December 5, 2025

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

Mathews Included in “The ‘Sinners’ Movie Syllabus” by AAIHS

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Professor of Religious Studies Mary Beth Mathews

Professor of Religious Studies Mary Beth Mathews was recently featured in the African American Intellectual History Society’s (AAHSI) “The ‘Sinners’ Movie Syllabus.” In the May 2025 Black Perspectives newsletter, Dr. Jemar Tisby and Dr. Keisha N. Blain included Mathews’ 2017 book, Doctrine and Race: African American Evangelicals and Fundamentalism Between the Wars in the curated educational resource for instructors who wish to contextualize the recent film Sinners, released earlier this year. Such interdisciplinary syllabi help foster critical inquiry and dialogue about popular culture and recent events.

Soak Up UMW Faculty-Authored Books for Summer Reading and Scholarship

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From the classroom to the bookshelf, University of Mary Washington faculty authors are making their mark. This year’s titles span disciplines from mathematics to religion, offering thought-provoking takes on history, culture and the world around us. Whether looking to explore a new field of study or simply enjoy a compelling read, these faculty-authored selections offer fresh perspectives for curious minds this summer.

The Importance of Being Different: Disability in Oscar Wilde’s Fairy Tales
By Professor of English Chris Foss
Published by University of Virginia Press, 2025

Best known for his plays and clever wit, Oscar Wilde also wrote fairy tales full of emotion, struggle and characters who don’t quite fit in. Foss’s book examines these often-overlooked stories through the lens of disability studies. He shows how Wilde’s characters – marked by physical (as well as, often, social) difference – invite readers to embrace compassion and imagine a more inclusive world. Foss highlights a lesser known but more utopian side of Wilde.

German Memorials, Motifs and Meanings: A Cultural History in Bronze, Wood and Stone
By Associate Professor of German Jennifer Hansen-Glucklich
Published by University of Massachusetts Press, 2025

Hansen-Glucklich explores Germany’s hidden landscape of mysterious stones, magical trees and symbolic monuments tucked away in small towns and villages. Rather than focusing on famous sites, her book uncovers the colorful and often surprising stories behind lesser-known markers that have survived for centuries through wars, political upheavals and changing national identities. This cultural study of German memorialization reveals how symbols of death, rebirth, sacrifice and community have endured from medieval times to today.

Quadratic Ideal Numbers: A Computational Method for Binary Quadratic Forms
By Professor of Mathematics Larry Lehman
Published by De Gruyter, 2025

Lehman’s newest book builds on his earlier work in number theory, introducing quadratic ideal numbers as a subject of study in their own right, with applications to binary quadratic forms and related topics. Written for readers with minimal background in number theory – much of which is reviewed in the text – it emphasizes computational methods throughout, making it well-suited for independent study or undergraduate-level research.

Contentious Unions: Black Baptist Schools and White Money in the Jim Crow South
By Professor of Religious Studies Mary Beth Mathews
Published by University of Tennessee Press, 2025

Mathews explores the intertwined histories of three historically Black institutions: Richmond Theological Seminary in Virginia, Central City College in Georgia and American Baptist Theological Seminary in Tennessee. She examines how these schools, supported in part by white Baptist donors, navigated the complexities of financial dependence while striving for autonomy and advancing civil rights. Mathews reveals how, what she calls “oppositional spaces,” became essential platforms for Black educators and students, with ties to such leaders as John R. Lewis and Jo Ann Gibson Robinson.

Gender Violence in Late Antiquity
By Associate Professor of Religious Studies Jennifer Barry
Published by University of California Press, expected on Sept. 23, 2025

Barry’s book investigates how early Christian texts shaped ideas of gender and violence. By analyzing stories of saints and theological writings, she reveals how male authors used portrayals of female suffering, including martyrdom and abuse, to define ideals of holiness and power. Drawing on trauma studies and womanist theory, Barry challenges traditional readings and sheds new light on how ancient narratives still influence modern views about gender and faith.

Human Geography: A Connected Approach
By Associate Professor of Geography Caitie Finlayson
Independently Published, 2024

This open-access textbook by Finlayson introduces readers to the ways humans relate to place, space and one another. Designed to be engaging and accessible, the book connects global systems with personal decisions, encouraging readers to see geography as a living, evolving story. It builds on Finlayson’s earlier open textbooks while inviting reflections on how our environment shapes us – and is shaped by us.

Proximity to Power: Rethinking Race and Place in Alexandria, Virginia
By Professor of History and American Studies Krystyn Moon
Published by University of North Carolina Press, 2025

Alexandria, Virginia – located just across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. – has long held a unique position due to its closeness to the nation’s capital. This relationship profoundly impacted the everyday lives of African American residents, including access to schools, transportation and other resources compared to other southern communities. Moon examines the experiences of Alexandria’s Black residents from the mid-19th century to today, highlighting their long-standing advocacy and resilience and adding nuance to our understanding of how geography shapes racial experience.

University of Mary Washington faculty members who have authored books are encouraged to share their publications with University Communications for inclusion in future features. Alumni-authored publications can be found in Class Notes.

Mathews Shares Religious Expertise Across National Media Platforms

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Professor of Religious Studies Mary Beth Mathews

Professor of Religious Studies Mary Beth Mathews

Professor of Religious Studies Mary Beth Mathews has been featured across multiple media outlets recently, sharing her expertise on religious topics. In May, she was part of a panel discussion on Black religious life hosted by Fairfax County NAACP (the panel starts around minute 54 of the linked video). Earlier this month, she was interviewed for an article in an Italian magazine “PrisMag” about the prospect of the first American pope.

Most recently, Mathews was featured on NBC Washingtons “4 Your Reading” series, which highlights local authors, where she discusses her new book titled Contentious Unions, which explores the intertwined histories of three historically Black institutions: Richmond Theological Seminary in Virginia, Central City College in Georgia and American Baptist Theological Seminary in Tennessee.

Mathews Publishes Book on Black Colleges and the Long Civil Rights Movement

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Professor of Religious Studies Mary Beth Mathews

Professor of Religious Studies Mary Beth Mathews

Professor of Religious Studies Mary Beth Mathews has published a new book entitled Contentious Unions: Black Baptist Schools and White Money in the Jim Crow South with the University of Tennessee Press (2025).

The book tells the interconnected stories of three institutions (Macon’s Central City College in Georgia, Virginia Union University in Richmond, and American Baptist Theological Seminary in Nashville) and demonstrates that these three historically black colleges and universities used the white financial support they received to subvert the racist politics of white Baptists and white Southerners in general. In these “oppositional spaces,” Black Baptists constructed and developed ways to combat the systems that marginalized them.

UMW Faculty Share Knowledge and Insight on ‘With Good Reason’ Radio Program

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Mary Washington faculty share expertise on ‘With Good Reason,’ a national radio program that inspires thought, discovery and action through public engagement and dialogue on topics that shape our world.

Mary Washington faculty share expertise on ‘With Good Reason,’ a national radio program that inspires thought, discovery and action through public engagement and dialogue on topics that shape our world.

Imposter syndrome, photoshopping, the complexities of foreign alliances, political humor, the magic of Disney World and shared musical experiences – these are just a few of the topics on which University of Mary Washington professors have contributed their expertise over the radio airwaves this past year.

UMW is proud to announce the continued success of its collaboration with Virginia Humanities’ With Good Reason radio program, which brings the research and insights of Virginia’s top educators to audiences across the nation. Each week, over 100,000 listeners tune in to 128 radio stations throughout Virginia, Washington, D.C., and 38 states to hear thought-provoking discussions with leading academics. Thousands more listen to the episodes through iTunes podcasts.

The partnership between UMW and Virginia Humanities helps showcase valuable work in Virginia’s higher education system. Since last summer, a dozen Mary Washington faculty members were featured on With Good Reason, either as new guests or in re-aired episodes that continue to draw audiences. Read more.

Mathews’ Good Deed Makes Headlines

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Professor of Religious Studies Mary Beth Mathews

Professor of Religious Studies Mary Beth Mathews

Professor of Religious Studies Mary Beth Mathews made recent headlines in a story titled “Arlington community comes together to help graduate who left Russia during war” published by DC News Now and Yahoo News. Mathews said in the piece that she responded to a post sent to her by a friend. “As soon as I saw it I said, ‘I have to reach out. I have to volunteer,'” Mathews said. “We have commencement and rituals for a reason. They mark important changes in people’s lives. And I couldn’t say no to that.” Read more from DC News Now and Yahoo News.

UMW Celebrates Division III Week, April 13-19

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UMW Women's Basketball participates in a read-aloud with local students.

UMW Women’s Basketball participates in a read-aloud with local students.

Dear UMW Colleagues,

Last week marked the NCAA’s Division III week, April 13-19, our student-athletes are not able to practice or compete. So rather than focus on what the student-athletes and their coaches accomplish on the field or court, I will take this opportunity to recognize their incredible devotion to a key part of our ASPIRE values—engagement through service.

As you may know, our student-athletes receive no athletic scholarships whatsoever. They chose the DIII model because it combines a love of the game with the chance to concentrate on academic achievement as well. Here at UMW, our varsity athletics teams pride themselves on not just their GPAs and win/loss records, but also how much and how often they can find opportunities to volunteer for a myriad of causes and groups in the Fredericksburg area. The Eagles have been working hard all year in a friendly competition to amass the most volunteer hours, and even though their Spring seasons and service events were abruptly ended, they managed to make substantial contributions.

UMW student-athletes participate in a clean-up of the Rappahannock River.

UMW student-athletes participate in a clean-up of the Rappahannock River.

For example, the men’s soccer team led all others in total service hours with 320.5. Off the pitch, they helped set up and break down equipment for the Make-a-Wish Foundation’s gymnastics event, served community dinners at the Fredericksburg Baptist Church, and assisted an elderly Fredericksburg resident with her move. The next closest team was men’s and women’s swimming, at 256 hours, followed by women’s basketball with 233. These teams participated in COAR Into the Streets and community dinners. But total service hours for a team is only one way the student-athletes compete. The women’s basketball team holds the record for most hours per individual student-athlete with an average of 15.52 hours. And the entire Athletics Department participated in a Capital Athletic Conference food drive during the Fall semester, collecting a whopping 6395 pounds of food to donate to the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank. That total beat the nearest CAC competitor—CNU—by almost two tons.

All teams provided volunteers for special events like blood drives, reading clinics with grade school children, cleaning up the Rappahannock River, present wrapping for COAR, and assisting with Special Olympics events. These activities build camaraderie, but they also allow the volunteers a chance to learn about the needs of the local community and take an active role in helping others.

While we’re all anxious to get back to our usual routines, I hope you’ll join me in thanking the student-athletes and their coaches for their dedication to making our world just a little bit better.

Best wishes,

Mary Beth Mathews

UMW Faculty Athletics Representative, Professor of Religious Studies

Mathews Presents Paper at Harvard University Symposium

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Professor of Religious Studies Mary Beth Mathews

Professor of Religious Studies Mary Beth Mathews

Professor of Religious Studies Mary Beth Mathews presented an invited paper, “Doctrine, Race, and Education: The American Baptist Theological Seminary and Jim Crow,” at Harvard University’s Symposium on Religion and Public Life in Africa and the Americas, sponsored by the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs. She argued that African American theological seminaries in the American South are a neglected but necessary avenue for understanding how African American evangelicals negotiated racial barriers to education and constructed autonomous spaces for theological development.