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News Perspective Online September 2024

Faculty Updates

Reimagining Religion and Peace

Ruben Habito presented the concluding lecture at an August 1 seminar in Dublin, “Reimagining Religion and Peace: Resisting Military Occupation and Religious Fundamentalism.”  The event was organized by the Irish School of Ecumenics at Trinity College Dublin, and featured speakers from China, Palestine, Sri Lanka, Korea, the U.S., and Tamil Eelam. Habito spoke on “Dialogue and Peace: Healing a Wounded World.” He is Professor Emeritus of World Religions at Perkins.

Dallas Morning News Op-ed

An op-ed by Dallas Gingles, “We need a Lincoln right now, but would America reject him and his God talk?” was published in The Dallas Morning News on July 27. Gingles noted that he’s offering a course this fall on Presidential Rhetoric and Political Theology, beginning with a study of Lincoln’s second inaugural address. The class will examine “the ways presidents have used theological themes as a way of helping explain the nation to itself.”

In the op-ed, Gingles contrasted Lincoln’s views with those of both the left and the right in today’s political discourse. “While a large contingent of contemporary thinkers on the left are very concerned with what is vaguely termed Christian nationalism, it is Lincoln who justifies a Civil War by appealing to divine providence,” he wrote. “That argument alone would compel today’s liberal organizations to back away from him.” By contrast, on the right, “the problem with theological talk … is not that it is theological talk about America, but that it is theological talk about America as an answer rather than as a question,” he wrote. “It lacks humility. That kind of talk does not see either the country or itself as morally risky, only morally correct.” Dallas Morning News subscribers may read the op-ed here. Gingles is Assistant Dean of Hybrid Education and Associate Professor of Practice in Systematic Theology and Christian Ethics at Perkins.

Spirituality and Psychedelics

Jaime Clark-Soles was interviewed for a San Francisco Examiner story, “Religious leaders say legal gray area makes psychedelics standards vital.” Clark-Soles says it’s important to distinguish between churches formed around psychedelics as distinct from current conversations regular churches are having about psychedelics. “I’m not speaking for or against here, but I want everyone to understand the debate and ask important questions about what kind of community you are participating in, should you decide to explore such a group,” she said. Clark-Soles is Professor of New Testament and Director of Baptist House of Studies at Perkins School of Theology. Read the story here.

Jaime Clark-Soles was also recently featured in Episodes 9 and 10 of “The Conversations in the Gospel of John Podcast.” Hosted by Stan Harstine, Ph.D. and Douglas Estes, Ph.D., the podcast explores the intersection of academic research and the proclamation of the Gospel of John.

Pulitzer Nomination

Hal Recinos recently learned that his new work, The Place across the River (Wipf and Stock, 2024) was nominated and accepted for the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry. A decision will be announced in May 2025. This is his second Pulitzer nomination; his previous book, The Looking Glass: Far and Near (Wipf and Stock, 2023) was nominated for a Pulitzer in poetry. Meanwhile, the new book has received glowing reviews. “In a time of rhetorical bluster and easy abstraction, here instead is the genuine imprint of humanity,” writes Peter Campion in Radical as Reality: Form and Freedom in American Poetry. “Harold J. Recinos is a true poet, and The Place Across the River a book that’s made to last.” Dr. Recinos is Professor of Church and Society at Perkins.

Kung Fu Awards

Hal Recinos recently returned from the 2024 Golden State International Wushu Championships in San Jose with great results:  six gold, nine silver, and seven bronze awards, plus the men’s all-around Grand Champion title. He also qualified for the USA Kung Fu team for the Taiji Wushu World Championships in China in 2025.

Mark Stamm Publishes Booklets

Mark Stamm has contributed two booklets for a new series, Belong, published by Discipleship Ministries of the United Methodist Church. The series was designed to deepen church members’ engagement with the sacraments of baptism and Holy Communion, as well as their commitment to their membership vows. Stamm is author of The Meaning of Baptism in the United Methodist Church and Our Membership Vows. Another author, E. Byron Anderson, contributed The Meaning of Holy Communion in the United Methodist Church. Translations of the booklets are underway in Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, and French. A webinar series and workbook are also planned. Rev. Dr. Stamm is professor of Christian Worship at Perkins. Read more about the series here.