About Our People

Brian Doak (Religious Studies) received the prestigious Aviram Prize for his paper “‘No Statues or Familiar Images’? Re-Evaluating the Claim for Phoenician Aniconism.” The $2,500 prize, sponsored by the Dorot Foundation and administered by the American Schools of Oriental Research (ASOR), goes to that paper judged to most advance the scholarship of its given field. The essay is an archaeological and iconographic study of whether or not the Iron Age Phoenicians tried to represent deities by “empty spaces,” or aniconically (as opposed to iconically, i.e., through anthropomorphic divine statues, etc.).

Brian will present the paper at the ASOR research meeting in mid-November in Chicago. He’ll also present a piece from what he plans to become his next book project at the Society of Biblical Literature Meeting in Chicago at that same time, called: Natural Theologies: The Transformation of Israelite Anthropology in the Book of Job.

Also, Brian’s first book, The Last of the Rephaim: Conquest and Cataclysm in the Heroic Ages of Ancient Israel, is currently in the printing and distribution process and will be for sale through Amazon. He also has three articles in the Dictionary of the Bible and Western Culture: A Handbook for Students (Sheffield Phoenix Press), forthcoming in early November, as well as two peer-reviewed articles appearing in 2013 (in Harvard Theological Review, in the March issue, and the Journal of Biblical Literature).

Keith Dempsey (Counseling) is one of 10 individuals being honored at the 25th annual Emerald Awards Dinner at Oregon Health and Science University’s Center for Health and Healing on Nov. 10. The award, given out by the PINK Ivy Foundation and the Ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, is given in honor of “African-American men who have shown a commitment to serving their community” and “obtained significant achievements,” according to event organizers. Keith is being honored for his work in education.

Rick Muthiah coauthored “An Exploration of the Spiritual Roots of the Midcareer Faculty Experience” with Virginia Lee and Dorothe Bach. The chapter was published in the Professional and Organizational Development in Higher Education (POD Network) annual book series, To Improve the Academy.

Douglas Campbell’s (Visiual Arts) mixed media artwork “The Word Was” was juried into the “Christianity and Popular Culture” exhibit at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa, for October and November. In addition, three of his acrylic paintings – “Mt. Hood Summit,” “Widowmakers” and “Two Ancients” – were juried into the “Art in the City” exhibit in the Civic Center in Independence, Ore., for October-December. Finally, in October he presented “The Aesthetic of Violence in Visual Art and Poetry” at the Verge Conference 2012: Art and Ethics (Trinity Western University in British Columbia), and “Art and Belief,” at “The Art of Faith: Theology, Imagination & the Arts in Conversation” (St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Oregon City).

Kenn Willson (Performing Arts) recently premiered a new “Encounters with …” series. The Tualatin Valley Oregon Music Teachers Association invited Kenn to return this fall and present his “Encounters with Bach” multi-media piano recital. Kenn performed on Oct. 12 at the Tigard Christian Church and presented a concert of Bach’s dance movements, complete with videos of the dances and audience participation. Nearly 400 were in attendance, more than double the attendance of last year, according to sponsors.

The “God’s Politics” blog by Sojourners published a piece that Roger Nam (Seminary) wrote concerning the recent George Fox Evangelical Seminary DMin advance in Korea: “Pacifism in the Scariest Place on Earth.”

Tom Head (Economics) and Nate Peach (Economics) participated in the Hillsdale College Free Market Forum on “Markets, Government, and the Common Good” in Houston, Texas, Oct. 4-6. The event included a special session for faculty from Council for Christian Colleges & Universities member institutions, at which Nate was recognized for his recent CCCU grant to develop a course in “Environment Economics.”

Have e-Colleague news you’d like to share? E-mail details to Sean Patterson at spatterson@georgefox.edu.

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