Kerry S. Walters
Kerry S. Walters (born 1954) is Professor emeritus of Philosophy at Gettysburg College and author of numerous books on philosophy, religion, and American history as well as over 200 articles in academic journals, trade magazines, and newspapers. His special fields of interests include Christian mysticism, atheism, the ethics of diet, Christian pacifism, critical thinking, deism in early America, and the history of the early republic.
Career
Walters earned his BA (Philosophy, 1976) at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, his MA (Philosophy, 1980) at Marquette University, and his PhD (Philosophy, 1985) at the University of Cincinnati. He taught at Gettysburg College for three decades, retiring in May 2016. He also taught at Xavier University (Cincinnati), the University of Cincinnati, and the University of Essex (England).
During his tenure at Gettysburg College, Walters held the Edwin T. and Cynthia Johnson Chair of Distinguished Teaching and the William Bittinger Chair of Philosophy. He also helped found and taught in the program of Peace and Justice Studies.
Personal Life
Walters lives in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, with his wife Kimberly Daubman, a psychology professor at Bucknell University. They have a grown son, Jonah Walters.
Authored and Edited Books
Several of Walters' books have received national awards or recognition, and have been translated. Merciful Meekiness: Becoming a Spiritually Integrated Person, was named a "Best Book on Spirituality for 2005" by Spirituality and Health Magazine; his Revolutionary Deists: Early America's Rational Infidels was named a "Choice Outstanding Academic Title" for 2011; his The Art of Dying and Living received a Gold Nautilus Award for 2012; and his Giving up god...to Find God:Breaking Free of Idolatry won a 2014 National Catholic Press Award.
- Walters, Kerry S. (1989). The Sane Society in Modern Utopianism: A Study in Ideology
- Walters, Kerry S. (1990). Elihu Palmer's Principles of Nature: Text and Commentary
- Walters, Kerry S. (1992). The American Deists: Voices of Reason and Dissent in the Early Republic
- Walters, Kerry S. (1992). Rational Infidels: The American Deists
- Walters, Kerry S. (1994). Re-Thinking Reason: New Perspectives in Critical Thinking
- Walters, Kerry S. (1998). Benjamin Franklin and His Gods
- Walters, Kerry S. (1999). Spirituality of the Handmaid: A Model for Contemporary Seekers
- Walters, Kerry S. & Lisa Portmess (1999). Ethical Vegetarianism: From Pythagoras to Peter Singer
- Walters, Kerry S. (2000). Godlust: Facing the Demonic, Embracing the Divine
- Walters, Kerry S. (2000). Brother Lawrence and the Russian Pilgrim: Praying Ceaselessly
- Walters, Kerry S. (2001). Soul Wilderness: A Desert Spirituality
- Walters, Kerry S. (2001). Growing God: A Guide for Spiritual Gardeners
- Walters, Kerry S. (2001). Practicing Presence: The Spirituality of Caring in Everyday Life
- Walters, Kerry S. & Lisa Portmess (2001). Religious Vegetarianism: From Hesiod to the Dalai Lama
- Walters, Kerry S. (2001). Can War Be Just? (William Bittinger Chair of Philosophy Inaugural Lecture pamphlet)
- Walters, Kerry S. (2002). Finding Perfect Joy with St. Francis of Assisi: 30 Reflections
- Walters, Kerry S. (2001). Rufus Jones: Essential Writings
- Walters, Kerry S. (2003). Jacob's Hip: Finding God in an Anxious Age
- Walters, Kerry S. (2005). Merciful Meekness: Becoming a Spiritually Integrated Person
- Walters, Kerry S. (2006). Franklin and His Gods (Templeton Foundation pamphlet)
- Walters, Kerry S. (2008). Practicing Peace (Forward Movement pamphlet)
- Walters, Kerry S. (2008). After War, Is Faith Possible? The Life and Message of Geoffrey "Woodine Willie" Studdert Kennedy
- Walters, Kerry S. (2010). Atheism: A Guide for the Perplexed
- Walters, Kerry S. (2010). Revolutionary Deists: America's Rational Infidels
- Walters, Kerry S. (2011). The Art of Dying and Living
- Walters, Kerry S. (2011). Thomas Paine's The Age of Reason: Critical Edition
- Walters, Kerry S. (2012). Vegetarianism: A Guide for the Perplexed
- Walters, Kerry S. (2012). The Underground Railroad
- Walters, Kerry S. (2013). John Locke's Letter Concerning Toleration: Critical Edition
- Walters, Kerry S. & Robin Jarrell. (2013). Blessed Peacemakers: 365 Extraordinary People Who Changed the World
- Walters, Kerry S. (2013). Giving Up God...to Find God: Breaking Free of Idolatry
- Walters, Kerry S. (2013). John Locke's Letter on Toleration: Critical Edition
- Walters, Kerry S. (2013). Abraham Lincoln, the Rise of the Republicans, and the Coming of the Civil War
- Walters, Kerry S. (2013). Explosion on the Potomac: The 1844 Calamity aboard the USS Princeton
- Walters, Kerry S. (2013). Critical edition of H.R.L. Sheppard's We Say No! The Plain Man's Guide to Pacifism
- Walters, Kerry S. (2013). John XXIII: A Short Biography
- Walters, Kerry S. (2013). John Paul II: A Short Biography
- Walters, Kerry S. (2014). Profiles in Christian Courage: Extraordinary Inspiration for Everyday Life
- Walters, Kerry S. (2014). Outbreak in Washington, DC: The 1857 Mystery of the National Hotel Disease
- Walters, Kerry S. (2015). Junipero Serra: A Short Biography
- Walters, Kerry S. (2015). American Slave Revolts and Conspiracies
- Walters, Kerry S. (2016). Perfect Joy: 30 Days with Francis of Assisi
- Walters, Kerry S. (2016). St. Teresa of Calcutta: Missionary, Mother, Mystic