Sittser, Gerald L(awson) 1950-

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SITTSER, Gerald L(awson) 1950-

(Jerry Sittser)

PERSONAL: Born June 14, 1950, in Milwaukee, WI; married; wife's name Lynda F. (died September 27, 1991); children: Catherine, David, John, Diana Jane (deceased). Ethnicity: "White." Education: Hope College, B.A., 1972; Fuller Theological Seminary, M.Div., 1975; University of Chicago, Ph.D. (with distinction), 1989. Religion: Protestant. Hobbies and other interests: Woodworking, gardening, music, reading, sports.

ADDRESSES: Home—10709 N. Nelson Rd., Spokane, WA 99218. Office—Department of Religion and Philosophy, Whitworth College, 300 W. Hawthorne Rd., Ste. 1502, Spokane, WA 99251; fax: 509-777-3274. Agent—Ann Spangler, 1420 Pontiac Rd. S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49506. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER: Associate pastor of the Reformed Church, Paramount, CA, 1975-79; Northwestern College, Orange City, IA, chaplain, 1979-85; Whitworth College, Spokane, WA, began as associate professor, became professor of religion, 1989—.C&J Honey (honey and beekeeping business), partner. Public speaker, including appearances at retreats. Volunteer with Habitat for Humanity and Camp Spalding Hospice.

MEMBER: American Academy of Religion, American Society of Church History.

WRITINGS:

The Adventure, Inter-Varsity Press (Downers Grove, IL), 1985.

Loving across Our Differences, Inter-Varsity Press (Downers Grove, IL), 1994.

A Grace Disguised, Zondervan Publishing House (Grand Rapids, MI), 1996, revised edition, under name Jerry Sittser, published as A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss, 2004.

A Cautious Patriotism: The American Churches and the Second World War, University of North Carolina Press (Chapel Hill, NC), 1997.

The Will of God As a Way of Life: Finding and Following the Will of God, Zondervan Publishing House (Grand Rapids, MI), 2000, revised edition, under name Jerry Sittser, published as Discovering God's Will: How to Make Every Decision with Peace and Confidence, 2002, 3rd edition published as The Will of God As a Way of Life: How to Make Every Decision with Peace and Confidence, 2004.

(Under name Jerry Sittser) When God Doesn't Answer Your Prayer, Zondervan Publishing House (Grand Rapids, MI), 2003.

Contributor of articles and reviews to scholarly journals and popular periodicals.

WORK IN PROGRESS: A history of spirituality, completion expected in 2005.

SIDELIGHTS: Gerald L. Sittser told CA: "I write out of conviction, passion, interest, and curiosity. I also write because I want to be a bridge between the world of the academy and the world of ordinary people, thus making complex ideas and abstract knowledge accessible to intelligent outsiders.

"I research my topic first, then write a long and detailed abstract. When writing the book itself, I write fast and rewrite often.

"I am interested in exploring topics that touch on raw human need, on the dark side of human experiences, so that readers can find hope and perspective."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

periodicals

Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, January, 1999, review of A Cautious Patriotism: The American Churches and the Second World War, p. 209.

Books and Culture, May, 1999, review of A Cautious Patriotism, p. 10.

Catholic Historical Review, January, 1999, review of A Cautious Patriotism, p. 123.

Journal of American Studies, April, 1999, review of A Cautious Patriotism, p. 158.

Religious Studies Review, April, 1999, review of A Cautious Patriotism, p. 219.