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New appointee researches religion in high profile chair
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Contact:
Eleanor Stebner, 604.291.5769, estebner@sfu.ca
Stephen Duguid, 604.291.5515, stephen_duguid@sfu.ca
Eleanor Stebner, 604.291.5769, estebner@sfu.ca
Stephen Duguid, 604.291.5515, stephen_duguid@sfu.ca
May 24, 2005
Eleanor Stebner, an ordained minister, and formerly a University of Winnipeg associate professor, is the new holder of Simon Fraser University's James Shaver (JS) Woodsworth chair in humanities. Stebner's appointment fills a need for scholars schooled in religious studies at SFU. Her appointment is timely, given that ongoing debate over high profile issues such as same-sex marriage, euthanasia and terrorism shows that religion heavily impacts societal and political policies.
Under Stebner's appointment, which is for a renewable five-year term, the Woodsworth chair is focused on fostering awareness of religious studies. The expert on theology and church history will apply her academic and religious schooling to fostering social betterment and resolving ethical issues that are at the juncture of social, political and religious beliefs. “How do you get people of religious faith and people of no religious faith to work out a way of living together and cherishing commonalities that improve society?” ponders Stebner. “Religion has a tremendous impact on how our society evolves. One of the goals of this kind of chair is to uphold those aspects of religion that are life giving by applying the lens of self-analysis to societal problems.”
Stephen Duguid, the chair of the humanities department at SFU, says Stebner is a scholar in Woodsworth's tradition. The late member-of-parliament and member of the clergy (1859-1950) was known as much for his involvement in social reform leading to many of Canada's public benefits as he was for his speeches and sermons. Brought up in the Moravian Church, the Edmonton born Stebner has worked as a pastor in Indiana and Wisconsin, and on behalf of sex trade workers, the poor, the homeless and aboriginals.
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(electronic photo file available on request)
Websites:
SFU Humanities dept: www.sfu.ca/humanities/jsw
Under Stebner's appointment, which is for a renewable five-year term, the Woodsworth chair is focused on fostering awareness of religious studies. The expert on theology and church history will apply her academic and religious schooling to fostering social betterment and resolving ethical issues that are at the juncture of social, political and religious beliefs. “How do you get people of religious faith and people of no religious faith to work out a way of living together and cherishing commonalities that improve society?” ponders Stebner. “Religion has a tremendous impact on how our society evolves. One of the goals of this kind of chair is to uphold those aspects of religion that are life giving by applying the lens of self-analysis to societal problems.”
Stephen Duguid, the chair of the humanities department at SFU, says Stebner is a scholar in Woodsworth's tradition. The late member-of-parliament and member of the clergy (1859-1950) was known as much for his involvement in social reform leading to many of Canada's public benefits as he was for his speeches and sermons. Brought up in the Moravian Church, the Edmonton born Stebner has worked as a pastor in Indiana and Wisconsin, and on behalf of sex trade workers, the poor, the homeless and aboriginals.
- 30 -
(electronic photo file available on request)
Websites:
SFU Humanities dept: www.sfu.ca/humanities/jsw