Anthony B. Pinn received his BA from Columbia University, Master of Divinity, and Ph.D. in the study of religion from Harvard University. He is currently the Agnes Cullen Arnold Professor of Humanities and professor of religion at Rice University. He is also Professor Extraordinarius at the University of South Africa. Pinn is the founding director of the Center for Engaged Research and Collaborative Learning, and the inaugural director of the Center for African and African American Studies both at Rice University. In addition, he is Director of Research for the Institute for Humanist Studies – a Washington, DC-based think tank. Pinn’s research interests include religion and culture; humanism; and hip hop culture. He is the author/editor of over 35 books, including Terror and Triumph: The Nature of Black Religion (2003) and the novel The New Disciples (2015).