Stephanie Bennett, PhD., is Professor of Communication and Media Ecology at Palm Beach Atlantic University in South Florida, where for nearly 20 years she has been teaching, writing, and mentoring undergraduate students.  There she also directs Wordship, an initiative that seeks to set the pace for healing a polarized public, facilitating events and conversations that advance the importance and practice of dialogue, and creating an environment conducive to authentic relationship.  Author of five books, including a futuristic trilogy, Within The Walls, Bennett’s latest project is non-fiction and based on 25 years of research at the intersection of technology and interpersonal relationships.   The title, Silence, Civility, and Sanity:  Hope for Humanity in a Digital Age, is geared toward a mainstream audience and grapples with ways to cope with the state of dysfunction in our current public discourse.

 

Stephanie has also written articles for a host of organizations and ministries such as Focus on the Family, CCM (Contemporary Christian Magazine), and BreakPoint.

 

In all that she does, Stephanie brings her love of writing and close-knit community together with a heart to inspire personal growth. Married to her musician/ drummer husband, Earl, she is the mother of three grown children and grandmother of ten. She enjoys playing tennis, writing songs and sharing life with students, family and friends.

 

Okay.  Enough of the media info.  Here are some random facts about Stephanie Bennett:

• She genuinely loves people

• Wants to be in a movie

• Is terrible at playing dominoes

• Makes yummy Italian food from scratch

• Is an original "Jersey Girl"

• Doesn't have a nerdy bone in her body

• Likes writing on post-it notes

• Still loves bellbottoms with fringe

• (and her husband says he adores her)

• Is the ultimate multi-tasker

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Her latest vlog entry!   Run and be not weary–in the Secret Place

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Her latest article: Jeanne Guyon: Learning to Pray in the Digital Age from an Imprisoned Mystic

It's published at MereOrthodoxy.com and here's a taste of it...
"Without the discipline of the mind that silent prayer brings, one may too easily move from using our mobile devices in God-glorifying ways to instead become ruled by them. However, it is precisely the current climate of hi-tech’s “Move fast and Break things” culture that paves a new path to Guyon’s work to be seen and heard. Its heuristic value is clear for these reasons and more."  Read the full article

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Dr. Bennett invites dialogue at Stephanierenzobennett@gmail.com,  or at her You Tube channel of devotional videos.

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Stephanie's novels are fast-paced, first-person narratives with insightful perceptions that will call the reader to deeper thought long after the stories are read.

 

Within the Walls, Book 1 of the trilogy

Breaking the Silence, Book 2 of the Within the Walls trilogy
The Poet's Treasure, Book 3 of the Within the Walls trilogy  

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Her other books:

(We didn't publish them, but check 'em out!)

• Silence, Civility, and Sanity - published by Rowman Littlefield which won the 2023 Erving Goffman Award for Outstanding Scholarship this year, awarded by the MEA (Media Ecology Associated).  Read more about this book in her latest interview with Frank Viola, AND get a 30% discount on Silence, Civility, and Sanity if you apply the discount code: LXFANDF30 when ordering from the publisher.  (You can also can purchase the book at regular price through Amazon.com.

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• Her book, Communicating Love  is available on Amazon.com

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An article she wrote for BreakPoint online: 

• Feasting on Breadcrumbs--Is the Church Really a Community?

 

 

Upcoming lecture:
In November, Dr. Bennett will be giving a lecture for ministers, lay leaders, business professionals as well as students, entitled, Re-visiting Digital Efficacy:  Redeeming Public Discourse in an Age of Expedience at the Christian Study Center of Gainesville.  Lecture description: Civility is not about being “nice.” It involves clearer, deeper understanding of who we are and how we envision our world. Since the emergence of Web 2.0 the interactivity of the Internet has connected us more quickly and broadly to our neighbors than at any other time in the history of civilization, yet our communication practices have suffered increasingly.  Social Media create an environment that allow for new opportunities to be neighborly but have also opened the door to the worst in human behavior. While there is no easy fix for our broken and polarized public sphere, there is a grounding, a wealth of best practices, and hope for humanity in this digital age.

We will post a link to the recording of the lecture when it becomes available.

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