An expert in interfaith dialogue and Muslim-Christian relations, Almirzanah has a PhD and master鈥檚 degrees in theology from the Lutheran School of Theology, as well as a DMin degree from Catholic Theological Union, all located in Chicago, Illinois. She earned an MA in philosophy and a BA in comparative religions at State Islamic University Sunan Kalijaga, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Almirzanah is also sponsored by the , the William and Mary Greve Foundation, and an anonymous donor.

Almirzanah was carefully selected to meet the center鈥檚 objectives, says CIE Interim Director , who coordinated the logistics of the year-long application process with former director Ed Martin. CIE administrators sought a scholar of unique qualifications from Indonesia, the most populous Muslim country in the world.

CIE and EMU last hosted in the 2014-5 academic year. Professor Amir Akrami, of Iran, arrived in September 2012, and his wife, Professor Sedigheh (Sheida) Shakouri Rad came the next year. That three-year visiting scholar program was funded by the Henry Luce Foundation of New York City.

Expert in interfaith dialogue

Almirzanah was highly recommended by Professor Emeritus , with whom she had taught a class at her home university in Indonesia, as well as Georgetown University professor , founding director of the in the Walsh School of Foreign Service.

She is teaching comparative mysticisms and world religions courses within the Bible and religion department. In the spring, she will co-teach an Asian history course, and join Professor for a course on women, religion and social change in the .

Additionally, she will have opportunities to speak in local Christian, Jewish and Muslim houses of worship, as well as to local social organizations.

Nussbaum says Almirzanah鈥檚 studies and practice will help expand the definition of interfaith dialogue, beyond the stereotype of 鈥渢heologians sitting in a room discussing scripture or holy text.鈥�

鈥淪he brings a bigger picture, an expansion of the idea of interfaith engagement into something more practical and applied,鈥� Nussbaum says. 鈥淟iving as a person of faith in a community is always applied and Shafa does that well with her studies and her practice. Interfaith engagement is not only dialogue, it is also how you live, how you transform conflict, how you treat people near you, how you treat the environment, and how to learn to live together in different cultures and faiths.鈥�

While EMU has hosted many Fulbright Scholars, especially in 2004-06 when the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding partnered with the Fulbright Conflict Resolution Program to provide peacebuilding training, Almirzanah is the first teaching scholar.

A scholar who prioritizes practice

Almirizanah grew up in Indonesia with a mother and father who held different perspectives about their religion. 鈥淚 was never forced to follow one or the other,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 just grew up knowing there were differences.鈥�

For six years through graduation from high school, she attended a progressive Islamic boarding school with opportunities to interact with people of other faiths. 鈥淚t was very close to a Buddhist temple, and there was also collaboration with a Catholic seminary. We often worked together with them, and people from the seminary would stay at the school, so I had many opportunities to encounter non-Muslims.鈥�

Moving into interfaith work after her university studies was a natural progression. From 1996-2001, she was research coordinator for the (INTERFIDEI) which has provided the opportunity to become a practitioner of dialogue. She remains a board member of the organization.

鈥淭eaching is OK for academic people,鈥� she says, with a smile, 鈥渂ut I really wanted to engage with Catholics, Buddhists, Protestants and people of other faiths who want to build a more pluralistic society. The opportunity to teach courses on religion and conflict resolutions, to be among invited experts, to host a workshop on conflict resolution in a conflict area, and hold trainings on harmonious religion 鈥� this is very important to me.鈥�

She has traveled to 23 countries during her scholarly career to speak about these issues, and has been a visiting scholar at several universities, bring with her years of experience teaching on a variety of subjects: approaches and methodology of the study of religions, introduction to Islam, religious minorities, hermeneutics, Sufism, interfaith dialogue in Indonesia, mysticism/Sufism in comparative perspectives, ethics, women鈥檚 roles, and Christian-Muslim dialogue, among others.

Personal growth through exploration of other faiths

Almirzanah says that religion has become the 鈥渂iggest force in the world for worse or for better,鈥� one reason why people need to seek greater understanding.

鈥淚 want to enrich myself and enrich others, so we are learning and always learning. I pass over from my tradition to other traditions to enrich and be enriched, and after that, I have to come back with a new horizon because of enrichment. So that I can criticize myself and our community. We must have the courage to criticize ourselves. But I like to say that 鈥業f you don鈥檛 know others, you cannot love. If you cannot understand the religion of others, you can鈥檛 understand yourself or your neighbor.鈥�

Almirzanah has authored or co-authored nine books, including (Blue Dome Press, 2011), and edited many others. One of her more recent books, When Mecca Becomes Las Vegas: Religion, Politics, and Ideology (Gramedia, 2014), criticized the expansion of pilgrimage infrastructure in the holy city at the expense of its historical sites, a metaphor for the spiritual desert she views many Muslims living within.

She is also an active social commentator, contributing op-ed pieces to the Jakarta Post.

The new faculty, announced by , provost; Michael King, dean of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies and of Eastern Mennonite Seminary; and , vice president and undergraduate academic dean, include:

Linda Alger, instructor of nursing. Alger earned a MSN at Walden University and a BS in nursing from EMU. She brings extensive nursing experience as a staff nurse and director of the critical care unit at RMH/Sentara. Alger has taught at Blue Ridge Community College and will bring her clinical experience to the clinical classroom setting at EMU.

Clement Acevedo, instructor of music. Acevedo is a DMA candidate at James Madison University School of Music, with an anticipated completion date in 2016. 聽He earned a BM from University of the Philippines College of Music; an MM in piano performance from Temple University Boyer College of Music and Dance; and an MM in piano pedagogy from West Chester University of Pennsylvania School of Music. Acevedo鈥檚 professional experiences include serving as the choir director and minister of music at a Lutheran church in Pennsylvania, teaching Suzuki and traditional piano, and performing in the Philippines, China and the United States.

Syafaatun Almirzanah, PhD, professor of religious studies. Almirzanah is a Fulbright Scholar from Indonesia who will teach religious studies. She has a PhD and master鈥檚 degrees in theology from the Lutheran School of Theology, as well as a DMin degree from Catholic Theological Seminary, all located in Chicago, Illinois. She earned an MA in philosophy and a BA in comparative religions at Islamic University Sunan Kalijaga, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Tammy Duxbury, assistant professor of accounting. Duxbury earned an MS in taxation from Bryant University and a BS in business and commerce-accounting at the University of Houston-Downtown. Duxbury brings accounting experience in the areas of taxation, taxation research and tax consulting along with experience in personal finance planning and consultation. She was an adjunct accounting instructor and a scholarly practitioner at several institutions.

Jan Emswiler,聽 instructor of nursing. Emswiler earned a MPH in international health and development from Tulane University School of Public Health and a BA in nursing and biology from 草莓社区 . Emswiler brings international nursing experience in the areas of public health, HIV/AIDS care and support, and maternal child health care. She has taught in Zambia and Tanzania, and at Goshen College and James Madison University

Dana Farrar, instructor of nursing. Farrar holds an MSN and BS in nursing from 草莓社区 . She brings hospital floor experience in medical/surgical units and orthopedics as well as experience as an e-health specialist at Sentara RMH.

Jeanne Heil, PhD, assistant professor of Spanish. A scholar of applied linguistics with the ability to teach both language and linguistics, Heil earned a BA聽 in Spanish from Wittenberg University and an MA and PhD in Hispanic studies from University of Illinois. She will contribute both teaching expertise and administrative experience as a language coordinator to the language and literature department.

Cassandra Kennell, PhD, assistant professor of psychology. Kennell, an experienced substance abuse therapist, holds both a PhD and MA in clinical psychology from the American School of Psychology. She earned an MA in counseling at EMU and a BS in psychology from the University of South Florida. At Shenandoah Psychological Services, LLC, she has provided individual and group therapy for children, adolescents, families and couples, as well as psychological and neuropsychological testing,

Roxann Allen Kioko, instructor of business. Kioko anticipates completion of a PhD in strategic leadership from James Madison University in fall 2016. She earned an MA in conflict transformation from the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at EMU and a BA in history from EMU. Kioko brings professional and administrative experience in numerous non-governmental organizations along with teaching experience in Ethiopia with Mennonite Central Committee. Kioko has been an adjunct instructor for both undergraduate and graduate courses at EMU.

Eva Pastalkova, PhD, assistant professor of biology. Pastalkova holds a PhD and MS in neuroscience, and a BA in biology from Charles University in the Czech Republic. She has been an innovative researcher, teacher, program developer and administrator to both the undergraduate biology and graduate biomedicine departments. Her expertise in the areas of bioinformatics, neuroscience and biology will add value and breadth in both departments.

Andrew Suderman, instructor of theology. Suderman anticipates completing a PhD in systematic theology from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa this year. He earned a BA in philosophy from Canadian Mennonite University and an MT in theological studies from Conrad Grebel University in Canada. He brings international and cross-cultural experience in Costa Rica, Bolivia, Colombia and South Africa.

Paul Yoder, PhD, assistant professor of education. An experienced teacher at several levels, Yoder completed his PhD in curriculum and instruction from University of Virginia. He earned his MA in education and a BA in history and social science from 草莓社区. He has taught social studies, US history and English as a Second Language in Harrisonburg area public schools. In addition, he has been an adjunct instructor at James Madison University and EMU, and taught in the EMU鈥檚 Intensive English Program

Zelijko Mirkovic, instructor of digital media. Mirkovic is an award-winning film and television director who contributes expertise in the areas of producing, scriptwriting, technical skills and new media knowledge. He anticipates completion of his PhD in media and communication from the University of Vienna, Austria. Mirkovic earned a BA from The Academy of Art Bra膰a Kari膰聽 in Belgrade and an MA in media practice from Bournemouth University, United Kingdom.