Resumé

EDUCATION

1970    DUKE UNIVERSITY
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science

1972    COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
Master of Science in Journalism

1978-1979    PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, WOODROW WILSON SCHOOL
Sloan Fellow in Economics Journalism (Academic Year)

1996    UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, KNIGHT CENTER
“Religion in America,” Specialized Reporting Session (One Week)

2002    UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, KNIGHT CENTER
“Islam in America,” Specialized Reporting Session (One Week)

2006    DUKE UNIVERSITY, SANFORD INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC POLICY, DUKE DIVINITY SCHOOL
Media Fellow (One Month)

2008  UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE (UK)
Templeton-Cambridge Journalism Fellow in Science & Religion (Two Months)

TEACHING POSITIONS

2015    ADJUNCT, Rollins College, Winter Park, FL
Journalistic Writing

2012    ADJUNCT, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
News Reporting

2011   ADJUNCT, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
News Reporting

2007   ADJUNCT, Rollins College, Winter Park, FL
“Kasha & Corn Bread: The Jewish Experience  in the American South” (Spring)
“Animating Faith: Religion & Popular Culture” (Fall)

1973-1980  ADJUNCT (Journalism and Political Science)
North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC
Kittrell College, Kittrell, NC
Vance-Granville Community College
(Federal Correctional Institute, Butner, NC)

1984- GUEST LECTURES
Princeton University
Cambridge University
Duke University Divinity School
Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University
European Union Broadcasters, Prague
Indiana University, Bloomington
Cal State University, Fullerton
Marymount College (Palos Verdes)
Southern Nazarene University (Oklahoma City)
Southeastern University of Oklahoma (Tahlequah)
Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL
University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
Palm Beach Atlantic University
Lethbridge Community College, Canada
Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena (Paper on the decline of professional cultural criticism in the Internet Age)
University of LaVerne, Ontario, (California)
Beacon College, Leesburg, Florida

ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS

• Spring/Summer, 2020, Harvard Divinity Bulletin, “At Trump’s Right Hand”
• Fall, 2018, Southern Jewish History, “KEHILLAH: A History of Jewish Life in Greater Orlando”
• Winter/Spring, 2013, Harvard Divinity Bulletin, “Jews, Evangelicals: Analyzing the Vote”
• Summer, 2011, Harvard Divinity Bulletin, “The How To’s of Accessibility”
• Winter, 2009,  Harvard Divinity Bulletin, “The Greening of Jesus”
• Winter, 2008,   Harvard Divinity Bulletin, “Teflon Televangelists”
• Spring, 2008     Duke Divinity Magazine, “The Golden Rolodex”
• Winter, 2007    Harvard Divinity Bulletin, “Evangelical Voters Take Stock”
• Winter, 2006    Harvard Divinity Bulletin, “Disney’s Narnia”
• July-Sept., 2006, Political Communication, “With God on Our Side:
  George W. Bush and the Rise of the Religious Right” (Review)
• 1973-2005        Columbia Journalism Review, various essays and reviews
• 1991-1993         Washington Journalism Review/American Journalism Review,
  essays and reviews
• 1991-1996        Quill, various articles
• February, 1988, Jump Cut, A Review of Contemporary Media, “’The Mission,’ Junipero Serra, and the politics of sainthood”
• March, 1986,   Jump Cut, “’Entering Middle Age’: China’s urban intellectuals”
• April, 1983,     Jump Cut,  “’Birth of a Nation,’  ‘Gone with the Wind,’
  ‘The Greensboro   Massacre’: Racism, history and mass media”

BOOKS

2022    Met Her on the Mountain: The Murder of Nancy Morgan University Press of Kentucky (updated trade paper and cloth)

2022    Drifting Into Darkness: Murders, Madness, Suicide, and a Death “Under Suspicious Circumstances” NewSouthBooks

2017    The Gospel According to the Simpsons: A Newer Testament (ebook original)

2013    Met Her on the Mountain: A Forty-Year Quest to Solve the Appalachian
Cold-Case Murder of Nancy Morgan. John F. Blair

2012    Amazing Gifts: Stories of Faith, Disability and Inclusion.
Alban Institute

2009    Leader’s Guide to Study, The Gospel According to the Simpsons (co-author) Westminster John Knox

2007   The Gospel According to The Simpsons: BIGGER and Possibly  Even BETTER! Edition.
Westminster John Knox Press

2006   A Jew Among the Evangelicals: A Guide to the Perplexed.
Westminster John Knox Press.
(Named one of the ten best books on religion for the year by Publishers Weekly magazine.)

2004    The Gospel According to Disney: Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust. 
Westminster John Knox Press

2001  The Gospel According to The Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World’s Most Animated Family.
Westminster John Knox

CHAPTERS AND ENTRIES

2018  Roses for the Soul: Celebrating the Life and Achievements of Dr. Samuel DuBois Cook, Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity, Duke University, edited by Karen Cook and Andy Burness

2012  Archeology, Politics, and the Media, Eisenbrauns, Winona Lake, IN. Carol Meyers and Eric Meyers, editors (Chapter, “Not Another Roadside Attraction: The Holy Land Experience in America”

2012   Don’t Stop Believin’: Pop Culture and Religion from Ben-Hur to Zombies, Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville, KY. Editors  Robert  Johnston, Craig Detweiler, and Barry Taylor (Entries, “Walt Disney,” “Rick Warren,” “The Simpsons,” “South Park”)                 

2008     Understanding Evangelical Media: The Changing Face of   Christian Communication. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity   Press. Quentin J. Schultze and Robert Woods, Jr., editors. (Chapter, “A Jewish Look at Evangelical Popular Culture”)

 2005    Quoting God: How Media Shape Ideas about Religion and Culture. Baylor University Press. Edited by Claire H. Badaracco. (Chapter, “View From the News Desk: Comedy and Death in Media Space”)

1997    Crimes of the Scene: A Mystery Novel Guide for the International Traveler. St. Martin’s Press. By Nina King, with Robin Winks and Other Contributors. (Chapter, “China: Here Comes the Judge”)

1993    The Cable Networks Handbook, edited by Robert Picard. Carpelan Publishing Co., Riverside, CA. (Chapter co-author, “Trinity Broadcasting Network”) 

JOURNALISM STAFF POSITIONS

1995-2008 ORLANDO SENTINEL, ORLANDO, FL
Senior Reporter/Religion

1984-1995  LOS ANGELES TIMES, ORANGE COUNTY, CA
Staff Writer

1982-1983  NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY, BEIJING, CHINA
Editorial Advisor

1971  ASSOCIATED PRESS, RALEIGH, NC
Legislative Coverage 

ONLINE WEB/DIGITAL REPORTING

2015   Politico, “Alan Grayson: No Reason a Democrat Has to Be a Weakling”

2010-2011   AOL’s politicsdaily.com, New Republic online, more than 10 articles, various subjects

NEWSPAPER AND NEWS SERVICE/FREELANCE

2010-    Religion News Service (reporting, commentary, analysis)

1970-1985    BASED IN DURHAM, NC
Clients included: New York Times, Boston Globe, Washington Star, Christian Science Monitor, Newsday, Philadelphia Inquirer, Miami Herald, Reuters News Service

NEWSPAPER OP-EDS

USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Guardian (UK), New York Times, Wall Street Journal, the Guardian                                        

MAGAZINE WRITING/FREELANCE

The New Republic Online, Christianity Today, Relevant, Moment, Tikkun, American Jewish Life, Orlando Magazine, Boston Globe Sunday Magazine, Tropic (Miami Herald), American Film, JumpCut, New Times, Authors Guild Bulletin, The Jewish Daily Forward, The Tablet (U.S.)

BROADCAST/FREELANCE

2001-    RADIO REPORTING
BBC Radio 4, “Sunday: Religious and Ethical News of the Week”
(Occasional contributor)

1992-    TELEVISION APPEARANCES
Cable News Network, “Reliable Sources.” Interviews on ABC, CNN, Court TV, NBC, “Religion & Ethics Newsweekly,” PBS.

1973-1983  RADIO REPORTING
Westinghouse Broadcasting, National Public Radio (“All Things Considered”), Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (“As It Happens”)

BROADCAST/STAFF

1998- 2002   TELEVISION REPORTING
Central Florida News 13 (Tribune/Time Warner Cable, via Orlando Sentinel cooperative agreement)

INTERNATIONAL REPORTING

2014   Australia, (Tasmania), The Tablet

2012-2013   Turkey, Jewish Daily Forward, Wall Street Journal

2011   Cuba, op-ed, USA Today

1984-    MEXICO/YUCATAN
Annual visits. Travel articles, reporting and essays for the Los Angeles Times, the Orlando Sentinel and Quill.

1984    VATICAN CITY
Front-page series on “The Politics of Sainthood” for the Los Angeles Times

1982-1983   CHINA, JAPAN, INDIA
Residence and travel over 15 months. Features and articles for the Asian Wall Street Journal, International Herald Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, the Nation, the Progressive

1978-1979    CUBA
Reporting Trips. Centerfold article for the Christian Science Monitor.          

1979   HAITI
Reporting Trip. Article for the Boston Globe

1972    ULSTER AND IRISH REPUBLIC
Six week reporting trip. Articles for the Village Voice and others 

1967    SINAI AND ISRAEL
Three month trip. Article for the Camden, N.J., Courier-Post 

SPECIALTIES

Evangelical Christianity, Diaspora, Judaism, religion and popular culture, televangelism, faith and disability, ethics, crime, courts and the judicial system, politics, film, economic development, China, Yucatan, the Middle East

AWARDS

2017     First Place, Best Coverage of Violence in Our Communities, Catholic Press Association, “Orlando surfaces issues of moral urgency,” (with Carol Stanton and National Catholic Reporter editors)

2015     Finalist, Thomas Wolfe Literary Award, Met Her on the Mountain: A Forty-Year Quest to Solve the Appalachian Cold-Case Murder of Nancy Morgan

2014     Gold Medal, True Crime, Independent Publisher Book Award, Met Her on the Mountain: A Forty-Year Quest to Solve the Appalachian Cold-Case Murder of Nancy Morgan

2012     Justice for All Disabilities Rights Award, American Association of People with Disabilities, Amazing Gifts: Stories of Faith, Disability and Inclusions

2011     Gold Award, Florida Magazine Association, Best In-Depth Reporting, “Alan Grayson Isn’t Taking Any Crap From Anyone”

2009     Gold Award, Florida Magazine Association, Best In-Depth Reporting, “The Bully Pulpit of George Crossley”

2008     John M. Templeton Religion Writer of the Year, Third Place

1994     Special Merit Award, State Bar of California Golden Medallion Awards

1987     Fifth Annual America-Israel Friendship Media Award. Bnai Zion Western Region

GRANTS

 1972-1982  Fund for Investigative Journalism, numerous grants

FAMILY

Married to Sarah M. Brown, Duke, ’71, UCF 2013, clinical social worker, freelance photographer,
Son, Asher Joseph Brown-Pinsky, Duke ‘10
Daughter, Liza Charlotte Brown-Pinsky, Duke ‘13