School of Religion Adjunct Mark A. Christian (’94) has chaired the “Expressions of Religion in Israel” program unit of the annual, International Meetings of the Society of Biblical Literature (ISBL) since 2008. The program unit has recently been approved to continue through 2017. From the papers of the 2012 ISBL meeting in Amsterdam, Christian has coedited a special edition of the peer-reviewed journal Die Welt des Orients 43, Jahrgang (in press, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen, Germany) with Dr. Rüdiger Schmitt of Münster, Germany. The theme is “Permutations of Astarte in Israelite and Mediterranean Religions.” In addition to coediting, Christian contributed the paper “Phoenician Maritime Religion: Sailors, Goddess Worship, and the Grotta Regina” and coauthored the “Introduction” with Schmitt.

Christian has recently published reviews in peer-reviewed journals of two books from the series Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für Altorientalische und Biblische Rechtsgeschichte published in Wiesbaden, Germany by Harrassowitz.  The first, “Deuteronomium: Tora für eine neue Generation“(eds., G. Fischer, D. Markl, S. Paganini; 2011) contains German and English essays by leading European biblical scholars on the Book of Deuteronomy and Pentateuchal theory. The review is published in the Review of Biblical Literature, vol. 07, 2013. The second, “The Foreigner and the Law: Perspectives from the Hebrew Bible and the Ancient Near East (eds. R. Achenbach, R. Albertz, and J. Wöhrle; 2011), is an anthology of English essays concerned with the status of foreigners in the ancient world as reflected in biblical and ancient Near Eastern legal texts. The review is published in the Journal of Hebrew Scriptures, vol. 13, 2013.

For the Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature in Baltimore this Nov. 23-26, Christian has organized a panel of international scholars  to review the book Law, Power, and Justice in Ancient Israel (Westminster John Knox, 2011). The book is written by Douglas A. Knight of Vanderbilt University. The program unit hosting the event is the Social Sciences and the Interpretation of the Hebrew Scriptures section. Christian serves on the steering committee and will be moderating the panel in Baltimore.

Dr. Beth Hallmark, director of simulation for the Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences & Nursing and assistant professor of nursing, is this year’s featured speaker for the Christine P. Sharpe Distinguished Lecture Series at Tennessee State University. Hallmark will make her presentation about creative learning strategies on Oct. 17.  The lecture series was established in 2000 to honor Sharpe, retired associate dean and co-founder of TSU’s School of Nursing. The lecture is held annually and has included health care leaders, researchers and educators who have delivered cutting edge and thought provoking presentations about a wide range of topics in health, nursing education and public policy.  The lecture will be held in Room 118 of the James E. Farrell & Fred E. Westbrook Agricultural Complex,known as “The Barn,” on TSU’s campus from at 7 p.m.  A reception will follow.   The lecture is free and open to the public.

Hallmark has been part of the faculty at Belmont University since 1996.  She holds a PhD in Educational Leadership with a concentration in E-Learning.  She has extensive experience in pediatric nursing, primarily at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital in Nashville.  At Belmont, she has guided the integration of patient simulation into the curriculum of the School of Nursing and is leading the effort to increase the use of simulation in all health science programs in the College of Health Sciences and the College of Pharmacy.  Hallmark also serves as director of the Tennessee Simulation Alliance, an inter-professional alliance promoting the use of patient simulation in educational environments throughout the state.  Simulation is an educational strategy to mirror, anticipate, or amplify real situations with guided experiences in a fully interactive way.  Simulation is enhanced through the use of technology with computer-based patient simulators.  Simulation is an excellent training resource that promotes patient safety.

Honors adjunct instructor Mary Ellen Pethel’s essay “Sport and the Outward Life: Young Women Athletes as Progressive Players” was published this month in the edited anthology was published entitled Tennessee Women in the Progressive Era: Toward the Public Sphere in the New South  Her chapter discusses the first generation of female athletes in Nashville and Knoxville.  As such, Belmont College for Young Women, Ward Seminary and Vanderbilt University are heavily featured.  The book is available on Amazon and UT Press and recently was featured at the Southern Festival of Books.

Dr. Bryce Sullivan, dean of Belmont’s College of Arts and Sciences, represented Belmont University at “A Conversation with Governor Bill Haslam” hosted by The Council on Workforce Innovation on Sept. 30. Joyce Searcy, Belmont’s director of community relations also was at the meeting and is member of the planning committee for The Council of Workforce Innovation Board.

Dr. Steve Murphree, professor of biology, gave a presentation on Oct. 6 to a group of parents, children and staff at the Discovery Center at Murfree Spring in Murfreesboro, Tenn.   The Discovery Center, chartered in 1986, is a hands-on museum and nature center that inspires exploration, enhances learning, and builds confidence through diverse programs and exhibits.

Dr. Murphree’s presentation, entitled “Dragons and Damsels: The Lives of Odonates,” was part of the citizen’s Citizen Science programs that engage people of all backgrounds and abilities in scientific research, and helps to connect scientists with participants and allow them to be part of the research community. Citizen Science empowers children to feel like they can be scientists and that the data they collect makes a difference. After the talk, Murphree led them in a walk along the Murfree Spring boardwalk which winds around 20 acres of natural wetlands where you can explore the wonders of nature. The group looked for dragonflies, damselflies and other wildlife between rain showers.