Meet our new faculty in Religion! Q&A with Professor Jennifer Barry

jennifer%20barryMeet our new faculty in Religion!  Q&A With Professor Jennifer Barry

Where are you from or where have you lived?
My father was a pilot in the Air Force so we moved around quite a bit. By the time I graduated high school, I had already moved 12 times. As an adult, I have continued to move from place to place for my education and professional opportunities. In total, I have lived in 11 different states in the US and 2 countries overseas (Adana, Turkey and Ramstein, Germany). I have lived in the Virginia area 4 separate times throughout my life.

What do you study (area of expertise)?
In the Department of Classics, Philosophy, and Religion, I fall under the R. My specific area of study is early Christianity, but I focus primarily on late antiquity. Late antiquity is that transitional moment when Christianity becomes the favored cult of the late Roman Empire. I study topics such as clerical exile, orthodoxy and heresy, and gender and sexuality. I often describe myself as a feminist, a literary historian, and a religious studies scholar. Much of my work is interdisciplinary and I, therefore, feel right at home in the CPR. I am also an affiliated faculty member with the Women’s and Gender Study program.

What are your hobbies?
I am an avid runner. I have completed four marathons and have dabbled in sprint triathlons. My long-term goal is to qualify for the Boston marathon. I have a hard time sitting still so if you drop my office you find me bouncing on an exercise ball, which I use as an office chair. Whenever I have the chance, I also love to read fantasy novels. I am a geeky fan of anything from Harry Potter to Lord of the Rings.