Intercultural Theology and Interreligious Studies - MPhil/PgDip

Sarah B. Garlington, (PhD, MPhil, MSSW - Assistant Professor, Social Work Program - Ohio University)

Before starting this course, I worked with various populations as a social worker and completed my Master’s in Social Work at the University of Tennessee. As a social worker, I experienced conflict in communities based on values and religious differences, and I engaged in interfaith work to address social welfare problems. I grew up in rural southern Appalachia where much of the population identified as Evangelical Christians, and these religious affiliations and beliefs felt like defining factors in community relationships in this very economically marginalized region. I came to TCD with a desire to understand how religion defines communities, and in particular how (at the time) religious extremism might be understood as more than a set of confining, authoritarian beliefs. I also was seeking a more theoretical (and theological) context for my social work interests. Through the program and the support of the faculty, I was able to build a more solid foundation of social critical analysis that has structured my research and ongoing social work practice (doctoral and post). I developed stronger writing skills through the essay assignments, sharper analysis skills through class discussions and lectures, and a more nuanced worldview through exposure to speakers, faculty, other students, and extra-curricular activities. I especially benefited from access to Peace Studies modules to supplement my course work and from the supportive relationships with faculty. My success in the doctoral program at Boston University and ongoing research at Ohio University is rooted in the foundation of my work at ISE.