Peter Smith, Assistant Professor of Peacemaking and Conflict Studies, School of Humanities, Religion and Social Science; Center for Peacemaking and Conflict Studies.

Office location: 4882 E. Townsend Ave.
Telephone: 559.453.3466
Fax: 559.252.4800
Email: peter.smith@fresno.edu

Background

My interests in peacemaking and conflict studies have always been cross-fertilized with my interests in theology in the push-pull of theory and praxis. While at Fresno Pacific as an undergrad, I discovered the peace tradition and began to explore it and claim it as my own. This led to studying more theology as well as experimenting in the methods of nonviolent activism. In the midst of part-time master's theological studies, I worked for the Center for Conflict Resolution in Southern California to engage alternative dispute resolution in a more formal, structured way. After several years immersed on the practitioner side, I swung back to more focus on theological matters. But even my doctoral research was centered on what it means for Anabaptist-Mennonites to faithfully embody our peace tradition. Prior to coming to FPU, my family spent 4 years in Zambia working under Mennonite Central Committee where I taught at an ecumenical foundation with a program for training church lay leaders in the arts and skills of peacemaking. I am married to Cheryl Dueck Smith and have two sons, Brendan and Jason.

Education

• B.A., history, Fresno Pacific College
• M.A., theology, Fuller Theological Seminary
• Ph.D., applied theology, University of Wales/International Baptist Theological Seminary

Scholarly interests

• Theology & Ethics of Peace/Nonviolence
• Mimetic Theory
• Ethics in Intercultural Perspectives

Publications and presentations

• "Theology Nurturing Participation: Alison and McClendon in Conversation on Mimesis, Atonement and Christology," a chapter invited for inclusion in Being Baptists—Doing Theology, edited by Parush R. Parushev & Nigel Wright, Studies in Baptist History & Thought series, volume 39 (Carlisle, Cumbria, UK: Paternoster, 2011, forthcoming).
• "Improvising the Practice of Nonresistance as Creative Mimesis," a chapter invited for inclusion in a book emerging from the COV&R 2006 conference, edited by Thomas Ryba and Vern Redekop, (Rowman and Littlefield, 2012, forthcoming).
• "The Role of the Ecumenical Movement in Brokering Peace"
  Presented at "Ecumenism & Peace: A Vision for the 21st Century" a symposium sponsored by Mindolo Ecumenical Foundation - Kitwe, Zambia, 2009.
• "The Temptation to Scapegoating: A Theological Analysis of the Practice of Mennonite Church Discipline"
  Presented at the Consultation on the Confession of Faith Ten Years Later in conjunction with Biennial Meetings of The Anabaptist-Mennonite Scholars Network and The Anabaptist Sociology and Anthropology Association - Elkhart, Indiana, 2006.
• "Violence and Hermeneutics: Common Challenges for Muslims and Christians"
  Presented at "Islam: Preaching Peace or Violence?" a conference sponsored by Globe Atlantic Corporation, New York University in Prague, and Association for International Affairs - Prague, Czech Republic, 2005.
• "Alison and McClendon in Conversation on Mimesis, Atonement and Christology"
  Presented at the Colloquium on Violence and Religion (COV&R) Annual Conference - Koblenz, Germany, 2005.