Arthur E Farnsley II

Art Farnsley is a researcher, writer, and teacher. He is Research Professor of Religious Studies at IUPUI, Research Director of the Religion and Urban Culture 2.0 Project and data evangelist for the ARDA. From 2007-2016 he was Executive Officer of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion.

Art writes about religion's relationship to American culture, especially American politics, but he steers clear of the usual angles. For instance, his first book, Southern Baptist Politics, examined the influence of American political culture on that denomination's internal affairs, not vice-versa.

Art shoots flintlock rifles (poorly) and throws knife and tomahawk (very well). He is now the 30-time knife and tomahawk champion of the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association.

Art's been lucky enough to visit 25 countries. He's seen 1-horned rhinos from the back of an elephant in West Bengal, gone around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway at 180mph, hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon (and back), trekked on a glacier in Alaska and dove the reefs in Belize. He was at Live Aid at Wembley in 1985 (and yes, he has the tickets) and saw Tiger Woods at St Andrews winning part of the Tiger Slam in 2000.

Art lives in Indianapolis with his wife Gail. His elder daughter is a ballet dancer living in London and his younger daughter works in the nutraceutical industry in Vilnius, Lithuania.