Online Program Book

This is the preliminary program for the 2024 in-person Annual Meeting, hosted with the Society for Biblical Literature in San Diego, CA - November 23-26. Pre-conference workshops and many committee meetings will be held November 22. If you have questions about the program, contact annualmeeting@aarweb.org. All times are listed in local/Pacific Time.


	A23-420 Interreligious and Interfaith Studies Unit and Religion in Europe Unit Theme: Rising tides of Islamophobia & Antisemitism across Europe and US Saturday, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM Convention Center-24B (Upper Level East) Carol Ferrara, Emerson College, Presiding Antisemitism and Islamophobia have been rising dramatically across Europe and North America. While there are distinct underlying social structures, political dynamics, and cultural phenomena that have fueled the emergence and evolution of antisemitism and Islamophobia, especially from country to country, they are often intertwined in certain ways and echoed across contexts. In light of these troubling trends, this panel will explore the complex roots and interreligious intertwinings of antisemitism and Islamophobia in Europe and North America. The papers offer reflection on these concepts from a range of perspectives, including: Du Bois' exploration of race, religion, Zionism and Antisemitism in the US; gender the transnational roots of Islamophobia in Protestantism in Britain and the US; and the oft-overlooked relationship between 20th century Jewish and Catholic revival in Europe. In the discussion portion, special attention will be drawn to how global events affect the rise of and relationship between antisemitism and Islamophobia and/or interreligious relations in contemporary or historical contexts. Nevia Selmon, Harvard Divinity School Double Consciousness and Divine Chosenness Examined: Du Bois' Exploration of Race, Religion, Zionism, and Antisemitism to Uncover Notions of Jewish Power and Equality in America Abstract Double Consciousness and Divine Chosenness Examined: This paper delves into W.E.B. Du Bois' exploration of race, religion, Zionism, and antisemitism within the American context, uncovering notions of Jewish power and equality. Du Bois' nuanced stance on these topics reveals an intricate interplay of personal experiences, philosophical reflections, and societal contexts within the United States. Through an analysis of his views on antisemitism and Zionism, alongside contemporary scholarship, this study elucidates the complexities of Jewish identity and the racialization of Jews in America. By comparing Du Bois' approach with other theorists' perspectives and engaging with modern Jewish studies, the analysis exposes enduring stereotypes and the intertwined dynamics of antisemitism and Zionism within American society. Ultimately, Du Bois' intellectual legacy sheds light on the intersections of race, religion, and identity, significantly contributing to our understanding of race relations and the "Jewish Question" within the American landscape in the 21st century. Deanna Womack, Emory University Gender and the Transnational Roots of Protestant Islamophobia Abstract Islamophobia is on the rise, along with anti-Semitism, in Europe and North America today. To combat such bigotry, we need a better historical conception of the ways prejudices become imbedded in religious and cultural thought patterns. This paper focuses on gender in Anglo-Protestant discourses about Islam as a key to understanding the deep roots of anti-Muslim sentiment. I show how images of violent Muslim men migrated from continental Europe to Britain during the Reformation, I explore how the Orientalist discourse of the veil influenced British and early American thought about Muslim women’s oppression during the Enlightenment, and I document how nineteenth and early twentieth-century Anglo-Protestant missionaries employed tropes about abused Muslim women. Recognizing the endurance of these negative gender discourses even with the growth of interfaith and Christian-Muslim initiatives after the mid-twentieth century, I ask how the lessons of history might assist us in confronting American and British Islamophobia today. Silvana Kandel, Humboldt University The Jewish Roots of the Catholic Renovation: Vatican II Beyond Nostra Aetate Abstract In this paper, I set out to challenge the assumptions of unrelatedness between twenty-century Jewish and Catholic renewal. Echoes of various aspects of the Jewish renewal of the interwar period can be found in the writings of many central figures of the later Catholic renewal, who encountered these ideas through direct reading of the Jewish thinkers or through the mediation of major theological figures, and some of those echoes even made their way to the conciliar documents. In fact, I claim that there is a vast network of subterranean intellectual connections that extends the links between the Second Vatican Council and Judaism far beyond the Nostra Aetate Declaration to which it is usually reduced. My paper will uncover some of these unknown sides of the European movement of Catholic renovation before and throughout the Vatican Council. Responding Ehsan Sheikholharam, University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill
	A23-421 Kierkegaard, Religion, and Culture Unit Theme: Kierkegaard and the Spiritualities of the Religiously Unaffiliated Saturday, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM Hilton Bayfront-Indigo 202B (Second Level) Nigel Hatton, University of California, Merced, Presiding The unaffiliated, also termed Nones, are those who when asked about their religious identity or institutional affiliation check the box “none of the above.” This session will explore the spiritualities of those who can be classified as Nones into conversation with Kierkegaard’s writings on themes related to Christendom, the institutional church, the role of doctrine and tradition, the significance of the subjectivity of the single individual, and Religiousness A and Religiousness B. Jung Lee, Northeastern University Believing in "Nothing in Particular": Religious Nones, Despair, and the Closing of the Immanent Frame Abstract The most recent survey by the PEW Research Center (2024) on religion found that for the first time the “religiously unaffiliated” or “religious nones” constituted the largest cohort (28%) of American adults, edging out Catholics (23%) and Evangelical Protestants (23%). Although it may appear as if this group shares some sympathies with certain Kierkegaardian attitudes in regard to Christendom, the institutional church, and normative culture in general, a closer look reveals that these Religious Nones, particularly the ones who describe their religion as “nothing in particular” (63%), are animated not so much by “inwardness” but by the evasion of commitments, either to the divine or to one’s community. Unable to articulate the conditions of belief or even a rich picture of human fullness, the lived spiritualities of Religious Nones reflects a detached perspective within an immanent frame that is closer to Kierkegaardian despair than to a genuine life of spirit. Tekoa Robinson, Villanova University Kierkegaard, Nones, and Encountering the Eternal for the Development of Authentic Selfhood Outside of Institutional Forms of Christianity Abstract This paper explores how those who no longer identify with a religious tradition or community may encounter the paradox of the eternal in time in edifying ways that foster the development of authentic selfhood. For one could easily argue along with Kierkegaard that becoming a self before God is certainly not guaranteed simply because a person might belong to a religious community, etc. In light of this assertion, it is argued that the individual may encounter the paradox of the eternal outside of any formal religious community and come to receive oneself as a single individual in relation to the eternal through the existence-communication of Christianity as communicated through the inverse witness and how this encounter with the inverse witness may lead an individual into the ongoing reception of one’s concrete particular self via the inward self-reflexive relational dynamics of coming to exist as a self before God. Carolyn Mackie, University of Toronto The Church as the Crowd: Kierkegaard’s Attack on Christendom as his Critique of the Public Abstract This paper analyzes the congruity between Kierkegaard’s late polemical writings against the state church and his earlier writings critiquing “the public” or “the crowd.” Just as the public is everyone and no one at the same time, so blurred lines between church and state in Danish Christendom mean that the church is also made up of everyone and no one, for “we are all Christians” (The Moment). In both the church and the public, there is a temptation to lose oneself in the universal instead of stepping into the particularity of a relationship with God. Kierkegaard’s argument holds particular relevance for Christians who have chosen to leave their faith communities due to moral injury or spiritual danger. Responding Jung Lee, Northeastern University Tekoa Robinson, Villanova University Carolyn Mackie, University of Toronto Business Meeting Lee Barrett, Moravian University, Presiding Nigel Hatton, University of California, Merced, Presiding
	A23-422 Mahabharata and Classical Hinduism Seminar Theme: Fate, Agency, and Love in the Mahābhārata Saturday, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM Convention Center-3 (Upper Level West) Arti Dhand, University of Toronto, Presiding The three papers in this session all consider issues of human agency and fate in the _Mahābhārata_. Brian Black’s paper compares the two framing dialogues that introduce the story, finding that one places emphasis on the text’s ontological status and universal appeal, and the other on the genealogical history and the divine plan. He argues that the two frames work together to support the _Mahābhārata_’s claim to inclusivity and universality. Veena Howard’s paper highlights Queen Gāndhārī’s perspective, shifting the focus from heroism to the value of bodily existence, sensuality, and love. Tejas Aralere’s paper considers the roles of Draupadī, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, and Śikhaṇḍī. Though perhaps fated to be central figures in the bloody conflict, their actions also contribute to establishing peace from multiple fronts, he argues. Brian Black, Lancaster University Framing the Mahābhārata: How Do Ugraśravas and Vaiśampāyaṇa Characterise the Main Story? Abstract It is well known that the Mahābhārata has two frame dialogues that introduce the main story. While some characteristics of the Mahābhārata, such as its Vedic status and authorship, are emphasised in both frame stories, other characteristics are developed in one frame story, but not the other. I will argue that the Ugraśravas narration establishes the text’s ontological status, while also presenting the story as having universal appeal. In contrast, Vaiśampāyaṇa’s narration presents the main story in historical terms, as a chronicle of the king’s own family, as well as in cosmological terms as the unfolding of a divine plan. Addressing the creative tensions between these hermeneutical lenses, I will argue that they work together to support the Mahābhārata’s claim to inclusivity and universality. Veena Howard, California State University, Fresno Queen Gāndhārī’s Mapping the Battlefield through the “Divine Eye:” Reversing the Masculine Gaze and Affirming the Feminine Bodily Reality Abstract This paper focuses on Queen Gāndhārī’s mapping of the battlefield in the “Book of Women” (Strī Parva,). After providing an overview of the narrative placement of this book, I will show how Gāndhārī’s divine vision of the battlefield reverses the gaze from masculine prowess and callous heroism to the reality of destruction and pain as experienced by women. Second, Gāndhārī, who narrates her vision to Lord Kṛṣṇa, does not recapitulate his message in the Bhagavad-Gītā of rising above emotions, rather, she elevates these emotions through the detailed description of the bodies of the dead. Gāndhārī’s lament affirms the value of body and arouses concern for war and violence. Finally, Gāndhārī reveals the cruel reality of the bodily dismemberment of the slain warriors and the unrestrained lament of the surviving women. Through the female divine sight, the Mahābhārata provides a new insight into the value of bodily existence, sensuality, and love. Tejas S. Aralere, University of New Hampshire The Pāñcālan role in fostering peace Abstract This paper suggests that although one could argue that they were “fated” to serve in their roles within Kṛṣṇa’s masterplan for Pāṇḍavan victory, that the epic points to these three Pāñcālans’ as crucial in resolving the Kuru-Pāñcāla conflict by ending multiple multigenerational conflicts. They ultimately make peace possible by ending the looming individual conflicts of their predecessors, thereby contributing to the restoration of the Pāṇḍavas and Pāñcālī-Draupadī on Hastinapura’s throne. Without the Pāñcālan allies, the Pāṇḍavas would not have had a common enemy in the Kauravas, and it’s only through their marriage to Draupadi that they are forced by her - directly and indirectly – to emerge from hiding, return to Hastināpura, and wage war. While their actions certainly help precipitate and conclude the war, I also argue that their actions contribute to establishing peace from multiple fronts.
	A23-423 Martin Luther and Global Lutheran Traditions Unit Theme: Beyond Lutheran Theological Neutrality Regarding Those of Other Religions or No Religion Saturday, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM Convention Center-28D (Upper Level East) Kayko Driedger Hesslein, Lutheran Theological Seminary, Saskatoon, Presiding The ELCA’s “Declaration of Inter-religious Commitment,” addresses how Lutheran thought calls Christians to be in relationship with their neighbors who adhere to a variety of different religious traditions as well as no religion at all. In his response, Hindu scholar Anant Rambachan commends the ELCA’s call for interreligious cooperation that exemplifies “a shared commitment to justice, peace, and the common good.” At the same time, Rambachan also expresses disappointment that the Declaration remains theologically neutral regarding what Lutheran theology and practice might learn from people of other religions and no religion. As one who writes and speaks extensively about how his interactions with Christians and others impact his Hindu self-understanding, Rambachan asks, “Is theological neutrality the final word on inter-religious dialogue?” This panel of Lutheran theologians will go beyond theological neutrality in engaging with Muslims, Jews, Hindus and Buddhists as well as religious nones. Deanna A. Thompson, St. Olaf College Delighting in our Neighbors Who are Non-Religious: A Lutheran Theological Proposal Abstract This paper explores the rapidly increasing reality of religious nones and proposes a way forward beyond Lutheran theological neutrality regarding those who are non-religious. Drawing on the work of Lutheran feminist theologians Kathryn Kleinhans and Elisabeth Gerle, the paper explores how a Lutheran understanding of self-in-relation alongside the Lutheran vocational call to delight in the neighbor compel us to move beyond the religious/non-religious binary to be opened to new spiritual truths through interpathic relationships with those who are non-religious. Kirsi Stjerna, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary Reconstructing Lutheran Theology – Wisdom from the Jewish Encounters Abstract Martin Luther considered Jewish religion futile and the Jewish law “expired.” While curious about the Jewish faith to the point of being suspected of “Judaizing” for his deep interest in the rabbinic interpretations, he unfortunately had no Jewish colleagues or friends and only few (biased) sources. Whereas Luther and the faith community in Wittenberg missed authentic and transformative encounters with any Jewish partners, we today live in a situation where mutual learning is coveted and possible. Luther’s interest in Judaism and the “imaginary Jew” shaped the 16th-century reformer’s theology; Lutherans today can learn about Jewish religion from actual Jewish practitioners, and vice versa. Some of the areas where Lutheran theology can benefit from moving away from Luther’s polarizing argumentation and learning from the wisdom of the Jewish religion are teaching of salvation and faith, justification and grace, and law and religious practices. Coming together on the shared teaching of the infinite goodness of God seems like an obvious starting point for mutual learning. David Grafton, Hartford International University Challenging but not Necessarily Contradictory: Christian Learning from Christian-Muslim Dialogue Abstract The 2019 ELCA Declaration of Inter-religious Commitments, like its predecessor the 1991 Declaration of Ecumenical Commitments, set forth broad based consideration for the engagement of ELCA Lutherans with other religious communities. In this paper, I will briefly outline how Christians and Muslims stand on important common ground when it comes to the foundations of our calling to love and care for our world and our neighbors for the common good. However, the Qur’an asks fundamental questions about several classical Christian beliefs: the Trinity, the incarnation, and the crucifixion of Jesus. The Qur’anic claims and Christian responses are not theologically neutral. They are challenging but not necessarily contradictory. I will address the three contested Christian claims of God’s work in this world using the categories of Willem Bijlefeld from his unpublished paper “Christian Witness in an Islamic Context” that served as the genesis of the ELCA’s thinking about Christian-Muslim relations in 1986. Kristin Johnston Largen, Wartburg Theological Seminary “Beyond Neutrality: A Lutheran Understanding of Salvation in an Inter-Religious Context” Abstract his paper discusses a Lutheran articulation of salvation in the context of interreligious engagement, and “beyond Lutheran theological neutrality regarding those who are non-religious.” Using the ELCA document, “Declaration of Interreligious Commitment” as a foundation, I make four points. First, the document does not offer much guidance as we seek to move beyond the “exclusive/inclusive” binary when it comes to theological articulation of the salvation of those who are not Christian. Second, we can lean into the idea that there are “limits on our knowing,” such that we can celebrating being “undecided,” rather than “neutral.” Third, we should explore with more boldness the opportunities for “mutual understanding,” with a disposition of theological openness to transformation. Finally, we can adopt a posture of hopeful anticipation regarding salvation, following the affirmation of “grace without prerequisites” and the relational character of Lutheran theology. Responding Anant Rambachan, Saint Olaf College
	A23-424 Music and Religion Unit Theme: Music, Spirituality, and Expansive Ways of Knowing Saturday, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM Hilton Bayfront-Indigo D (Second Level) Joshua Busman, University of North Carolina, Pembroke, Presiding Music and Religion Unit, Panel No. 1 Pia Hernandez, Jingyu Liu, Rollins College Synths and Sutra: The Implications of Contemporary Sound in Japanese Buddhism Abstract Throughout history, mystics from various cultures have acknowledged the powerful influence of a mysterious force associated with the human heart, and engage with such essence through ritual and ceremony. Melody, song, and chant have been integral to sacred rituals since the dawn of civilization. This research investigates the role of sonic and auditory elements in ritualistic practices, particularly focusing on the contemporary practices of Japanese Buddhist monk Yakushiji Kanho. This approach allows us to explore how sound and auditory experiences contribute to the connection with the divine, demonstrating the enduring relevance of these elements in spiritual rituals. The study will focus on the role of music in Buddhism and religious practices in general, highlighting how rituals are integrated into modern-day popular culture. Furthermore, it will examine the use of Asian religious music in "New Age" spiritual contexts in the United States and analyze how globalization affects sacred music practices. Carsyn Shirk, On a Non-Monogamous Relationship with Music: A Serious Effort to Think Plural Abstract Musicologist Suzanne Cusick argues that music could act as a lesbian lover, that it might be sex itself, and that a lesbian relationship with music could liberate musicology from heteronormative dynamics—as lesbian relationships are inherently outside of this structure. However, she explores these dynamics as a monogamous relationship. Using Cusick’s work as a blueprint, this paper investigates relationships with music that are non-monogamous, like those in religious contexts. This paper will present how ideas of queerness, sexuality, and love interact with four potential relationship dynamics in the relationship between an individual, God, and music in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Namely, a polyamorous relationship, a relationship with un-ethical non-monogamy, an abusive relationship, and a relationship that incorporates BDSM. By engaging with Church archival documents, I aim to provide new perspectives on how scholars can examine power dynamics when there are more than two parties at play.
	A23-425 New Directions in the Study of Religion, Monsters, and the Monstrous Seminar Theme: Monsters in the Classroom Saturday, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM Convention Center-30C (Upper Level East) Kelly Murphy, Central Michigan University, Presiding For its fifth and final year, the Seminar on New Directions in the Study of Religion, Monsters, and the Monstrous is hosting a panel devoted to exploring pedagogy and the monstrous followed by a roundtable discussion on future trajectories in the study of religion and monstrosity. Each of the panelists examine the role of the monster/monstrous in the classroom from various academic lenses, from the study of ancient texts to contemporary popular culture. These papers contribute to the continued development of monster studies within the larger project of the academic study of religion, with a particular focus on a consideration of how our pedagogical frameworks might be enhanced by including both monsters and the monstrous. The roundtable discussion will expand on the conclusions offered by our panelists, as well as breaking new ground in monstrous pedagogy. Jessica Knippel, Monster as Complicated Other: Teaching Intersectional Otherness and Positionality through Monstrousness and Monster Theory Abstract Throughout cultural history the monster has always been a good vehicle for the creation of an abject other and the subsequent harm they experience that is justification because of their connection to monstrousness. Yet with the rise of cultural appreciation for the monstrous and anti-hero tropes in popular culture and media, might the monster and monster theory also become a teaching space to explore and engage differently with the monster? Might we ask why we construct monsters and how we might look differently at those who have been constructed to be monstrous? How might monster theory become a fruitful space to explore positively positionality, privilege, and intersectional otherness? How might using the construct of the monster and monster theory work as a space to upend early college students notions of prejudice and help to broaden their empathy and worldview, as well as their social and cultural awareness. Seth Pierce, Walla Walla University Pedagogy of the Beast: Bestiaries as Student Centered Learning Projects Abstract In religious history, texts known as bestiaries taught readers about strange beasts and their connection to God’s revelation in nature. These ancient texts became the artifact that helped develop pedagogy of the beast used in a new class teaching the relationship between religion and the monstrous. In the spring of 2022, a private Midwestern university launched a successful new religion course that explored the intersection of monsters, religion, and popular culture. Part of the success was due to the use of project-based learning, scaffolding, and student-centered learning to craft a monstrous midterm around the artifact of the bestiary. This paper gives an in-depth explanation of how to use the “pedagogy of the beast,” offers a qualitative analysis of student experiences (with pictures), and concludes with suggestions as to how the bestiary project might be improved for courses exploring religion and the monstrous. DeAnna Daniels, Rice University Towards a Black Teratological Pedagogical Intervention Abstract This paper explores the expansive realm of horror, particularly through the lens of monsters and their emergence as an essentializing category and framing of Blackness and Black religion. Examining Them (2021) and Girl With All The Gifts (2016), I argue for the development of a Black Monster Theory, or what I have termed as Black Teratology, to provide a platform for students to analyze the varying constructions of cinematic and literary monsters. Integrating Black Teratology into the pedagogical space provides students with conceptual tools, enabling them to delve into monsters’ cultural and religious dimensions, offering a unique perspective rooted in Black religious thought and culture. This pedagogical framework redefines the category of religious meaning and Black representation, acknowledging the multi-dimensional realities embedded in the ‘real lived experiences” of Black people, unfolding in monstrous productions. Thus, it fosters a deeper understanding of the intersection between horror, race, religion, and culture. Business Meeting Natasha Mikles, Texas State University, Presiding
	A23-426 Platonism and Neoplatonism Unit Theme: The Recovery of Participatory Metaphysics Saturday, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM Hilton Bayfront-Indigo C (Second Level) Alexander Hampton, University of Toronto, Presiding The past several years have witnessed the remarkable recovery of participatory ontologies, a key conceptual element of the Platonic tradition. This recovery has occurred in many contexts, including Anglican, Evangelical, Reformed, and Roman Catholic circles. Participation constitutes a radically non-dualistic way of conceptualizing the relationship between God and creation, transcendence and immanence, the One in the many. It represents a theological and philosophical resource with a pedigree over 2,000 years old. Its implications range from the theological (soteriology and Christology), the philosophical (dualism, materialism), and the practical (aesthetics, environmental ethics). This invited panel will explore the motivations and implications of this recovery and is convened on the publication of Participation in the Divine (eds. Hedley, Tolan). Participants: Hans Boersma (Nashotah House Seminary), Andrew Davison (University of Cambridge), Yonghua Ge (Trinity Western University). Andrew Davison, University of Cambridge Participatory Metaphysics in Contemporary Evangelicalism Abstract Recent interest in the metaphysics of participation (and in Platonism more widely), and burgeoning scholarship on that theme, is a notable feature of current evangelicalism, not least in North America. I will argue that this should be understood as both the fruit ecumenism and a driver for further ecumenism, and that while it is focused on doctrine or systematic theology, it cannot fully be appreciated if seen as isolated from spirituality, mission / apologetics, and the recovery of a historical sensibility. I will argue that this attention to Christian Platonism should not be seen primarily as one turn to philosophy among many – one which happens to be Platonist – but that the character of the particular philosophical vision is central. I will conclude by asking what the interest in participatory metaphysics among evangelicals might offer for conversations with other religious traditions. Hans Boersma, Nashotah House Theological Seminary Participatory Metaphysics and Creation out of God Abstract In Aristotle’s view, nothing comes from nothing (ex nihilo nihil fit). Both he and Plotinus thought, therefore, of the substratum (ὑποκείμενον) of matter as being eternal. Christian theology has consistently rejected this understanding of material causality through its teaching of creation out of nothing (ex nihilo). Theologians have parted ways, however, on how to understand the creator-creature relationship once eternal matter is rejected. The Augustinian-Thomist approach has rejected creation from God (de deo). This paper draws attention to an alternative tradition, that of Irenaeus, Gregory of Nyssa, and Maximus the Confessor, which thinks of creation as both out of nothing (ἐκ τοῦ μή) and out of God (ἐκ θεοῦ). This paper argues that a genuinely participatory metaphysic requires the combination of creation ex nihilo and ex deo. Yonghua Ge, Trinity Western University Is Participatory Ontology a Viable Worldview in the (Post)Modern Context? Abstract The (post)modern world oscillates between radical monism and pluralism. On the one hand, various forms of scientism claim that science alone is sufficient for explaining everything, while reductionist physicalism seeks to reduce all of reality into nothing but matter. But in its effort to unify all things with a single principle, these kinds of monism are destructive to the irreducible richness and complexity of reality. On the other hand, with its extreme emphasis on difference and otherness, postmodern thought has celebrated diversity at the expense of unity. In this paper, I will argue that participatory ontology provides a balanced worldview in which all of reality is unified by an absolutely transcendent source that nonetheless respects difference and diversity. Business Meeting Alexander Hampton, University of Toronto, Presiding Douglas Hedley, University of Cambridge, Presiding
	A23-427 Pragmatism and Empiricism in American Religious Thought Unit Theme: Intersectionality of Pragmatic and Empiricist tradition in American Religious Thought Saturday, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM Convention Center-7B (Upper Level West) Xavier Pickett, Cornell University, Presiding The mission of the Pragmatism and Empiricism in Religious Thought Unit is to foster the advancement and understanding of the pragmatic and empiricist traditions in American religious thought, as well as the intersections of those traditions with other methodologies, intellectual figures, artistic movements, communities, and issues. This Unit is concerned with critically interrogating, evaluating, and developing the insights and relevance of the pragmatic and empiricist traditions of American thought, broadly construed, for the study of religion and theology, with attention both to the historical interpretation of ideas and contemporary developments within this critical sphere of philosophical and theological reflection. Recent areas of interest include pragmatism and democracy, the continued relevance of empiricism to the revival of pragmatism, multidisciplinary aspects of the tradition (intersections with other fields of inquiry), overlaps with cultural criticism and analyses of gender and race, and the application of pragmatic and empiricist analyses to contemporary problems. Justin Nickel, Occurring to One Another: Developing a Democratic Voice Abstract Democratic participation requires the development of one’s own voice. In popular imagination, such development is a private activity, occurring within an individual and apart from shared criteria and public reception. Such a view is democratically harmful and philosophically false. Against it, I argue that Stanley Cavell’s reading of Wittgenstein and Thoreau offers a philosophically compelling and democratically wholesome account of how our voices develop. I conclude by inviting audience participants into an exercise in which they reflect on the development of their own voices, with particular attention to the texts, people, and questions who have aided this development. This activity shows the impact our understanding of voice development has on the way we prepare students to participate in democratic life. Julius Crump, Who Missed Class in Prophesy?: Pragmatism as Blameworthy Abstract West’s description of pragmatism in Prophesy! functions as an invitation to dialogue about the propriety of sources for revolution. Many readers of Prophesy! view pragmatism as an unnecessary source if it merely claims to provide one with an option to obtain freedom, self-referentially. What good is freedom if the government or the church cannot provide individual protections for black persons who profess to be free? Stipulating pragmatism as an ethical tradition was premature. West ends his genealogy in Evasion with an appreciation of “the black church”. Prophesy! would benefit from such a narration of non-religious sources. West’s genealogy in Evasion exhibits what it means to narrate an intellectual history of American philosophy as if the black church could conclude one such narrative. For the preceding reasons, this paper argues that the account of pragmatism in Propheshy! is to blame for constructive theorists missing the importance of class analysis in Prophesy! Business Meeting Karen-Louise Rucks-Walker, Springfield Technical Community College, Presiding Xavier Pickett, Cornell University, Presiding
	A23-428 Publications Committee Theme: AAR Publications Committee Networking Reception Saturday, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM Hilton Bayfront-Aqua Salon C (Third Level) S.B. Rodriguez-Plate, Hamilton College, Presiding Join the Publications Committee to network with our Oxford University Press book series editors. Panelists Kristian Petersen, Old Dominion University Margaret Kamitsuka, Oberlin College and Conservatory Jonathan Tran, Baylor University Alda Balthrop-Lewis, Australian Catholic University Andrea Jain, Indiana University - Purdue University, Indianapolis
	A23-429 Queer Studies in Religion Unit Theme: Blackqueer Possibilities: New Directions in Black Queer Religious Studies Saturday, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM Convention Center-25A (Upper Level East) Whitney Bond, Chicago Theological Seminary, Presiding This panel will highlight two new books in the growing field of black queer studies of religion, Jimmy’s Faith: James Baldwin, Disidentification, and the Queer Possibilities of Black Religion and A Blackqueer Sexual Ethics: Embodiment, Possibility, and Living Archive, to explore distinct and overlapping approaches to queerness in the study of black religion. In alignment with blackqueer methods, this panel will engage not only the books of two individual scholars, but the thought of other scholars in black queer studies of religion in order to yield a generative space of communality, possibility, and futuring. The presentations by the two authors will be followed by a guided discussion with the attending scholars to discuss the state of black queer studies of religion and potential futures for this emergent and deeply rooted field of study. Panelists Christopher Hunt, Colorado College Elyse Ambrose, University of California, Riverside Business Meeting Elyse Ambrose, University of California, Riverside, Presiding Brandy Daniels, University of Portland, Presiding
	A23-441 Regional Council Theme: Regional Council Forum Saturday, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM Hilton Bayfront-Sapphire 400B (Fourth Level) Matthew Vaughan, Columbia University, Presiding .
	A23-430 Religion and Cities Unit Theme: Author Meets Critics Roundtable on Elise Edwards' Architecture, Theology, and Ethics: Making Architectural Design More Just Saturday, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM Hilton Bayfront-Sapphire 411B (Fourth Level) Lisa Beyeler-Yvarra, Yale University, Presiding This roundtable conversation about Architecture, Theology, and Ethics: Making Architectural Design More Just by Elise M. Edwards (Lexington Books, 2024) discusses emerging scholarship on spatial constructions of religion and the production and use of everyday spaces through architectural design practices. Grounded in liberationist, feminist, and womanist thought, Architecture, Theology, and Ethics makes a compelling case for architecture’s relevance to Christian ethics, aesthetics, and theology. Edwards argues that architectural design can be a form of prophetic action that everyday people undertake when making choices that shape the spaces they inhabit. The roundtable brings together four readers of the book to reflect on its significance for Black life and culture, theological ethics, religious architecture, urban infrastructure and redevelopment, and gentrification, followed by a response from the author. This interdisciplinary conversation reflects the book’s approach as well as current trends in religion and cities scholarship and community-engaged work. Panelists Christopher Cantwell, Loyola University Chicago Nicole Symmonds, Emory University Sara Williams, Fairfield University Responding Elise Edwards, Baylor University
	A23-431 Religion and Disability Studies Unit and Status of People with Disabilities in the Professions Committee Theme: Deaf Liberation Theology and the 40th Anniversary of the Claggett Statement Saturday, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM Convention Center-26A (Upper Level East) Audrey Seah, College of the Holy Cross, Presiding Kirk VanGilder, Gallaudet University, Presiding From June 21-25, 1984, an ecumenical group of ten deaf and hearing women and men from North America gathered at the Claggett Center in Adamstown, Maryland over four days to dialogue and reflect on liberation theologies’ implications in the context of the struggles of deaf people. The document was promulgated in American Sign Language and written English, and inspired the founding of the group, “Christians for the Liberation of the Deaf Community” an ecumenical group that was active for more than a decade. This panel aims to spotlight this landmark, but often overlooked statement on its 40th anniversary, by reflecting on its past, present and future in intersectional ways with new scholarship on Deafhood, critical disability studies, Deaf Black Gain, LGBT studies, and interfaith studies. Panelists Noah Buchholz, Rezenet Moges, William Stell, New York University
	A23-432 Religion and Politics Unit Theme: Christian Nationalist Ideologies and Theology Saturday, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM Convention Center-30E (Upper Level East) Scott Culpepper, Dordt University, Presiding Christian Nationalism continues to pose challenges for everyone trying to understand and address its social, political, and religious influences. One ongoing debate about Christian Nationalism involves the degree to which actual theological content informs Christian Nationalist ideas. Are Christian Nationalist agendas primarily driven by cultural and political forces or are they based on theological understandings that undergird and amplify the cultural influences? This panel addresses questions about the theological ideas and habits of mind that contribute to Christian Nationalist agendas. Bryan Ellrod examines the theodicy of Christian Nationalism in “Visions of the End at the Texas-Mexico Line: Crises of Sovereignty and Theodicy in Department of Homeland Security v. Texas.” Jared Stacey provides insight into rhetorical uses of hell as a place of violence in “Fight Like Hell: Generating A Praxis of Non-Violence By Contesting White Evangelical Doctrines of Hell As A Site of Violence on January 6.” Mutale Nkonde concludes the panel with a look at how online rhetoric frames theology and ideology in “Hate.com: How The Online Christian Identity Movement Inspires Offline Violence.” Bryan Ellrod, Wake Forest University Visions of the End at the Texas-Mexico Line: Crises of Sovereignty and Theodicy in Department of Homeland Security v. Texas Abstract Drawing on Jon P. Gunnemann’s monograph, The Moral Meaning of Revolution, this paper reads White Christian Nationalist responses to Department of Homeland Security v. Texas as a revision of the movement’s theodicy. I begin with an analysis of the court documents that reconstructs the crisis of sovereignty underlying the case. Next, I turn to White Christian Nationalist commentary on the case to draw out this crisis’s theological significance. Here, I contend that although this commentary leaves intact nativist diagnoses of the problem of evil, it relocates the messianic power which is to overcome this evil, espousing state sovereignty over and against federal sovereignty, “America” over and against the “United States.” I conclude by warning that the violence this contest produces will nevertheless be born principally by the migrant bodies it presses to the geographic, political, and theological margins - not by the bodies politic at odds in the courtroom. Jared Stacy, Fight Like Hell: Generating A Praxis of Non-Violence By Contesting White Evangelical Doctrines of Hell As A Site of Violence on January 6 Abstract This paper examines how evangelical doctrines of hell and the demonic, embedded in conspiracy theories and expressed in prayer, fostered Christian extremist violence on January 6. By this approach, the paper aims to contest the doctrine of hell, common to white evangleicalism, as a rogue theological element with political import towards violence. By this theological approach, the paper challenges accounts of evangelical identity in the US which are organized by the claim it has abandoned theology for partisanship. More essentially, this analysis of hell as a site for violence on January 6 foregrounds a constructive reorientation towards non-violent praxis. By engaging the evangelical apocalyptic theology of Philip Ziegler, the paper offers a theological constellation of Christ, Church, and the Last Day, into which rogue doctrinal elements of hell become reoriented. This reorientation generates a praxis of non-violence, countermanding assumptive evangelical claims to enact divine judgment in social & political worlds. Mutale Nkonde, Columbia University Hate.com: How The Online Christian Identity Movement Inspires Offline Violence Abstract On June 17, 2015, Dylann Storm Roof, a 21-year-old, unemployed, self-identified white supremacist shot and killed nine Black people as they finished bible study at the Emanuel African Methodist Epispiocal Church (AME) which is colloquially known as Mother Emanuel (King, 2017) in Charleston, South Carolina (Robles, 2015) . In his online manifesto Roof claimed his pathway to radicalization was Google, the world’s most popular online search platform (Hersher, 2017). Then during his interview with police officers after the killings Roof said never met another white supremacist in real life. His radicalization had taken place entirely in online environments (Piccolini, 2018). A claim that points to how algorithms have become the delivery system for religious white supremacist content and therefore become complicit in advancing the white extremist hegemonic project (Daniels, 2009). This paper explores how artificial intelligence and religious extremism are shaping and reshaping race relations in the United States.
	A23-433 Religion in Southeast Asia Unit Theme: Diversifying Islamic Studies, from Southeast Asia's Margins Saturday, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM Hilton Bayfront-Aqua 314 (Third Level) Teren Sevea, Harvard University, Presiding Islam, as a global phenomenon, cannot be fully understood without a nuanced examination of its diverse manifestations. This roundtable seeks to shift the academic focus from the conventional narratives centred around the Middle East, inviting scholars to explore the rich tapestry of Islamic cultures, histories, and practices in Southeast Asia. In their comments, the contributors propose that Southeast Asia should be central to conversations in Islamic Studies. The highly heterogeneous landscapes of Islamic Southeast Asia, and the intricate connections of the region’s Islamic communities to the west and east, compel us to acknowledge the significance of cultural, linguistic, and religious complexity in Islam more broadly. Moreover, a focus on Islam in Southeast Asia allows us to reassess established academic paradigms on religious transmission, conversion and institutional development, which remain often dominated by implicit understandings of centers and peripheries. Offering new paradigms for Islamic Studies, the contributors hope to contribute to the removal of structural barriers that foreclose the consideration of perspectives from Islamic Southeast Asia. Panelists Ismail Alatas, New York University Ali Altaf Mian, University of Florida Etin Anwar, Hobart and William Smith Colleges Business Meeting Etin Anwar, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Presiding David Thang Moe, Yale University, Presiding
	A23-434 Religions, Borders, and Immigration Seminar Theme: Migration, Magico-Religious Healing, and Interreligious Perspectives on Displacement Saturday, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM Convention Center-6C (Upper Level West) Loye Ashton, Aoyama Gakuin University, Presiding The first part of the session will offer the paper examining the religious experience in the October fiestas commemorating the spiritual birth (initiation) of world-famous magico-religious healer and miracle worker, el Niño Fidencio (1898-1938). It situates contemporary Fidencista religious practices in the periphery as a response to the violence inflected by political and religious centers of power. An ethnographic engagement with the primary sources will demonstrate that for Fidencio’s followers—pilgrims attending the fiestas—“imposed suffering” is transformed into “joyful suffering.” The second part of the session will be a roundtable discussion of the Religions, Borders, and Immigration Seminar's collaborative project exploring migration and various dimensions of forced displacement in the form of essay volume. This is the concluding year of RBI Seminar before the publication of the essay volume. Panelists include Mary Beth Yount, Michael Canaris, Anne Blankenship, Helen Boursier, Kirsteen Kim and Kristine Suna-Koro. Alfredo Garcia, Harvard University “Joyful Suffering”: Religious Experience in the Periphery Abstract This paper examines religious experience in the October fiestas commemorating the spiritual birth (initiation) of world-famous magico-religious healer and miracle worker, el Niño Fidencio (1898-1938). It situates contemporary Fidencista religious practices in the periphery as a response to the violence inflected by political and religious centers of power. An ethnographic engagement with the primary sources will demonstrate that for Fidencio’s followers—pilgrims attending the fiestas—“imposed suffering” is transformed into “joyful suffering” precisely because Fidencio himself is regarded as a divine presence. They acknowledge the crucial ways God and Fidencio have intervened in the violent yet mundane events that constitute life in the U.S-Mexico borderlands: border-crossing, detention, and deportation. I argue, therefore, that joyful suffering is an expression of religious experience in the periphery. Overall, this paper contributes to the growing interdisciplinary dialogue on migration, religion, and state-sanctioned violence in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. Business Meeting Kristine Suna-Koro, Xavier University, Presiding Mary Beth Yount, Neumann University, Presiding
	A23-435 Theology and Religious Reflection Unit Theme: Author-Meets-Critics: Roundtable on Carlos Ulises Decena's Circuits of the Sacred: A Black Latinx Faggotology (Duke, 2023) Saturday, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM Convention Center-6F (Upper Level West) Eleanor Craig, Harvard University, Presiding This Author-Meets-Critics session is a roundtable on Carlos Ulises Decena's Circuits of the Sacred: A Black Latinx Faggotology (Duke, 2023). Panelists Solimar Otero, Indiana University Luis Menendez-Antuna, Boston University Adrian Emmanuel Hernandez-Acosta, Brown University Responding Carlos Decena,
	A23-436 Theology of Martin Luther King Jr. Unit and Womanist Approaches to Religion and Society Unit Theme: Author Meets Critics: AnneMarie Mingo, Have You Got Good Religion? Black Women's Faith, Courage, and moral Leadership in the Civil Rights Movement Saturday, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM Hilton Bayfront-Indigo H (Second Level) Melanie Jones Quarles, Union Presbyterian Seminary, Presiding The Theology of Martin Luther King, Jr. Unit, in conjunction with the Womanist Approaches to the Study of Religion Unit, is excited to host this roundtable on AnneMarie Mingo's 2024 University of Illinois Press publication, Have you Got Good Religion? Black Women's Faith, Courage, and Moral Leadership in the Civil Rights Movement. From the Publisher: "What compels a person to risk her life to change deeply rooted systems of injustice in ways that may not benefit her? The thousands of Black Churchwomen who took part in civil rights protests drew on faith, courage, and moral imagination to acquire the lived experiences at the heart of the answers to that question. AnneMarie Mingo brings these forgotten witnesses into the historical narrative to explore the moral and ethical world of a generation of Black Churchwomen and the extraordinary liberation theology they created." In this session, our panelists will engage and think with Mingo in relation to the arguments of the text. AnneMarie Mingo will offer a response. Co-sponsored with Womanist Approaches to the Study of Religon Unit. Panelists Cheryl Townsend Gilkes, Colby College and Hartford International University James McCarty, Boston University School of Theology Monique Moultrie, Georgia State University Eboni Marshall Turman, Yale University Responding AnneMarie Mingo, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
	A23-437 Traditions of Eastern Late Antiquity Unit Theme: Teaching the Traditions of the Late Antique East: A Strategy Swap Saturday, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM Hilton Bayfront-Sapphire 402 (Fourth Level) Abby Kulisz, Indiana University, Bloomington, Presiding How do scholars teach the religious traditions of the late antique "east," broadly conceived, in undergraduate classrooms? Roundtable discussion features five scholars of diverse research areas who will share different teaching strategies that they find effective in helping undergraduate students envision the complexity of religion in late antiquity and the medieval world. Panelists David Maldonado Rivera, Kenyon College Jeremy Steinberg, University of Pennsylvania Laura Locke Estes, Pepperdine University MAIDAH KHALID, Jeannie Sellick, Business Meeting Abby Kulisz, Indiana University, Bloomington, Presiding James McGrath, Butler University, Presiding
	A23-438 Vatican II Studies Unit Theme: Lay Voices Taking the Stage at Vatican II: Unveiling a Sixty-Year Legacy and Ongoing Reception Saturday, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM Convention Center-5B (Upper Level West) Mary Kate Holman, Fairfield University, Presiding Sixty years ago, women first stepped into the council hall and for the first time during a session, Patrick Keegan, as lay auditor, addressed the Council Fathers. Together with the other lay auditors and with the involvement of other members of the laity, they ensured the integration of decades of experience with the lay apostolate and their engagement in the public sphere. This session seeks contributions to reassess the laity’s impact on Vatican II, explore their legacy in responding to and challenging the council, and discuss their ongoing influence on church teaching. What characterized the profile and role of the laity at Vatican II, did these aspects evolve in the post-Vatican II era, and how can their advocacy and identity be comprehended? How has the expansion of laypeople's roles in the church specifically impacted women? How did the laity and lay groups shape or resist the conciliar reception? Maite De Beukeleer, KU Leuven “Working the Lord’s Field”: Vatican II and the self-identification process of auxiliaires de l’Apostolat Abstract The auxiliaires de l’Apostolat, established in 1917, are women who diverge from traditional practices by combining vows with a life as laypeople, active within society. Despite lacking formal canonical recognition, they served as an example for Lumen Gentium’s universal call for holiness. Consequently, they contributed to the international recognition of new forms of religious life. In return, the Council helped them to articulate and understand their vocation within the broader context of the Church’s mission. This paper draws upon archival material and interviews with auxiliaires who witnessed the Council. It highlights the importance of the study of the local reception of Vatican II and women’s roles beyond the Council floor, and illustrates how oral history can contribute to a better understanding of the Council. Jillian Plummer, “Polarized Perspectives on a Woman’s Place in the Church: Leadership Conference of Women Religious and Consortium Perfectae Caritatis, 1970-1974” Abstract In 2012, the Vatican accused The Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) of “radical feminism,” and yet only five years after the Council, LCWR faced similar accusations from other women. In 1971, Mother Mary Elise SND founded Consortium Perfectae Caritatis (CPC) with like-minded women to protest LCWR’s interpretation of Council documents, and to protect the preconciliar traditions of religious life. Using archival documents from LCWR and CPC, I argue that Lumen Gentium, Gaudium et Spes, and Perfectae Caritatis gave some ecclesial women the language to contest their relationship to the Church hierarchy, and for others to sacralize traditional gender roles for women religious. Even though the male council never discussed women’s place in the Church, women engaged with each other to decide what the masculine language of the Council documents meant for their gender. The disagreement between these women is an important yet untold part of that story. Agnes Desmazieres, Embracing Gender Equality in the Church and in the Society: Vatican II’s Reception in the International Catholic Women’s Movements (1965-1991) Abstract This paper examines how female lay auditors’ lived experience of Vatican II contributed to the adoption of a gender equality agenda and, concomitantly, of a more explicit feminist stance by the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations, the largest movement of Catholic lay women involved in the international institutions. Because of its commitment to gender equality, the Catholic women’s organization did not limit her feminist activism to social justice and women’s liberation, but also militated in favor of women’s ordination. WUCWO’s gender equality agenda became increasingly challenged by new requests of cultural diversity in the 1980s. The complex dynamics of its reception of Vatican II highlight how the irresolute tension between two conciliar achievements –gender equality and cultural diversity.

« first
‹ previous
…
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
…
next ›
last »

You are here

Online Program Book