ATLANTA – Dr. David Gushee, Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics and director of the Center for Theology and Public Life at Mercer University, was introduced as the newest columnist for Religion News Service on June 29.
Religion News Service (RNS), based in Washington, D.C., is a nonprofit news agency that aims to be the largest single source of in-depth, non-sectarian news coverage of religion, spirituality and ideas. Founded in 1934 as an affiliate of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, RNS has developed a network of correspondents around the world providing news and information on all faiths and religious movements to the nation's leading media outlets.
“I am grateful for this exciting new platform with Religion News Service. My goal will continue to be what it long has been – to shed light on important public issues arising at the intersection of religion, morality and culture through accessible opinion writing,” said Dr. Gushee. “I am also grateful to Mercer University for supporting this aspect of my service here.”
Dr. Gushee is widely regarded as one of the leading moral voices in American Christianity. As Distinguished University Professor at Mercer, he teaches in McAfee School of Theology and throughout the University in his specialty, Christian ethics. As director of the Center for Theology and Public Life, he organizes events and courses to advance quality conversations about major issues arising at the intersection of theology, ethics and public policy.
He is the author or editor of 20 books and hundreds of articles in his field, including Righteous Gentiles of the Holocaust, Kingdom Ethics, The Future of Faith in American Politics, The Sacredness of Human Life, Changing Our Mind and Evangelical Ethics.
Dr. Gushee has always accompanied his scholarly production with church work; activism related to issues such as human rights, creation care, the death penalty and LGBT acceptance; opinion writing for The Washington Post, Huffington Post, Baptist News Global, and now Religion News Service; board service with Public Religion Research Institute, Sojourners and the Center for Victims of Torture; and domestic and global media consultation. He has lectured on every continent, with endowed lectures scheduled in New Zealand and Holland in 2015.
Dr. Gushee earned his Bachelor of Arts at the College of William and Mary (1984), Master of Divinity at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (1987) and both a Master of Philosophy (1990) and Doctor of Philosophy (1993) in Christian ethics at Union Theological Seminary in New York.
He and his wife of 30 years, Jeanie, reside in Atlanta. They have two daughters, one son and one grandson.
For an archive of his RNS columns, visit davidgushee.religionnews.com.
