Experience in Africa immersed the much travelled Jan Love in the rhythm of drums and stirring dance. She was captivated there also by "beautiful, local expressions of a more universal faith commitment." A similar, adventuring love of challenge brought Love to the department of religious studies in fall 2001, transferring her appointment from the department then known as government and international studies (now political science). Love, now the only female professor in the department, reports being "completely at home and welcome here."
Inspired by the Southern African region from early on in career, she continues to explore in her research and writing the "sheer resilience" of the people there facing upheavals and opportunities. She recently completed work on a book, Southern Africa and World Politics: Global, Regional, and Local Dynamics, describing "how these people affect the world and how the world affects them through history." These themes resonate in her popular course, RELG 364: God and Globalization. The course examines the interaction of religion and politics, touching on United States involvement and offering a worldwide perspective on religious fundamentalism and pluralism.
Outside the classroom, Love continues to use the wealth of knowledge and experience she has acquired through volunteer work with the World Council of Churches. Love has served the WCC since 1975, promoting the work of that fellowship of 340 denominations to negotiate Christian unity and influence out of sometimes divisive differences. Having traveled to all the continents and cultivated friendships widely, she has represented the United Methodist Church on the Council in valued leadership roles through several organizational changes.
In her teaching Love reports being "always impressed with the religious studies student, who is fun and eager to learn more about the academic side of religion." She holds a deep respect for the faith commitment of others as she works, with documented success, to deepen and widen understanding of that commitment.
