MARVIN M. ELLISON
Employment:
Bass Professor of Christian Ethics
Bangor Theological Seminary
159 State Street
Portland, ME 04101
(207) 774-5212 Fax: (207) 874-2214
e-mail: Mellison@BTS.edu
Education:
Union Theological Seminary [New York]
Ph.D., l98l; M.Phil., l979
The Divinity School, the University of Chicago
M.A., l974
Entering Fellow, l970-7l
Davidson College
B.A., l970
Phi Beta Kappa
Ordination:
Presbyterian Church (USA), l98l
Minister-member, Presbytery of Northern New England
Professional memberships:
Society of Christian Ethics
American Academy of Religion
Maine Bioethics Network
Fellowships: Association of Theological Schools Younger Scholars Grant, 1987-88
American Academy of Religion Research Grant, 1987-88
Visiting Scholar, Union Theological Seminary [New York], Fall 1987
Publications:
Books
Erotic Justice: A Liberating Ethic of Sexuality. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1996.
Co-author with John C. Carey and Sylvia Thorson-Smith, Keeping Body and Soul Together: Sexuality, Spirituality, and Social Justice. Louisville: Presbyterian Church (USA), 1991.
The Center Cannot Hold: The Search for a Global Economy of Justice. Lanham, Maryland: University Press of America, l983.
Articles
"Ethical Eroticism as a Call to Love Fearlessly: Reimaging Sexuality as Our Passion for Justice," The ISTI Sun 4:3 (July 1998), 1-6.
What Makes ‘Good Sex’ Good? Developing a Gay-Positive Sex Ethic," Open Hands 13:4 (Spring 1998), 18-20.
"Why Do We Have to Keep Talking About These Things? The Challenge before the Churches to Advocate Sexual Justice," Horizons 2:1 (Spring 1996), 29-34.
Why Do We Have to Keep Talking About These Things?," More Light Update 16:8 (March 1996), 4-7.
A Time to Plant, a Time to Pluck: Ethical Reflections on Suicide and Assisted Suicide," Horizons 1:2 (Fall 1995), 73-92.
"Humbling the Powerful and Lifting the Lowly," More Light Update 15:11 (June-July 1995), 13.
Hope Lies in the ‘Struggle Against It’: Co-Teaching a Seminary Course on Domestic Violence and Theology," with Kristina B. Hewey, in Violence Against Women and Children: A Religious Sourcebook, ed. Marie M. Fortune and Carol J. Adams (New York: Continuum, 1995), 479-501.
"On the Moral Question," in Called Out: The Voices and Gifts of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered Presbyterians , ed. Jane Adams Spahr, Kathryn Poethig, Selisse Berry, and Melinda V. McLain (Gaithersburg, MD: Chi Rho Press, 1995).
"Sexuality as a Justice Issue," in The Sexuality Debate in North American Churches, 1988-1995: Controversies, Unresolved Issues, Future Prospects, ed. John J. Carey (Lewiston, New York: The Edwin Mellen Press, 1995), 103-110.
"Spirited Sex: Good News for the Church," More Light Update 14:10 (May 1994), 1-4.
"Why We Can’t Wait: A Gay Christian Remembers Dr. King," More Light Update 14:9 (April 1994), 1-2.
"Common Decency: A New Christian Sexual Ethics," in Sexuality and the Sacred: Sources for Theological Reflection, ed. James B. Nelson and Sandra P. Longfellow (Westminster/John Knox Press, 1994), 236-241.
Refusing to Be 'Good Soldiers': An Agenda for Men," in Sexuality and the Sacred: Sources for Theological Reflection, ed. James B. Nelson and Sandra P. Longfellow (Westminster/John Knox Press, 1994), 335-344.
Holding Up Our Half of the Sky: Male Gender Privilege as Problem and Resource for Liberation Ethics," Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion 9:1-2 (Spring/Fall 1993), 95-113.
Common Decency: A New Christian Sexual Ethics," in Moral Issues and Christian Response, ed. Paul T. Jersild and Dale A. Johnson (Forth Worth: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1993), 42-48.
"Gays and the Church," Crosspoint 3:2 (Spring 1993), 2-4.
"Homosexuality and Protestantism," in Homosexuality and World Religions, ed. Arlene Swidler (Valley Forge, PA: Trinity Press International, 1993), 149-179.
"Embodying Christianity," More Light Prayers: More Light Update 12:6 (January 1992), 13.
Coming of Age, But Not Yet Free," The Survivor Resource Chronicle 6:l (Winter l99l), 2 and 8.
"Common Decency: A New Christian Sexual Ethics," Christianity and Crisis 50:l6 (November l2, l990), 352-356.
"Refusing to Be ‘Good Soldiers’: An Agenda for Men," in Redefining Sexual Ethics: A Sourcebook of Essays, Stories, and Poems, ed. Eleanor Haney and Susan E. Davies (Cleveland: Pilgrim Press, 1991), 189-198.
"Questioning AIDS," Network News l:l (August l990), 3.
Sexuality and Spirituality: An Intimate -- and Intimidating -- Connection," Church and Society 80:2 (November-December l989), 26-34.
"Theology Born in Resistance," Christianity and Crisis 49:9 (June l2, l989), l85-6.
"Faithfulness, Morality and Vision: Questions for a Justice-Seeking Church," Christianity and Crisis 47:l6 (November 9, l987), 381-3.
"Making the World Safe for Transnational Capitalism?," in The Public Vocation of Christian Ethics, ed. Beverly W. Harrison, Robert L. Stivers and Ronald H. Stone (New York: Pilgrim Press, l986), 51-68.
"The Pleasure of Your Company: A Presbyterian Theologian's Response to the UFMCC's Application for Membership in the NCCC," More Light Update (January l984), 2-13.
"The NCC on the Hook," Christian Century l00:32 (November 2, l983), 98l-2.
Book Reviews
Human Rights and the World’s Religions, ed. Leroy S. Rouner (University of Notre Dame Press, 1988), Journal of the American Academy of Religion 60:1 (Spring 1992), 177-180.
"Rape: Male Power vs. Guilt," Christianity and Crisis 51:16-17 (November 18, 1991), 369-371. Review of Diana Scully, Understanding Sexual Violence: A Study of Convicted Rapists (Boston: Unwim-Hyman, 1990).
David C. Thomasma, Human Life In the Balance (Westminster/John Knox Press, 1990), Christian Century 108:30 (October 23, 1991), 971-972.
"Men, Feminism and Sexuality," Christianity and Crisis 48:l6 (November 7, l988), 400-2. Review of James B. Nelson, The Intimate Connection: Male Sexuality, Masculine Spirituality [Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1988].
Anthony Campolo, Partly Right: Christianity Responds to Its Critics (Word Books, l98 5), Christian Century l03:30 (October l5, l987), 892.
James F. Childress, Who Should Decide? Paternalism in Health Care (Oxford University Press, l982), Christian Century l00:l9 (June 8-l5, l983), 589-590.
Revised 9/98
Last modified April 26, 2004.