Michael Barram

Overview

Department: 
School of Liberal Arts » Theology and Religious Studies
SMC Email Address: 
mbarram@stmarys-ca.edu
Contact Information: 

Office
Dante Hall - 335

Contact:
Email: mbarram@stmarys-ca.edu
Mail: P.O. Box 4297

Education

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Biblical Studies (New Testament), Union Theological Seminary-PSCE (Richmond, VA), 2001 
  • Master of Theology, Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, 1995
  • Master of Divinity., Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, 1994
  • Bachelor of Arts in International Studies (with minors in History and Spanish), Whitworth College, 1989
    Summa cum laude

Professional Experience

Teaching Experience:

  • Professor of Theology & Religious Studies - Saint Mary's College of California (July 2011 - Present)
  • Associate Professor of Theology & Religious Studies - Saint Mary's College of California (July 2005 - June 2011)
  • Assistant Professor of Religious Studies - Saint Mary's College of California (July 2001 - June 2005)
  • Adjunct Instructor ("Letters of Paul") - College of William and Mary (February 2001 - May 2001)
  • Adjunct Instructor ("Letters of Paul") - College of William and Mary (February 2000 - May 2000)
  • Visiting Instructor (Elementary Biblical Greek I-II) - Union Theological Seminary-PSCE (Richmond, VA) (February 1997 - May 2001)

 

Other Experience:

  • Sabbatical Research: "Transformation for Life: Biblical Economic Formation in Missional Perspective" (2014-15)
  • Sabbatical Research: "Biblical and Theological Perspectives on Economic Justice" (Nicaragua, 2007-08)
  • Editorial Board for GOCN Book Series (Eerdmans)

Courses Taught

Recently Taught:

  • Wealth and Poverty in the Bible
  • The Bible and Its Interpretation
  • TRS 191 -- Intensive Inquiry and Writing in the Discipline course ("Paul's Letters and Legacy" [2016]; "Gospel of Matthew" [2017]; "Gospel of Luke" [2018])
  • Lasallian Service Internship II (International travel sites, 2018)
  • Enduring Legacies: Nicaragua and Costa Rica (January Term 2016; travel course with Aaron Sachs [Communication])
  • The Impact and Ethics of Climate Change in Nicaragua (January Term 2014; travel course with Aaron Sachs [Communication])
  • Seminar 1: Critical Strategies and Great Questions (2014)
  • What is Social Justice?: Perspectives, Problems, and Possibilities (Jan Term 2010, 2011, 2013)
  • Crops, Cash, and Crossing Borders: Food Justice in Nicaragua (January Term 2012; travel course with Aaron Sachs [Communication])
  • Jesus and His Teaching
  • Nicaragua and El Salvador: Religion and Politics in Conflict (travel course, January 2008)
  • Human Dignity and Economic Justice in India (travel course, January 2007)
  • Living Dangerously: Discipleship in Action (January 2005, 2006)
  • 19th and 20th Century Thought (Collegiate Seminar)
  • Renaissance, 17th and 18th Century Thought (Collegiate Seminar)
  • Roman, Early Christian, Medieval Thought (Collegiate Seminar)
  • Greek Thought (Collegiate Seminar)

Regularly Taught:

  • TRS 191 -- Intensive Inquiry and Writing in the Discipline course -- Scripture
  • The Bible and Its Interpretation
  • Wealth and Poverty in the Bible
  • Jesus and His Teaching

Service

Department Chair:

  • Theology & Religious Studies
    (2009 - 2012)

Member (appointed):

  • Theological Understanding (Core Curriculum Learning Goal) Working Group
    (2013 - 2014)
  • CCIC Subcommittee on "Theological Understanding" learning outcomes
    (October 2010)
  • CCIC Subcommittee on "The Common Good" learning outcomes
    (September 2010)
  • Engaged Teaching Advisory Committee (CILSA)
    (2008 - 2010)
  • Regional Formation for Mission Board (Christian Brothers)
    (September 2006 - May 2007)
  • Institutional Review Board (Berkeley Policy Associates)
    (2006)
  • Lasallian Social Justice Institute Advisory Board
    (September 2005 - May 2007)
  • CILSA Associate DIrector Search Committee
    (2005)
  • January Term Committee
    (2005 - 2007)
  • Student Research and Development Fund Committee
    (2004 - 2007)
  • Faculty Senate Parliamentarian
    (September 2003 - May 2006)
  • Faculty Development Fund Committee
    (2001 - 2007)
  • Faculty Center for the Advancement of Technology
    (2001 - 2007)

Member (elected):

  • Faculty Senate (SOLA Representative)
    (2010 - 2012)
    Senate Liaison to the Faculty Welfare Committee
  • Committee on Committees
    (2009 - 2013; 2017-2018)
  • Rank and Tenure Committee
    (September 2008 - May 2009; September 2015 - May 2017)
  • Faculty Senate (At-large representative)
    (September 2006 - May 2007)

Steering Committee Chair:

  • GOCN Forum on Missional Hermeneutics (Affiliate Program of the Society of Biblical Literature)
    (2005 - Present)
 
 
Other:
Editorial Board Member, GOCN Book Series (Eerdmans)
Regular teacher in congregational settings

Presentations

Selected Presentations

  • Formal response to two papers (by Mark Glanville and Helen Bousier) in the GOCN Forum on Missional Hermeneutics (Session Theme: "Migration, Marginalization, and the Mission of God: Missional Hermeneutics in the Context of Human Displacement and Relocation”), Annual Meetings of the Society of Biblical Literature, San Antonio, TX, November 19, 2016.
     
  • "To Serve God and Not Mammon: Reading Matthew 6 as Missionally Located Formation for Economic Discipleship," GOCN Forum on Missional Hermeneutics, Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting (Atlanta; November 21, 2015) 
     
  • “‘Your Will Be Done, On Earth As It Is In Heaven’: Covenant Renewal and Economic Justice in the Sermon on the Mount,” Poverty in the Biblical World Section, Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting (San Diego) (November 22, 2014) (paper) 
     
  • Formal response to two papers for the GOCN Forum on Missional Hermeneutics (Session theme: “Thinking Missionally about God, Scripture, and Missional Vocation”), Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting (San Diego) (November 24, 2014)
     
  • "'Fools for the Sake of Christ': Missional Hermeneutics and Praxis in the Corinthian Correspondence" (paper) GOCN Forum on Missional Hermeneutics, Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting (Baltimore)(November 23, 2013)
     
  • What Is and What Ought to Be: Located Reflections on Economic Justice Values in Genesis 1-3. Barram, Michael (paper) St. Ambrose Conference on Bible and Justice (St. Ambrose University, Davenport, Iowa) (June 01, 2013)
  • "'Occupying' Genesis 1-3: Missionally Located Reflections on Biblical Economic Values and Justice". Barram, Michael (paper)
    GOCN Forum on Missional Hermeneutics, Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting (Chicago)
    (November 18, 2012)
     
  • "Reflections on the Practice of Missional Hermeneutics: 'Streaming' Philippians 1:20-30". Barram, Michael (paper)
    Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature (New Orleans)
    (November 21, 2009)
     
  • "A Response to George Hunsberger's 'Starting Points, Trajectories, and Outcomes in Proposals for a Missional Hermeneutic: Mapping the Conversation.'".
    Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, Chicago, Ill.
    Published in the January 2009 edition (eSeries No. 2) of the Gospel and Our Culture Network online newsletter.

    (November 01, 2008)

  • "'Located' Questions for a Missional Hermeneutic".
    Annual Meetings of the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Biblical Literature, Washington, D.C.
    (November 18, 2006)
     
  • "Toward the Practice of 'Missional Hermeneutics': A Response to Colin Yuckman's 'An Ulterior Gospel.'". (paper)
    Annual Meetings of the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Biblical Literature, Philadelphia, Pa.
    (November 19, 2005)
     
  • "Helping Students Bridge the Three Narratives of Service-Learning: Self, Subject Matter and Social Structure" (Presentation on teaching Social Justice Service-Learning Courses, with Patrizia Longo, Nancy Pineda-Madrid, and Steve Schulz).
    Campus Compact "Continuums of Service," Portland, Ore.
    (April 2005)
     
  • "Social Justice Learning Communities" (Roundtable presentation on teaching January Term Social Justice Courses, with Gary Adler, Steve Bachofer, and Phylis Martinelli).
    Annual Meeting of the Association of American Colleges and Universities, San Francisco
    (January 28, 2005)
     
  • "Toward a Missiological Hermeneutic: The Bible and Mission in Current and Future Discussion".
    Annual Meetings of the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Biblical Literature, Atlanta, Ga.
    (November 23, 2003)
     
  • "Paul's 'Missionary Intentionality' in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23.
    Society of Biblical Literature, Pacific Regional Meeting, Moraga, Ca.
    (March 25, 2002)

Publications

Active Research Projects

Having finished a recent book project, Missional Economics: Biblical Justice and Christian Formation (slated to appear in May, 2018), I will continue to be engaged in ongoing research and writing on issues pertaining to both missional hermeneutics and economic justice in the Bible. Planning a co-written book on missional hermeneutics in the near future.

 

 

Interests

Scholarly Interests: 

Interests

  • Economic Justice and Economic Discipleship in the Bible
    I am interested in biblical and theological perspectives on economic justice, wealth, poverty, and inequality, and their implications for Christian behavior and decision making. I enjoy exploring these topics with students in my "Wealth and Poverty in the Bible" course, and I spent 2007-08 on sabbatical in Nicaragua researching such issues. In 2014-15, I am on sabbatical again, writing a book linking missional hermeneutics and the subject of biblical economic values (working title: "Choose Life!: Missionally Located Reflections on Biblical Justice and Economic Discipleship").
  • Missional Hermeneutics and the Bible
    I am interested in readings of the Bible that explore the hermeneutical dynamics and implications of the missional vocation and location of the interpreting community. My initial work in this area culminated in my dissertation (published as Mission and Moral Reflection in Paul), and I have continued to work on these issues over the past several years as steering committee chair of the Gospel and Our Culture Network's "GOCN Forum on Missional Hermeneutics" at the Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meetings.
  • Paul's Letters and Theology
    My graduate training and dissertation focused on the ministry, letters, and thought of Paul the Apostle. I still enjoy engaging this fascinating and controversial figure and the texts attributed to him.