Core Faculty
Najib Awad nawad@hartsem.edu (860) 987-8048
Associate Professor of Christian Theology
Director, International Ph.D. Program
Areas of Study
Systematic Theology
Doctrine of the Trinity
Theology of Religions
Contextual Theology
Arabic Christianity and Christian-Muslim Relations.
Oriental/Arab Christianity
David D. Grafton dgrafton@hartsem.edu (860) 509-9538
Professor of Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations
Areas of Study
Christian-Muslim relationships
History of Christianity in the Middle East
American Christian perspectives on religion and society in the Middle East
19th and 20th Protestant missionary thought on Islam
Deena Grant dgrant@hartsem.edu
Associate Professor of Jewish Studies
Areas of Study
Hebrew Bible
Israelite Religion
Anthropomorphism
Jewish Interpretive Traditions
Seyfeddin Kara skara@hartsem.edu
Assistant Professor of Shi’i Studies and Relations between Islamic Schools of Thought
Areas of Study
Shiʿi studies
Quranic studies
Hadith studies
Sunni-Shiʿi relations
Early history of Islam
Islamic legal theory
Islam and politics
Islam and human rights
Islamophobia studies
Shanell T. Smith ssmith@hartsem.edu (860) 509-9575
Assistant Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins
Director, Cooperative Master of Divinity Program
Areas of Study
Feminist and Womanist Biblical Interpretation
Gender and Sexuality in the New Testament
Intersections of Postcolonial, African American, and New Testament Studies
Revelation
Scott Thumma sthumma@hartsem.edu (860) 509-9571
Academic Dean
Professor of Sociology of Religion
Director, D.Min. Program
Director, Hartford Institute for Religion Research
Areas of Study
Megachurch characteristics and dynamics
The increase in nondenominational churches
The impact of the Internet on congregational dynamics
Congregational studies of healthy growth and member engagement
Congregational/Denominational trends of Religion in America
Timur Yuskaev yuskaev@hartsem.edu (860) 509-9554
Associate Professor of Contemporary Islam
Holder of the Islamic Chaplaincy Faculty Chair
Director, Imam and Muslim Community Leadership Program
Co-Director, Islamic Chaplaincy Program
Co-Editor of The Muslim World journal
Areas of Study
Contemporary Islam
American Muslim Communities
Qur’anic Studies
Faculty Associates
Mahmoud Ayoub mayoub@hartsem.edu (860) 509-9537
Faculty Associate in Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations
Areas of Study
Shi’ite Islam
Comparative religions
Interfaith dialogue
Christian-Muslim relations
Steven Blackburn sblackburn@hartsem.edu (860) 509-9560
Faculty Associate in Semitic Scriptures
Curator of the Library’s Arabic Collection
Areas of Study
Arabic (Classical and Standard)
Semitic Scriptures
Information Literacy
Brian Clark bclark@hartsem.edu
Faculty Associate in World Christianity
Director of Online Learning
Areas of Study
Modern World Christianity
History of Mission
Transatlantic Methodism
Early Evangelicalism
Women in Popular Protestantism
The Design of Instruction
Instruction of Adult Learners
Adair Lummis alummis@hartsem.edu (860) 509-9547
Faculty Associate in Research
Areas of Study
Clergy concerns
Gender, spirituality and leadership in faith communities
Denominational policies
Lucinda Mosher lmosher@hartsem.edu (646) 335 2951
Faculty Associate in Interfaith Studies
Director, Multifaith Chaplaincy Program
Areas of Study
America’s Religious Diversity
Theology: Christian and Comparative
Christian-Muslim Relations
Jewish-Christian-Muslim Relations
Michael Piazza mpiazza@hartsem.edu
Faculty Associate in Congregational Renewal
Areas of Study
Congregational Renewal
Preaching and Worship
Stewardship and Development
Leadership Development
Turn around congregations
Social Justice and Activism
LGBTQ Studies
Donna Schaper donnaschaper@judson.org
Faculty Associate in Religious Leadership
Areas of Study
Leadership Development
Turn around congregations
Start-up Congregations
New Church Starts
Fund and Energy Raising
Pastoral Theology
Public Ministry
Parish Ministry Administration
Benjamin Watts bwatts@hartsem.edu (860) 509-9514
Faculty Associate in Religion and Community Life
Director of the Black Ministries Program
Areas of Study
Arts of Ministry
Homiletics
Spirituality
Miriam Therese Winter mtwinter@hartsem.edu (860) 509-9558
Faculty Associate in Transformative Leadership and Spirituality
Director, Master of Arts in Transformative Leadership and Spirituality
Director of the Women’s Leadership Institute
Areas of Study
Liturgy, Worship, Spirituality and Feminist Studies