John N. Brittain

Office:

Houghton College

One Willard Avenue

Houghton, New York 14744

(585-567-9220

Home:

7363 Campus Heights
Houghton, New York 14744

(585) 567-4426

EDUCATION

A.B. (Magna Cum Laude) Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, 1969.

Major: Physical Chemistry; Minor: Astronomy

M.Div. The Methodist Theological School in Ohio, Delaware, Ohio 1972.

D.Min. St. Mary's Seminary and University, Baltimore, Maryland, 1985.

Dissertation: The Introduction of Spiritual Care into the Associate Degree Nursing Program of Wesley College, Dover, Delaware.

EXPERIENCE

Dean of the Chapel and Professor of Religion, Houghton College, Houghton, New York, 2003-

Member of the President’s Staff administering one of three main program areas of the college.

Student Government Administrator of the Year 2004 -05

Member, School of Music Graduate Council.

Participant, Teaching Theology Through Music, Selective Seminar at University of Notre Dame funded by the Lilly Endowment, May-June 2004

Recipient, Lilly Endowment funded renewal grant, 2006-07.

Chaplain, The University of Evansville, Evansville, Indiana, 1987 - 2003

Head the Religious Life Program for a United Methodist Church related university of 2600 full-time students. Duties include weekly ecumenical Sunday services, pastoral care, oversight of campus-wide SEARCH Retreat and coordination and leadership of local, regional and international mission and service projects. Supervise student staff and work with four campus ministers, seventeen religious groups and ecumenical city-wide ministries. Coordinate the use of chapel facility for a wide variety of purposes. Member of President's Cabinet. Adjunct Professor of Religion.

Director, The University Chapel Fellowship, The University of South Florida, Tampa, 1985 - 1987.

Director of the ecumenical campus ministry of the United Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church, USA and United Church of Christ on a campus of 28,000. Duties included pastoral leadership, program and support development, working with an ecumenical twenty-five member board and supervising a full and part-time staff of seven. Adjunct professor in USF Religious Studies Department.

Chaplain, Wesley College, Dover, Delaware, 1979 - 1985.

Duties included ministry to campus community, serving on Counseling Center staff, arranging and leading mid-week chapel services, advising student Christian groups. leading Bible studies and retreats and teaching courses in Old and New Testament as Adjunct Professor of Philosophy and Religion. Served as church liaison. Member of President's Cabinet.

Associate Pastor, Bethesda United Methodist Church, Salisbury, Maryland, 1976 - 1979.

Pastor, Oak Chapel United Methodist Church, Wooster, Ohio, 1975 - 1976.

Pastor, Creston and Canaan, Ohio United Methodist Churches, 1972 - 1975.

Teaching Assistant, Astronomy Department, Brown University, 1967 - 69.

Teaching Assistant, National Science Foundation Teacher Education Project, Newport, R.I., 1968 - 1969.

Originated the Astronomy Curriculum, Lincoln, Rhode Island Adult School, 1968 - 1969.

PUBLICATIONS

Brittain, J. N., “Hugh Bourne and the ‘Magic Methodists,’” accepted for publication in Methodist History in 2008.

Brittain, J. N., “With our Own Eyes: Sermons on the epistles for Advent, Christmas and Epiphany” in Brittain, J.N., Bales, D.D., Albertin, S.E., Lange, L, and Laugtensleger, M.S., Sermons on the Second Readings, Series II, Cycle A, Lima, Ohio, CSS Publishing, 2007.

Brittain, J. N. , “William Arthur's The Tongue of Fire: Pre-Pentecostal or Proto Social Gospel?” Methodist History, 2002.

Brittain, J. N., a response to the April 11 issue focusing on the lack of young clergy, The Christian Century, May 16, 2001.

Hodkinson, Syd (composer) and Brittain, J. N. (text), Cantata Sacra, Theodore Presser, 2001.

Brittain, J. N., Living Vertically: Sermons on the Gospel Texts for Lent and Easter, Cycle C, Lima, Ohio, CSS Publishing, 2000.

Brittain, J. N., The Backside of God: And Other Occasional Sermons, Lima, Ohio, CSS Publishing, 2000

Brittain, J. N., "Something New, Something Old: Thoughts as Schools Reopen," Montpelier, Vt., The Emmaus Journey, September, 1997.

Brittain, J. N., "The Assumption of Discipline," Montpelier, Vt., The Emmaus Journey, May, 1997.

Brittain, J. N., "Wanted: A Few Good Magi," Montpelier, Vt., The Emmaus Journey, February, 1997.

Brittain, J. N., "Meeting Jesus at the Well," Essex Jct, Vt., The Emmaus Journey, May, 1996.

Brittain, J. N., "Two Crosses: A Meditation for Holy Week," Essex Jct, Vt., The Emmaus Journey, March, 1996.

Brittain, J. N., "Palm/Passion Sunday," Nashville, Ailanthus , Journal of the National Association of College and University Chaplains, March, 1996.

Brittain, J. N., "More Than Sex," Essex Jct, Vt., The Emmaus Journey, August/September, 1995.

Brittain, J. N., "Back, Where It All Began: A Reflection on John 21:1-9" Boston, The Emmaus Journey, June, 1995.

Brittain, J. N., "Daily Discipleship," Boston, The Emmaus Journey, April, 1995.

Brittain, J. N., "When Too Much is Not Enough," Boston, The Emmaus Journey, March, 1995.

Brittain, J. N., "Miscommunication," The Hoosier Parent, June, 1994.

Brittain, J. N., "The POWER Program in Evansville: A Church and Campus Partnership in Community Service," in Donald G. Shockley, ed., Mission at the Center: A Campus Ministry Handbook, United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry, Nashville, Tennessee, 1994.

Brittain, J. N. "One SEARCH For Meaning," United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry, Nashville, Tennessee, 1994.

Brittain, J. N., "Reflections on the 1991 Africa Travel Study Seminar," Colleague, The United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry, Nashville, Tennessee, Winter/Spring 1992.

Brittain, J. N., "Living Between Choice and Obligation," The Hoosier Parent, April, 1992.

Brittain, J. N., "Spiritual Vitality: Wesleyan Conversion and Tractarian Church Theory in Robert Aitken," Methodist History, April, 1991.

Brittain, J. N., a response to Lewis S. Mudge's article on second-career seminarians, The Christian Century, March 20 - 27, 1991.

Brittain, J.N., "Revisioning Campus Ministry," review article of Campus Ministry: The Church Beyond Itself, The Christian Ministry, March-April, 1991.

Brittain, J. N., "Preaching the Biblical Panorama," The Christian Ministry, July - August 1989.

Brittain, J. N., "Revitalizing College Ministry," The Christian Century, July 20-27, 1988.

Brittain, J. N., The Chapel: One Campus Ministry's Alternative, Nashville, The Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry, The United Methodist Church, 1987.

Brittain, J. N., and Boozer, J., "Spiritual Care: Integration into a Collegiate Nursing Curriculum," Journal of Nursing Education, April 1987.

Brittain, J. N., "Theological Foundations for Spiritual Care," Journal of Religion and Health, 25:2, Summer 1986.

Brittain, J. N., Sturgis, J. T., and Rasmussen, A. R., "When a Student Dies," College Student Affairs Journal, VII:1, Summer 1986.

Watters, K.L., Brittain, J.N. and Risen, W.M., Jr., "Spectroscopic Studies of Metal-Metal Bonding. Absorption and Laser Raman Spectra and Vibrational Analyses of Cl3MCo(CO)4, Inorganic Chemistry, 8, 1347 (1969).

MISSION AND SERVICE EXPERIENCE

India Mission Trip: Chennai, Bangalore, Kanyakumari and Nagercoil, May 2007.

Speaker, Youth For Christ Bangalore Statewide Volunteer Training; India National Staff Training Conference, Kanyakumari and Tamil language churches.

Thailand Mission Trip: Bangkok, Uttaradit, Korat and Phangna, May 2005

Houghton Freshman Honors Program, London, England, Spiritual Emphasis February 2005.

Houghton In Tanzania Program, Spiritual Emphasis, February 2004.

Hoolebury, Jamaica Methodist Church, Winter 2002-03

Gary, Virginia, McDowell Mission Flood Relief Mission Trip, March, 2002 and March 2003

Juarez, Mexico, Operación Hogar Mission Trip, January, 2002

Tuscaloosa, AL Tornado emergency relief in co-operation with UMCOR and UMVIM, March 2001

Hoolebury, Jamaica Methodist Church construction project, December 2000 - January 2001

Certified Volunteer, Branchville State Correctional Institution (1998-2001 )

Birmingham, Alabama, Tornado Rebuilding project in co-operatino with United Methodist Committee on Relief, March, 1999.

St. Ann's Bay, Jamaica, Methodist Circuit, Winter 1998-99

Give Ye Them To Eat seminar and program, Tlancualpican, Mexico, January, 1998

South Africa and Zimbabwe Mission and Education Trip, May-June, 1997

Chicago Urban Mission Experience, Spring, 1997.

Habitat for Humanity Collegiate Challenge, Cleveland, Ohio, Spring 1996

Give Ye Them To Eat seminar and program, Tlancualpican, Mexico, Winter 1995-96

St. Ann's Bay, Jamaica, Methodist Circuit, Winter 1994-95.

Seminar, United Methodist Board of Church and Society, and volunteer service at Casa del Pueblo, Washington, D. C., Spring, 1994

Obninsk, Russia, as part of the Eastern European Initiative of the United Methodist Church, Winter, 1993-94.

Hurricane Andrew Relief Mission, Redland (Miami), Florida, Spring 1993

Bethel Methodist Church, Monterey, Mexico, Winter, 1992-93

Aposento Alto Methodist Church, Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, Winter, 1991-92

Participant in Africa Mission Study sponsored by Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry of the United Methodist Church to Kenya, Burundi, Zimbabwe, Togo, Ghana, Sierre Leone, The Gambia and Senegal, Summer, 1991.

Miami, Florida, Urban Ministries, Spring, 1991.

Wesley Methodist School, Belize City, Belize, Winter, 1990 - 91.

Heifer Project International Livestock Center, Perryville, Arkansas, Spring, 1990.

Aposento Alto Methodist Church, Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, Winter, 1989 - 90.

Red Bird Mission, Beverly, Kentucky, Spring, 1989.

Conjuncto Palmieras Methodist Church, Fortaleza Brazil, Winter, 1988 - 89.

Henderson Settlement, Red Bird Missionary Conference, Frakes, Kentucky, Spring, 1988.

PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: December 6, 1946
Married to Eileen Donahue Brittain
Adult Children: Timothy (Owensboro, Ky) and Genevieve (Norfolk, Va)
Ordained United Methodist Elder
Hobbies: Vocal and Keyboard Music

Representative Memberships:

American Hymn Society
Amnesty International (University of South Florida and University of Evansville Chapters)
Board of Directors, Patchwork Central Inner City Ministry, Evansville, Indiana
Charles Wesley Society
Evansville Campus Ministries Board of Directors
Evansville-Vanderburgh County Food Pantry System Advisory Board
Evansville United Methodist District Committee on Ministry
Evansville United Methodist District Committee on Missions
Executive Committee, Midwest Student Christian Gathering
Habitat for Humanity (University of Evansville Chapter)
International Association of Methodist Schools, Colleges and Universities
National Association of College and University Chaplains
National Campus Ministry Association
Order of St. Luke (United Methodist Church)
Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society (President, University of Evansville Chapter 1996-97)
Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society
Society for the Study of Christian Spirituality
Society of Biblical Literature
South Indiana United Methodist Conference Board of Ministry
Southwest Indiana Donor Center Advisory Board
World Methodist Conference Delegate, 1996.

University Courses Taught

Introdution to Christianity

Christian Thought

Introduction to the Old Testament

Introduction to the New Testament

Seminar in Apocalyptic

The New Testament Writings of John

Christian Spirituality

The Writings of C. S. Lewis

Selected Topics: Missiology