Officers

Section Chairs

Call for Papers 2008

Program 2008

Registration 2008

Accommodation 2008

Past Conference Themes

Section Chairs

Arts, Literature, and Religion

Solicits proposals for papers and panels that examine the intersection of religion and the arts, broadly defined to encompass the visual arts, architecture, literature, cinema, theatre, and dance in both their fine and vernacular manifestations.

Chair:

Kristin Schwain Department of Art History and Archaeology 109 Pickard Hall University of Missouri Columbia, MO 65211 573-882-3366 schwain@missouri.edu

Ethics and Philosophy of Religion

Solicits proposals for papers and panels dealing with ethical theory, applied ethics, moral theology, and other topics related to religion and morality, as well as papers dealing broadly with the philosophy of religion, such as questions of religious ontology, metaphysics, and epistemology.

Chair:

Scott R. Paeth DePaul University 2333 N. Racine Ave. Chicago, IL 60614 (773) 325-4447 spaeth@depaul.edu

History of Christianity

Solicits proposals for papers and panels that analyze any variety of Christianity from academic, historical, and social scientific perspectives.  Proposals for papers that adopt theological, constructive, confessional, or faith-based perspectives should be submitted to either the Theology or the Ethics and Philosophy of Religion Section.

Chair:

Kevin J. Wanner Department of Comparative Religion Western Michigan University 1903 W. Michigan Ave. Kalamazoo, MI 49008 (269) 387-4348 kevin.wanner@wmich.edu

History of Religions

Solicits proposals for papers and panels investigating any aspects of religions other than Christianity from an historical, anthropological, sociological, or other social scientific perspective.

Chair:

Selva J. Raj Department of Religious Studies Albion College Albion, MI 49008 (269) 387-4348 sraj@albion.edu

New Religious Movements

Solicits proposals for papers and panels examining historical or contemporary alternative religious movements that will contribute to scholarly understandings of these religions in relationship to their larger social contexts.

Chair:

Nikki Bado-Fralick Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies Iowa State University 402 Catt Hall Ames, IA 50011 (515) 294-0054 nikkibf@iastate.edu

Religion and American Culture

Solicits proposals for papers and panels exploring social, cultural, and historical aspects of religion in the Americas, and the United States in particular.  Studies of religious traditions or ideas that are not specifically situated in, or related to, their manifestations in this geographical context are not accepted.

Chair:

Richard J. Callahan, Jr. Department of Religious Studies 221 Arts & Science Building University of Missouri Columbia, MO 65211 (573) 882-0060 callahanrj@missouri.edu

Religion, Ecology, and Culture

Solicits proposals for papers and panels that explore the dynamic interrelationships of religion, ecology (environment, nature, animals), and culture, including those that seek to understand religious responses to, and analyses of, the ways in which human and nonhuman species relate to their natural environments.

Co-chairs:

Amanda Baugh Department of Religion 1860 Campus Drive, Crowe Hall Northwestern University Chicago, IL 60208 (210) 683-5293 a-baugh@northwestern.edu Hayley Glaholt Department of Religion 1860 Campus Drive, Crowe Hall Northwestern University Chicago, IL 60208 (847) 869-5622 h-glaholt@northwestern.edu

Religion and Sacred Texts

Solicits proposals for papers and panels on the nature of sacred texts from a wide variety of religious traditions, especially those that study what makes these texts “sacred,” what makes them “texts,” and how they originate and function in their religious and cultural settings.

Chair:

David Blix Department of Religion Wabash College Crawfordsville, IN 47933 (317) 361-6075 blixd@wabash.edu

Special Topics

Solicits proposals for papers and panels not appropriate for other sections; preference will be given to those that focus on the annual meeting theme or on teaching in religious studies.

Chair:

Thomas Pearson Wabash Center 301 W. Wabash Crawfordsville, IN 47933 pearsont@wabash.edu

Theology

Solicits proposals for papers and panels in all areas of theology—broadly defined as critical reflections on the transcendent, the human relationship with the divine, and all related questions and issues.

Chair:

Jacqueline Bussie Department of Religion Capital University 1 College and Main Columbus, OH 43209 (614) 236-6455 jbussie@capital.edu

Undergraduate Students

Specifically designed for undergraduate students in the field of religious studies who wish to broaden their academic experience by presenting their research at a formal conference, this section solicits proposals for papers by undergraduates on any topic regarding religion.

Chair:

Jonathan Olson Department of Religious Studies Missouri State University Springfield, MO  65897 Olson929@missouristate.edu

Women and Religion

Solicits proposals for papers and panels that explore the many ways that women imagine and construct religious identities, experience religion in their everyday lives, and interpret symbols, myths, and rituals; other topics, including questions of methodology, in the study of women and religion are also welcome.

Chair:

Kristy Nabhan-Warren Department of Religion Augustana College 639 38th St. Rock Island, IL 61201 Office: (309) 794-7718 Home: (309) 781-2119 renabhan-warren@augustana.edu