Bradley G. Breems

chair, professor of sociology

on faculty since 1988

Phone: 708.239.4752
Fax: 708.597.5858
E-mail: brad.breems@trnty.edu

Education

Ph.D., University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, 1992
M.Phil., Institute for Christian Studies, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 1975
B.A., Dordt College, Sioux Center, Iowa, 1970

Professional and Personal Interests

“Christian sociology is about the disciplined study of the social world, seeking ways to channel God’s power and grace among people and the rest of creation.” This is Brad Breems’s vision of sociology and the way in which he approaches it as both a discipline and a vocation.

In the classroom, Breems aims to cultivate ways to channel God’s power and grace by encouraging critical, faith-filled thought and action through lectures, reading, research, and writing. He believes that by engaging students in critical thought and study, they can learn to approach the social world critically and analytically, interrelating with the world, various cultures, groups, and people. “Loving, intentional, committed, intelligent, and faithful living, with eyes open, mind engaged, and bodies serving God and world—that is my purpose for working,” said Breems.

Breems’s 20 years of teaching experience have been enhanced by his constant interest and research of the social world. His first position after graduate school was working as a business agent with the Christian Labour Association of Canada. He had the opportunity to travel across the provinces, meeting and negotiating with a variety of people. “The variety and intensity of that work—its people, structures, and institutions—still informs my sociality and sociology,” said Breems.

Breems’s passion for the social world has only increased during his time at Trinity, and in the 21 years as a professor in the sociology department, he has studied ethnicity, globalization, and urban life, under the consideration of sociological theory and the umbrella of the Christian faith. “I teach at a Christian college because I believe Christian religion recognizes the origin and integration of creation in God, and humans’ place to honor God in obediently co-creating culture and societal products,” said Breems. “This can only be accomplished effectively by adapting and applying the age-old principles of stewardship, love, respect, and justice.”

Courses Taught

• Cultural Anthropology
• Field Education
• (Nine) Independent Studies
• Principles of Sociology
• Senior Seminar
• Sociology of Development
• Sociology of Race and Ethnicity
• Sociology of Religion 
• Sociology of Social Problems
• Theories of Society
• Urban Sociology

Professional Society Membership

• American Sociological Association ( ASA’s Section on Racial &Ethnic Minorities)
• Association for Christians Teaching Sociology
• International Association for the Promotion of Christian Higher Education
• Midwest Sociological Society

Papers Published and/or Presented

• “Pedagogy and Learning in the College Course.” Association of Christians Teaching Sociology Annual Meeting, Northwestern College, Orange City, Iowa, June 6, 2009.

• “‘God is here,’ in the heartbeat of social justice.” Opening devotional, Association of Christians Teaching Sociology Annual Meeting, Northwestern College, Orange City, Iowa, June 7, 2009.

• “Developing Healthy Communities in a Contentious World.”Introduction to Urban Issues Symposium, at Trinity Christian College, March 9, 2009.

• “Urban Neighborhoods: Can Mixed Development Float Different Boats?” Introduction to Urban Issues Symposium, Trinity Christian College, November 3, 2008.

• “A Christian Open University as Academic Matrix of South African Liberative Development” at Congreso Internacional 2006 of the International Association for the Advancement of Christian Higher Education (IAPCHE), Granada, Nicaragua, November 17, 2006.

• “Revisiting and Revising: South Africa’s Journey” presentation of Spring 2006 sabbatical research, Trinity Christian College Faculty, November 27, 2006.

• “Sociology’s Provision of Context and Nuance in a Questing World: Notes from South Africa Research” at annual meeting, Association for Christians Teaching Sociology, Covenant College, Lookout Mountain, Georgia, June 17, 2006. 

• “Three Paradigms in Globalization from the Work of Jan Nederveen Pieterse,” lectures for Department of Sociology at North-West University, North-West Province, South Africa, May 9, 10. 2006.

• “Christian Sociology: One? Many? None? Impossible?” Association of Christians Teaching Sociology Annual Meeting, Wheaton, Illinois, June 10, 2005.

• “A Christian Critical-Curative Sociology in Conversation with the Discipline, from Weber’s ‘Disenchantment’ Through Bourdieu’s habitus and its Relevance to Civil Society,” Association of Christians Teaching Sociology Annual Meeting, Jackson, Tennessee, June 4, 2004.

• “Bad Fences Make Bad Neighbors: The American Homeland in 2004,” ARIHE lecture at the Institute for Christian Studies, Toronto, Canada, March 19 and at Dordt College, Sioux Center, Iowa, October 26, 2004.

• “Critical-Curative Sociology and the Relation Between Creation Order and the Production of Society.” Revision of 2003 version, ARIHE lecture presented at Redeemer University College, Ancaster, Ontario, Canada. March 1 and at the Institute for Christian Studies, Toronto, Canada, March 18. Further revision presented at Dordt College, Sioux Center, Iowa, October 26, 2004.