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I started at Â鶹´«Ã½ Fox University in early 2013 as an adjunct English professor. In 2014, I moved to full-time professor, and I have served as program lead since 2015. Before coming to Â鶹´«Ã½ Fox University, I taught a variety of literature, composition, creative writing, and apologetics courses – face-to-face, hybrid, and online – at Colorado State University, the University of Denver, Liberty University, and Chemeketa Community College. In the 1980s and 1990s, I worked as a crime and news reporter for such newspapers as The Chicago Tribune, The Oregonian, and The Tacoma News Tribune, a time that greatly influenced how I approach and teach writing today. In addition to my Associate Dean role, I serve as a Title IX Deputy Coordinator, an Early College Faculty Liaison, and Project Faculty for Portland Seminary’s Doctor of Leadership in Global Perspectives.

Academic Background

• DMin, Semiotics & Future Studies, Portland Seminary
• PhD, English, University of Denver
• MFA, Creative Writing, Colorado State University
• BA, Journalism, Pacific Lutheran University

Expertise and Research Interests

Both my MFA and my PhD studies centered on the literature of the American West. As a fifth-generation Oregonian and a writer, I have a vested interest in the growing canon of Western American literature and the ability of Western writers to earn the consideration they deserve. With my background as a newspaper reporter, I am fascinated by the ways language is used to both transmit information and define cultures, and I enjoy helping students discover the structure and simplicity of effective writing – whether an essay, an email, or a social media post.

My second doctorate is a Doctor of Ministry with an emphasis in semiotics and future studies. I have a heart for skeptics and those who have been hurt by the church, and my work considers ministry in light of contemporary culture, engaging with various social contexts and anticipating culture trends.

Select Research Bibliography

Harrop, J. (2019). The Jesus Quotient: IQ to EQ to AQ. Eugene, OR: Cascade Books.

Harrop, J. (2018). The simple math of writing well: Writing for the 21st century. Newberg, OR: Pennington Press. 

Harrop, J. (2018). The Jesus Quotient: IQ -> EQ -> AQ (Doctoral dissertation). Portland Seminary, Portland, OR. 

Harrop, J. (2013). Little sparks storybook 1. Mexico City, Mexico: Oxford University Press.

Harrop, J. (2013). Little sparks storybook 2. Mexico City, Mexico: Oxford University Press.

Harrop, J. (2013). Little sparks storybook 3. Mexico City, Mexico: Oxford University Press.

Harrop, J. (2010). Angling for repose: Wallace Stegner and the de-mythologizing of the American West. Saarbrucken, Germany: Lambert Academic Publishing.

Harrop, J. (2007). Angling for repose: De-mythologizing the American West in Wallace Stegner’s The big rock candy mountain. North Dakota Quarterly, 74(2), 19-39.

Harrop, J. (1997). After the rain. Nieve Roja Review, 1. Retrieved from

Harrop, J. (1997). Parallel tracks. Prairie Schooner, 71(4), 132-144.

Outside the Classroom

When I am not on campus, I have the privilege of serving as pastor of Cedar Creek Church in Sherwood, a bivocational position that allows me to blend my pastoral responsibilities with my work as a faculty member and administrator at Â鶹´«Ã½ Fox. I also serve on the Board of Directors for the YMCA of Columbia-Willamette, as an Ambassador for the national Council for Adult and Experiential Learning, and as Chaplain for Boy Scout Troop 116 in Sherwood.

I am blessed with a lively and joyful home in Sherwood with my husband Karl and our five teens/twentysomethings: Miles, Piper, Mattie, Josie, and Carson. During our off-work hours, my husband and I can be found cheering as our kids play sports, dance, and sing on stage. We enjoy spending time with our extended family and church friends, and we love to hike, camp, and explore our beautiful state.

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