CHRISTINE HOFF KRAEMER
religioUS
STUDIES scholar /
chkraemer13@gmail.com
EDUCATION
Ph.D. 2008,
“The Erotic
Fringe: Sexual Minorities and Religion in Contemporary American Literature and
Film”
B.A. 2000,
HONORS
Media, Religion,
and Culture Fellowship, School of Journalism and Mass Communication,
Graduate Writing
Fellowship,
Dean’s
Fellowship, Boston University, 2002-2006
Special Honors
in English from the
High honors from
the
Phi Beta Kappa,
1998
Sigma Tau Delta,
1998
Areas of
Specialization:
Religion & Literature, Contemporary Pagan Studies, Graphic Novels, Religion
& Film, Religion & Sexuality since 1800 (US & UK)
Areas
of Competence:
Gender & Queer Studies, Body Theology, American Literature & Religious
History, First-year Writing, The Bible, World Religions & Literature
TEACHING
EXPERIENCE
Instructor,
Graduate
T5940 – Research
& Writing for Pagan Scholarship, Cherry Hill Seminary [online, with Grant
Potts] (Spring 2011)
C5141 –
Introduction to Pagan Theology, Cherry Hill Seminary [online] (Spring 2010,
2011)
N6650 – Paganism and the Body,
Cherry Hill Seminary [online] (Fall 2010)
C5121 – Contemporary Global Paganisms, Cherry Hill Seminary [online] (Fall 2009, 2010)
Instructor, Undergraduate
WR 100-D2 – Writing Seminar: Religion, Gender, and Sexuality in Literature, Boston University (Fall 2006)
Teaching Fellow
RN 101 -- The
Bible with Prof. Peter Hawkins,
Selected
presentations: “Women in Luke,” “Jesus in Film,” “The Gospels of John and
Thomas”
RN 103 -- World
Religions: East with Prof. Daniel Lusthaus,
Selected
presentations: “Definitions of Religion,” “A Brief History of Indian
Religion,” “Tat Tvam Asi”
RN 103 -- World
Religions: East with Prof. M. David Eckel,
Selected
presentations: “Translation,”
“Buddhist Parables”
RN 106 -- Death
& Immortality with Prof. Stephen Prothero,
Selected
presentations: “Flatliners,”
“Death and Afterlife in Poetry,” “The American Way of Death in BTVS’s ‘The
Body’”
RN 104 -- World
Religions: West with Prof. Merlin Swartz,
Selected presentations: “Jewish
Festivals,” “Jewish Rites of Passage”
Invited
Guest Lectures
“Contemporary
Paganism and Promethea” for EXP-0004-F: Religion and the Graphic Novel, taught
by Instructor A. Davis Lewis at Tufts University Experimental College,
Somerville (22 Nov 2010)
“Recent Trends
in Literary Studies” for Junior Seminar in English, taught by Assistant
Professor Emily Merriman at San Francisco State University, San Francisco (13
Sept 2007)
“History and
Rhetoric of Contemporary Paganism” for Rhetoric B: The Rhetoric of Religion,
taught by instructor Emily Merriman at Babson College, Wellesley (12 Feb 2007)
“History of the Goddess
Movement” for WR 100-BA: Women and Religion, taught by instructor Kate Holbrook
at
PUBLICATIONS
“Film as Religion.” The Encyclopedia of Religion and Film. Ed. Eric Mazur. Westport,
CT: ABC-CLIO, 2011. 187-92.
Graven Images: Religion in Comics and Graphic
Novels. Eds.
A. David Lewis and Christine Hoff Kraemer. New York: Continuum, 2010.
“‘The Magic
Circus of the Mind’: Alan Moore’s Promethea
and the Transformation of Consciousness through Comics” with J. Lawton Winslade.
Graven Images: Religion in Comics and
Graphic Novels. Eds. A. David Lewis and Christine Hoff Kraemer. New York:
Continuum, 2010. 274-91.
“Gender Essentialism in Matriarchalist Utopian Fantasies: Are popular
novels vehicles of sacred stories, or purely propaganda?” The Pomegranate: The International Journal of Pagan Studies 11:2
(2009): 240-59.
“Culture
jamming,” “Kushner, Tony,” and “New Age Movement.” Encyclopedia of the Culture Wars. Ed. Roger Chapman.
“Cultural
Borrowing/Cultural Appropriation: A Relationship Model for Respectful
Borrowing.” Thorn Magazine 2 (Mar
2009).
Review of Henry Miller and Religion, by Thomas
Nesbit. Religious Studies Review 34:4
(Dec 2008): 284.
Review of Gospel of the Living Dead: George Romero’s
Visions of Hell on Earth, by Kim Paffenroth. Religious Studies Review 34:4 (Dec 2008): 284.
Review of Reframing Theology and Film: New Focus for
an Emerging Discipline, edited by Robert K. Johnston. Religious Studies Review 34:4 (Dec 2008): 284.
“‘Story’ Is Only
Part of ‘History’: Re-evaluating the Work of Marija Gimbutas.” Thorn Magazine 1 (Dec 2008).
Review of Mel Gibson’s Bible: Religion, Popular
Culture, and The Passion of the Christ, edited by Timothy K. Beal and Tod
Linafelt. Religious Studies Review 32:4
(Oct 2006): 252.
Review of Mel Gibson’s Passion: The Film, the Controversy, and the
Implications, edited by Zev Garber. Religious
Studies Review 32:4 (Oct 2006): 251-2.
Review of Cinema and Sentiment: Film’s Challenge to
Theology, by Clive Marsh. Religious
Studies Review 32:3 (July 2006): 187.
Review of Alien Sex: The Body and
Desire in Theology and Cinema, by Gerard Loughlin. The Journal of Religion and Popular Culture 9 (Spring 2005).
<http://www.usask.ca/relst/jrpc/br9-aliensex.html>.
“From Theological to Cinematic Criticism: Extricating the Study of
Religion and Film from Theology.” Religious
Studies Review 30:4 (October 2004): 243-50.
“Wrestling with Flesh, Wrestling with Spirit: The Painful Consequences of
Dualism in The Last Temptation of Christ.”
The Journal of Religion and Popular
Culture 8 (Fall 2004).
<http://www.usask.ca/relst/jrpc/art8-lasttemptation.html>.
“Between the Worlds: Liminality and Self-Sacrifice in Princess Mononoke.” The Journal of Religion and Film 8:1 (April 2004).
<http://avalon.unomaha.edu/jrf/Vol8No1/BetweenWorlds.htm>.
“The Brake of Time: Corso's Bomb as Postmodern God(dess).” Rpt. in The Beat Generation: A Gale Critical
Companion. Ed. Lynn M. Zott. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2003: 203-213.
“The Brake of Time: Corso's Bomb as Postmodern God(dess).” Texas
Studies in Literature and Language 44:2 (Summer 2002): 211-28.
CONFERENCE PAPERS
“Contemporary Paganism, Utopian Reading Communities,
and Sacred Nonmonogamy: The Religious Impact of Heinlein and Starhawk’s
Fiction.” Contemporary Pagan Studies Group. American Academy of Religion Annual
Meeting, Montreal, Canada, 3-7 Nov 2009.
“Angels in America’s
‘Sentimental’ Ending: Can activist art still be great art?”
“Alan Moore’s Promethea: Comics
as Neo-Pagan Primer and Missionary Tool.” God and the Graphic Novel. Northeast
Modern Language Association Convention, Baltimore, MD, 1-3 Mar 2007.
“The Spectator, Gender Performance, and Gnosis in Hedwig and the Angry Inch.” Religion, Film, and Visual Culture
Group.
“Beyond the Fringe:
Alternative Religion and Sexuality in American Media since 1960, with
introduction to Craig Thompson’s Blankets.”
Media, Religion, and Culture Fellows Seminar. Sponsored by the University of
Colorado at Boulder’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication. American
Academy of Religion Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, 16 Nov 2006.
“Alan Moore’s Promethea: Comics as Neo-Pagan Primer
and Missionary Tool.” Charming and
Crafty: Witchcraft and Paganism in Contemporary Media, Harvard University,
Cambridge, 18-21 May 2006.
“From Het Polarity to Queer Eros: The Development of Ritual Sex in the
Twentieth-century Novel.” Panel: Erotic ritual in literature and
film/Literature and film as erotic ritual. God & Sexuality Conference on Religion and Issues of Sexuality and
Gender, New York City, 9-10 Apr 2006.
“Gender Essentialism in Matriarchalist Utopian Fantasies: Are popular
novels vehicles of sacred stories, or only sacred propaganda?” New Religious
Movements Group. American Academy of Religion Annual Meeting, Philadelphia,
19-22 Nov 2005.
“Most Her Own, Yet Most
Taken Away: Sexuality and Desire in Phoebe Gloeckner’s The Diary of a Teenage Girl.” Comic Books and Graphic Novels:
Feminist Approaches. Rocky Mountain Modern Language Association Annual
Convention, Coeur D’Alene, 20-22 Oct 2005.
“Self and (M)other:
Apocalypse as Return to the Womb in Neon
Genesis Evangelion.” Religion, Film, and Visual Culture Group. American
Academy of Religion Annual Meeting, San Antonio, 22 Nov 2004.
“Wrestling with
Flesh, Wrestling with Spirit: The Painful Consequences of Dualism in The Last Temptation of Christ.”
From Jesus to Donnie Darko: Six Critical Inquiries of Religion and Cinema.
Luce Program Colloquium on Religion and Film. Boston University, 15 Nov 2003.
“Between the Worlds: Liminality and Self-Sacrifice in Princess Mononoke.” Celluloid Saints.
ACADEMIC EVENTS AND SERVICE
Department Chair
(Theology and Religious History) for Cherry Hill Seminary, providing
graduate-level distance education in professional Pagan ministry
(2010-present).
Peer Reviewer for The Journal of Religion and Popular Culture (2005,
2009).
Academic Advisor for Cherry Hill
Seminary, providing graduate-level distance education in professional Pagan
ministry (2008-2010).
Peer Reviewer for Practical Matters: A Transdisciplinary
Multimedia Journal of Religious Practices and Practical Theology (2008).
Conference
Co-Organizer
for Graven Images: Religion in Comics and
Graphic Novels. Sponsored by the Luce Program in Scripture and Literary
Arts. Boston University, 12-14 Apr 2008.
Discussion
Moderator
for the
Research
Assistant
for the Luce Program in Scripture and Literary Arts at Boston University.
Organized graduate student symposia on professional topics, including
conference presentations, academic job searches, and entering life as a new
faculty member. (Fall 2005-Spring 2006)
Panel Moderator for the God
& Sexuality Conference on Religion and Issues of Gender and Sexuality in
Festival
Co-Organizer
for the Fourth Annual
Colloquium
Organizer
for the first Luce Program Colloquium on Religion and Film, entitled From Jesus to Donnie Darko: Six Critical
Inquiries of Religion and Cinema. The colloquium showcased the work of
Boston University Religion and Literature graduate students and was sponsored by the Luce Program in Scripture and Literary
Arts at
OTHER VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
Adult Education Instructor Presented an
evening class on Religion & Comics for
Event Facilitator Co-facilitated community
seasonal rituals for Austin area earth-based religious collective Tejasweb.
(2008-2009)
Event Organizer Consulted on community events for the Boston area
earth-based religious collective Viriditas. (2003, 2006-2007)
Financial
Manager
Handled finances for T. Thorn Coyle’s New England Apprenticeship in earth-based
spirituality. (2005-2007)
Grant Writer Co-wrote a successful application for Trinity
United Methodist Church in Austin, Texas to receive funding from the Lilly
Foundation for the 2002 National Clergy Renewal Program. $28,279 was
received to fund a sabbatical for the senior pastor and to provide special
programming for the church in his absence. (Summer 2002)
Liturgist/Celebration Team Co-Leader Wrote
original prayers and liturgies, helped plan weekly worship services, organized
women’s spirituality fellowship group (the Red Tent), and served as lay leader
for Pentecost services at Trinity United Methodist Church in Austin, Texas.
(2001-2002)
Retreat Team Assisted with planning 60-person weekend retreat on
prayer and meditation in different religious traditions for Trinity UMC. (2001)
Discussion Facilitator Led informal discussion and fellowship
groups on Christian spirituality and women's spirituality at Trinity United
Methodist Church (2000-2002).
Youth Counselor Assisted with junior/senior high youth group for
Trinity UMC. (2000-2001)
Editor/Proofreader Edited various
materials by Brandon Wiley for publication and performance, including a
full-length play and a chapter for Peer to Peer: Harnessing the Power of
Disruptive Technologies (ed. Andy Oram, 2001) (2000-2001).
Lecturer Lectured and
led discussion on Neo-Paganism and feminist spirituality for the Brownflower
Lecture Series and for Trinity United Methodist Church in Austin, Texas (2000).
Short Story Reader Served on short story
reader's board for Analecta, the literary journal of the
OTHER WORK EXPERIENCE
Editor/Proofreader Freelance
editing, proofreading, and formatting of book manuscripts for both academic and
general audiences. (2008-present)
Bookkeeper for Adams Street Synagogue in Newton,
Massachusetts. (2010-present)
Office
Administrator
for Trinity United Methodist Church in Austin, Texas. Performed all
administrative functions for a church with a membership of approximately 400,
including mailings, maintaining databases, basic accounting, and preparing
worship materials. Supervisor: Rev. Susan Sprague. (2001-2002; 2007-2009)
Copyeditor Copyedited academic and general audience materials on
Greek language usage in the New Testament for the New Testament Language
Project in
Interim Youth
Director
Provided religious education for high school youth at
World Religions
Instructor
Co-taught a World Religions curriculum to high school students as part of the
Genesis Program at
Editor/Proofreader Freelance
editing, proofreading, and formatting of dissertation chapters. (Spring 2007)
Workshop
Facilitator
Co-taught workshops in earth-based spirituality for the
Research
Assistant
for Prof. Gauvin Bailey, Department of Religious and Theological Studies,
Boston University. Scanned slides, made PDFs of course materials, and updated
the course websites for RN 204: Western Art and Its Relationship with
Christianity and RN 504: Impact of Sacred European Art in a Global Context.
(Spring 2006)
Research
Assistant
for Prof. Peter Hawkins, Department of Religious and Theological Studies,
Boston University. Performed fact-checking on manuscripts in the publication
process. (Fall 2005-Spring 2006)
Library
Assistant
for Pappas Law Library Technical Services at
Notetaker for Paradigm
Books in
Writer for Kamico
Instructional Media in Austin, Texas. Wrote stories and essays with
accompanying questions for first- and second-grade level TAAS (standardized
test) practice booklets. Supervisor: Kathy Miller. (1996-97)
REFERENCES
Ms. Holli Emore holli@sc.rr.com
Executive Director 803-798-8007
Cherry
Hill Seminary
Prof. Peter S. Hawkins peter.hawkins@yale.edu
Professor of Religion and Literature 203-432-5331
Prof. Emily Merriman estm@sfsu.edu
Assistant Professor, Department of
English 415-338-3110
Prof. Grant Potts grant.potts@religiousthought.com
Associate Professor of Religion,
Department of Philosophy 512-223-3012
LAST UPDATED: APRIL 2011