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Dr. Robert O. Smith

Assistant Professor

University of North Texas

Department of History

Email: Robert.Smith3@unt.edu

Education

  • PhD, Baylor University, 2010
    Major: Religion, Politics and Society
  • MA, Luther Seminary, 2003
    Major: Islamic Studies
  • MDiv, Luther Seminary, 2003
    Major: Christian Ministry
  • BA, Oklahoma State University, 1998
    Major: Philosophy

Professional Positions

    Academic - Post-Secondary

  • Assistant Professor of History, University of North Texas. University of North Texas. (2022 - Present).
  • Director, University of Notre Dame. University of Notre Dame. (2015 - 2019).
  • Academic Director, University of Notre Dame. University of Notre Dame. (2014 - 2015).

Professional Memberships

  • American Historical Association. (2010 - Present).
  • American Academy of Religion. (2003 - Present).
  • International Bonhoeffer Society - English Language Section. (2003 - Present).

Teaching

Teaching Experience

    University of North Texas

  • ENGL 6810 - Topics in Critical Theory, 1 course.
  • HIST 2620 - United States History Since 1865, 3 courses.
  • HIST 3470 - History of the Israeli Palestinian Conflict, 1 course.
  • HIST 4217 - Jew, Greek, and Roman : Backgrounds of Early Christianity, 3 courses.
  • HIST 4263 - Topics in African, Asian, or Latin American History, 1 course.
  • HIST 5110 - Studies in United States History, 1 course.
  • HIST 5900 - Special Problems, 1 course.
  • HIST 6900 - Special Problems, 1 course.

Teaching at Other Institutions

  • University of Notre Dame, Spring 2015.

Research

Published Intellectual Contributions

    Book

  • Smith, R.O. (2014). Comprehending Christian Zionism: Perspectives in Comparison.
  • Smith, R.O. (2013). More Desired than Our Owne Salvation: The Roots of Christian Zionism. New York, Oxford University Press. https://academic.oup.com/book/25941
  • Smith, R.O. (2013). More Desired than Our Owne Salvation: The Roots of Christian Zionism. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199993246.001.0001
  • Smith, R.O. (2013). More Desired than Our Owne Salvation: The Roots of Christian Zionism. 225. New York:, Oxford University Press. https://global.oup.com/academic/product/more-desired-than-our-owne-salvation-9780199993246?cc=us&lang=en&#
  • Smith, R.O. (2006). Christians and a Land Called Holy: How We Can Foster Peace, Justice and Hope.

    • Book Chapter

  • Smith, R.O. (2023). An Urgent Call to Challenge Christian Zionism. Blessed are the Peacemakers: Theology, Compassion, and Action for a Global Mission. 351-364. Helsinki, Luther-Agricola Society.
  • Smith, R.O. (2023). Pandemic Politics: Critical Social Theory and Societal Chaplaincy. Theology and Ethics for the Public Church: Mission in the 21st Century World. 171-185. Minneapolis, Fortress Press.
  • Smith, R.O. (2022). Christian Zionism, Settler Coloniality, and Supersessionist Anxiety. Global Transformation of Christian Zionism, ed. Yoshihiro Yakushige. Kyoto, Kyoto University Press.
  • Smith, R.O. (2021). The Ecumenical Deal, the Judeo-Christian Tradition, and the Christian Colonization of Judaism.
  • Smith, R.O. (2020). State(s) of Exception. T&T Clark Handbook of Political Theology. 485-494. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. https://doi.org/10.5040/9780567670427.ch-031
  • Smith, R.O. (2019). State(s) of Exception: Christian Zionism, Replacement Theology, and the Right of Conquest.
  • Smith, R.O. (2014). The Quest to Comprehend Christian Zionism. Comprehending Christian Zionism. 325-336. 1517 Media. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt9m0srs.19

    • Editor of a Special Issue of Dialog Journal

  • Rowe, T.T., Smith, R.O., Woods, J., Crockett, C., Grau, M., Pranger, J., Weaks, D. Theological Responses to Energy and Extraction. Other. (Summer 2023)

    • Journal Article

  • Smith, R.O., Martinez, A.Y. (2023). Critical Race Religious Literacy: Exposing the Taproot of Contemporary Evangelical Attacks on CRT. Journal of Critical Race and Ethnic Studies. 1 (1) 83-104. https://scholar.stjohns.edu/jcres/vol1/iss1/7/
  • Smith, R.O. (2023). Christian Responsibility and Anti-Jewish Theology: Revisiting “Reclaiming Bonhoeffer After Auschwitz. Nexus: Essays in German Jewish Studies. (6) Rochester, NY, Camden House.
  • Smith, R.O. (2023). Acknowledge the Land: An Indigenous Historical Reflection on Extractive Theology. Dialog. 62 (2) 148-155.
  • Smith, R.O., Younan, M.A. (2023). Critical Approaches to Christian Zionism. International Journal for the Study of the Christian Church. 22 (4) 324-332.
  • Smith, R.O. (2021). “The Ecumenical Deal, the Judeo-Christian Tradition, and the Christian Colonization of Judaism,”.
  • Smith, R.O. (2019). “Bonhoeffer Moment(s)?: Learning to See ‘From Below’ in Indian Country,”.
  • Smith, R.O. (2019). “Disintegrating the Hyphen: The ‘Judeo-Christian Tradition’ and the Christian Colonization of Judaism,”.
  • Smith, R.O. (2019). “State(s) of Exception: Christian Zionism, Replacement Theology, and the Right of Conquest,”.
  • Smith, R.O. (2019). Bonhoeffer Moment(s)?. Other. 76 (2) 145-157. SAGE Publications. https://doi.org/10.1177/0040573619843906
  • Smith, R.O. (2018). “Today, Know This,”.
  • Smith, R.O. (2018). Sanctifying the Settler-Colonial Gaze: Nineteenth-Century American Christian Pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Other. 74 (4) 365-375. SAGE Publications. https://doi.org/10.1177/0040573617731715
  • Smith, R.O. (2016). “Civilization, Savagism, and the Presence of Burning Children,”.
  • Smith, R.O. (2014). “Prophecy, the Pope, and the Turk: Luther’s Pastoral Apocalyptic,”.
  • Smith, R.O. (2014). “Reading Palestine Realities with American Indian Eyes,”.
  • Smith, R.O. (2012). “Anglo-American Christian Zionism: Implications for Palestinian Christians,”.
  • Smith, R.O. (2012). “Interpreting the Bible, Interpreting the World: Anglo-American Christian Zionism and Palestinian Christian Concerns,”.
  • Smith, R.O. (2012). “Replacement Theology, Christian Zionism, and the Anglo-American Protestant Tradition of Judeo-Centric Prophecy Interpretation,”.
  • Smith, R.O. (2011). “American Expansionism, Theologies, and the Israel/Palestine Question,”.
  • Smith, R.O. (2009). “Toward a Lutheran Response to Christian Zionism,”.
  • Smith, R.O. (2007). “Implications of Christian Zionism for Interfaith Relations,”.
  • Smith, R.O. (2007). “Jewish-Christian Difficulties in Challenging Christian Zionism,”.
  • Smith, R.O. (2007). “Luther, the Turks and Islam,”.
  • Smith, R.O. (2006). “Bonhoeffer and Musical Metaphor,”.
  • Smith, R.O. (2005). “Palestinian Nationalism(s): Religious and Secular,”.
  • Smith, R.O. (2005). “Response to the Respondents,”.
  • Smith, R.O. (2005). “Secular and Religious: ELCJHL Contributions to Palestinian Nationalism,”.
  • Smith, R.O. (2004). “Between Restoration & Liberation: Theopolitical Contributions & Responses to U.S. Foreign Policy in Israel/Palestine,”.
  • Smith, R.O. (2004). “Reclaiming Bonhoeffer After Auschwitz,”.
  • Smith, R.O. (2004). “Response to Dahill on Bonhoeffer,”.

Presentations Given

    Invited Talk

  • Smith, R.O. (Author & Presenter), Global Peacebuilders Gathering, “Christian Zionism and White Christian Nationalism: Root and Branch", Omnia Institute for Leadership, Chicago, IL, United States of America. (2024).

    • Keynote/Plenary Address

  • Smith, R.O. (Author & Presenter), Vine Deloria Jr. Theological Symposium, “Assimilation and Resistance: The Red, the Black, and Critical Race Theory", Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States of America. (2024).
  • Smith, R.O. (Author & Presenter), The Ecumenical Institute of the Middle East, “How Does the West View Eastern Christianity?”, The Ecumenical Institute of the Middle East, Anafora, Egypt, Egypt. (2024).

    • Lecture

  • Smith, R.O. (Author & Presenter), Forum on Gaza, “Critical Race Theory, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and Israel/Palestine", Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States of America. (2024).

    • Panel Presentation

  • Smith, R.O. (Author & Presenter), American Society of Church History, Archival Corrective: Assessing Contemporary Evangelical Critiques of Critical Race Theory, Annual Meeting: American Society of Church History, San Francisco, CA, United States of America. (2024).

    • Scholarly Meeting Contribution

  • Smith, R.O. (Coordinator/Organizer), UConn-FYW Conference on the Teaching of Writing, The Storied History of Critical Race Theory, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States of America. (2024).

    • Symposium

  • Smith, R.O. (Leader), Counterstory as Pedagogy and Research, Counterstory as Pedagogy and Research, Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX, United States of America. (2024).
  • Smith, R.O. (Author & Presenter), Thirteenth Biennial Feminisms and Rhetorics Conference, Feminisms and Reckonings: Interrogating Histories and Harms, Beginning Restorative Practices, The Storied History of Critical Race Theory, Spelman College, Atlanta, GA, United States of America. (2024 - 2024).

Media Contributions

    Internet

  • ""The Roots of Christian Zionism"," Across the Divide Podcast. (September 18, 2024).

Service

University Service

  • Committee Chair, Exploratory Committee for Developing a Native American and Indigenous Studies Program. (March 15, 2023 - Present).
  • Committee Chair, Native American Heritage Month Committee. (November 1, 2022 - Present).
  • Faculty Advisor, Native American Student Association. (November 1, 2022 - Present).

Professional Service

  • Editor, Book, Fortress Press. Minneapolis, Minnesota. (November 2024 - Present).
  • Committee Member, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Chicago, IL. (April 2024 - Present).
  • Officer, Secretary, Choctaw & Chickasaw Scholars Group. Sulphur, OK. (March 2024 - Present).
  • Committee Member, Theological, Pedagogical, and Ethical Approaches to Israel/Palestine Seminar (AAR). Denton, TX. (June 2023 - Present).

Consulting

  • Government, Royal Court of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Amman, Jordan, Jordan. (2020).