The History of Lines

LINES exists to create, foster, and sustain an interdisciplinary field of scholarly research focusing on the broad relationship between religion and philanthropy.

 

Since its inception, Lake Institute has funded a Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship and an Endowed Lake Scholar to help identify and foster the work of emerging and established scholars in this evolving field. As a continuation of this mission, Lake Institute created LINES to further support emerging scholars and to help cultivate an interdisciplinary field of research exploring the many intersections of religion and philanthropy.

The inaugural LINES cohort convened in April 2015, with the second cohort gathering in September 2024. Each convening centered around scholarly engagement with participants’ research projects, alongside vibrant discussions on the state of research the field. The gatherings enabled scholars to refine their research proposals, identify patterns and gaps in the literature, and explore new opportunities for collaboration.

Grants

At the conclusion of each convening, emerging scholars were invited to apply for a grant to support their research. Selected scholars received a $3,000 award in 2015 and a $5,000 award in 2024.

Related Publications

The following are some of the LINES-supported research publications from our emerging scholars.

From the 2024 cohort:

Image of LINES emerging and senior scholars and Lake Institute staff at the conclusion of the two-day gathering in Indianapolis.
2024 LINES emerging and senior scholars and Lake Institute staff at the conclusion of the two-day gathering in Indianapolis.

2024 Senior Scholars

Heather Curtis
Warren S. Woodbridge Professor in Comparative Religions
Tufts University School of Arts and Sciences, Religion

Joseph L. Tucker Edmonds
Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Africana Studies
Indiana University’s School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI
Associate Director of the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture Philanthropy

Tyrone Freeman
The Glenn Family Chair in Philanthropy, Associate Professor of Philanthropic Studies, Adjunct Associate Professor of Africana Studies
Lilly Family School of Philanthropy

Patricia Snell Herzog
Melvin Simon Chair and Associate Professor
IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
Sociology, Philanthropic Studies

Gerardo Martí
William R. Kenan, Jr. Endowed Professor of Sociology
Davidson College

Allison Youatt Schnable
Associate Professor, O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs; Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Sociology; Affiliate Faculty, Lilly Family School of Philanthropy; Affiliate Faculty, African Studies Program; Director, Undergraduate Honors Program Professor
Indiana University Bloomington

 

2024 Emerging Scholars

Gary Adler
Associate Professor
Sociology
Penn State University

Adina Bankier-Karp
Research affiliate
Social Science
Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation, Monash University

Jamie Goodwin
Assistant Professor of Humanitarian and Nonprofit Leadership
Development and Philanthropic Studies
Wheaton College

Shaunesse’ Jacobs Plaisimond
Assistant Professor of Religion and Health
Religion
University of South Florida

Sheryl Johnson
Visiting Lecturer in Ethics
Social Ethics
Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary

Amy Lawton
Research Manager
Sociology
Chaplaincy Innovation Lab, Brandeis University

Andrew Lynn
Research Fellow
Sociology
University of Virginia

Jonathan Oxley
Assistant Professor
Public Management and Policy
Georgia State University

Megan Pontes
Assistant Teaching Professor
Nonprofit Leadership & Management
Arizona State University

William Schultz
Assistant Professor
Religious Studies
University of Chicago Divinity School

Gabel Taggart
Associate Professor
Public Administration and Nonprofit Studies
University of Wyoming

Image of emerging scholars and senior scholars lined up for a photo from the 2015 LINES gathering in Indianapolis.
2015 LINES emerging and senior scholars and Lake Institute staff during the two-day gathering in Indianapolis.

2015 Senior Scholars

Scott Alexander
Professor of Islamic Studies
Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program
Catholic Theological Union

David D. Daniels III
Henry Winters Luce Professor of World Christianity
McCormick Theological Seminary

Jim Hudnut-Beumler
Anne Potter Wilson Distinguished Professor of American Religious History
Vanderbilt Divinity School

Fred Kniss
Provost
Eastern Mennonite University

Elizabeth Lynn
Project Director, Shifting Ground
Lake Institute on Faith & Giving

Brian Steensland
Professor and Chair of Sociology
Director of Social Science Research at the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture
Indiana University

Carolyn Warner
Professor of Political Science
Arizona State University

2015 Emerging Scholars

Heath Carter
Associate Professor of American Christianity
Princeton Theological Seminary

Katie Corcoran
Assistant Professor of Sociology
West Virginia University

Heather Curtis
Warren S. Woodbridge Professor in Comparative Religions and Department Chair of Religion
Tufts University

Hilary Davidson
Ph.D. Candidate in Sociology
University of Notre Dame

David Eagle
Assistant Research Professor
Duke Global Health Institute

Patricia Herzog
Melvin Simon Chair; Associate Professor of Philanthropic Studies
Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Indiana University

Moshe Kornfeld
Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the American Jewish Experience
University of Denver Center for Judaic Studies

Jared Peifer
Associate Professor, Department of Management
Baruch College, CUNY

Amy Reynolds
Associate Professor of Sociology
Wheaton College

Thomas Rzeznik
Associate Professor Department of History
Seton Hall University

Anelise Shrout
Assistant Professor of Digital and Computational Studies
Bates College

Brandon Vaidyanathan
Associate Professor  and Chair of Sociology
The Catholica University of America