After a highly selective application and interview process, students are awarded $5,000 annually to support research and study in global contexts connected with religious diversity and multi-religious societies. Students who show great potential as academically curious and socially engaged leaders committed to their own ongoing development and the enhancement of their local and global communities are selected each Spring.

Sandy Marshall, an associate professor of geography, served as interim director of the Multifaith Scholars program this year while Professor Amy Allocco has been on a Fulbright-funded research sabbatical in India. 鈥淲e had an exceptionally strong applicant pool, and I am excited about the diversity of backgrounds and research interests represented in this new cohort,” Marshall said. “Their topics span a range of time periods and regions, including Africa, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and North America. Likewise, their proposed research combines diverse interdisciplinary perspectives from history and politics, to computer science and theatrical design. We are excited to work with these students and their mentors over the next two years to facilitate their scholarly development and personal growth.鈥�

In addition to pursuing their faculty-mentored undergraduate research projects and undertaking academic coursework in religious studies and interreligious studies, the scholars will extend the program鈥檚 ongoing community partnership with the Burlington Masjid. Through the partnership, scholars participate in youth and social events with the local Muslim community, join community garden workdays, volunteer with the food pantry, and take part in potlucks and iftar meals during Ramadan.

The 2024-26 Multifaith Scholars:

Alyssa Carney

Majors: International and Global

Studies / History

Minors: Philosophy, Politics, and Economics / Geography / Interreligious Studies

Mentor: Sandy Marshall (Geography)

Project Title: Echoes of Al-Andalus: Islamophobia and Migration in Spain

Proposed Research: Carney鈥檚 research will examine the lived experience of Muslim Arab migrants in Spain and the contested memories of Islamic Spain and the Spanish Reconquista within the context of growing right-wing populism.

Owen Hayes

Major: History

Minors: Political Science / Interreligious

Studies

Mentor: Brian Pennington (Religious Studies)

Project Title: Catholic Missionaries and Indigenous Peoples of Australia

Proposed Research: Using archival research and interviews, Hayes will examine contentious encounters between Catholic missionaries in Australia and Aboriginal peoples.

Hasan Khan

Major: Computer Science

Minors: Data Science / Leadership Studies / Interreligious Studies

Mentor: Pratheep Paranthaman (Computer Science)

Project Title: Exploring Multifaith Engagement through Video Game Representation

Proposed Research: Based on visual and narrative analysis of popular video games as well as interviews with gamers themselves, Khan鈥檚 research aims to critically examine depictions of religion in video games with the goal of producing guidelines for game designers to improve religious representation.

Olivia Novak

Majors: Religious Studies / Theatrical Design

Minor: Entrepreneurship

Mentor: Toddie Peters (Religious Studies)

Project Title: Abortion in Context: Historical Influences on 21st Century Abortion Discourse

Proposed Research: Novak鈥檚 research will examine the historical roots and religious discourses that influence today鈥檚 political debates about abortion and reproductive rights. With the goal of producing traditional scholarly outputs as well as a theatrical performance to share her research.

Jesse White

Major: Religious Studies / International and Global Studies (Middle East and Africa concentrations)

Minor: Islamic Studies

Mentors: Waseem Kasim (History) and Mussa Idris (Anthropology)

Project Title: Mahdism and Sudanese: History and Memory of an Islamic Movement in North America鈥檚 Diasporic Sudanese Communities

Proposed Research: White鈥檚 research combines historical textual analysis of archival resources with ethnographic research with Sudanese diaspora communities to examine the history of the Mahdi revolt, the role of Sufism therein, and how it is remembered today in light of contemporary politics and conflict in Sudan.

Kuttab practices law in the U.S., Palestine and Israel. He serves on the Board of Bethlehem Bible College, as President of the Board of the Holy Land Trust, and as executive director of Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA). Kuttab was the head of the legal committee negotiating the Cairo Agreement of 1994 between Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization.

Kuttab has also authored “,” a book detailing how best to create a peaceful solution in the region, a personal memoir, and numerous articles for various international outlets.

RSVPs are helpful but not required. Those interested can RSVP and propose questions for the speaker聽.

Kuttab’s talk at 黑料不打烊 is sponsored by the聽Ad Hoc Conflict in the Middle East Programming Committee, which has been organizing lectures on the conflict in the Middle East. These talks focus on the latest Israel-Hamas war and the ongoing responses to it.

During her term, Kleintop will develop digital humanities resources for examining the role of religious communities in 黑料不打烊 town and university history and pursue new research on Black enlistment and emancipation during the U.S. Civil War and Reconstruction. Additionally, she will help build CSRCS capacity for student research, internships, and digital humanities experience and foster campuswide engagement with local communities and institutions. She will assume her position on June 1, 2024.

鈥淎s someone fairly new to 黑料不打烊, I鈥檓 enthusiastic to learn more about interdisciplinary, multifaith models at 黑料不打烊, support the study of religion, culture, and society, develop opportunities for student research, and develop relationships with other campus partners and local communities,鈥� Kleintop says.

CSRCS Director Brian Pennington says Kleintop is a natural fit for the role. 鈥淲e are excited at the ways that Dr. Kleintop鈥檚 work aligns with 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Multifaith Strategic Plan objectives,” Pennington said. “She will make important contributions as we look to develop student learning opportunities about the role of religious communities in U.S. history and in 黑料不打烊鈥檚 history.鈥�

Kleintop is a historian of the U.S. Civil War, Reconstruction and slavery and emancipation in the Atlantic World.

Her current book in progress, “The Balance of Freedom: Abolishing Property Rights in People in the U.S. Civil War and American Memory” is contracted with the University of North Carolina Press with an anticipated publication date in 2025. THe book tells the story of the Civil War and emancipation by examining post-war debates about compensating enslavers for the value of freed people and the legacies of these debates.

Kleintop joins the CSRCS with an impressive record of interdisciplinary collaboration and timely public scholarship. She received her Ph.D. from Northwestern University and her B.A. from the University of Richmond. Before coming to 黑料不打烊 in 2022, she was an assistant professor of history and coordinator of public history at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. She comes to this new role with a strong scholarly and administrative background that prepares her well for the work she will undertake. Kleintop is also an experienced public and digital historian who helps students connect the histories of slavery and emancipation in the U.S. to their campuses and communities.

At 黑料不打烊, Kleintop has taught a range of topics including courses on Civil War history, museum studies and early American history.

鈥淭hroughout my career as a historian, my research has informed my work on college campuses,” Kleintop said. “My goals have always been to build programs and spaces where students, campuses, and local communities can discuss complex topics in US history, like the history of enslavement and religion, grapple with how those histories shape our present, and decide how those histories should shape community action. I鈥檓 excited to continue this work with the CSRCS, which has already done so much to support similar work on campus and in the local community.鈥�

The trio’s project, “At the Intersection of Faith and Health,” aims to create a micro-credential badge focused on religion and faith consciousness. Tailored for students in nursing, physician assistant studies and physical therapy programs, the badge will require students to participate in sessions exploring the influence of religion on healthcare decision-making, outcomes, and equity. Those who earn the badge will carry this heightened religious consciousness into their varied clinical placements, contributing to an enriched, client-centered care approach.

Expanding upon the groundwork laid by team members in earlier collaborations, the project integrates training modules on intercultural competence, cultural humility and spiritual care. This work aligns with recent research emphasizing the pivotal role spirituality can play in health outcomes.

Koonts and Pennington have worked together to build modules on religious literacy and intercultural awareness for several years. Orr has recently completed work on an upcoming 黑料不打烊Next course on Religious Literacy for the Workplace.

鈥淭his project will help Health Sciences students understand what 鈥榟olistic care鈥� looks like concretely,” Koonts said. “We have made strides on diversity and equity in the School of Health Sciences, but this brings an important new training on social determinants of health.鈥� Orr adds, 鈥溾�嬧�婽his grant allows us to build practical application of academic skills into concrete professional settings for students.鈥�

The team looks to pilot modules later this academic year.

Lynn R. Huber, Maude Sharpe Powell Professor of Religious Studies, was awarded membership in the Society for New Testament Studies at the society’s annual meeting in July.

Membership in the society, dedicated to “the furtherance of New Testament studies internationally,” is limited to scholars who have made significant contributions to the fields. Prospective members are required to undergo a nomination process, wherein at least two peers endorse their candidacy prior to the annual meeting, ultimately requiring the approval of the entire membership body. A hallmark of membership includes attending regular meetings of SNTS held in a different country each year.

Huber’s teaching and research focus on the writings of the New Testament and early Christianity, exploring these traditions within the context of Second Temple Judaism and the first-century Roman Empire. Huber’s academic interests also extend to the realm of visual representations of biblical texts, particularly Revelation, and the innovative use of visual art as a pedagogical tool for teaching the Bible.

Director of the Center for the Study of Religion Culture and Society Brian Pennington says, 鈥淭his important recognition underscores the deep respect that Dr. Huber鈥檚 scholarship has earned among peers.”

Huber’s election to SNTS is based on a publication record that includes two monographs, an edited volume, numerous book chapters, and articles, in addition to a forthcoming commentary on the Book of Revelation. In this commentary, Huber utilizes literary, linguistic, rhetorical, historical, and feminist critical methods to analyze Revelation’s gendered imagery within its socio-historical framework.

Raffic, a fully self-taught artist, became famous for his development of a complex 鈥渧isual language,鈥� through which he conveys his sense of India鈥檚 rapidly evolving society as well as his expressions of more universal themes, such as 鈥渟earching鈥� and 鈥渢ime鈥� in his works. Raffic鈥檚 art also reflects the tensions of contemporary, globalizing India, juxtaposing themes of tradition and modernity as well as specifically exploring the gender-based tensions of modern Indian social life.

Associate Professor of Religious Studies Amy Allocco facilitated the gift. She first found out about Raffic鈥檚 work at a Dalit advocacy foundation in Madurai, whose work focuses on the rights and education of members of India鈥檚 lowest castes.

After exchanging letters with Raffic, she met him in his home city of Madurai in February 2004 and a lifelong friendship ensued. At the time, Allocco was studying the Tamil language of South India and collecting pieces for a fair-trade, online art business her brother-in-law, intellectual property rights attorney Nigel Howard, was launching. Howard donated these pieces to 黑料不打烊, along with several others by renowned South Indian artists. Since their friendship developed, Raffic has become a regular guest lecturer for the Winter Term 鈥淚ndia鈥檚 Identities鈥� course Allocco co-teaches with Brian Pennington, director of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Center for the Study of Religion, Culture, and Society.

鈥淭his important and generous gift to 黑料不打烊鈥檚 collection will not only beautify campus spaces but it will give us excellent teaching materials for helping students think about important global themes like gender in the modern world, relations between religious communities in diverse societies like India, and the artistic traditions of South Asia,鈥� said Allocco.

Raffic cites the styles of Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso and Salvatore Dali as his main artistic inspirations. He ties into his art elements from various Indian temples, arts, sculptures & craft traditions, including Persian and Islamic-inspired jewelry-making, carpet-weaving and calligraphy techniques.

Several pieces by Raffic were recently installed in the offices of the Core Curriculum on the second floor of the Global Commons. Others will soon be installed in the Numen Lumen Pavilion.

After a highly selective application and interview process, students are awarded $5,000 annually to support research and study in global contexts connected with religious diversity and multireligious societies. Students who show great potential as academically curious and socially engaged leaders committed to their own ongoing development and the enhancement of their local and global communities are selected each Spring.

Amy Allocco, an associate professor of religious studies, has directed the Multifaith Scholars program since it was established in 2016. She notes that this year鈥檚 class brings additional strength and disciplinary diversity to the cohort.

鈥淲e are thrilled to welcome members of this new class, whose proposed projects are creative, deeply interdisciplinary, and timely. Among the unique topics represented is a project focusing on best practices in teaching religious literacy to health care professionals, another that will integrate insights from religious studies and neuroscience to explore Tibetan Buddhist practices as a resource for mental health and wellness, and a documentary project that will bring together vampire folklore, religion, and pop culture to analyze how non-Christian 鈥榦thers鈥� are represented in literature, film, and TV,鈥� Allocco said. She has聽also expressed excitement about the opportunity to collaborate with six faculty mentors who are working with the Multifaith Scholars program for the first time.

In addition to pursuing their faculty-mentored undergraduate research projects and undertaking academic coursework in Religious Studies and Interreligious Studies, the scholars will extend the program鈥檚 ongoing community partnership with the Burlington Masjid. Through partnership, scholars participate in youth and social events with the local Muslim community, join community garden workdays, volunteer with the food pantry, and take part in potlucks and iftar meals during Ramadan.

The 2023-25 Multifaith Scholars:

Sandoh Ahmadu聽

Major: Psychology

Minors: Neuroscience, Interreligious Studies

Mentor: Pamela Winfield (Religious Studies)

Project Title: Bridging West & East: An Alternative for Emotional Regulation

Proposed Research: Sandoh鈥檚 project will assess how Tibetan Buddhist subtle body schemes may be paired with the neurobiological systems of Euro-American biomedical science to provide complementary resources for emotional self-regulation.

Kiara Cronin

Major: Human Service Studies

Minors: Interreligious Studies, Leadership Studies, French

Mentor: Sandra Reid (Human Service Studies)

Project Title: How Generation Z is Deconstructing Traditional Faith Practices

Proposed Research: Kiara鈥檚 project will analyze divergences in spirituality, faith practices, and traditions of Generation X (1965-1979) and Generation Z (1995-2012) with special attention to social media鈥檚 influence on Generation Z.

Grace London聽

Major: Biochemistry

Minor: Interreligious Studies

Mentor: Jeanmarie Koonts (Nursing)

Project Title: How 黑料不打烊 Nursing Teaches Spirituality and Religion

Proposed Research: Grace鈥檚 project will survey the ways that spirituality and religion are being taught in medical schools and nursing programs and produce a white paper with recommendations for teaching religious literacy to healthcare practitioners.

Jasper Serenity Myers

Major: Classical Studies

Minors: Asian Studies, Interreligious Studies

Mentor: Lynn Huber (Religious Studies), Kristina Meinking (Classical Studies)

Project Title: Female Same-Sex Erotic Encounters in the Ancient Mediterranean Religious Landscape

Proposed Research: Jasper鈥檚 project will investigate the socio-religious-political contexts of Greek Sapphic identity and the Roman tribas (women attracted to other women), with a focus on ancient mythological, religious, and magical traditions.

Kaelyn Rosenberg

Major: Cinema and Television Arts

Minor: Interreligious Studies

Mentor: Nicole Triche (Cinema & Television Arts)

Project Title: Vampire Media as a Reflection of Christian Values and Prejudices

Proposed Research: Kaelyn鈥檚 project will identify religious sentiments and symbols in vampiric media over time to understand how representations of the vampire in literature, film, and TV reflect Christian concerns with a demonic 鈥渙ther鈥� that can manifest as xenophobia, homophobia, and antisemitism.

Hunter Siegel

Majors: Political Science, International & Global Studies

Minors: Peace & Conflict Studies, Spanish

Mentor: Aaron Sparks (Political Science)

Project Title: Examining the Relationship between Religious Identity/Ideology, Political Identity/Ideology, and Pro-Environmental Orientation in American Christians, Muslims, and Jews

Proposed Research: Hunter鈥檚 project聽 will measure the extent to which religious identity and political identity influence environmental values and voting behaviors among American Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

Three sessions were held to showcase undergraduate research, and 黑料不打烊 students were invited through a competitive process for three of the fifteen undergraduate slots available. 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Center for the Study of Religion, Culture, and Society hosted an Undergraduate Reception at the conference for other undergraduate students to meet each other.

The three 黑料不打烊 students who presented at AAR SE were each mentored by a faculty member who had been guiding them through a two-year process. Maddy Starr 鈥�23 won the conference award for Best Undergraduate Research Paper for her presentation, 鈥淢aterial Memories: Narratives of the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict,鈥� which she produced under the guidance of her mentor, Associate Professor Amy Allocco.

Peyton Rohlfs 鈥�23 won second runner-up for her paper, 鈥淩eligion, Nationalism, and Memory: How Identity is Performed in the Sri Lanka Diaspora Community in Staten Island, NY,鈥� supervised by Assistant Professor of English, Dinidu Karunanayake. Lumen Scholar Natalie Triche 鈥�23 also presented a portion of her research project, 鈥淐ontemporary Egyptian Nationalism Through an Anthropological Lens,鈥� supervised by CSRCS Director Brian Pennington.

Many of these students will be presenting their research at 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Student Undergraduate Research Forum (SURF) Day on April 25.

Support for travel was provided by the Center for the Study of Religion, Culture, and Society, the Department of Religious Studies, and the Office of Undergraduate Research.

Twelve scholars in a variety of fields including history, anthropology, textual studies, philosophy, political science and gender studies joined 黑料不打烊 faculty conveners Andrew Monteith (Religious Studies) and Jessica Carew (Political Science) to present current research on civil religion. Papers covered a range of topics, including the Black Lives Matter movement, modern American Jewish Zionism, civil religion in the American South, and racialized conspiracy theories.

Co-convener Monteith, assistant professor of religious studies and Distinguished Emerging Scholar, said he is proud to see the results of this year鈥檚 symposium.

鈥淲hat we hoped to do with this symposium was to pull together scholars at all stages of their careers鈥攇rad students to provosts鈥攁nd we were able to do that and engage in some really generative conversations,鈥� Monteith said.

This year’s keynote presentation, 鈥淩acial States, Civil Religion, and the Future of American Democracy,鈥� was presented by Sylvester A. Johnson, Assistant Vice Provost for the Humanities and Executive Director of the 鈥淭ech for Humanity鈥� initiative at Virginia Tech. One of the nation鈥檚 leading historians of Black Religion in North America, his lecture examined the conflict between religious nationalism and democratic principles in the U.S.

鈥淎ll of our presenters did excellent work, but Johnson鈥檚 address stands as a good example of the kind of creative scholarship we were hoping people would bring, as well as an example of where studies of civil religion could go if we started thinking more intentionally about it,鈥� Monteith said.

Director of the Center for the Study of Religion, Culture, and Society Brian Pennington explained that this creative scholarship and interdisciplinarity are central to the symposium鈥檚 purpose. 鈥淩eligious ideas and commitments are at the heart of the challenges of our day and they offer our most promising solutions. Interdisciplinary analysis that seeks a range of causes and outcomes is crucial to addressing the complex social problems we face.鈥�

For more information visit the On the Edge symposium webpage.

This year’s interdisciplinary symposium, 鈥淐ivil Religion and Race in the United States,鈥� explored the concept of civil religion. Presenters were invited to explore the ways that race and identity shape how individuals understand themselves in relation to the United States, as well as how Americans understand those situated beyond their own community.

Twelve scholars in a variety of fields including history, anthropology, textual studies, philosophy, political science and gender studies joined 黑料不打烊 faculty conveners Andrew Monteith (Religious Studies) and Jessica Carew (Political Science) to present current research on civil religion. Papers covered a range of topics, including the Black Lives Matter movement, modern American Jewish Zionism, civil religion in the American South and racialized conspiracy theories.

Monteith, an assistant professor of religious studies and Distinguished Emerging Scholar said he is proud to see the results of this year鈥檚 symposium.

鈥淲hat we hoped to do with this symposium was to pull together scholars at all stages of their careers鈥攇rad students to provosts鈥攁nd we were able to do that and engage in some really generative conversations,鈥� Monteith said.

This year’s keynote presentation, 鈥淩acial States, Civil Religion, and the Future of American Democracy,鈥� was presented by Sylvester A. Johnson, assistant vice provost for the humanities and executive director of the 鈥淭ech for Humanity鈥� initiative at Virginia Tech. One of the nation鈥檚 leading historians of Black religion in North America, his lecture examined the conflict between religious nationalism and democratic principles in the U.S.

鈥淎ll of our presenters did excellent work, but Johnson鈥檚 address stands as a good example of the kind of creative scholarship we were hoping people would bring, as well as an example of where studies of civil religion could go if we started thinking more intentionally about it,鈥� Monteith said.

CSRCS Director Brian Pennington explained that this creative scholarship and interdisciplinarity are central to the symposium鈥檚 purpose. 鈥淩eligious ideas and commitments are at the heart of the challenges of our day and they offer our most promising solutions. Interdisciplinary analysis that seeks a range of causes and outcomes is crucial to addressing the complex social problems we face,鈥� Pennington said.

For more information visit the CSRCS website.