Peter Ross Bedford, associate professor of Religious Studies and History at Edith Cowan University in Australia, has been named the first John and Jane Wold Professor of Religious Studies at Union College.
Bedford, 49, will direct an interdisciplinary program in Religious Studies, teaching a variety of courses. Union has had a minor in religious studies for 15 years, and Bedford’s hiring is a key step toward eventually elevating the program to a major in hopes of enabling students to understand and appreciate religious diversity in the modern world.
“I am very pleased that Peter Bedford will be joining the Union College faculty,” said President Stephen C. Ainlay. “He is broadly educated and understands well the study of religion in a liberal arts context. His ability to teach about religions of the world and his commitment to interdisciplinarity will undoubtedly serve Union well. I am also extraordinarily grateful to the Wold family for its continued generosity to Union.”
A search committee chaired by Mathematics Professor Julius B. Barbanel selected Bedford from among 115 applicants. Bedford will officially join Union Sept. 1.
“Peter Bedford's appointment marks a very important step in the development of our Religious Studies program,” said Therese McCarty, interim vice president for Academic Affairs and dean of the faculty. “He is a world-class scholar, an experienced administrator and a dedicated teacher. He will offer a broad range of courses that certainly will be of interest to many of our students.”
Bedford received his B.A. in 1981 from the University of Sydney and his M.A. in 1985 and Ph.D in 1992 from the University of Chicago’s Department of Near East Languages and Civilizations. His specialization was the History of Ancient Syria-Palestine.
Bedford has been at Edith Cowan University since 1990. Among the classes he has taught there were Judaism/Christianity/Islam; Islamic Society (an overview from the seventh century CE to the present); and History and Archaeology of Ancient Egypt.
He is a prolific scholar, authoring dozens of book chapters, articles and technical reports.
“The academic study of religion finds a natural home at Union. It is integral to the liberal arts curriculum since religion is pervasive in human societies, currently and historically,” said Bedford.
“The study of religion allows us to examine matters that people hold to be of greatest import. It promotes a conversation about religion and between religions. ‘How can I relate to my neighbors, both at home and abroad, if I do not understand how religion informs their values and identity? How can communication begin without first grasping the central tenets of each other’s religion?’ To study religion is therefore to study ‘meaning’ and ‘difference’ and with that comes the opportunity to understand others better, as well as ourselves.”
Hans-Friedrich Mueller, professor and chair of Classics and interim chair of Modern Languages and Literatures, said Bedford will bring a new dimension to course offerings not only in Religious Studies, but across the curriculum.
“His courses on Judaism, Christianity and Islam may, for example, be of interest to students in history and political science,” said Mueller, a member of the search committee. “His courses in Egyptian history and religion may be of interest to Africana Studies. Globalism is a new word, but an ancient fact. Professor Bedford may not teach every single subject in Religious Studies, but almost everything he does teach will fill gaps in our curriculum and help build interdisciplinary bridges among the areas we already cover.”
Bedford’s wife, Kerry, will join the College’s Schaffer Library as public services librarian.
Funding for the position comes from John Wold ’38, a geologist and former U.S. congressman from Casper, Wyo., and his wife, Jane, who pledged $20 million in 2002, the largest gift to the College.