David Kratz Mathies

EDUCATION:

Degrees:

PhD: Philosophy of Religion (Religious Studies). May 2008.

Division of Religious and Theological Studies, Boston University, Boston, Mass. 1997-2008.

Research Foci: Comparative Religious Ethics Qualifying Exams: Philosophy of Religion

+ Comparative Philosophy History of Philosophy

Philosophical Ethics

Dissertation Title:

‘Common Grounds without Foundations: A Pragmatic Approach to Ethical Disagreements Across Cultural, Philosophical, and Religious Traditions’

Defended: 6 November 2007

Defense Committee: First Reader: John H. Berthrong Committee Chair: Robert Neville

Second Reader: Francis X. Clooney Other Members: Gordon Kaufman

Third Reader: Stephen Angle Garth Green

MATS: Theology and Ethics. May 1995.

Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Ind. 1991-93, 1995.

BA: English and Mathematics. Aug. 1989.

Goshen College, Goshen, Ind. 1984-89, 1991-93.

Other Studies:

Undergraduate studies in German language and literature.

University of Maryland at College Park, College Park, Md. 1996-97.

Non-degree program in French.

USDA Graduate School, Washington, D.C. 1996.

Graduate studies in philosophy.

Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Ill. 1989-91.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE:

Adjunct Faculty, Dept. of Philosophy and Religion, Bridgewater College, Bridgewater, Va. 2008-09.

Courses: Introduction to the New Testament

The Classical Mind

Conflict Transformation

Logic

Visiting Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Religion, Dept. of Philosophy and Religion, Bridgewater College, Bridgewater, Va. 2007-08.

Courses: Religions of the Far East

Contemporary Moral and Political Problems

Christian Social Ethics

Christian Perspectives on Violence and Peace

Introduction to the New Testament

Logic

Topics in Philosophy and Religion

Adjunct Faculty, Dept. of Philosophy and Religion, James Madison Univ., Harrisonburg, Va. 2006-07.

Courses: Introduction to Philosophy

Religions of the World

Classical Chinese Philosophy

Visiting Assistant Professor of Religion, Dept. of Bible and Religion, Eastern Mennonite Univ., Harrisonburg, Va. 2005-06.

Courses: Introduction to Philosophy

World Religions

Comparative Asian Religions

Sociology of Religion

Anthropology and Christian Mission

Living Faith

Adjunct Faculty, Theology Dept., Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Mass. 2004-05.

Courses: The Religious Quest I: Christianity, Hinduism, and Confucianism

The Religious Quest II: Christianity, Hinduism, and Confucianism

Adult ESL Teacher, American Chinese Christian Educational & Social Services (ACCESS), Chinatown, Boston, Mass. 2001-04.

Teaching Fellow, Religion Dept., Boston Univ. 1998-2001.

Courses: Religion and Culture supervising faculty: Alan Olson

Death and Immortality Livia Kohn

Chinese Philosophy John Berthrong

Religions of the World: Eastern David Eckel

Stephen Prothero

Student Grader, Bible, Religion, and Philosophy Dept., Goshen College. Fall 1991.

Courses: Introduction to Philosophy

Christian Ethics

Teaching Assistant, Dept. of Philosophy, Northern Illinois Univ. 1990-91.

Courses: Contemporary Moral Issues

The Philosophy of Art

PUBLICATIONS:

‘“Holding Fast” to Principles or Drawing Boundaries of Exclusion? The Use and Misuse of the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective’. Conrad Grebel Review. 25.3 (2007): 68-85.

‘Reading the Moral Law: A Hermeneutical Approach to Religious Moral Epistemology’ Conrad Grebel Review. 23.3 (2005): 74-84.

‘Does the Ballot Box Lie Outside the Perfection of Christ?’ Conrad Grebel Review. 21.2 (2003): 106-13.

PRESENTATIONS:

‘“Holding Fast” to Principles or Drawing Boundaries of Exclusion?’

The Institute of Mennonite Studies Consultation on the Mennonite Confession of Faith: ‘Holding Fast to the Confession of Our Hope: The Confession of Faith Ten Years Later’. Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Ind., 8-10 June 2006.

‘Loka-samgraha, Tianming, and Nachfolge Christi: Comparative Lessons for a Christian Peace Theology’

The Third Boston College Graduate Student Conference on Comparative Theology: ‘Engaging Particularities III’. Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Mass., 1-3 April 2005.

‘Reading the Moral Law: A Hermeneutical Approach to Religious Moral Epistemology’

The Second Toronto Mennonite Theological Centre Graduate Student Conference: ‘Reading Religious Texts’. Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Ind., 18-20 June 2004.

‘Does the Ballot Box Lie Outside the Perfection of Christ?’

The Toronto Mennonite Theological Centre Graduate Student Conference: ‘The Future of Anabaptist Scholarship’. Toronto School of Theology, Toronto, Ont., 21-22 November 2002.

WORKS IN PROGRESS:

‘The Paradox of a Pacifist Epistemology: Reading Yoder from a Meta-Traditional Perspective’. Chapter invited by editors for the book: A Pacifist Way of Knowing: John Howard Yoder’s Nonviolent Epistemology. Eds. Theodore Grimsrud and Christian Early. To be published by Wipf and Stock.

‘Peace Theology in a Comparative Mode’—further developing my earlier presentation ‘Loka-samgraha’ for journal submission.

PROSPECTIVE COURSES:

Comparative Religious Ethics:

Comparative Religious Ethics, War and Peace in World Religions, Women and Religion, Human Rights in World Religions, Social Justice in World Religions, Ecology in World Religions

Comparative Studies:

Axial Age, Indian Philosophy, Buddhist Philosophy, History of Chinese Philosophy, South Asian Religion, East Asian Religion, Comparative Abrahamic Faiths

Philosophy of Religion:

Religious Pluralism, Conceptions of the Absolute (‘Naming God’), Faith and Reason

Philosophical Ethics:

Advanced Ethical Theory (Metaethics), History of Ethical Theory (Normative Ethics), Practical Ethics, Moral Epistemology, Political Philosophy, Practical Issues in Political Philosophy (‘Reforming Democracy’)

Theological Ethics:

History of Christian Ethics, Anabaptist History and Theology, Christian Realism and Modern Peace Theologies

Miscellaneous:

Critical Thinking, Theology of Religions, Nature of the Person, History of Philosophy, Introduction to the Bible

INTERNATIONAL AND SERVICE EXPERIENCE:

Search Committee for Biblical Studies Position. Bridgewater College. 2007-08.

Working with recent Chinese immigrants at ACCESS, Boston. 2001- 2004.

Assistant Host, International Guest House, Washington, D.C. Voluntary service under Allegheny Mennonite Conference. Fall 1994, 1995-96.

Trainee in Germany and Switzerland with Intermenno Trainee Program. 1993-94.

Graduate School Colloquium Committee (Student Member). NIU. 1990-91.

Study-Service Term in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, People’s Republic of China. Co-taught conversational English; studied Chinese language and culture. Fall 1987.

ACADEMIC RECOGNITION:

Presidential University Graduate Fellowship, Boston Univ. 1997-2001.

Graduate School Fellowship, Northern Illinois University. 1989-90.

Menno Simons Scholarship, Goshen College. 1984-88.

ACADEMIC ASSOCIATIONS:

Society for Asian and Comparative Philosophy (SACP)

Society of Christian Ethics (SCE)

Anabaptist-Mennonite Scholars Network (A-MSN)

American Academy of Religion (AAR)

American Philosophical Association (APA)

LANGUAGES:

German—advanced proficiency

French—high intermediate university level

Spanish—low intermediate, conversational

Limited background (1 year each) in modern Chinese, classical Latin, and biblical Greek.

SUPPORTING MATERIALS: Some writing samples and previous syllabi available online at

http://www.bridgewater.edu/~dmathies/Mathies_Online_Application_Materials.pdf