Rate My Professor Craig Forney

Craig A. Forney, Ph.D., is a professor of Religious Studies in the Behavioral Sciences Department at Palomar College in San Marcos, California, a position he has held since 2007. He serves as the Religious Studies Discipline Coordinator, handling program inquiries and overseeing the academic study of religion, which examines diverse elements of behavior, understanding, and organization in religious traditions and communities. The program emphasizes major global religious traditions, particularly those pertinent to life in the United States, fostering skills for navigating international and religiously diverse contexts and preparing students as global citizens. Forney earned his B.A. from Fresno Pacific University, M.A. from the University of Chicago, and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. His contact office is MD-248, extension 3935.

Forney contributes extensively to institutional governance and curriculum development at Palomar College. He has been a member of the Sabbatical Leave Committee from 2021 to 2024 and has participated in the Curriculum Committee, supporting enhancements to course offerings such as linked Religious Studies and English courses. During a sabbatical project documented between 2011 and 2015, Forney investigated the diversity of religious communities in San Diego County. This involved reviewing applicable literature, interviewing at least 50 religious leaders, and observing ritual practices. The resulting insights were incorporated into Religious Studies curricula, shared with colleagues across disciplines, and used to build local networks for expanded experiential and service learning opportunities for students. In scholarship, Forney authored the 2007 book The Holy Trinity of American Sports: Civil Religion in Football, Baseball, and Basketball, published by Mercer University Press, exploring civil religion through major U.S. sports. He has presented on topics such as “Japanese Baseball: Zen, Shinto, and the Way” in American Philosophical Association proceedings. Through teaching, administration, and research, Forney advances understanding of religious diversity and its cultural intersections.