Michael R. Kearney

Michael R. Kearney serves as Assistant Professor of Communication in the College of Arts and Humanities at Dordt University, where he teaches courses on religious communication, crisis communication, and communication ethics. His research bridges rhetoric, theology, and philosophical inquiry with practical applications in community care and civic discourse.

Dr. Kearney's research focuses on religious communication through historical and contemporary lenses, examining how theological concepts inform crisis response and ethical dialogue. His work particularly explores dialogic frameworks using thinkers like Nicholas of Cusa and Melanchthon, addressing modern challenges of polarization and technological alienation. Recent scholarship investigates how coincidentia oppositorum (unity of contraries) can disrupt idolatrous certainties in political and religious discourse.

His publication trends reveal deep engagement with

• Renaissance rhetorical theory applied to modern crises
• Christian theological frameworks for communication ethics
• Critiques of technological determinism in media ecology
• Dialogic approaches to political disillusionment

Notable contributions include analyses of Melanchthon's didactic genre and Nicholas of Cusa's crisis communication ethic, demonstrating how historical perspectives inform contemporary ethical challenges.

Dr. Kearney has received significant recognition including:

• The 2022 Religious Communication Association Article of the Year Award
• The 2024 Rhetorica Award

for his influential work on Reformation rhetoric.

Beyond research, he actively contributes to academic and church communities through the In All Things blog and founded the URC Psalmody blog for Reformed church musicians. His educational background and Erasmus+ experience in Poland inform his international perspective on communication studies. As noted by Dean Luke Hawley, Kearney brings 'infectious energy' to both academic subjects and practical musicianship, promising significant impact on Dordt students.