Ph.D.
Mass Communication –
Ohio University
S.T.M.
Church History –
Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia
M.A.
Communication and Theology –
Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
B.A. Hons.
Theology and Media Production Arts –
Valparaiso University
Cert.
Digital Video Production –
New York University
About
Rick is originally from New York. He taught at colleges and universities in New York, Ohio, and Wisconsin for 25 years before joining the faculty of Valparaiso University, his alma mater. His research interests include religion, media, and boxing. Rick is the author of the book The Church on TV: Portrayals of Priests, Pastor and Nuns on American Television, and Fight Sports and the Church: Boxing and Martial Arts Ministries in Historical, Cultural and Theological Context, which includes reflection on fictional, documentary, and news media depictions of boxing, ministry, and the church. He has published articles in: the Journal of Religion and Media; the Journal of Religion and Film; the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion; the Journal of Radio Studies; the Journal of Religion, Media and Digital Culture; and the Journal of Popular Film and Television. His latest article examines how believers experience the Bible differently in digital and print forms. Among the courses he has taught are: basic and advanced classes in media studies and speech; television production; cinema studies; and special topics classes in: horror films; the films of Alfred Hitchcock; faith on film and television; and boxing, media and culture. He is working on a book titled Martin Luther Goes to the Movies, which applies Luther’s theology to the study of films. Rick is a boxer, weight trainer, and cyclist.
