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Overview
Faculty
Majors
Sociology
Anthropology
Courses
Special
Resources
Opportunities
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Professional and Personal Interests
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Dr. Mathisen was born in central Wisconsin where he lived on
a farm before moving to Wausau where he graduated from high
school. He pursued higher education at Bryan College and graduated
with a B.A. in Biblical studies in 1964. After his undergraduate
work, Dr. Mathisen taught at a Bible college for several years
before he began his graduate studies at Wheaton, earning an
M.A. (1969) in Old Testament. Upon graduating from Wheaton,
he started working as a textbook editor and it was during this
time that Dr. Mathisen realized that he wanted to pursue a Ph.D.
in sociology of religion.
Because of his newfound interest, Dr. Mathisen enrolled in a
joint sociology of religion program between Northwestern University
and Garrett-Evangelical Seminary. He began teaching at Aurora
University in the Sociology Department and continued his position
for several years after his Ph.D. completion. In 1983, he joined
the Wheaton College faculty and was the chair of the department
from 1995-2001. Currently, he is interested in topics such as
the Promise Keepers and American sport as a folk religion. He
is currently completing a book manuscript about the sociology
of American religion.
Outside of the classroom, Dr. Mathisen can be spotted at the
college's major sporting events. He and his wife, Sharon, share
interests in classical music, Amish culture, and browsing through
antique and second-hand stores.
| Courses
Taught |
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Membership in Professional Societies |
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- American Sociological Association
- Midwest Sociological Association
- North Central Sociological Association
- Illinois Sociological Association
- Society for the Scientific Study of Religion
- Association for the Sociology of Religion
- Religious Research Association
- North American Society for the Sociology of Sport
- North American Society for Sport History
- American Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Recreation,
and Dance
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Research |
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Individual: Dr. Mathisen is currently researching the
role that intercollegiate sports have at universities, specifically
the role sports play at Christian colleges. This project is
building off of his early work in the sociology of sports, extending
the argument from his co-authored book, Muscular Christianity:
Evangelical Protestants and the Development of American Sport.
| Papers
Published and/or Presented |
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- Mathisen, James A. "Sport." In Handbook of Religion and Social Institutions, Helen Rose Ebaugh, ed. (New York: Springer, 2005) pg. 285-303.
- Mathisen, James. A. 2003. "From Dean Kelley to Andrew
Greeley: What Have We Learned about Why Churches Grow?"
Books and Culture, (forthcoming).
- Mathisen, James A. 2003. "Integrating World Views
with Social Roles." Journal of Psychology and Christianity,
(forthcoming).
- Mathisen,
James. A. 2001. "American Sport as Folk Religion: Examining
a Test of Its Strength." Pp. 141-159 in From Season
to Season, edited by J. L. Price. Macon, GA:
Mercer University.
- Mathisen, James A. 2001. "The
Strange Decade of the Promise Keepers." Books and
Culture 7:36-39.
- Mathisen, James A. 1992. "Civil Religion." Pp.
88-94 in A New Handbook of Christian Theology, edited
by D. W. Musser & J. L. Price. Nashville, TN:
Abingdon Press.
- Mathisen, James A. and M. S. Hamilton. 1997. "Faith
and Learning at Wheaton College." Pp. 262-84 in Models
for Christian Higher Education, edited by R. T. Hughes
and W. B. Adrian. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans.
- Mathisen,
James A. and T. Ladd. 1999.
Muscular Christianity: Evangelical Protestants and the Development
of American Sport. Grand
Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
Faculty
continued: Dr. Alvaro Nieves
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