Evelyn Anne Kirkley

Background

Evelyn A. Kirkley was born on January 29, 1961, in Bethesda, Maryland, United States. She is the daughter of Owen Major and Jean Kirkley.

Education

In 1982 Evelyn A. Kirkley received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of William and Mary. In 1985 she obtained a Master of Divinity degree from the Union Theological Seminary. In 1993 Kirkley gained a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Duke University.

Career

From 1990 to 1995 Evelyn A. Kirkley was an assistant professor of theology at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School. In 1995 she was appointed as an associate professor of theology and religious studies at the University of San Diego. Currently, she is a professor of theology at this university.

She is an advisor to Pride, University of San Diego’s organization for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, queer, and questioning undergraduate students and allies. She has also served as co-director of the Gender Studies Program and director of the Faculty and Curriculum Development Program. She teaches about the history of Christianity and other religious movements, especially in the United States. Her research focuses on alternative religious movements (often called "cults" or "sects") in the United States and intersections between religion and gender, race/ethnicity, and sexual orientation.

Kirkley regularly teaches Christianity and Its Practice, Cults and Sects in the United States, Protestantism in the United States, and Gender and Religion in the United States. Her book, Rational Mothers and Infidel Gentlemen (2000), analyzed constructions of masculinity and femininity among organized atheists and agnostics between the Civil War and World War I.

Achievements

• Evelyn A. Kirkley is best known as the author of Rational Mothers and Infidel Gentlemen: Gender in American Atheism, 1865-1915. The Evelyn Kirkley Award for Leadership Award of the University of San Diego was named in her honor. Her works received high praise from critics.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Rational Mothers and Infidel Gentlemen: Gender and American Atheism, 1865-1915 2000

Interests

• bicycling

Connections

Evelyn A. Kirkley is a life partner of Anita Jean Knowles, a filmmaker.

Father:

Owen Major Kirkley

Mother:

Jean Lohr Kirkley

life partner:

Anita Jean Knowles

References

• Contemporary Authors
  2011