Theologian and Architect
Greater Los Angeles Area
- Current
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- Research Assistant at Claremont Graduate University
- Past
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- Resident Artist at Convergence: A Creative Community of Faith
- Associate, Architectural Designer at Einhorn Yaffee Prescott
- Technical Assistant for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Design Competition at Washington-Alexandria Architecture Consortium
- Graduate Assistant at Florida A&M University
- Education
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- Claremont Graduate University
- John Leland Center for Theological Studies
- Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
- Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
- Connections
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53
connections
- Industry
- Higher Education
- Websites
Elise Edwards’s Summary
I am a registered architect, developing the business and marketing plans for Muse Creative Consulting, a practice that offers design services to religious institutions who desire to enhance, or restructure their spaces and/or ministries and worship practices to become more inclusive of the arts. This consulting practice brings together my academic work in theology, civic engagement, design and arts management.
My doctoral studies focus on theologies of culture and ethics of religious expression. My work as a scholar is to synthesize work in the separate, but interconnected fields of theology, ethics, and aesthetics and construct theologies of culture from them. I am studying the way architecture and other forms of artistic expression represent the values of Christian communities. I bring together art and religion, culture and church, architecture and theology to explore ways they might influence each other. My study in this area is not only a theoretical exercise, but is intended to be applied to church life to foster its engagement with the larger society.
When I finish my degree, I plan to teach theology and culture at the university level. Ideally, I would also have opportunities to lecture on the spiritual and theological implications of architecture within a school of architecture. In addition to teaching, I feel a strong calling to practice theology and architecture within the context of the church, which is why I am developing my consulting practice.
Such an endeavor involves interdisciplinary work across departments and between academic and professional spaces. My multi-disciplinary academic and professional career demonstrates this work. I have studied both theology and architecture at the Masters level. I also have over 7 years of experience at architectural firms as a Project Architect and Project Director.
Elise Edwards’s Specialties:
theologies of place, theologies of culture, Christian ethics, theological aesthetics, college and university architecture and campus planning, cultural facilities, worship and design
Elise Edwards’s Experience
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Research Assistant
Claremont Graduate University
(Educational Institution; 201-500 employees; Higher Education industry)
September 2008 — Present (1 year 3 months)
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Resident Artist
Convergence: A Creative Community of Faith
(Religious Institutions industry)
June 2008 — July 2008 (2 months)
Developed a space use plan and led a lecture and discussion series about the role of artists in worship and community-building activities of Christian churches
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Associate, Architectural Designer
Einhorn Yaffee Prescott
(Privately Held; 201-500 employees; Architecture & Planning industry)
November 1999 — August 2007 (7 years 10 months)
As Project Architect and Project Director, I worked with multi-disciplinary teams to design and document college and university campus planning projects, academic buildings and cultural facilities.
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Technical Assistant for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Design Competition
Washington-Alexandria Architecture Consortium
(Educational Institution; 11-50 employees; Architecture & Planning industry)
June 1999 — November 1999 (6 months)
I prepared written and graphic materials for the competition with a team of professors, architects and graphic designers. I also coordinated communications between project contributors and the project team.
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Graduate Assistant
Florida A&M University
(Educational Institution; 1001-5000 employees; Higher Education industry)
September 1997 — April 1999 (1 year 8 months)
I was a teaching assistant for an Architectural History class and second year Architectural Design class. I also served as an assistant in the School of Architecture Library.
Elise Edwards’s Education
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Claremont Graduate University
Ph.D. , Theology, Ethics and Culture , 2007 — 2011 (expected)
- Activities and Societies:
- Minority Mentor Program
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John Leland Center for Theological Studies
M.T.S. , Theological Studies , 2001 — 2007
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Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
M. Arch. , Architecture , 1997 — 1999
Thesis: Applications of Gender to Design:Expressing Feminine Identity and Experience through Architecture
Awards: American Institute of Architects (AIA) Henry Adams Award, Architectural Research Centers Consortium (ARCC) King Medal for Excellence in Architectural and Environmental Design Research- Activities and Societies:
- Alpha Rho Chi, Tau Sigma Delta Honor Society, National Organization of Minority Architecture Students
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Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
B.S. , Architectural Studies , 1993 — 1997
Awards: Presidential Scholars' Distinguished Scholars Award, Dean;s List, Honor Roll
- Activities and Societies:
- Alpha Rho Chi, National Organization of Minority Architecture Students, Building Effective Roots in Architecture (BERA), Florida Public Interest Research Group
Additional Information
Elise Edwards’s Websites:
Elise Edwards’s Interests:
theologies of culture, theologies of place, ethics of the built environment, religious idenitity and social transformation, institutional and religious architectural design, modern art and architecture, dance, popular culture
Elise Edwards’s Groups:
American Academy of Religion (AAR), Society for the Arts in Religious and Theological Studies (SARTS), Americans for the Arts, Convergence: A Creative Community of Faith
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FAMU Alumni
Elise Edwards’s Contact Settings
Interested In:
- career opportunities
- consulting offers
- new ventures
- expertise requests
- reference requests
- getting back in touch
