Religious Studies Faculty

gpollick@radford.edu
Assistant Professor of Religious Studies
CHBS 4207

Ph.D., Drew University

Geoffrey Pollick studies the history and culture of religion in America. He teaches courses that explore broad questions of religion's meanings and uses; comparative studies of religious difference; American religious history; surveys of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; religion in Latin America; and courses that consider the relationship between religion and the secular, and the role and definition of religious tolerance and intolerance. His scholarship emphasizes religion’s entanglements with political radicalism in the United States; the role and dimensions of religious liberalism; women’s religious leadership; critical theory and cultural history of religion; and religion in popular culture. His current research projects explore mutual influences between liberal Protestants and secular radicals in the prewar New York Left; the political and social dimensions of women’s ordination during the late nineteenth century; and the effects of consumer practice on collective identity formation among late-twentieth-century U.S. evangelical Christians.  Before coming to Radford University, Dr. Pollick held positions at Sweet Briar College, New York University, Kean University, and Drew University.

pthomas15@radford.edu
Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Chair
CHBS 4209
540-831-5028

Ph.D. University of Missouri - Kansas City


Teaching interests: Without a doubt, my teaching interests are rather eclectic. My biblical studies repertoire at Radford University includes Exploring the Old Testament and Exploring the New Testament. Both of these courses are thematic in nature and include discussion of topics like family, gender, power, body image, sex, and social class (among many others) as they are represented in the Bible. You don't want to miss my topics courses, which have included The Bible and Cultural Criticism and the Cultural Significance of Monsters. The Bible and Cultural Criticism course explores representations of the Bible in popular culture as well as examining the appropriation strategies of various readers. The Cultural Significance of Monsters is a trip down American history through the lens of the monsters we create. Want to know what Frankenstein had to do with the African slave trade? Do you wonder about the connection between zombies and 9/11? Then this is the course for you.

I also teach Sacred Texts of the West, which includes (in one semester) a brief survey of the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Qur'an. I also have a good time exploring a variety of religions in Survey of World Religions (including Hinduism and Buddhism) while in Introduction to Religion I really enjoy challenging students’ preconceived understanding of religion.

Research interests: My research interests focus on how people use and read the Bible. This allows me to write about really cool stuff! My current book (Bloomsbury, forthcoming) looks at how the Bible is used by young-Earth creationists at the Kentucky Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter. My previous work considered how Genesis 6:1-4 factored into certain year 2012 apocalyptic scenarios. I also served as a guest editor for special issue of Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions devoted to ETI-religions (commonly known as UFO cults). My contribution to this issue, "Revisionism in ET-Inspired Religions" examined how ETI Religions appropriate biblical themes.

[back to top]

jrlytton@radford.edu
Religious Studies Adjunct Faculty
CHBS 4203

M.A., Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

Ryan Lytton is full of useful information, like how to sing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" in Latin. He attended Life Pacific College where he graduated in 2007 with a Bachelor's degree in Biblical Studies. While there he learned to read both Greek and Hebrew, and began a life-long fascination with competing interpretive methodologies. He completed a Master of Arts in Christian Thought from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary where he focused on Patristic Theology, specifically how they interpreted scripture. He's currently submitting applications for PhD programs where he hopes to shed light on Paul's use of the Old Testament by examining Patristic authors like Hilary of Poitiers. He has been married to Samantha Lytton since 2008.  Their first child, Marshall, was born in 2014, and their second, Amelia, was born in 2016.

Publications

• "Has Paul Really Said? Intertextuality: Genesis and the Cult of Artemis in 1 Timothy 2:8-15"
• "How to Get an Advanced Bible Degree for Free"
• "Inside These Halls: Amos Yong on Fuller Seminary’s Relocation and the Academic Life"
• "Inside These Halls: Christopher B. Hays on ANE, Fuller, and Digital Learning"
• "Inside These Halls: Scott Manor on Knox Seminary" (Forthcoming)

Presentations

• Women in Ministry Leadership—Panelist during Foursquare Annual Convention
• A Pious Confession of Ignorance: Glossolalia as the Apex of Apophatic Theology (forthcoming)

[back to top]