Rev. Dr. Kyle Goodman is the lead pastor of Alamance Presbyterian Church in Greensboro. A native of Eden, NC, Kyle […]
Juanita Webb a former major, has accepted an offer from the University of York in England for an MA In […]
Dr. Michael A. Long is a ‘08 graduate of UNCG. He currently serves as the Director of Spiritual Formation at […]
Carter was a student of Religious Studies in the 1990s at UNCG. He has recently published The Rat Reverend Clancy […]
I was interested in so many different things, and I loved learning about many different kinds of people and their beliefs. I also really enjoyed the history aspect of Religious Studies – learning why wars were started, who wrote which parts of the Bible, and how/when different religions developed.
It was in a Religious Studies class (Myth and Theory) that I first started seriously considering hegemonic structures in my culture, which has been incredibly important in my work as an educator and now as a social worker. It was also in Religious Studies that I started to understand that human beings are storytellers, that we’re always creating narratives in an attempt to make meaning of things that happen around us and inside of us. As a social worker, I’m really interested in those narratives on a micro level (as revealed in a therapeutic context) as well as a macro level (in our culture, in our social constructs and subsequent provision of certain services).
After earning my BA in Religious Studies I went to Mexico for 3 months to travel and study Spanish. Upon returning to Greensboro I volunteered with Americorps teaching English to adult immigrant women from all over the world. This led to many more ESOL teaching jobs. Now as an RN I am grateful for all the experience.
I am considering continuing my education in the study of Religion. It is something that intrigues me, exercises my brain, and I never get tired of studying. So why stop?
I have been interested in religions of the world since childhood. My early schooling built for me a worldview based entirely upon my own religious beliefs; it made me wonder about how the beliefs of others affect their lives because mine have always been the center of my life. Learning about the beliefs of others is a faith exercise for me- it stretches and grows my understanding of myself and my faith as well as provides a glimpse into how others think, believe, and live their lives.
I served two terms in AmeriCorps, managing a leadership development program for youth and adults in poverty (in Western New York) and managing a college service-learning program and supporting students in the community (in Western Massachusetts). After that, I was a program manager for a community garden program. Now, I am studying at Andover Newton Theological School in pursuit of a Master of Divinity. I hope to become a Chaplain.