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Religious Studies

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Past PhD Theses

PhD Graduates Over the Last Twenty Years

Over the last twenty years, McMaster’s Department of Religious Studies has placed over 60% of its students in tenure-track positions around the world. If you are a graduate of our PhD program, please keep us informed about your current status!

Expandable List

  • Lan LI (PhD 2024), “Stone Inscriptions and Chinese Buddhist Practices in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE)” (Supervisor: Dr. James Benn).
  • Marcus Evans (PhD 2024), “Transcendence in the World of the Wu-Tang Clan” (Supervisor: Dr. Mark Rowe).
  • Gerjan Altenburg (PhD 2022), “Rules of Customary Behaviour in the Mūlasarvāstivāda-vinaya” (Supervisor: Dr. Shayne Clarke).
  • Ruifeng Chen (PhD 2020), ” “Informed Textual Practices?: a Study of Dunhuang Manuscripts of Chinese Buddhist Apocryphal Scriptures with Colophons” (Supervisor: Dr. James Benn).
  • Christopher Jensen (PhD 2019), “Dreaming Betwixt and Between: Oneiric Narratives in Huijiao and Daoxuan’s Biographies of Eminent Monks” (Supervisor: Dr. James Benn). As of July 2020, Dr. Jensen is assistant professor of East Asian Religions at Carleton University.
  • Christopher Handy (PhD 2016), “Indian Buddhist Etiquette and the Emergence of Ascetic Civility” (Supervisor: Dr. Shayne Clarke). Dr. Handy is Researcher with the Leiden Institute for Area Studies, in the Faculty of Humanities at Leiden University, and Principal Software Engineer for Prof. Jonathan Silk’s Open Philology Project.
  • Stephanie Balkwill (PhD 2015), “Empresses, Bhik?u??s, and Women of Pure Faith: Buddhism and the Politics of Patronage in the Northern Wei” (Supervisor: Dr. James Benn). Dr. Balkwill is Assistant Professor of Buddhist Studies, Department of Asian Languages & Cultures, UCLA.
  • Adrian Chih-mien Tseng (PhD 2015), “A Comparison of the Concepts of Buddha-Nature and Dao-Nature of Medieval China” (Supervisor: Dr. James Benn). Dr. Tseng is an assistant professor at Fo Guang University, Taiwan.
  • Nanette Spina (PhD 2010), “The Adhi Parasakthi Temple Society of Canada: A Sri Lankan Tamil Hindu Community in Toronto” (Supervisor: Dr. Paul Younger). Dr. Spina is an associate professor of Religion at the University of Georgia.
  • Kevin Bond (PhD 2009), “Forcing the Immovable One to the Ground: Revisioning a Major Deity in Early Modern Japan” (Supervisor: Dr. James Benn). Dr. Bond is an associate professor and the Acting Department Head in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Regina.
  • Christopher Austin (PhD 2008), “Vedic Myth and Ritual in the Mahabharata: A critical study of the Mahaprasthanika and Svargarohana Parvans” (Supervisor: Dr. Arti Dhand). Dr. Austin is an associate professor of Religious Studies at Dalhousie University.
  • Benjamin Fleming (PhD 2007), “The Cult of the Jyotirlingas and the History of Shaivite Worship” (Supervisor: Dr. Phyllis Granoff). Dr. Fleming is Cataloger of Indic Manuscripts at the Kislak Center for Special Collections at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Rubens Turci (PhD 2007), “Sraddha in the Bhagavad Gita” (Supervisor: Dr. Paul Younger). Dr. Turci is Associate Researcher at PEIND – Indian Studies Program of the State University of Rio de Janeiro.
  • Patricia Dold (PhD 2005), “The Religious Vision of the Sakta Mahabhagavata Purana” (Supervisor: Dr. Paul Younger). Dr. Dold is an associate professor of Religious Studies at Memorial University.
  • Danya Furda (PhD 2005), “Karma and Grace in the Legend of Angulimala” (Supervisor: Dr. Graeme MacQueen). Dr. Furda is an adjunct faculty member at Columbus State Community College.
  • Lavanya Vemsani (PhD 2005), “Balarama: Change and Continuity in an Early Hindu Cult” (Supervisor: Dr. Phyllis Granoff). Dr. Vemsani is a professor of Religious Studies at Shawnee State University.
  • Richard Mann (PhD 2003), “The Early Cult of Skanda in North India: From Demon to Divine Son” (Supervisor: Dr. Phyllis Granoff). Dr. Mann is an associate professor of Religion at Carleton University.
  • Jonathan Geen (PhD 2002), “The Marriage of Draupadi in the Hindu and Jaina Mahabharata” (Supervisor: Dr. Phyllis Granoff). Dr. Geen is an associate professor of Religious Studies at King’s University College at Western University.
  • Jack Laughlin (PhD 2000), “Aradhakamurti/Adhisthayakamurti: Popular piety, politics, and the Medieval Jain Temple Portrait” (Supervisor: Dr. Phyllis Granoff). Dr. Laughlin is an associate professor of Religious Studies at the University of Sudbury.
  • Yuan Ren (PhD 1997), “Manicudavadana: The Annotated Translations and A Study of the Religious Significance of Two Versions of the Sanskrit Buddhist Story” (Supervisor: Dr. Phyllis Granoff). Dr. Ren is an associate professor of Religious Studies at the University of Regina.
  • Jinhua Chen (PhD 1997), “The Formation of Early Esoteric Buddhism in Japan: A Study of Three Japanese. Esoteric Apocrypha” (Dr. Koichi Shinohara). Dr. Chen is a professor of East Asian Buddhism at the University of British Columbia.
  • Katherine Fitzgerald, “Women in Greco-Roman Jewish Novels (300 BCE-100CE).” Supervisor: Dr. Hanna Tervanotko. 2023.
  • Martin Sanfridson, “Paul and Sacrifice in Corinth: Rethinking Paul’s Views on Gentile Cult in 1 Corinthians 8 and 10.” Supervisor: Dr. Matthew Thiessen. 2022.
  • Andrew Knight-Messenger, “The Place of the Court Tales in Early Jewish Literature: Form, Development, and Function.” Supervisor: Dr. Daniel Machiela. 2022.
  • Merrill Greene, “Sectually Transmitted Demons: Categorizing the Atropaic Dead Sea Scrolls.” Supervisor: Dr. Daniel Machiela. 2022.
  • Michael Gabizon, “Mixed Offspring in the Hebrew Bible and Second Temple Period.” Supervisor: Dr. Daniel Machiela. 2022.
  • Robert Jones, “Priesthood, Cult, and Temple in the Aamaic Scrolls from Qumran.” Supervisor: Dr. Daniel Machiela. 2020.
  • Grant Sutherland, “The Unity And Equality Of The Divine Relations In Gregory Of Nazianzus’s Trinitarian Theology.” Advisor: Dr. Peter Widdicombe. 2019.
  • Sandra Deodhar: “Holiness in Marriage.” Advisor: Dr. Matthew Thiessen. 2019.
  • Justin Tombs. “The Temple of God in the Letters of Paul.” Advisor: Dr. Stephen Westerholm. 2016.
  • Jennie Dragos. “Feminist New Testament Scholarship: A Study of Perspective and Method.” Advisor: Dr. Anders Runesson. 2013. Jennie now works as the Life Skills Lead at Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Hamilton.
  • Ryan Watson, “The Historical Jesus in Recent Scholarship: An Investigation with Special Focus on Methodology.” Advisor: Dr. Anders Runesson. 2012. Ryan is now the general manager at Upper Deck Baseball Academy.
  • James Veitch, “Defining the Ways: A Review of the “Parting of the Ways” Model in Scholarship on Early Judaism and Early Christianity.” Advisor: Dr. Stephen Westerholm. 2010.
  • Paul Arnold, “Reframing Ritual Gestures in Dialogue: Gesture Studies and Sacramental Rituals.” Supervisor: Dr. Travis Kroeker. 2023.
  • Rahim Samnani, “The Honest Merchant: Rethinking History, Criteria, and Memory in the Study of the Historical Muhamad.” Supervisor: Dr. Liyakat Takim. 2022.
  • Vinay Khetia, “A Study of Shi’i Liturgy.” Supervisor: Dr. Liyakat Takim. 2022.
  • Jeremy Cohen, “There is Mind all Over the Body: Immortalist and Transhumanist Futures.” Supervisor: Dr. Ellen Badone. 2021.
  • Mark Novak, “Saving Flesh, Redeeming Body: Phenomenologies of Incarnation and Resurrection in Michel Henry and Emmanuel Falque.” Supervisor: Dr. Travis Kroeker. 2021.
  • Maxwell Kennel, “Ontologies of Violence.” Supervisor: Dr. Travis Kroeker. 2021.
  • Alex Suderman, “The Sacrament of Desire: The Poetics of Fyodor Dostoevsky and Friedrich Nietzsche in Critical Dialogue with Henri de Lubac.” Supervisor: Dr. Travis Kroeker. 2020.
  • Zac Klassen, “Theologies of Israel and Judaism After Karl Barth.” Supervisor: Dr. Peter Widdicombe. 2020.
  • Nicole Sguigna. “Islamic Fundamentalism and Women: Understanding Women as Recruiters in ISIS.” Advisor: Dr. Celia Rothenberg. 2016.
  • Laura Lee Nimilowich, “A Quiet Truth: A Levinasian and Psychotherapeutic Reading of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission.” Advisor: Dr. Zdravko Planinc. 2013. Laura is now a relational psychotherapist in Whitehorse, Yukon.
  • Nicole Waddington, “Symbols, Narratives and Portraits: The Development of Early Christian Art in the First to Fourth Centuries CE.” Advisor: Dr. Peter Widdicombe. 2012.
  • Graham Baker, “Kierkegaard’s Apocalyptic Theology: Temporality, Epistemology and Politics in Practice in Christianity.” Advisor: Dr. P. Travis Kroeker. 2011. Graham is currently the Professional Officer for Grant MacEwan University Faculty Association.
  • Omnia Helbah, “The Influence of Canadian Security Intelligence Services on the Formation of Religious and National Identities of Muslim Canadians.” Advisor: Dr. Celia Rothenberg, 2010. Omnia is now a Program Manager for Engagement at Walmart Canada.
  • Benjamin Shragge, “Horizon’s End: The Crisis of History in Grant and Nietzsche.” Advisor: Dr. Zdravko Planinc. 2010. Benjamin is now Editorial Manager at Cheng & Tsui Company.
  • Kevin J. L. Derksen, “Love and the Indirect Icon: Kierkegaard, Dostoevsky and Christian Erotics.” Advisor: Dr. P. Travis Kroeker. 2009. Kevin is now a pastor at St. Jacobs Mennonite Church.
  • Katherine L. Olson, “On the Hill of Crosses: Catholicism and Lithuanian National Identity.” Advisor: Dr. Ellen Badone. 2009. After completing the M.A., Katherine obtained a law degree (JD) in the US, clerked for a judge at the Court of Federal Claims, and now works as a litigation associate at a law firm in Washington, DC.
  • Rodney Leggett, “Modernization and the Quebec Catholic Church.” Advisor: Dr. Zdravko Planinc. 2008. After completing the MA, Rodney entered into the M.A. program in Political Science and Government at Carleton University. He now works for Elections Canada.
  • Rachel Loewen, “The Coptic Orthodox Church in the Greater Toronto Area: The Second Generation, Converts and Gender.” Advisor: Dr. Ellen Badone. 2008. After completing the M.A., Rachel entered into the Ph.D. program in Religion at the University of Toronto.
  • John A. Lorenc, “The Reform of the Divine Image in Augustine’s De Trinitate.” Advisor: Dr. Peter Widdicombe. 2008. After completing the M.A., John entered into the Ph.D. program in Legal and Economic History at the University of Toronto.
  • Kathleen A. Riddell, “When the Music’s Over, Renew My Subscription to the Resurrection: Why Doors Fans Won’t Let Jim Die.” Advisor: Dr. Ellen Badone. 2008. After completing the MA, Kathleen entered into the PhD program in Religious Studies at the University of Waterloo.
  • Laura Tomes, “‘You’ve got to put your money where your mouth is’: How Jewish Advocacy Organizations in Ontario Understand the Relationship between Public Funding for Faith Schools and Multiculturalism.” Advisor: Dr. Celia Rothenberg. 2008. After completing the M.A., Laura entered into the PhD in Religious Studies at Georgetown University. She is now an assistant professor in the department of religious studies at Michigan State University.
  • Jonathan Zeyl, “Spirituality and Hermeneutics: Origen’s and Augustine’s Account of Genesis 1.” Advisor: Dr. Peter Widdicombe. 2009. Jonathan is now a Program Coordinator in Liberal Studies at Humber College.
  • Ronald Haflidson, “Completing the Journey: Scriptural Exegesis in Augustine’s Confessions.” Advisor: Dr. Peter Widdicombe. 2007. After completing the MA, Ronald entered into the PhD program in Theology at the University of Edinburgh. Dr. Haflidson is now a tutor at St. John’s College, Annapolis, MD.
  • Alexandra Brown, “Constructions of Islam in the Controversy of Religious Arbitration: A Consideration of the ‘Shari’a Debate’ in Ontario, Canada.” Advisor: Dr. Celia Rothenberg. 2007. After completing the MA, Alexandra entered into the Ph.D. program in Anthropology at McMaster University.
  • Carson Howlett, “Northrop Frye and Gustave Guillaume on Metaphor and Time.” Advisor: Dr. P. Travis Kroeker. 2007. After completing the MA, Carson entered the Interdisciplinary PhD program at the University of Manitoba.
  • Peter Petite, “The Influence of Greek Intellectual Culture on the Development of Christian Thought in Clement of Alexandria’s Stromateis.” Advisor: Dr. Peter Widdicombe. 2007. Peter is now a member of the English Faculty at Houde Academy, Beijing City, China.
  • Grant Poettcker, “Walter Benjamin’s Messianic Politics: Between Marxism and Messianism.” Advisor: Dr. P. Travis Kroeker. 2007. After completing the MA, Grant entered into the PhD program in Religious Studies at McMaster University. Grant is now an assistant professor of philosophy at Briercrest College.