Ashley Purpura
Associate Professor of Religious Studies; Purdue University
Ashley Purpura, Associate Professor of Religious Studies in the School of Interdisciplinary Studies at Purdue University. She holds a Ph.D. from Fordham University and a M.T.S. from Harvard Divinity School. Purpura researches the history of Orthodox Christian thought and practice around themes of gender, power, freedom, otherness, and equality. This includes exploring the potential for the development of an inclusive Orthodox feminist theology. Purpura serves as the co-chair of the American Academy of Religion’s Eastern Orthodox Studies Unit, is the co-editor of the “Orthodox Christianity and Contemporary Thought” book series with Fordham University Press and is on the executive planning committee of the “New Directions in Orthodox Christianity” project of the Oslo Coalition for Freedom of Religion or Belief. Her work in the area of law and religion focuses on the relationship of Orthodox canon law and ritual practice to issues of personal and religious freedom, bodily autonomy, gender equality, marriage, and gender-based violence. In addition, her scholarship explores how civic norms are adopted, interpreted, and applied in religious contexts.