Jeanne Sommer

Professor of Religion

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Office: Carson 24

Address:
WWC CPO 6027
PO Box 9000
Asheville, NC 28815-9000

Phone: 828.771.3725

Email: jeanne@warren-wilson.edu

Arrival Year: 1995

Supervises the Religious Studies Crew

Education: Ph.D., M.Div. from Northwestern University and Princeton Theological

Publications:
WRITING PROJECTS AND PUBLICATIONS:
· Dangerous Stories: Theologies of the Cross in the novels of Toni Morrison and J.M. Coetzee (accepted for publication by University Press of America and currently under review by Pilgrim Press)

· Am currently working on the writing of a novel, Hannah Rose begun this summer during the Smoky Mountain Writer’s Workshop

· “Jesus Loves Me This I Know, For the Buddha Tells Me So” in Socially Engaged Spirituality, ed. David Chappell, 2003.

· “Voices of Creation” in Heartstone, Spring 2000.

· “Christ as Mad/Woman: Images of Redeeming Hope in The Words to Say It, Oxford Journal of Literature and Theology, Vol. 9/#4, 1996.

Courses I Teach:
Religion, Nature, and the Environment

Research:
CONFERENCES ATTENDED AND PRESENTATIONS GIVEN:
· Yearly attendance at the Annual Meetings of the American Academy of Religion, 1995-2003

· Appalachian College Association Conference on Technology and Teaching, 2004 and will give presentation on research/teaching project for Harvard University’s “Pluralism Project” (forthcoming in November)

· Zygon Center for Religion and Science Anniversary Conference in Chicago, IL, Spring 2003

· Appalachian College Association Conference on “Internationalizing the Curriculum,” 2002 and gave presentation on the Field Course I led to Thailand in 2002.

· International Network of Engaged Buddhists Annual Meeting, Bangkok Thailand, 2001

· Presentation at the American Academy of Religion, Annual Meeting, 1995, “Arts, Literature, and Religion Section”

WORKSHOPS:
· Twice attended Workshop for Faculty at Warren Wilson on “Teaching/Grading Writing” presented by Ann Turkle

· Conflict Resolution training workshop at Warren Wilson College, 2003

· Great Smoky Mountains Writer’s Workshop, “Fiction Writing” Summer 2004

SEMINARS ATTENDED:
· Spirituality in Higher Education at Wellsely College, 1997.

· Salzburg Seminar participant, funded by Melon Foundation, “Art, Religion, and Culture” 1999.

· Invited participant in “Freeman Symposium: Asia/America: The Search for Common Values” in Salzburg, Austria, 2000, funded by the Freeman Foundation.

· Women’s Leadership Seminar, Spring 2004, Warren Wilson College, funded by L.E.A.D. through Appalachian College Association

· Led a Field Seminar for the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. association of colleges and universities and Warren Wilson College’s WorldWide program to Israel/Palestine on the topic of “The Legacy of Abraham” see www.warren-wilson.edu/~religion International Field Courses section

SEMINARS OFFERED:
I have offered on-campus seminars and Round Tables open to the college campus and the larger public community, featuring noted theologians and Biblical Scholars. With the exception of the Round Table series funded by Harvard University, these seminars are funded by our own Faulds Lectureship and sometimes by the college’s Lyceum Committee. I often will partner with a local non-profit, Holy Ground, and give them proceeds from the events as part of the college’s outreach/community service. Attendance at these events has ranged from 70-250 people, with an average of 75. I plan to continue with at least one per year.

· Religious Diversity in Asheville, Round Table Series, 1998-1999 featuring members of the local Wiccan, Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Interfaith communities

· Carter Heyward, “Feminist Theology” 1998

· John Dominic Crossan “The search for the Historical Jesus” 2000

· Neil Douglas-Klotz “The Aramaic Jesus”

· Rita Nakashima Brock, “Women, Religion, and Sexuality” 2000

· Thomas Berry “Religion, Nature, and the Environment” 2000

· Tom Burton, “Appalachian Serpent Handling” 2001

· Huston Smith, “Reflections on a Life of Research of World Religions” 2001

· Amy Jill-Levine, “Feminism and the New Testament” 2002

· Sulak Sivarksa, “Socially Engaged Buddhism (various topics) 1997, 2001, 2003

· Thomas Thangaraj, “Jesus and World Christianity” 2003

· Rosemary Radford Ruether, “Women and Global Religions” 2004

· Kevin Peer, “Sacred Cinema” 2004

· Ursula Goodenough “The Sacred Depths of Nature: Religion and Science,” 2004 (forthcoming November)

FUNDED RESEARCH PROJECTS:
· Grant awarded from Harvard University’s “Pluralism Project” to document religious diversity in the Asheville, NC area 1998-1999. I directed this project with 40 students during the academic year, 1998-1999. See www.warren-wilson.edu/~religion and click on “Interfaith On-Line” for presentation of research.

· Presbyterian Church U.S.A. research grant for “Science and Religion” (2003 ongoing to 2006)

SABBATICAL RESEARCH AND PRESENTATION:
· “Thai Buddhism: Women and the Environment,” 2001-2002 included travel to Thailand for month long research

· Taught 15 students on a three week field course to Thailand, 2001-2002 on the topic of “Socially Engaged Buddhism”

· Sabbatical Presentation on campus, Spring 2002

· Presentation of Sabbatical research and international travel at ACA conference (listed above)

· Creation of website on Sabbatical research: www.warren-wilson.edu/~religion/thailand

PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS OF RESEARCH AND WRITING:
2004: Keynote Speaker and Honoree at the Annual Clergy Day of the Asheville Civitan Club, “Transcending Theology”

2004: Guest Teacher: “Redemptive Violence and a Theology of the Cross in the
novels of Toni Morrison and J.M. Coetzee” (a five week series) at 1st
Presbyterian Church Asheville

2004: Guest Teacher: “Marcus Borg and The Heart of Christianity (four week
series at Warren Wilson Presbyterian Church)

2001: Lecture, Feminist Theology Series in Asheville, NC for non-profit
organization, “Holy Ground.” Transcending Duality, September 11

2000: Co-moderator, Inter-Religious Dialogue: “Experiences of the Divine,” at
All Soul’s Episcopal Cathedral, Ahseville, NC, October 26

2000: Lecture, Asheville Zen Center, “Religious diversity in Asheville and the
call for Christian compassion,” August

2000: Lecture, The Givens Estate, Asheville, “Theology and Nature,” February

2000: Lecture, Appalachian Ministries Program for seminary students,
“Asheville’s Spiritual Odyssey,” Warren Wilson College, January

1999: Preacher, 1st Presbyterian Church, Swannanoa, NC, “Genuine Love”

1999: Lecture, 1st Presbyterian Church, Asheville, NC, “Theology and Nature,”
April

1999: Lecture, 1st Baptist Church, Asheville, NC, “Christian Responses to
Religious Pluralism,” March

1998: Preacher, Black Mountain Women’s Correctional Facility, “Are You
Ready to Walk? Reflections on John 5:1-15” Spring

1997: Preacher, Warren Wilson Presbyterian Church, Swannanoa, NC, “Lo, the
Bridegroom Comes,” May

1996: Preacher, Warren Wilson Presbyterian Church, Swannanoa, NC “Super,
natural Christianity,” Fall

1995: Keynote Speaker, Christian Education Conference of the Presbytery of
Western North Carolina, “Voices of Creation,” Morganton, NC, Sept.

Projects:
My passion at the moment is with the writing of a novel "Hannah Rose" that traces through three generations the development of three characters' faith in relation to theological developments in 20th and 21st century America and social conflict/resolution. I'm also writing and giving public presentations on my research for two Nobel Prize winning authors, J.M. Coetzee and Toni Morrison. I'm examining the ways in which their novels critique and explore the concept of "redemptive violence."

Personal:
I'm married to Rudi Sommer, who is the director of operations at a local non-profit, Manna Food Bank. I have two children: Hannah (7) and Emilia (3). They, along with three dogs (Maggie, Fesser, and Arwen), a bird (Kaya), three a cats(Marry, Magdalen, and Katie)and several freshwater fish keep me busy. I love to hike, swim, play the piano and read great works of fiction.