Gerard F. Beritela, Ph.D.

Gerard F. Beritela has been teaching at Le Moyne since 1994. His degrees include a B.A. summa cum laude from St. John Fisher College; an M.Div. from Nashotah House Seminary in Wisconsin; and the Ph.D. in Religion from Syracuse University. In 2014 he was a recipient of Le Moyne College’s Bene Merenti Award. It was at Syracuse University that he developed a passionate interest in Hinduism and other Religions of Asia. His doctoral dissertation entitled Guru Love: On the Tropes of Eroticism in the Spiritual Relationship between Master and Disciple reflects his fascination with the interplay between the erotic and the spiritual within Eastern and Western mystical traditions. His published essay “Super-Girls and Mild Mannered Men: Gender Trouble in Metropolis” reflects the side of his character that delights in playful, yet scholarly, engagement with Popular Culture and questions of gender and sexuality. Originally hired to teach the required REL 200 course, Gerry branched out into teaching and developing courses on The Religions of Asia, Religious Meaning and Popular Culture, and two different courses on Interfaith Dialogue. In addition to his work as a professor, he is also a Priest in the Episcopal Church and ministers to two local congregations: Church of the Saviour, and Emmanuel Episcopal Church.