Religion

James Hudnut-Beumler, who will step down this summer as dean of the Vanderbilt Divinity School, will reflect on American religious trends during his school leadership at an April 9 community breakfast. Read More

Watch video of the Rev. Monica A. Coleman, scholar and inspirational speaker with a strong commitment to connecting faith and social justice, delivering the 2013 Antoinette Brown Lecture March 21 at Vanderbilt University Divinity School. Read the full press release. Coleman… Read More

Pope Benedict XVI's unexpected resignation will raise his stature among Catholics, even among those who sharply disagree with his policies, according to Vanderbilt Divinity School's Bruce Morrill. Read More

Watch: Bruce Morrill discusses what issues the papal conclave will consider when choosing its next leader on Fox News. Read More

Rob Bell (Photo provided by HarperOne) Rob Bell, author and founding pastor and pastor emeritus of Mars Hill Bible Church, will discuss his new book What We Talk About When We Talk About God Thursday, March 14, at Vanderbilt University. His talk, which is free and open to… Read More

Watch video of Keith Meador presenting “Religion and Health: Pitfalls and Possibilities” as part of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute lecture series. The course reviews the historical context and current research and conversations regarding religion and health in American culture. We will examine the significance and implications of our “therapeutic culture”… Read More

As a Mormon, Mitt Romney’s religious beliefs have a basis on the American continent.  Assistant Professor of Religious History Kathleen Flake explains how that might affect the Middle East and Israel. View 2012 election expertise information for Kathleen Flake>> Visit ElectionVU to find all Vanderbilt experts on… Read More

Top scholars from Vanderbilt University’s undergraduate and professional schools are being honored with Founder’s Medals during Commencement on Friday, May 11. Read More

Updated May 1, 2012 After several months of discussion about how Vanderbilt University’s nondiscrimination policy might affect groups applying to be registered student organizations for the 2012-13 academic year, the registration process ended earlier this week. More than 400 student groups have agreed to comply with… Read More

Amy-Jill Levine explores the shared heritage of Christianity and Judaism Amy-Jill Levine (Daniel Dubois/Vanderbilt) Amy-Jill Levine was always fascinated by Christianity. She recalls singing Christmas carols in public school in North Dartmouth, Mass.; joining friends to trim Christmas trees and hunt for Easter eggs. Then a schoolmate accused her,… Read More

Listen to an interview with Melissa Snarr, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the Divinity School and Associate Professor of Ethics and Society, about her new book, All You That Labor: Religion and Ethics in the Living Wage Movement. Interviewed by Chris Benda, Divinity… Read More

Vanderbilt Divinity School’s Dave Perkins will debut the soundtrack for the new independent feature film Deadline on Feb. 3. The plot of Deadline, which premieres Feb. 15 in Nashville, is inspired by the true events of the unsolved murder of an African American teen in rural Alabama. Perkins, a… Read More

Listen to an interview with John McClure, the Charles G. Finney Professor of Preaching and Worship, about his new book, Mashup Religion:  Pop Music and Theological Invention. Interviewed by Chris Benda, Divinity School librarian. Read More

Update: In anticipation of there being greater interest than the available venue will accommodate for this evening’s town hall meeting on the university’s nondiscrimination policy, the university has scheduled a live webstream of the event. It should be accessible at 6:15 p.m. to anyone on the Vanderbilt network. Read More

Vanderbilt experts are available to discuss negative campaigning, religious bias among candidates, patriotism and the Bible, the GOP's stance on immigration and how to eliminate bias in political polling. Read More

Watch video from the December 7 Thinking Out of the Lunchbox event featuring Robert Talisse, professor of philosophy, speaking on “Faith in Democracy.” Citizens in a democratic society share political power as equals. This equality entails that the exercise of political power is legitimate only when it can be justified by… Read More

The Bible can draw politically and religiously polarized groups closer together if they view scripture through the lenses of different beliefs and interpretations, say Vanderbilt University Divinity School professors Amy-Jill Levine and Doug Knight. Read More

Dale Andrews of Vanderbilt Divinity School is a proponent of social justice, a way of looking at theology that is diametrically opposed to prosperity theology. "Western preaching has gotten so tied up in privilege and power as evidence of God’s faith,” Andrews said. “I am of the opinion that God holds favor with those who are suffering.” Read More

Watch video of R. Scott Appleby, a historian who studies modern religions and their capacity for both violence and peace building, delivering the 2011 Cole Lectures. Appleby, a professor of history and the John M. Regan Jr. Director of the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University… Read More

Watch video of the Oct. 17 talk “Bless Her Heart – How One Good Southern Girl Changed the World,” by Shelby Knox. Shelby Knox is nationally known as the subject of the Sundance award-winning film, The Education of Shelby Knox, a 2005 documentary chronicling her teenage activism for comprehensive sex education… Read More