A Harvard graduate and author is the new director and latest addition to the religious studies program.

Charles A. Kimball accepted the position in February and began teaching at OU in July.

Barbara Boyd, director of outreach for the program, said that among the pool of candidates, Kimball was the most qualified for the position.

“Dr. Kimball does bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to this program that will certainly benefit the students at OU. He has been a teacher of world religions for years; therefore, he brings an open mind for dialogue among the religions,” Boyd said.

Kimball received his theology degree from Harvard University in comparative religion with a specialization in Islamic studies. He previously held a 12-year position as the chair for the religion department at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Even more notable is Kimball’s previous experience as a mediator in the Middle East, particularly during the 1979-1981 Iran hostage crisis. Kimball was one of seven people sent to meet with Ayatollah Khomeini, a leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Kimball was invited back two additional times during this crisis because the Iranians trusted him, he said.

Born and raised in Tulsa, Kimball said Oklahoma has always held a place in his heart.

“I’ve lived in Boston, New York, North and South Carolina, but Oklahoma was always home for me,” Kimball said.

Kimball thinks the religious studies program will continue to grow because religion plays a pivotal role in the world today.

“People are becoming aware of how religion affects the world around us. There’s a dynamic interplay of religion and politics,” said Kimball.

Kimball said he was initially drawn to the study of religion by his Jewish grandfather, and he said he was raised with an appreciation for Judaism.

He said he was also interested in how certain characters and locations have influenced different religions, such as Abraham and Jerusalem’s role in Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Kimball said the heightening conflict in the Middle East also piqued his interest.

“I knew that these Muslim states were just beginning to realize their power. Most of the best and easiest locations to extract oil are in the Middle East. I knew they were going to play a big part in the world in the future,” Kimball said.