defends Dissertation »
Krishni Metivier, doctoral student in the Asian Religions track, successfully defended her dissertation “Can A Hindu Be Black?: A Study of Black Americans in Hinduism” on July 19, 2021, in time for September graduation. Drs. Richard Jaffe and Joseph Winters co-chaired her committee; Drs. Leela Prasad and Jason Bivins also served on the committee. She has also completed work for the Certificate in College Teaching. Metivier has given extensive service to the university and our program during her study in the Graduate… read more about Metivier Successfully Defends Dissertation »
PhD candidate Ryan Juskus successfully defended his dissertation, titled “The Ecopolitics of Truth and Sacrifice: An Ethnographic and Theological Study of Citizen Science, Environmental Justice, and Christian Witness in Coal’s Sacrifice Zones,” on March 25, 2021. Drs. Luke Bretherton and Norman Wirzba were co-advisors on the doctoral committee, and other members of the committee included Drs. Christine Folch and Edgardo Colon-Emeric. Juskus’s teaching experience is extensive, and includes courses taught in El Salvador… read more about Juskus Successfully Defends Dissertation »
Christopher Howell successfully defended his doctoral dissertation March 23, 2021. Howell is a PhD candidate in the Graduate Program in Religion in the American Religion track and his work on “Designer Science: An Intellectual History of Intelligent Design” was advised by Dr. David Morgan. Others present on his committee were (from Duke) Drs. Kate Bowler, Joseph Winters, Mohsen Kadivar and (from University of Wisconsin-Madison) Dr. Ronald Numbers. Howell is notable in the Department of Religious Studies for his role as… read more about Howell Successfully Defends Dissertation »
