A Message from Department Chair Keith Beebe
May 2008
When Whitworth was preparing to become Whitworth University last July, the theology & philosophy department underwent significant changes as well -- including my appointment as department chair after our outgoing chair, Jim Edwards, had provided years of wise and effective leadership. Since that time there have been several new developments that I will highlight in this department news summary:

New faculty positions & department members: Even though we had several department members on sabbatical last year -- Jim Edwards in the fall, and Karin Heller and Roger Mohrlang in the spring -- our ranks still felt quite full, particularly as we welcomed two new theology professors (to fill new positions) and a visiting philosophy professor into the department:

Todd Cioffi, assistant professor of theology, came to us directly from Villanova University, where he was the Catharine of Siena Teaching Fellow. An ordained minister in the PCUSA, Todd received his B.A. in philosophy from Hope College, and his M.Div. and Ph.D. in systematic theology from Princeton Theological Seminary. He wrote his dissertation in spring 2007 on "The Politics of Justification and The Case of Torture: The Political Theory of Karl Barth from 1938 to 1946." In addition to teaching the Core 300 philosophy course for Whitworth Continuing Studies, Todd also teaches courses in the areas of theology, politics, and the Bible. Todd and his wife, Erinn Epp, have a little daughter, Sophia, who was born only a couple of weeks before their late-August move to Spokane. We are delighted to have them in our midst.

Moses Pulei, instructor/assistant professor of theology, first came to Whitworth as an undergraduate student in the mid-1990s. Raised in the Maasai culture in Kenya and Tanzania, Moses served as Whitworth's student body president before graduating in 1997 and going on to earn M.Div. and Ph.D. degrees in intercultural studies at Fuller Theological Seminary. He is now completing his dissertation, "Preachers of a Different Gospel: The Emergence of the Word-Faith Movement in Kenya, and a Trans-National Religious Culture." Returning with his wife, Brittany, and six-year-old daughter, Charis -- and with his family now eagerly expecting a baby -- Moses provides leadership for Whitworth's new East Africa Initiative, developing international study programs in Africa and partnering with African churches and organizations to serve the Christian movement there. In addition to teaching four to five classes each year, including new courses The Acts of the Apostles and The Bible and Missions, Moses will also continue his scholarly study of African preaching. We are very glad to welcome the Pulei family (back) into our Whitworth community.

It has been good having Visiting Assistant Professor of Philosophy Matthew Roberts in the department this year. Matt received his Ph.D. in 2006 from University of Colorado-Boulder and came to Whitworth from a visiting position at Wheaton College. He and his wife, Jessica, daughter, Karis, and newborn son, Lucas, will soon be moving to Purcellville, Virginia, where Matt will assume a permanent faculty position at Patrick Henry College. We wish him and his family  God's blessing as they leave Spokane.

Departmental searches and new appointments- We have had five searches this year to fill new faculty, campus ministry, and support-staff positions. While the search process continues for the newly created campus pastor position, new program assistant Debbie Stierwalt joins Toni Sutherland in supporting the work of our rapidly growing department. In terms of new faculty members, we are very glad to announce the following appointments:

Jonathan Moo graduates with a Ph.D. in New Testament from Cambridge University this spring, and will join the theology faculty in fall 2010 after completing a highly competitive postdoctoral fellowship with The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion at St. Edmund's College, Cambridge. He majored in biology and English as an undergraduate at Lake Forest College, earned a master of science degree in wildlife ecology from Utah State University, and received two master's degrees from Gordon Conwell Theological seminary -- one in New Testament and one in Old Testament. Jonathan is especially interested in matters relating to creation, eschatology, and the relationship between Christian theology and science; his dissertation is titled "Creation and Cosmic Transformation in the Apocalypse of Ezra and the Apocalypse of John." Chosen from among a very talented pool of more than 150 applicants, Jonathan has received numerous academic awards, published articles in peer-reviewed journals, and gained experience in graduate-level teaching. We eagerly await the arrival of Jonathan and his wife, Stacey, in fall 2010!

Our newest assistant professor of theology appointee, Karen Petersen-Finch, will join us this fall, traveling across town from her home in Spokane's South Hill neighborhood. Karen is completing her Ph.D. at Gonzaga University, writing a dissertation on the role of epistemology in ecumenical relations (with a particular focus upon Roman-Catholic-Reformed dialogue from 1968-present), utilizing the theological method of theologian Bernard Lonergan. After receiving a B.A. in English Literature from Pomona College, in Claremont Calif., Karen spent a tutorial semester at Oxford studying the works of C.S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien. She went on to complete a master of divinity degree at Princeton Theological Seminary, where she ranked first in her class. Ordained as a minister of word and sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA), Karen comes with a wide range of teaching interests and experience that will serve our continuing-studies, Core 150 and traditional programs very well. Karen and her husband, Kevin (who is associate pastor of Spokane's First Presbyterian Church) have three teenage children. We are delighted to have Karen join our department.

Chad Carmichael, visiting assistant professor of philosophy, will serve a one-year teaching appointment this academic year. He is completing a Ph.D. at Stanford University, finishing a dissertation entitled "Foundations of Metaphysics." Chad and his wife have two small children and will be moving to Spokane in the middle of the summer.