Theological Education in a
Secular Age

March 4-6, 2009
Claremont School of Theology

All Sessions are free and open to the public. Faculty and students from other institutions are encouraged to attend.

• Conference Schedule
• Conference Poster
  

What does secularization mean for theological education in the twenty-first century? How do individuals from diverse (ir)religious backgrounds engage in the study and practice of religion and theology together?

This ground-breaking cross-disciplinary conference features the faculties of Claremont School of Theology and Claremont Graduate University School of Religion as they wrestle publicly with the complex issues facing scholars and students engaged in theological and religious studies.

Made possible by a generous grant from the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion

WEDNESDAY MARCH 4

Opening Lecture
7:00 p.m., Mudd Theater

• Richard Amesbury, Associate Professor of Ethics
  Plurality Beyond Pluralism: 'World Religions,' Secularization, and Theological Education
  

Conference Organizer Richard Amesbury will frame the scope and concerns of the conference in what will be his Inaugural Faculty Lecture at Claremont School of Theology.

THURSDAY. MARCH 5

• Marvin Sweeney, Professor of Hebrew Bible
  “Reclaiming the Sacred in Judaism: A Model from Lurianic Kabbalah"
  
  
• Kathleen Greider, Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling “Teaching Care of Souls in a Secular Age”
  
  
• Andy Dreitcer, Associate Professor of Spirituality & Director of Spiritual Formation
  Contemplative Studies for Everybody! (I'm Not Kidding!)”
  
  
• Mark Parsons, Assistant Professor of Church Music
  “‘God Is on the Radio’: Music Theology in a Secular Age”

Session 2: Engaging Religious Plurality in a Secular Age
1:00-2:30 p.m., Haddon Conference Room

• Karen Torjesen, Margo L. Goldsmith Professor of Women's Studies in Religion & Dean of CGU School of Religion
  “The Challenge of Secularity in a Multi-Religious Age”
  
  
• Monica A. Coleman, Associate Professor of Constructive Theology and African American Religions
  “From Interfaith to Multifaith: A Lesson from African-American Religious Studies”
  
  
• Patrick Horn, Assistant Professor of Religion (Philosophy of Religion) & Associate Dean of CGU School of Religion
  “Religious Belief in an Age of Choice”

Session 3: Doing Ethics in a Secular Age
2:45-3:45 p.m., Haddon Conference Room)

• Ellen Ott Marshall, Associate Professor of Christian Ethics
  “Teaching Christian Ethics in a Secular Age”
  
  
• John M. Sweeney, Adjunct Professor and Managing Director of the Center for Process Studies
  “Teaching Process Theology, Religious Education, Ethics, and Feminism in a Seeking Age”

Afternoon Break and Faculty Book Signing at Dean's Tea
4:00-5:00 p.m., Edgar Community Center

FRIDAY, MARCH 6

Session 4: Studying Religious Texts and Traditions in a Secular Age
8:15-9:45 a.m., Haddon Conference Room

• Tammi Schneider, Professor of Religion (Hebrew Bible) at CGU
  “Who Controls the Gate? Studying the Hebrew Bible in the Modern World”
  
  
• Dennis MacDonald, John Wesley Professor of New Testament
  “What Does It Mean to Study the Gospels in a Secular Age?”
  
  
• Hamid Mavani, Assistant Professor of Religion (Islamic Studies) at CGU
  “Rational vs. Traditional Approaches to the Teaching of Islam in a Secular Age”

Session 5: Doing Theology in a Secular Age
10:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m., Haddon Conference Room

• Anselm Min, Professor of Religion (Philosophy of Religion & Theology) at CGU
  “Theological Challenges of Secularization in the Age of Globalization”
  
  
• Philip Clayton, Ingraham Professor of Theology
  “Teaching Theology in a World Where Science Really Matters”
  
  
• Ingolf Dalferth, Danforth Professor of Philosophy of Religion at CGU
  “Interpreting Contemporary Self-Interpretations: The Task of Systematic Theology Today”
  
  
• Rosemary Radford Ruether, Visiting Professor of Feminist Theology
  “Feminist Theology: Where Has It Been? Where Is It Going?”

Session 6: Positioning the Institution to Meet the Challenges
2:00-4:00 p.m., Haddon Conference Room

• Jerry D. Campbell, President (CST)
  “The Century of Religion and the Secular Age”
  
  
• Kirsten Oh, Associate Dean of Student Life (CST)
  “Theological Education in a Multicultural Environment: Empowerment or Disempowerment?”
  
  
• Jon Hooten, Director of Communication (CST) and Ph.D. student in Practical Theology (Religious Education)
  Title: TBD
  
  
• Susan Nelson, Academic Dean (CST) & Professor of Theology and Culture
  Response and Summation