Roger Williams Symposium -- An Historical Look

The Roger Williams Symposium

The themes and the leadership of the Symposia from 1978 to the present:

 

1978     "The Clergy Person as Mental Health Facilitator"

                    Paul Clement, Director, Psychological Center, Fuller Theological Seminary

 

1979     "Toward More Effective Preaching"

                    David Bartlett, Hyde park Union Church, Chicago

                    William Shurr, English Department, Washington State University

 

1980     "Pastoral Care and Human Differences"

                    David Augsburger, Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, Elkhart, Indiana

                    Linda Olds, Psychology Department, Linfield College

 

1981     "Religious Identity in American Culture"

                    Eldon Ernst, Ameican Baptist Seminary of the West

                    Leroy Ashby, History Department, Washington State University

 

1982     "The Holy Spirit in the Life of the Church"

                    Dale Bruner, Religious Studies, Whitworth College

                    John Reist, Central Baptist Theological Seminary

 

1983     "Ethical Issues in Medicine"

                    Tom McCormick, University of Washington Medical School

                    Judith Kay, Consultant on Ethical Issues in New Drug Development

 

1984     "The New Testament and Ethical Decision-Making"

                    Robert Guelich, Colonial Congregational Church of Minneapolis

                    Karen Lebacqz, Pacific School of Theology

 

1985     "The Wholeness and Holiness of Human Selves"

                    Janet Ruffing, Sister of Mercy, Berkeley

 

1986     "Israel and the Challenge of Interpreting Biblical Prophecy"

                    Wesley Brown, American Baptist Seminary of the West

                    Carl Graesser, Jr., Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary

 

1987     "Coping with Radical Social Change"

                    Richard Mouw, Fuller Theological Seminary

                    Gary Sattler, Fuller Theological Seminary

 

1988     "Distinctive Patterns in Biblical Faith:  Praise, Hope, Grief, and Obedience"

                    David Bartlett, Union Theological Seminary

                    Walter Brueggeman, Columbia Theological Seminary

 

1989     "Beginning a New Beginning"/"Genesis and Matthew"

                    H Darrel Lance, Colgate Rochester Seminary

                    Robert Smith, Pacific Lutheran Seminary

 

1990     "New Testament Values for Modern Living"

                    John Donahue, Jesuit School of Theology

                    William Herzog, Central Baptist Seminary

 

1991     "The Church:  What's Right, What's Wrong, and What Does That Mean for the Church"

                    Charles Glock, Professor Emeritus, University of California

                    Sara Little, Pacific School of Religion

 

1992     "A Future for Feminist Theology"

                    Elizabeth Bettenhausen, Women's Theological Center, Boston

 

1993     "The Church as a Prophetic Community"

                    Tex Sample, Professor of Church and Society, St. Paul School of Theology

 

1994     "Julian"

                    Linda Loving, Associate Pastor, 4th Presbyterian Church, Chicago

 

1995     "The Role of Christianity in Jazz"/"The Current State of Preasching:  North American Homiletics"/"Working in the Twilight Zone:

           Creativity and Theology"

                    Eugene Lowry, Professor of Preaching, St. Paul School of Theology

 

1996     "Taking Jesus Seriously:  jesus and the Christian Life"

                    Marcus Borg, Professor of Religion and Culture in the Philosopy Department at Oregon State University

 

1997     "An Ethics Symposium"

                    Beverly Harrison, Professor of Christian Ethics, Union Theological Seminary in New York

 

1998     "Going Public with a Private Affiar:  Religion at Century's End"

                    Martin Marty, Director of the Public Religion Project at the University of Chicago

 

1999     "Christianity as an Earth Faith"

                    Larry L. Rasmussen, Professor of Social Ethics, Union Theological Seminary in New York

 

2000     "The Cultural Production of Evil"

                    Emilie Townes, Professor of Christian Social Ethics, Union Theological Seminary in New York

 

2001     "Judaism, Feminism, and the Issues of Interpretation"

                    Dr. Judith Plaskow, Professor of Religious Studies at Manhattan College

                    Rabbi Lewis Bogage, Chaplain at the Religious Life Center at DePauw University

 

 

 

 

 

 

2007     "Paradise and Empire:  The Rivers of Justice and Beauty"/"The Empire Strikes Back:  Paradise and Holy War"/"Loving This World:  An Ethics of Beauty"

                    Dr. Rita Nakashima Brock, Founding Co-Director of Faith Voices for the Common Good

 

2008     "Voices of Conscience from Islam"/"A Progressive Muslim Quest:  On Justice and Love in Islam"/"Iran:  Beyond the 'Axis of Evil'"

                    Dr. Omid Safi, Associate professor of Islamic Studies at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

 

2009     "The Myth of Christian America:  What is Trustworthy and What is Not"/"Building Cultures of Trust:  How Can Citizens & Religious Organizations help Rebuild Trust Again?"/"Building Cultures of Trust:  What Do We Do About Religious Fundamentalisms?"

                    Dr. Martin Marty, Fairfax M. Cone Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus at the University of Chicago