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About David
David Newheiser (he/him) is an associate professor of Religion at Florida State University. He is the author of Hope in a Secular Age (Cambridge, 2019), co-editor of Art Making as Spiritual Practice (Bloomsbury, 2025), and editor of The Varieties of Atheism (Chicago, 2022) and The Cambridge Companion to Political Theology (forthcoming). He is co-editor of The Journal for the Academic Study of Religion and he serves as Vice Chair for AAR’s Committee on the Public Understanding of Religion.
What is your area of expertise or field of study?
My work is constructive but not confessional, drawing on religious thought and practice to address ethical and political debates. I tend to move between medieval Christianity and contemporary theory to explore the power of mystery, imagination, and critique in modern democracies. I also have an active interest in atheism, economic theory, Indigenous traditions, and the visual arts.
Why did you get involved with AAR, and how is your work aligned?
As a graduate student, the Annual Meetings gave me the chance to explore the dizzying range of work being done in the field. Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate how the AAR connects people working with different materials and methodologies. I find it exhilarating to see how my interests spark unexpectedly with the work of other scholars around the world.
What is your favorite AAR member benefit, and how has it helped your career?
As a member of the Committee on the Public Understanding of Religion, I’m grateful for everything the AAR does to enrich the public conversation about religion. In the current climate, it’s so important to support and recognize public scholarship – for the future of our field and for the world.
What is one piece of advice you’d give to a first-time Annual Meeting attendee?
What book is on your nightstand that you’re reading or intend to read in the future?
I’m currently reading Eduardo Kohn’s How Forests Think, which is helping me think about Indigenous forms of spirituality without supernaturalism. This year I’ve resolved to read at least one poem a day, so I’m finally reading a collection of Mary Oliver’s poems that a dear friend gave me years ago.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Taking pictures! I almost always have my camera with me, and I love the way it helps me breathe deeply, move slowly, and look closely at the world.
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