Kim Paffenroth, Ph.D.

Professor of Religious Studies

Director, Honors Program

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Office:
Spellman Hall, Second Floor
Phone:
(914) 637-2743 (914) 637-2743
Email:

Degrees:

  • Ph.D., Theology, University of Notre Dame, 1995
  • MTS, Biblical Studies, Harvard Divinity School, 1990
  • BA, Liberal Arts, St. John's College, 1988

Dr. Kim Paffenroth has training primarily in the study of the New Testament and the Early Church, and he continues to publish in these areas. His work on St. Augustine (354-430 CE) is especially noteworthy. He also investigates how early Christian beliefs are expressed in more recent works of literature or other arts either in what used to be called "high culture" or in popular culture. In the latter area, he has focused his attention on what many would consider non- or anti-Christian genres, especially horror literature, films and television. His zombie novels have enjoyed some success in the last several years and been translated into German, Italian and Russian.

Books

  • Gospel of the Living Dead: George Romero's Visions of Hell on Earth. Waco: Baylor University Press, 2006.
  • The Truth Is Out There: Christian Faith and the Classics of TV Science Fiction. Co- authored with T. Bertonneau. Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2006.
  • The Heart Set Free: Sin and Redemption in the Gospels, Augustine, Dante, and Flannery O'Connor. New York and London: Continuum Publishing International, 2005.
  • In Praise of Wisdom: Literary and Theological Reflections on Faith and Reason. New York and London: Continuum Publishing International, 2004.
  • Judas: Images of the Lost Disciple. Louisville and London: Westminster John Knox Press, 2001.

Creative Work (fiction) (selected):

  • Dying to Live: Last Rites (novel). Permuted Press, 2011.
  • Valley of the Dead: The Real Story of Inferno (novel). Limited Edition: Cargo Cult Press, 2009. Trade Paperback: Permuted Press, 2010. Italian edition: Nero Press, 2012. Russian edition: Olma Media Group (forthcoming).
  • The World Is Dead, ed. (anthology). Permuted Press, 2009.
  • Dying to Live: Life Sentence (novel). Permuted Press, 2008. German edition: Festa Verlag, 2011.
  • History Is Dead, ed. (anthology). Permuted Press, 2007.
  • Dying to Live: A Novel of Life among the Undead (novel). Permuted Press, 2007. German edition: Festa Verlag, 2010. Reissued by Simon and Schuster, 2010.

Edited Volumes:

  • Augustine and Apocalyptic. Co-edited with J. Doody and K. Kloos. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2013.
  •  Augustine and Science. Co-edited with A. Goldstein and J. Doody. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2012.
  •  Augustine and Psychology. Co-edited with S. Dixon and J. Doody. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2012.
  •  The Undead and Theology. Co-edited with J. Morehead. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2012.
  •  Augustine and Philosophy. Co-edited with P. Cary and J. Doody. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2010.
  •  Augustine and World Religions. Co-edited with B. Brown and J. Doody. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2008.
  •  Augustine and History. Co-edited with C. Daly and J. Doody. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2007. Augustine and Literature. Co-edited with R. Kennedy and J. Doody. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2006.
  •  Augustine and Politics. Co-edited with J. Doody and K. L. Hughes. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2005.
  •  A Reader's Companion to Augustine's Confessions. Co-edited with R. Kennedy. Louisville and London: Westminster John Knox Press, 2003.

Articles and Essays (selected):

  •  "For love is strong as death': Redeeming Values in The Walking Dead." In Triumph of The Walking Dead: Robert Kirkman's Zombie Epic on Page and Screen. Ed. J. Lowder. Dallas: Smart Pop / Ben Bella Books, 2011. Pp. 217-230.
  • "The Funhouse: Physical Deformity and Spiritual Disease in Modern America." In Butcher Knives and Body Counts: Essays on the Formula, Frights, and Fun of the Slasher Film. Dark Scribe Press, 2011. Pp. 277-281.
  • "Zombies as Internal Fear or Threat." In Generation Zombie: Essays on the Living Dead in Modern Culture. Eds. S. Boluk and W. Lenz. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2011. Pp. 18-26.
  • "Apocalyptic Images and Prophetic Function in Zombie Films." In Reel Revelations: Apocalypse and Film. Ed. J. Walliss. Sheffield Academic Press, 2010. Pp. 6-24.
  • "Deadly Self-Deception and Life-Giving Revelation in Flannery O'Connor." Communio 32 (2005) 152-71.
  • "Different Loves in Dante." The Downside Review 123 (2005) 17-44.
  • "Pleasure and Success in Teaching Dante." In Universality and History: Foundations of Core. Eds. D. Thompson, D. Colson, and J. Scott Lee. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 2002. Pp. 13-19.
  • "Film Depictions of Judas." The Journal of Religion and Film 5 (October 2001) [http://www.unomaha.edu/~wwwjrf/judas.htm].
  • "Famines in Luke-Acts." The Expository Times 112 (2001) 405-07.

Book Reviews:

Have appeared in Ars Disputandi: The Online Journal for Philosophy of Religion, Augustinian Studies, Biography, Catholic Biblical Quarterly, Catholic Historical Review, Catholic Studies Online, Evolution: Education and Outreach, Horror Studies, Journal of Beliefs and Values, Journal of Biblical Literature, Journal of Early Christian Studies, Journal of Hebrew Scriptures, Journal of Religion, Pastoral Psychology, Religion and the Arts, Religious Studies Review, and Review of Biblical Literature.

Papers Presented to Learned Societies:

Have been read at the meetings of the Mid-Atlantic Region of the American Academy of Religion, the Mid-Atlantic Region of the Society of Biblical Literature, the Association for Core Texts and Courses, the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts, the World Science Fiction Convention, and the Catholic Biblical Association.

  • Summer Seminar in Christian Scholarship, Calvin College, 2010
  • Finalist, Black Quill Award, 2008
  • Finalist, International Horror Guild Award, 2007
  • Silver Medal, Foreword Magazine's Book of the Year, 2007
  • Winner, Bram Stoker Award, 2006
  • Speaker, New York Council for the Humanities Speaker Program, 2003-2005
  • Summer Seminar in Christian Scholarship, Calvin College, 2004
  • Travel Grant, Devers Program in Dante Studies, University of Notre Dame, 2003
  • Louisville Institute Summer Stipend, 2003