Fall 2024
Section 0989 of RELS6.66
History of Satan -- : Aug 19 - Dec 11 2024
Section 2555 of RELS21
The Jewish Bible and the Birth of God -- : Aug 19 - Dec 11 2024
Summer 2024
Section 8067 of RELS6.66
History of Satan -- : Jun 18 - Jul 25 2024
Spring 2024
Section 5234 of RELS6.66
History of Satan -- : Jan 17 - May 15 2024
Section 5878 of HUMAN26
Friendship -- : Jan 17 - May 15 2024
Spring 2024
Mondays: On Campus
9:00-10:30 Humanities 26 - Friendship
12:00-1:30 Religious Studies 6.66 - History of Satan
1:30-3:00 Student Office Hour (Zoom Option)
Tuesdays: Off Campus
2:30-4:00 AFA Negotiation Team Meeting (1st & 3rd)
Wednesdays: On Campus
9:00-10:30 Humanities 26 - Friendship
10:30-11:30 Colleague Office Hour (Zoom option)
12:00-1:30 Religious Studies 6.66 - History of Satan
3:00-5:00 Academic Senate (1st & 3rd) or AFA Executive Council (2nd & 4th)
Thursdays: Off Campus
12:00-1:00 SLO Liaisons
1:00-1:30 SLO Coordinators
3:00-5:00 AFA Associate Interest Committee (3rd)
Fridays: Off Campus
11:45-1:15 AFA Negotiations Team Meeting (1st & 3rd)
1:30-4:00 AFA & District Negotiations (1st & 3rd)
You can also make a Zoom appointment with me.
Degrees
PhD - ABD Religious Studies (with an emphasis in Ancient Mediterranean Studies) University of California, Santa Barbara
MTS, New Testament & Early Christianity, Harvard University
BA, Religious Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara
Other education & training
Certificate in Inclusive Pedagogy, American Academy of Religion
Online Special Expertise Certificate, Santa Rosa Junior College
Faculty Positions
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 6.66: History of Satan
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
Humanities 26: Friendship
Courses taught at other institutions
Introduction to Christianity
New Testament & Early Christianity
Academic Writing
About Me
My pronouns are 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 Ijeima Oluo
NOTE
- The best way to reach me is by email eschmidt@santarosa.edu
- You can make an appointment with me.
- 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.
Research Interests
- "Religion" as a category or classification
- Religions in the Roman Empire (Greco-Roman traditions, Christianities, and Judaisms)
- Archaeology of Religion
- Theories of Space & Material Culture
- Religious Identity
- Ritual & Ritualization
- Politics of Religion and Empire
- Religion & Religions in the U.S.
- Construction of American identity
- Religion, racialization & the construction of whiteness
2021-present Faculty Association of California Community Colleges
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
1984-present Girl Scouts of the United States of America
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.
SRJC Professional Development Presentations
2022 Religious Studies & The Community College Student (co-presenter)
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
Invited Panels
2020 "The Ethics of Citation: Sexual Abusers in Biblical Studies," panelist, Urbs & Polis: Early Christianity in Greco-Roman Context, 24 September 2021
2023 Champion of Inclusivity, Santa Rosa Junior College Academic Senate Faculty Recognition Award
1996 Gold Award, Girl Scouts of the United States of America
1993 Silver Award, Girl Scouts of the United States of America
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 religious affiliations, beliefs, practices, and social & political views.
Websites about Student-ing
- Tips For Recent High School Graduates Attending College Advice & info presentation for new college students by SRJC's own Prof. Rafael Vázquez Guzmán.
- SRJC 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.
- Something Shiny David Kessler & Isabelle Richard, two therapists with ADHD, talk about ADHD & how to work with your neurodivergence & not against it.
Websites Pertaining to Religious Studies
- What is the Academic Study of Religion? 2 page overview (pdf) of the academic study of religion by Dr. 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 Dr. Andrew Mark Henry's blog & channel dedicated to the academic study of religion.
- Keeping it 101: A Killjoy's Introduction to Religion An intro to religion podcast hosted by Dr. Ilyse Morgenstein Fuerst & Dr. Megan Goodwin
- NT Pod Dr. Mark Goodacre's Podcast. Brief podcasts about academic study of the New Testament.
- Straight, White, American Jesus Dr. Bradley Onishi & Dr. Dan Miller's podcast about religion & politics in America - esp. about evangelicalism.
- Philip Harland's Podcast Dr. Harland's 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.
- Data Over Dogma Dr. Dan McClellan & Dan Beecher team up to increase public access to the Bible & religion and combat the spread of misinformation.
- The Bible & Beyond Podcast Scholars talk about their latest research in the world of the earliest Jesus followers (includes some faith-based discussions).
- New Testament Review Dr. Laura Robinson and Dr. Ian Mills review & discuss influential works of New Testament Scholarship
- Biblical Time Machine Dr. Helen Bond & Dave Roos discuss the development of Jewish & Christian Bibles and ancient history, with frequent guest scholars.
Other Podcasts I like
- Something Shiny David Kessler & Isabelle Richard, two therapists with ADHD, talk about ADHD & how to work with your neurodivergence & not against it.
- Gastropod A podcast about food through the lens of history & science.
- LeVar Burton Reads Host of Reading Rainbow & Star Trek TNG star reads grown up short stories he likes. It's Reading Rainbow for adults!
- Maintenance Phase Wellness & weight loss, debunked & decoded.
- Body Stuff with Dr. Jen Gunter OB/GYN & pain medicine physician busts lies & myths about heath while helping you understand how your body works.
- NPR's Code Switch Hosted by journalists of color, this podcast tackles race with empathy & humor - politics, pop culture, history, food, and more.
- NPR's Hidden Brain Host Shankar Venantam uses science & storytelling to reveal how our brains drive our biases, behaviors, & choices.