Joelle Hathaway to Join Bethany Faculty

Dr. Joelle Hathaway has been named assistant professor of theological studies at Bethany Theological Seminary, beginning July 1, 2020. Hathaway is currently an instructor at Duke Divinity School in Durham, North Carolina, where she earned both her master’s and doctoral degrees.

Hathaway received a doctor of theology degree in 2018 with a focus on theology and the arts and with emphases in ecotheology and liturgical studies. Her dissertation was entitled “Offering a Sacrifice of Praise: Human Vocation, Culture-Making and Cultivating a Sabbath Imagination.” In 2009 she received a master of theological studies with a thesis entitled “Architectural Visions of Hope: Coventry Cathedral and Ground Zero.” Her undergraduate degree is from Seattle Pacific University. She is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Hathaway’s professional work reflects her varied interests, including the arts, theology of place, iconology, and the history of worship. Since 2013 she has taught courses annually at Duke as an instructor and has presented papers at meetings of the American Academy of Religion and regional associations of religious studies. Over the past ten years, she has held leadership roles for multiple events through Duke Initiatives in Theology and the Arts. Hathaway has had several book reviews published and is awaiting publication of an article in the Encyclopedia of the Bible and its Reception and two essays for online symposia.

“I am excited to welcome Dr. Hathaway to the Bethany faculty,” said Steve Schweitzer, academic dean. “She demonstrates a passion for bringing together thoughtful scholarship and practical application for the ongoing benefit of the church and the world. Dr. Hathaway’s joyful presence, academic rigor, and spiritual sensitivity are gifts to the Bethany community. Her interests in theology and the arts and in ecological theology will complement and expand our current offerings for all of our degree and certificate programs, including the MDiv, MA, and Master of Arts: Theopoetics and Writing.”