Dr. Iain S. Maclean  BA (Cape Town); BD (Rhodes); Hons BA (UNISA); Hons ThB (UNISA); ThM (Princeton): ThD (Harvard). Office Hours:  Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8:00-9:30; 3:30-4:30 or other times by appointment.  Office Location: Sheldon 213 Office Phone: (540) 568-7059 E-mail:  Macleaix@jmu.edu Address: Department of Philosophy and Religion, MSC 7504, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807

Dr. Iain S. Maclean

Dr Maclean, a graduate of the Universities of Cape Town, Rhodes, South Africa, Princeton and Harvard, is Professor of  Western Religious Thought, Director of the Pre-Seminary Program, and advisor for those wishing to pursue Graduate Studies in Religion. He also serves as a freshman advisor, as a religion advisor, and  as the Faculty representative for TAK, the National Honor Society for Theology and/or Religious Studies. He teaches in the General Education Program (Cluster Two) and in the Philosophy and Religion Department. He has recently taught  courses such as "God, Meaning and Morality," "Western Religious Thought," "Contemporary Christian Theology," "History of Religious Ethics," "Jesus and the Moral Life," "World Religions," "African Religions in Africa and the African Diaspora," and "Issues in Religion and Society" (on the recent political phenomena of  National Truth and Reconciliation Commissions). Other courses taught  include "Socrates, Buddha and Jesus," "Introduction to Christianity," "The Historical Jesus," "Introduction to Philosophy," Medieval Philosophy," Theological Ethics," "Race, Religion and Gender in the Caribbean and Central America," "Contemporary Moral Issues," and "Church/Religion and Politics." During Summer 2004 he taught a course on "Religion and Science," as Faculty Member in Residence for James Madison University's Study Abroad Program in London.

His training and  interests are diverse, including graduate qualifications in Classical languages, New Testament, theology and social ethics. His doctoral work was in the interdisciplinary area of Religion and Society with specializations in social anthropology, theology, and political ethics. His present research runs along two lines: one being the study of 17th -century Dutch theology and specifically the expression of its mystical or pietistic traits in the sermons of that period; the other being work on a comparative theological and ethical analysis of the contemporary political phenomenon of national reconciliation commissions. He is also the associate editor of the recent Routledge "Encyclopedia of Religion and War." His interests might be summed up broadly as encompassing the field of  religion and politics.

Dr. Maclean has received numerous awards for teaching, and has been a Danforth Writing Fellow for undergraduate teaching at Harvard University. He has also been the recipient of a Rotary Scholarship, the Dean's Dissertation Fellowship at Harvard Divinity School, a Course Development Grant, and the Edna T. Schaeffer Summer Research Award at James Madison University. In addition, he was nominated by the Philosophy and Religion Department, and subsequently named as the College of Arts and Letters' Madison Scholar for 2005-2006. He presented the public Madison Scholar Lecture on "Forgiveness in Politics? The Challenge of Truth and Reconciliation Commissions" on Tuesday, 20th September, 2005 at the Anthony -Seeger Auditorium.  He also serves as a consultant for the Consultation on the Vocation of the Presbyterian Teacher of the Presbyterian Church (USA), and contributed a chapter on the vocation of teaching for Duncan S. Ferguson's Called to Teach (2003).

Dr. Maclean has authored Opting For Democracy: Liberation Theologians and the Struggle for Democracy in Brazil (1999), edited Reconciliation: Nations and Churches in Latin America (2006), and co-edited with J. Schultz,  The Encyclopedia of Religion in American Politics (1998) and with Diana Edelman, God, Meaning and Morality (3rd ed. 2002).  In addition he has contributed numerous chapters to edited volumes and entries for dictionaries and encyclopedias, most recently  "The Twin Pillars of Heathenism: American Missionaries, Bishop Colenso and Converts in Conflict-Polygamy and Ukulobola in 19th Century Natal and Zululand,"  for Jonathan Draper's  The Eye of the Storm: Bishop John William Colenso and the Crisis of Biblical Interpretation (T & T Clark, 2003) and numerous entries in Bron Taylor's (Editor) Encyclopedia of Religion and Nature (London: Thoemmes Continuum, 2005).   He has published articles in Religion and Theology and in The Religious Studies Review, and book reviews in The Harvard Divinity School Gazette, the Calvin Theological Journal,  the  Journal of  the American Academy of Religion, Religion and Theology/ Religie en Teologie, The Anglican Theological Review, The Journal of Church and State, Classical Philosophy, and The 16th Century Journal. He is a sub -Book Review editor for The 16th Century Journal, responsible for the areas of  reformation theology, the Netherlands, the Iberian Peninsula and Colonial Latin America and sub-Book Review Editor for Religious Studies Review.

Ordained by the Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa he has held dual standing with the UCC  (United Churches of Christ) and the Presbytery of the North -East (Presbyterian Church USA). At present his credentials are with the Presbytery of the Peaks (PCUSA). He and Dr. Jennifer Berenson Maclean have two  children, Rachel and Duncan.

He serves on numerous scholarly and university committees, including the Steering Committee of the Religion in Latin America and Caribbean Group and the Steering Committee of Dutch Theology,  of the American Academy of Religion. He serves at James Madison University on the General Education Committee, as well as those for Africana Studies, Latin American Studies and for the Classical Minor. As part of the celebration of the anniversary of  James Madison's 250th birthday (16th March, 2001),  he organized a series of lectures by renowned historians, constitutional scholars, and theologians around the issue of "Religion, the Constitution and James Madison: The Past and Future of  Issues of Church and State." He is also web master of the "Calvinbarth" web discussion list and its companion web page which features links to numerous sites dealing with Karl Barth, John Calvin and Reformed theology in general.

Publications

Conference Papers and Presentations

COURSES OFFERED FALL 2007

GHUM 102 “God, Meaning & Morality”

REL 240 “Jesus and the Moral Life”

COURSES OFFERED SPRING 2008

GHUM 102 “God, Meaning & Morality”

REL 380 “Contemporary Christian Theologies”