Faculty & Staff

Faculty

Name and Position	Contact	Research Interests
Laura Ammon Professor of Religious Studies and Director of the Watauga Residential College	ammonll@appstate.edu I. G. Greer Hall 213-A (828) 262-7641	History of Christianity, Women in Religion, Religion and Colonialism, Post-Colonial Theory, Religion in Latin America
Christopher Bartel Professor of Philosophy	bartelcj@appstate.edu I. G. Greer Hall 126 (828) 262-7193	Aesthetics, Ethics, Philosophy of Games, Philosophy of Music, Philosophy of Technology
Anna Cremaldi Associate Professor of Philosophy	cremaldiam@appstate.edu I. G. Greer Hall 215 (828) 262-8185	Ancient Greek Philosophy, Environmental Ethics
Thomas B. Ellis Professor of Religious Studies	ellistb@appstate.edu I. G. Greer Hall 220 (828) 262-7780	South Asian Religions and Philosophies, Psychology and Biology of Religion, Theories of Religion, Religion and Culture
Rick Elmore Associate Professor of Philosophy	elmorerl@appstate.edu I. G. Greer Hall 117-A (828) 262-2422	Social and Political Philosophy, Continental Philosophy, 20th Century French Philosophy, Critical Theory (Frankfurt School), Ethics, and Environmental Philosophy
Michael Eng Associate Professor of Philosophy Faculty Affiliate, Program in Gender, Women's, and Sexuality Studies	engm@appstate.edu I. G. Greer Hall 115-A	Philosophies of Race, Gender, Sexuality, and Disability; Contemporary Continental Aesthetic Theory; Critical Ecology (including Critical University Studies and Critical Algorithm Studies); Asian and Comparative Philosophy; German Philosophy and Literature; Philosophy of Religion
Edward Falls Lecturer of Philosophy	fallser@appstate.edu	Metaphysics, Buddhist Philosophy
Mathew A. Foust Professor of Philosophy and Department Chair	foustma@appstate.edu I.G. Greer Hall 113 (828) 262-3089	Ancient Chinese Philosophy, Classical American Philosophy, Comparative Philosophy, History of Philosophy, Ethics, Philosophy of Religion
Sandie Gravett Professor of Religious Studies	gravettsl@appstate.edu I. G. Greer Hall 114 (828) 262-3089	Biblical Studies, Religion and Culture, Women's Studies
Davis Hankins Associate Professor of Religious Studies Director of the Center for Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies	hankinscd@appstate.edu I. G. Greer Hall 116-A (828) 262-6610	Biblical Studies, Literary and Critical Theory, History of Judaism and Christianity, Reception History of Biblical Literature
Jack M. C. Kwong Professor of Philosophy	kwongj@appstate.edu I. G. Greer Hall 213 (828) 262-2424	Philosophy of Mind, Epistemology (esp. Virtue Epistemology), Metaphysics, and Moral Psychology
Cuong Mai Associate Professor of Religious Studies	maict@appstate.edu I. G. Greer Hall 117 (828) 262-7115	Religions of Asia, especially the history of Chinese and Vietnamese Buddhism
Conrad E. Ostwalt Professor of Religious Studies and Interim Chair of Sustainable Development	ostwaltce@appstate.edu I. G. Greer Hall 115 (828) 262-2426	American Religious Traditions, Religion and Culture
Randall Reed Professor of Religious Studies	reedrw@appstate.edu I. G. Greer Hall 217 (828) 262-2428	Sociology of Religion, History of Religions, New Testament
Matthew Ruble Senior Lecturer of Philosophy	rublemw@appstate.edu I. G. Greer Hall 223 (828) 262-2425	Philosophy of mental illness, Ethics, Medical Ethics, Neuroethics, Philosophy of Neuroscience, Epistemology, Nietzsche
Kevin Schilbrack Professor of Religious Studies	schilbrackke@appstate.edu I. G. Greer Hall 127 (828) 262-2429	Philosophy and Theories of Religion
Timothy J.W. Smith Lecturer of Religious Studies	smithtj9@appstate.edu smithtj9@appstate.edu	Early modern and contemporary Japan, Japanese intellectual history, Japanese religions, new religious movements, religion and labor, religion and identity, network theory, anthropology, affect, digital humanities, pop culture, and intersections between these topics; more generally, I am interested in how religious identities, communities, and networks are used to create and maintain, and at other times question and resist, social norms and hierarchies.
Joe Weiss Senior Lecturer of Philosophy	weissjm1@appstate.edu I. G. Greer Hall 214-A (828) 262-6636	Social and Political Theory, Classical German Philosophy, Aesthetics
Stephanie Yep Assistant Professor of Religious Studies	yepsl@appstate.edu I. G. Greer Hall 216 (828) 262-2986	Islamic Studies, Sacred Biography, Narrative Theory, Emotion and Memory Studies, Virtue Ethics, Masculinity Studies, Contemporary Jewish Studies, and the Holocaust

Administrative Staff

Name and Position	Contact
Sarah Sinner Administrative Support Specialist	sinnersa@appstate.edu I. G. Greer Hall 114 (828) 262-3089

Emeritus Faculty

Name and Position	Contact
Charles T. Davis, Deceased Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies	philrel@appstate.edu
Rodney Duke Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies	dukerk@appstate.edu I. G. Greer Hall 107 (828) 262-3091
Alan Hauser Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies	hauseraj@appstate.edu
William M. Hutchins Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies	hutchwm@appstate.edu
O'Hyun Park Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies	philrel@appstate.edu
Raymond Ruble Professor Emeritus of Philosophy	rublers@appstate.edu
Richard Spencer Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies	spencerra@appstate.edu

Why Study Philosophy or Religious Studies?

Click here to learn why Philosophy & Religious Studies are excellent majors.

Contact

Department Chair: Dr. Mathew A. Foust

Administrative Support Specialist: Sarah Sinner

Summer 2025
Winter 2024-25

Give to Philosophy and Religion

Please consider supporting the Department of Philosophy and Religion by donating to one of our departmental funds.

For assistance with philanthropic gifts, contact CAS Development Director, Jasmin McFayden '10, at mcfaydenja@appstate.edu or (828) 262-4019.

Religion in Life

Religion in Life is a weekly show that explores how faith and spirituality play an integral part in the world today. Join Ozzie Ostwalt, Ph.D., as he engages with professors, local religious leaders, and spiritually engaged community members about topics and issues surrounding religion, ethics and philosophy. Click here to watch the show.