Dr. William J. Hynes is a teacher and storyteller. He brings those attributes to Door Community Auditorium on Saturday, March 27 at 9 am, in the final St. Norbert Distinguished Lecture, entitled “Why Do We Find Trickster Gods in All Religions?”. The lecture is free and open to the public. No tickets are required.

In virtually all world and regional religions, “trickster gods” are busily profaning and upending sacred beliefs…turning things upside down and inside out…stealing the possessions of bigger gods to give to human-kind. (A story from Greek mythology recounts the adventures of baby Hermes slipping through a keyhole and stealing from the mighty god Apollo.) Sent by bigger gods to punish the guilty, they conversely punish the innocent. Who are these trickster gods who appear in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, etc.? How can it be that religions which are typically intent to perpetuate themselves seem to celebrate the tricksters in their midst?

Dr. Hynes concluded eight years as President of St. Norbert College in May of 2008. Following a year-long sabbatical and working on a book on “The Principles of Entrepreneurship”, he has returned to teaching at the college. He has served as academic vice president at St. Mary’s College of California, and as dean at Regis University in Denver, after holding faculty positions for more than two decades.

He earned his Ph.D. and M.A. from the University of Chicago in the History of Christian Thought. He has a second M.A. in Catholic Theology from Marquette University. A year-long National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill allowed him to work with Charles Long, a pre-eminent scholar of African-American religious history.

Dr. Hynes is the author of three books, including Mythical Trickster Figures with William Doty, cited by The Literary Supplement, as “an admirable successor” to Paul Radin’s classic study.

The St. Norbert Distinguished Lecture series at Door Community Auditorium is sponsored by Dahl Law Firm of Sister Bay, and Ross Estate Planning of Sturgeon Bay. Lectures begin at 9 am and are free and open to the public. Ecology Sports Base Camp provides refreshment for purchase prior to the lecture. Door Community Auditorium is located on State Highway 42 at the north end of Fish Creek, immediately adjacent to Gibraltar Schools.

Press contact:
Dick Sandretti
(920) 868.2728
dick@dcauditorium.org