James Pankratz

Phone: 519-885-0220 x24232

Email: pankratz@uwaterloo.ca

Jim Pankratz completed his BA, MA, and PhD (1975) degrees at McMaster University. His doctoral work included two years of research in Calcutta, India, examining religious debates within Hindu society prompted by the encounter with European Christianity and liberalism in the early nineteenth century. His teaching areas have been World Religions, Religion and Culture, Worship, Global Christianity, Religion and Socio-Economic Development, and Christian Faith and Other Faiths. Most of his scholarly publications are on these topics. He has also written frequently in Mennonite and other Christian periodicals.

He was a faculty member and administrator at Concord College in Winnipeg, Manitoba for twenty years and at the MB Biblical Seminary in Fresno, California for eight years. He served with Mennonite Central Committee in Bangladesh, India and Nepal from 1982-85. He has preached and lectured in congregations, conferences, schools and social service organizations in North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America.

Hear what intrigues him about the interaction of cultures.

Research area

Theology of religions and inter-religious relations; comparative religious understanding of human nature, grace and scripture; religions on the Internet.

Selected publications

• “Militarism”, in The Encyclopedia of Mission and Missionaries, edited by Jonathan Bonk, in the series “Routledge Encyclopedias of Religion and Society,” David Levinson series editor, New York and London: Routledge, 2007, 246-248.

Selected activities

Public presentation

• “Leading from the Front” A review and assessment of the contributions of Dr. John E Toews to the educational mission and development of Pacific College, Conrad Grebel University College, Tabor College and Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary.

• Presented at the “Symposium Celebrating the Work and Life of John E Toews”, Fresno Pacific University, Fresno, California, March 28, 2008.

• “Christians and People of Other Religions: A Case Study of Islam”, Waterloo North Mennonite Church, March 9, 2008

• “Muslims and Christians”, Floradale Mennonite Church, November 3, 2007

• “Christian Faith and Other Faiths: An Optimistic View”, Mennonite Church Canada Assembly, Abbotsford, BC, July 6, 2007

• "Christian Faith and Other Faiths," Series of four lectures, Lendrum Mennonite Brethren Church, Edmonton, Alberta, February 4-6, 2007