Fall 2022
Section 1113 of RELS22
Jesus and the Invention of Christianity -- : Sep 12 - Dec 09 2022
This is a late start section that is offered fully online.
Summer 2022
Section 8067 of HUMAN6
Humanities in the United States -- : Jun 13 - Jul 24 2022
Spring 2022
Section 4397 of HUMAN8
Comparative Mythology -- : Jan 19 - May 18 2022
Section 5658 of HUMAN14
Popular Culture in the United States -- : Feb 14 - May 20 2022
This section is a late start class that has no regularly scheduled Zoom meetings.
Section 6073 of RELS1
Introduction to Religious Studies -- : Jan 19 - May 20 2022
This section has no regularly scheduled Zoom meetings.
Summer 2022
- Humanities in the U.S. (online)
- Office Hours: TBA, via Zoom
Fall 2022
- Religious Studies 22: Jesus & the Invention of Christianity (Late start, begins 9/12, online asynchronous)
- Office Hours: TBA, via Zoom
- Academic Senate Meetings, 1st & 3rd Wednesdays, 3:15-5:00
- AFA Executive Council Meetings, 2nd & 4th Wednesdays, 3:00-5:00
NOTE:
- The best way to reach me is by email eschmidt@santarosa.edu
- Students enrolled in my classes: please email me with the name you go by & pronouns you use if they don't match your enrollment records, so I can use the correct ones at the first class meeting. Sensitive information will be kept confidential.
- Contact me ASAP if book costs for my courses exceed your budget. Budget should not limit your access to education. I can probably help.
- Students of all races, ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, gender identities/presentation, immigration status, and abilities/disabilities are welcome in my classes.
- The ACLU has a page with Know Your Rights information.
- PhD - ABD Religious Studies (with an emphasis in Ancient Mediterranean Studies) University of California, Santa Barbara
- MTS, New Testament & Early Christianity, Harvard University (Divinity School)
- BA, Religious Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara
- With one year at SRJC and one year abroad at Lancaster University (Lancaster, UK)
- 2013-present Associate Faculty, Santa Rosa Junior College
- 2012-2013 Adjunct Faculty, California Lutheran University
- 2010-2011 Teaching Associate, University of California, Santa Barbara
- 2005-2012 Teaching Assistant, University of California, Santa Barbara
Courses Taught at SRJC:
- Religious Studies 1: Introduction to Religious Studies
- Religious Studies 2: World Religions
- Religious Studies 21: The Jewish Bible & the Birth of God
- Religious Studies 22: Jesus & the Invention of Christianity
- Religious Studies 32: Religion in America
- Humanities 4.1: Western Humanities: Arts, Ideas, & Values (Prehistory - Renaissance)
- Humanities 4.2: Western Humanities: Arts, Ideas, & Values (Renaissance - Present)
- Humanities 6: Humanities in the US
- Humanities 8: Comparative Mythology
- Humanities 14: Popular Culture in the US
Courses taught at other institutions:
- Introduction to Christianity
- New Testament & Early Christianity
- Academic Writing
Pronouns: she/her/hers
I was born and raised in Santa Rosa, where I watched too much Indiana Jones as a kid and went to Catholic high school. So, I developed an interest in really old things and religion. I think and teach about how people have experienced being human and the roles religion plays in the human experience.
I am a Lifetime Member of the Girl Scouts, holding both Silver and Gold Awards. I performed with the Northern California Renaissance Faire for 10 years (prior to starting graduate school). I like science fiction, historical fiction, crime procedurals, and fantasy (both traditional and urban/paranormal) novels, film, and television.
"The beauty of anti-racism is that you don't have to pretend to be free of racism to be an anti-racist. Anti-racism is the commitment to fight racism wherever you find it, including in yourself. And it's the only way forward." -author Ijeoma Oluo
NOTE:
- The best way to reach me is by email eschmidt@santarosa.edu
- Students enrolled in my classes: please email me with the name you go by & pronouns you use if they don't match your enrollment records, so I can use the correct ones at the first class meeting. Sensitive information will be kept confidential.
- Contact me ASAP if book costs for my courses exceed your budget. Budget should not limit your access to education. I can probably help.
- Students of all races, ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, gender identities/presentation, immigration status, and abilities/disabilities are welcome in my classes.
- The ACLU has a page with Know Your Rights information.
- Religions in the Roman Empire (Greco-Roman Traditions, Christianity, and Judaism)
- Archaeology of Religion
- Space & Material Culture
- Religious Identity
- Ritual & Ritualization
- Politics of Religion and Empire
- Religion & Religions in the U.S.
- "Religion" as a category or classification
- 2017-present North American Association for the Study of Religion
- 2009-present American Academy of Religion
- 2009-present Society for Ancient Mediterranean Religions
- 2003-present Society of Biblical Literature
PUBLICATIONS
- 2017 “Secrecy, Stories, and Boundaries” In Fabricating Identities, ed. Russell T. McCutcheon (Sheffield: Equinox, 2017), 89-94
- 2010 “The Flavian Triumph and the Arch of Titus: The Jewish God in Flavian Rome.” UC Santa Barbara: Ancient Borderlands Research Focus Group.
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
- 2014 "Shaping Jerusalem, Shaping Identity: Herod, the Flavians, and the Gospel of Mark." Westar Institute Spring 2014 Meeting: Archaeology: Rewriting Early Christian History, 21 March 2014.
- 2012 "Herod's Edifice Complex." Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting, 18 November, 201
- 2011 "Ritual and Architecture in Flavian Rome: The Shaping of Imperial Image" UCSB Productive Geographies Interdisciplinary Humanities Center Graduate Conference, 29 April 2011
- 2010 "Presence and Absence: Flavian Propaganda and the Destruction of the Jewish Temple." Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting, 23 November 2010
- 2010 "The Flavian Triumph and the Arch of Titus: The Jewish God in Rome." UCSB Ancient Borderlands International Graduate Student Conference: Beyond Borders: Ancient Societies and their Conceptual Frontiers, 16 April 2010
- 2007 "The Res Gestae Divi Augusti as Monument." Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting, 17 November 2007
Websites about Your Rights & Living in the U.S.
- Know Your Rights The ACLU's informational page with details about civil rights (Police or ICE stops, Search warrants, Protests, Religious freedom, etc)
- Covered California (ACA) Health insurance via Affordable Care Act in California. Find out what you qualify for!
- Register to Vote in California CA Secretary of Sate online voter registration form.
- The Pew Research Center U.S. Religious Landscape Study Survey of Americans about their religious affiliations, beliefs &practices, and social & political views.
Websites about Student-ing
- SRCJ Dream Center Information about & help for going to college as an undocumented student resident.
- SRJC Student Health Services Healthcare Services & Psychological Services for SRJC Students.
- Transferring to CSU California State University System: Information for applying as a transfer student.
- Transferring to UC University of California: Information for applying as a transfer student.
- How to Get the Most Out of Studying Stephen Linn Chew has 5 short videos on studying efficiently.
Websites Pertaining to Religious Studies
- What is the Academic Study of Religion? 2 page overview (pdf) of the academic study of religion by Russell T. McCutcheon.
- Why study Religion? Overview of why you should study religion, produced by the American Academy of Religion.
- Bible and Religions of the Ancient Near East Collective Research group for study of biblical & ancient Near Eastern literatures and cultures in the 21st c.
- The American Academy of Religion American professional society for scholars of religion.
- The Society of Biblical Literature Professional society for scholars of Biblical literature and Biblical worlds.
- Society for Ancient Mediterranean Religions Professional interdisciplinary society for scholars of religions in the ancient Mediterranean.
- The Westar Institute An institute fostering scholarship & sharing scholarship with the public. Meets in SR every Spring!
- Early Christian Writings Public domain translations, links, and bibliographies for Christian writings 1st-4th centuries.
- Early Jewish Writings Public domain translations, links, and bibliographies for Jewish Writings to the 1st century CE.
- Bible Odyssey A peer-reviewed site for Biblical scholarship by members of the Society of Biblical Literature.
- Ancient Jew Review The Ancient Jew Review is a non-profit web journal devoted to the study of Ancient Judaism.
- Religion Dispatches Journalistic blog about religion, politics, & culture. Edited & authored by scholars & journalists.
Podcasts & YouTube Channels about Religion
- The Religious Studies Project Weekly podcasts about the study of religion & log of RS opportunities
- Religion for Breakfast & Religion for Breakfast You tube channel Andrew Henry's blog & channel dedicated to academic, nonsectarian study of religion.
- Keeping it 101: A Killjoy's Introduction to Religion An intro to religion podcast hosted by Ilyse Morgenstein Fuerst & Megan Goodwin
- NT Pod Mark Goodacre's Podcast. Brief podcasts about academic study of the New Testament.
- Straight, White, American Jesus Bradley Onishi & Dan Miller's podcast about religion & politics in America - esp. about evangelicalism
- Philip Harland's Podcast Harland podcast series range in topics related to ethnicities & identities in the ancient Mediterranean world
- Feminists Talk Religion Affiliated with Feminist Studies in Religion (journal), feminist & historically marginalized scholars discuss religion & religious studies