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Dr. Cristóbal Serrán-Pagán y Fuentes
Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies
Departmental Area: Philosophy & Religious Studies
Research Areas: World Religions, Philosophy of Religion, History of Western and Eastern Philosophy, Comparative Ethics and Mysticism, Ecology and Global Spirituality, Religion, Philosophy and Films
Contact Information
Phone: (229) 333-5975
Address: Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies; 1500 N. Patterson Street; Valdosta State University; Valdosta, GA 31698-0050
Office: Ashley Hall 111
Email: cserranpagan@valdosta.edu
Office Hours: 1-2 p.m. (Fall 2011)
Curriculum Vitae: Link
Website: http://www.valdosta.edu/philosophy/serran_pagan.shtml
Background
B.A. – St. Thomas University (Liberal Arts and Business Administation)
M.A. – Boston College (Sacred Theology)
M.A. – Boston University (Philosophy)
Ph.D. – Boston University (Religious Studies; Philosophy of Religion)
Cristóbal Serrán-Pagán y Fuentes’ areas of expertise are in World Religions, Philosophy of Religion, History of Western and Eastern Philosophy, Comparative Ethics and Mysticism, Ecology and Global Spirituality, Religion, Philosophy and Films. Before joining VSU, Dr. Serrán-Pagán taught at Goucher College, at Illinois Wesleyan University, and at Coker College. Since his arrival in 2007 Dr. Serrán-Pagán has served as the faculty advisor for the Philosophy and Religious Studies Club, the Phi Sigma Tau (an international philosophy organization), and Amnesty International. Dr. Serrán-Pagán is a member of the AAR and The International Thomas Merton Society. He is currently serving as the onsite coordinator of the Robert Daggy Scholarship Program and is finishing editing a volume for Fons Vitae on Merton and Taoism.
Research Interests
- The interface of religion and science (currently working on several papers with biologist Sandy Leslie)
- Christian mysticism (my research has focused on St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Teilhard de Chardin, and Thomas Merton)
Selected Publications (if applicable)
- “Seeds of Hope in Times of Crisis: Saint John of the Cross and Thomas Merton,” edited by Fernando Beltrán Llavador and Paul M. Pearson, and published by Ediciones Cistercium-Ciem with the support of the Junta de Castilla y León in Seeds of Hope: Thomas Merton’s Contemplative Message (Zamora, Spain: Ediciones Monte Casino, 2008): 81-100.
- “Builders of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth: The Transforming Power of Agape Love” (The Merton Seasonal, Winter 2007): 3-11
Selected Conference Presentations (if applicable)
- “Merton´s Ruminations on the Spanish Carmelite Tradition: Cultivating Gardens in the Desert and Spiritual Deserts in the City” (paper accepted by the International Thomas Merton Society) The Twelfth Conference and General Meeting of the International Thomas Merton Society at Loyola University, Chicago, Illinois
- “Religion and American Democracy in the P-16 Classroom: Can they Co-Exist?” The American Association for Teaching and Curriculum at St. Louis, Missouri; this paper was co-presented with Dr. Peggy Moch from VSU
- “’The Future of the Earth is in our Hands’: Teilhard de Chardin on Religion and Science” (paper will be published online at the Unity Institute Theological Journal) Unity Institute’s Lyceum 2009 at Unity Village, Missouri
- “’The Root of War is Fear’: Merton and Hanh on Living Compassionately” (paper accepted by the International Thomas Merton Society) The Eleventh Conference and General Meeting of the International Thomas Merton Society at Nazareth College, Rochester, New York
- “’The Entire Universe is a Sea of Love’: Toward a Mystical theology of Love in St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross” (paper published online at the Unity Institute Theological Journal) Unity Institute’s Lyceum 2008 at Unity Village, Missouri
- “Builders of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth: The Beloved Community of Martin Luther King Jr. and Thomas Merton” (paper accepted by The International Thomas Merton Society) The Tenth Conference and General Meeting of the International Thomas Merton Society at Christian Brothers University, Memphis, Tennessee
- “’All Life Is Interrelated’: The Transforming Power of Agape Love in King, Merton, and Thurman,” (paper accepted by The Mid-Atlantic American Academy of Religion) 2007 Mid-Atlantic AAR and SBL Meeting, Baltimore, Maryland
Current Research Projects
Dr. Serrán-Pagán current research projects include working on a paper on Teilhard de Chardin which explores the interface between religion, spirituality and science and a review of Matthew A. Shadle´s The Origins of War.
- Editing volume on Merton and Taoism, (accepted by Fons Vitae Publishing Company)
- “’The Root of War is Fear’: Merton and Hanh on Living Compassionately,” (work in progress)
- “Panentheism in Teilhard de Chardin: A Creative Synthesis between Science and Religion,” (paper will be sent to Teilhard Studies—a peer-reviewed journal)
- “Matters of Fact & Matters of Faith: The Perception of Science as Pseudo-Religion,” (paper will be sent to Evolution: Education and Outreach—a peer-reviewed journal); this paper was co-written with Dr. Leslie S. Jones from VSU
Teaching Specializations
- World Religions
- Philosophy of Religion
- History of Western and Eastern Philosophy (Fundamentals of Philosophy)
- Comparative Ethics (Ethical Theory) and Mysticism (Mysticism and Social Justice)
- Religion, Philosophy and Films
- Ecology and Global Spirituality (Ecology and World Religions)
- Islam
- Hinduism
Dr. Serrán-Pagán’s Recent Courses
Summer 2011
- 50236 PHIL 3800 A 3.00 Philosophy, Religion, and Film
- 50241 REL 3800 A 3.00 Philosophy, Religion and Film
- Every summer Dr. Serrán-Pagán teaches two courses (“World Religions” and “Spanish Mysticism”) in Colegio Mayor San Pablo in Madrid, Spain, his native country. This is part of a Study Abroad Program through VSU’s European Council. Here is the link to our website: http://www.valdosta.edu/europeancouncil/New/Madrid.html.
- REL 2020 World Religions
- REL 4700/PHIL 4800 Spanish Mysticism
Fall 2011
- 80550 PHIL 3300 A 3.00 Philosophy of Religion
- 80556 REL 2020 A 3.00 World Religions
- 80557 REL 2020 B 3.00 World Religions
- 80564 REL 3300 A 3.00 Philosophy of Religion
- 80566 REL 3520 A 3.00 Islam
June 23, 2011