Finbarr Curtis
Instructor

Religion and Politics, Critical Theory, American Religions

Email: finbarr.g.curtis@ua.edu Office Phone: (205) 348-8685 Office: Manly Hall 205

Find a copy of Dr. Curtis's c.v. here.

Dr. Curtis is the guest editor for a special issue of Religion on the study of America religions. Click the cover to learn more.

Read some of Prof. Curtis's posts at The Immanent Frame (blog of the Social Science Research Council).

Read Prof. Curtis's thoughts on the American Dream in Frequencies.

Finbarr Curtis received his PhD from the Department of Religious Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, his MA in Religion from Vanderbilt University, and his BA from Columbia University. Before coming to Alabama to work for the 2011-12 year, he taught at UC San Diego, New York University, Fresno State, Bucknell University, and Lafayette College. In addition to currently teaching "Introduction to Religious Studies," he has previously taught courses entitled "Secularism," "Religion and Politics," "American Evangelicalism," "Religion and Aesthetics," "Contemporary Religious Issues," "Contemporary Moral Conflicts," "Religion and Western Civilization," "Religion and Psychology," "Religious Ethics," and "American Religious Movements."

Dr. Curtis studies religion and politics and has published a chapter on Jonathan Edwards's theories of revivalism in a book entitled Embodying the Spirit, as well as publishing essays about intelligent design in The Hedgehog Review, Al Smith's religious loyalty in The Journal of Religion, and theory and method in Religion and the Journal of the American Academy of Religion (PDF). He also guest edited a special issue on the field of American religions for Religion that included contributions from Jason Bivins, Richard Callahan, Tracy Fessenden, Rosemary Hicks, Kathryn Lofton, and John Lardas Modern. He is currently working on a book entitled The Economy of American Religious Freedom, which is under contract with New York University Press.

Courses Taught

REL 100 Introduction to Religious Studies

REL 245 Honors Historical Overview of Religions in America