Rodney L. Petersen
Encyclopedia
Rodney Lawrence Petersen is an American scholar in the area of history, ethics, and religious conflict.
He moved to the Boston
area from Switzerland
in 1990 and currently works as the Executive Director of the Boston Theological Institute
. In addition to this work with the BTI, he teaches in both the member schools and overseas. Together with BTI colleagues these courses have taken students to various regions of the world in order to understand and film ways in which faith communities are implicated in regional violence and how they can be avenues of reconciliation.
After growing up in the Chicago
area, he received his B.A. from Harvard College
, a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School
, and a Master of Theology degree also from Harvard Divinity School. His doctorate in history was awarded by Princeton Theological Seminary. He continued his education in Europe at Institut Oecuménique (Genève, Switzerland, and Institut d'Histoire de la Réformation, Université de Genève).
His early work history included teaching at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
(Deerfield, Illinois), Webster University
(Geneva, Switzerland), and with the Fédération des Institutions établies à Genève (FIIG). He also worked with churches in France and Eastern Europe, primarily Romania.
Now he is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A., serving on several of their committees and served for seven years as the pastor of the Allston Congregational Church (U.C.C.). He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Council of Churches, the Massachusetts Commission on Christian Unity, the Lord’s Day Alliance of the USA, the Refugee Immigration Ministry, Sec/tres. American Society of Missiology (Eastern Fellowship), and numerous other academic and ecclesiastical organizations.
He moved to the Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
area from Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
in 1990 and currently works as the Executive Director of the Boston Theological Institute
Boston Theological Institute
Boston Theological Institute is the largest theological consortium in the world, bringing together the resources of universities and divinity schools throughout the greater Boston area and some of the most prestigious educational institutions...
. In addition to this work with the BTI, he teaches in both the member schools and overseas. Together with BTI colleagues these courses have taken students to various regions of the world in order to understand and film ways in which faith communities are implicated in regional violence and how they can be avenues of reconciliation.
After growing up in the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
area, he received his B.A. from Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
, a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School
Harvard Divinity School
Harvard Divinity School is one of the constituent schools of Harvard University, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the United States. The School's mission is to train and educate its students either in the academic study of religion, or for the practice of a religious ministry or other public...
, and a Master of Theology degree also from Harvard Divinity School. His doctorate in history was awarded by Princeton Theological Seminary. He continued his education in Europe at Institut Oecuménique (Genève, Switzerland, and Institut d'Histoire de la Réformation, Université de Genève).
His early work history included teaching at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School is an evangelical Christian seminary located in Deerfield, Illinois. TEDS is one of the largest seminaries in the world, enrolling more than 1,200 graduate students in professional and academic programs, including more than 150 in its PhD programs...
(Deerfield, Illinois), Webster University
Webster University
Webster University is an American non-profit private university with its main campus in Webster Groves, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. Webster University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools...
(Geneva, Switzerland), and with the Fédération des Institutions établies à Genève (FIIG). He also worked with churches in France and Eastern Europe, primarily Romania.
Now he is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A., serving on several of their committees and served for seven years as the pastor of the Allston Congregational Church (U.C.C.). He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Council of Churches, the Massachusetts Commission on Christian Unity, the Lord’s Day Alliance of the USA, the Refugee Immigration Ministry, Sec/tres. American Society of Missiology (Eastern Fellowship), and numerous other academic and ecclesiastical organizations.
Works
He is author, editor/co-editor, or contributor of several articles and scholarly works:- Preaching in the Last Days (Oxford University Press, 1993)
- Christianity and Civil Society: Theological Education for Public Life (Orbis Books, 1995)
- Consumption, Population, and Sustainability: Perspectives from Science and Religion (Washington, D. C.: Island Press, 1999), with accompanying video, “Living in Nature.”
- The Contentious Triangle: Church, State, and University. A Festschrift in Honor of Professor George H. Williams (Kirksville, MO: Truman University Press, 1999)
- Earth at Risk (Amherst: Humanity Books, 2000)
- Forgiveness and Reconciliation: Religion, Public Policy and Conflict Transformation (Philadelphia: Templeton Foundation Press, 2001, 2002)
- Theological Literacy for the 21st Century (Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2002).
- Antioch Agenda. Essays on the Restorative Church in Honor of Orlando E. Costas (New Delhi: ISPCK, 2007).