Professor of Religious Studies Rebecca Todd Peters will direct the organization’s focus on the intersection of political power and religion ahead of its January 2026 conference in Washington, D.C.
Rebecca Todd Peters, professor of religious studies, recently became president of the Society of Christian Ethics (SCE).
The SCE promotes scholarly work in Christian ethics that explores its relationship to other ethical traditions while also addressing social, economic, political and cultural issues. The society encourages and improves the teaching of these fields in colleges, universities and theological schools. The SCE comprises approximately 800 members.
As president, Peters’ role includes guiding the theme of the society’s next annual meeting.
“Focusing this year’s annual meeting on the topic of ‘Christianity, Politics and Power’ is an opportunity to shape conversations in the field that can help challenge the threat of white Christian nationalism rising across the country,” Peters said. “Being elected to the SCE presidency is a particular honor, as past presidents have historically been colleagues who work at larger institutions teaching doctoral students.”
Peters is a well-respected scholar in the field of ethics and justice. She is the author of three books, “Trust Women: A Progressive Christian Argument for Reproductive Justice,” “Solidarity Ethics: Transformation in a Globalized World,” and “In Search of the Good Life: The Ethics of Globalization,” and has co-edited six additional volumes and published more than 25 peer-reviewed publications.
Following the society’s leadership structure, Peters was nominated and elected to the position three years ago. She served as vice president during the first year, president-elect in the second year, and now assumes the role of president. She will continue to contribute to the society as past president in 2026.
Among goals during her presidential year are increasing access for non-tenure-track scholars to publish and present through the society and developing a series of book prizes that would celebrate scholarship of Christian ethics written for various audiences.
In addition to teaching ethics courses in the Department of Religious Studies at Elon, she leads courses in the Department of Environmental Studies, the Poverty and Social Justice and Women, Gender, and Sexualities Studies programs, as well as for the Honors Fellows.