Seton Hall Professor Participates in Panel on Religion and Public Literacy

Ruth Tsuria, Ph.D., associate professor in the department of Communication Media, and the Arts, participated as a panelist in a virtual webinar on public literacy and religion hosted by the American Academy of Religion. The webinar, entitled “The Urgency of Public Literacy on Religion in the Digital Age,” took place on April 21, 2026. The event consisted of a panel discussion featuring the 2026 Martin E. Marty Award Winner, Andrew Mark Henry, Ph.D., along with fellow panelists Andrew Ali Aghapour, Ph.D., Mary Hamner and Tsuria, with moderator Harold Morales, Ph.D.

“The panel was very eye opening — not just for students of religion, but mostly for anyone interested in the future of influencers on social media, and how higher education can benefit from including more 'alt-ed' jobs, and well as creative content,” said Tsuria. Tsuria also was proud to share that the panel was well attended, with people from diverse backgrounds and locations. “It’s definitely worth watching the recording and following up with Dr. Henry’s work on YouTube.”

The American Academy of Religion is a scholarly society dedicated to the academic study of religion, with a goal to enhance the public understanding of religion. Each year, the academy awards the Martin E. Marty Award for the Public Understanding of Religion to recognize one individual’s contributions to the public understanding of religion. Henry, the current recipient, hosts a YouTube channel, Religion for Breakfast, which promotes the academic study of religion to a broader audience.

A recording of the webinar is available to view via the American Academy of Religion’s website.

About the Institute for Communication and Religion
The Institute for Communication and Religion (ICR) is an affiliated unit within Seton Hall University’s College of Human Development, Culture, and Media. Religious traditions are primary drivers for social action across humanity’s full moral range, from care through violence. Launched with THRUST funding in Fall 2017, the ICR is an interdisciplinary nexus for communication and media scholarship addressing the critical intersection between religion and society. Guided by Nostra Aetate’s spirit of ecumenical and interreligious cooperation, the Institute seeks to engage in public dialogue and debate, promote academic inquiry and support religious dimensions of creativity. Our values are Seton Hall’s values: servant leadership, curricular innovation and intellectual excellence.

For more information, visit the Institute for Communication and Religion website.

Categories: Faith and Service