Dr. William Ashcraft
Professor of Religion
PhD, University of Virginia
M.A. University of Virginia
MDiv. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
B.A. University of Tennessee at Martin
Dr. Ashcraft has been at Truman since 1996. He earned his PhD in American Religious History from the Religious Studies Department at the University of Virginia. His books include The Dawn of the New Cycle: Point Loma Theosophists and American Culture, New Religious Movements: A Documentary Reader (co-edited with Dr. Daschke), and Introduction to New and Alternative Religions (co-edited with Eugene V. Gallagher). He recently published A Historical Introduction to the Study of New Religious Movements, the first booklength study of its kind. His research interests include a biographical study of Judith Tyberg (1902 - 1981), who grew up in the Theosophical Society of Point Loma. Her life history shows how a woman of the mid-twentieth century navigated among alternative religious beliefs and groups - both the Theosophical Society and the Aurobindo movement in India. At Truman, he teaches courses on religion and American culture, new religious movements, gender, sexuality and religion, African American religions, ethics, and world religions survey.