Position:
Associate Professor of Religion
Location:
Davis Hall 203
Phone:
540.665.4561
Email:
kministe@su.edu
Employed Since:
2014
Educational History:
Ph.D., Religious Studies, Southern Methodist University M.T.S., Theology, Boston University B.A., Theology, Union University
Fields of Expertise:
My research and scholarship focus on how we cultivate sustainable and resilient environments with attention to religious and cultural differences. I seek to identify the roles religious communities working together through interfaith cooperation can play to promote sustainable environmental practices and policies. In this process, I identify theoretical frameworks for understanding religious communities as part of ecological systems. I also write about how we can teach about religious differences in a way that prepares students to create resilient communities across differences both in the classroom and beyond. Currently, I am conducting research and running workshops to help colleges and universities support faculty learning to teaching through dialogue as a way of creating more equitable and resilient learning communities.
Personal Quote:Understanding religion becomes more important every day as globalization makes us increasingly aware of religious diversity in our local communities and around the world. I continue to study how religion shapes our communities and world because religion plays a powerful role in forming who we are and what we do. Whether working in private business, the health professions, or the performing arts, appreciation of the diverse world religions has become essential to cooperating with colleagues, serving clients, and developing relevant products. I teach religious studies at SU because understanding how religion shapes our world prepares us to be better professionals and more thoughtful global citizens.