Vahanian, Gabriel: - Gabriel Vahanian, Professor emeritus at the University of Strasbourg, was educated in Paris and Princeton. In 1958 he founded and directed the graduate program in religion at Syracuse University. He was a founding member of the first board of directors of the American Academy of religion. In 1981-82 he served on the President's Commission for the Study of Ethical Problems in Medicine and Biomedical and Behavioral Research. His latest book is Praise of the Secular.