Associate Professor
of Western Religious Thought
James Madison University
macleaix@jmu.edu
Papers & Presentations
Fieldwork
Conference Respondent for “First Global Nonviolence Student Conference” of the Mahatma K. Gandhi Center for Global Nonviolence, James Madison University, 12th April, 2006.
“People Power: Truth and Reconciliation Commissions Create the Future!” Public Lecture for the Honors Symposium, James Madison University, 22nd March, 2006.
Panel Responder to the presentations on the life and work of
the martyred
Archbishop Oscar Romero, "Religion and Activism in Latin America and the
Caribbean: In Honor of Oscar Romero," of the Religion in
Moderator and Speaker Presenter, Dr. Kevin Hardwick at Humanitas Lecture Series Presentation of “The Virginia Statute of Toleration.” JMU October, 2005.
Co-Panelist with Dr. Peter Pham on "Conflict and Resolution in Africa" Brown Bag Lunch part of "Africa: One continent, Many Voices" of JMU International Week 2005, Friday 30th September.
Madison Scholar public lecture "Forgiveness in Politics" The Challenge of Truth and Reconciliation Commissions." James Madison University, 20th September, 2005.
Moderator for Presentation by Prof. Ted Grimsrud on “A Christian Pacifist Perspective on War and Peace.” at the Mohandas Gandhi Institute “Religion, Violence and Peace” Conference, James Madison University, 11th April, 2005.
“Freedom and Responsibility: The Personalist Ethics of Pope John Paul II in Diaolgue with the Relational Holism of Genl. Jan Christiaan Smuts and the Ubuntu Thought of Archbishop Desmond Mphilo Tutu.” Presented at the Freedom Conference, James Madison University, 31St March, 2005.
Panel Presider for "American Liberation Theology: The Next Generation" panel of Religion in Latin America & the Caribbean Section of the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, San Antonio, Texas, 22nd November, 2004.
Participant consultant in " Teaching and the Reformed Tradition" Workshop. Sponsored by the Wabash Center, Centre College, the Rhodes Consultation and the Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities. Held at Centre College, Danville, Kentucky, 5th-7th August, 2004.
“God or Caesar? Comparative Perspectives on ‘Church-State’ (Religion-State) Relationships: Implications for the Contemporary West” Invited Lecture, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia. 4 February, 2004.
Panel Presider for "Religion and Violence" panel of Religion in Latin America & the Caribbean Section of the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, Atlanta, Georgia, 22nd November, 2003.
“Dangerous Memories, Daring Documents, and the Demands of Discipleship.” Keynote address at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Missiology, Chicago, 20-22nd June, 2003.
Panel Presider for Charismatic/Pentecostal Group of the Religion in Latin America & the Caribbean Section of the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, Toronto, Canada, 20th November, 2002.
"Only as much (Land) Reparations as Possible?" Paper presented at the Religion in Latin America & the Caribbean Section of the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, Toronto, Canada, November, 2002.
"Theological Observations on Robert Cover's Understanding of the Self and its Vocation," Paper presented at Lilly Foundation "Conference on the Academy, Religion, and Vocation in a Transnational Context", Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia, July 11-12, 2002.
"Islam views Christianity and Christ," Three Part Lecture Series, Salem Presbyterian Church, Salem, Virginia, March, 2002.
"Jodocus van Lodenstein: The First Pietist." Invited paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Church History, San Francisco, California, 4th -6th January, 2002.
"Truth and Reconciliation-Hope for the Nations or Only as Much as is Possible?" Paper presented at the Religion in Latin America & the Caribbean Section of the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, Denver, Colorado, 20th November, 2001.
"Reconciliation and the Churches: Germany, Latin America and South Africa." Two part Lecture Series, Salem Presbyterian Church, Salem, Virginia,15th and 22nd June, 2001.
"Twin Pillars of Heathenism: American Missionaries and Zulus in Culture Conflict, 1850-1873." Address to the MU Founding Chapter of the National Religion and Theology Honors Society, TAK, on 19th April, 2001.
"Reconciliation-Hope for Divided Nations?" Presentation given as a Recipient of the Edna T. Schaeffer Humanist Award, College of Arts and Letters, James Madison University, March 22nd, 2001.
"'The Second (but Reformed) Thomas à Kempis.’ Mystic Imagery in 17th-century Dutch Reformed Preaching." Paper presented at the Reformed Theology and History Group of the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, Nashville, Tennessee, 20th November, 2000.
"Holism: An Ecological Paradigm for Liberation? The Ecological Theology of Leonardo Boff." Paper presented at the Religion in Latin America & the Caribbean Section of the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, Nashville, Tennessee, 20th November, 2000.
"After The Fall. Does Liberation Theology Still have a Politics? A Brazilian Case-Study." Paper presented at the Religion in Latin America & the Caribbean Section of the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, Boston, Massachusetts, 20th November 1999.
"Democracy: (Post) –Modernity's Trojan Horse in the Camp of Liberation Theology?" Paper presented in the Theology and Religious Reflection Section of the Annual Meeting, American Academy of Religion, Orlando, Florida, 22nd November 1998.
"Religious Rights & Human Rights." Paper presented at the Human Rights Consultation of the Annual Meeting, American Academy of Religion, Orlando, Fl, 22nd November 1998.
"Bahia and Zion: A Comparative Study of the Role of Afro–Brazilian Religion and African Indigenous Churches in Democratization." Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, San Francisco, California, 25th November 1997.
"Liberation Theologians and the Option for Democracy: The Brazilian Case, 1979-1994." Paper presented at the regional meeting of the American Academy of Religion (SECSOR), Macon, Georgia, March 14–16, 1997.
"Institutional and Societal Transformation: Prospects for Peace and Order in International Relations," Panel chairperson, Annual Conference, International Studies Association, South, Roanoke, Virginia, October 25-27, 1996.
"The Church and Politics in South Africa." Lecture given at the Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil, April, 1994.
"The Reformed Churches and Politics in South Africa." Lecture given at the Seminario Presbiteriano do Norte, Recife, Brazil, April, 1994.
"Notes on Reformed Pietism." Paper presented at the Calvin Colloquium, Davidson College, North Carolina, January, 1992.
Research and on-site interviews with officials, participants and academic observers of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission. June, 2000. Formed part of research for a book manuscript on the subject of reconciliation commissions.
Research and on-site interviews with social scientists and Roman Catholic and Protestant clergy in Brazil. Spring 1994. Formed part of the research for doctoral dissertation on the Roman Catholic Church and democracy in Brazil.
Archaeological photographer and assistant for a Greek Orthodox Seminary (St. Andrews, Australia) project to record manuscripts recently found at St. Catherine's Monastery, El Katrin, Sinai, Egypt. Summer 1987.
Interviews with theologians, social scientists, and political activists in
South Africa. Spring 1987; Winter 1992. Formed part of ongoing research
on the role of the churches in the human rights struggle in Southern Africa.