The African Diaspora and the Study of Religion

Attendees

Prof. Catherine Roach (far left) along with students registering for the conference Friday evening. Samantha Sastre and Marianne Stanton--two student workers in the Department--staff the registration table.

Prof. Kurtis Schaeffer speaks with Associate Dean Tom Wolfe, prior to the keynote address Friday evening.

There's no getting rid of some people: Kim Davis, currently working on her MA in French Literature at the University of Alabama, a graduate of the Department of Religious Studies, and former student worker extraordinaire in the Department, helped to host the event, along with REL majors Samantha Sastre and Marianne Stanton (who apparently received the "wear green" email that circulated earlier in the day).

A reception followed Prof. Moses's keynote address Thursday evening and refreshments were stocked through the day on Friday.

Profs. Catherine Roach, who holds a cross-appointment to REL from New College, and her REL colleague, and holder of the Department's Aronov Endowed Chair, Steve Jacobs (left and right) speak with Prof. Mark McCormick of Stillman College, a specialist in Hebrew Bible who delivered an invited lecture in the Department in March 2003.

Profs. Russell McCutcheon, the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies, and Ted Trost, the Department's Undergraduate Advisor and Chair of the Conference Planning Committee, pleased that the conference is finally underway, with the participants all arriving on time. (Well, almost all....)

Prof. Tim Murphy, who received his Ph.D. from the same program at which Matt Waggoner (a conference participant) is currently studying, with event photographer Christine Scott. Christine is an REL/Philosophy double major who has just been accepted to Georgia State's MA in Religious Studies--a brand new Department formed in the summer of 2005. Congratulations Christine! (Apparently a second email must have pre-circulated the conference regarding purple shirts and dark jackets?)

Afe Adogame (far right), whose presentation opened the conference and was on the spread of African-based Christian churches throughout the world, speaking outside the Bryant Conference Center on the way to lunch. He is joined by (left to right): REL students Melanie Williams, Stephanie Graham, and Brian Robbins.

Lunch, at the Four Points Sheraton, was provided for all those who attended the conference, such as (left to right) students in Prof. Schaeffer's REL 490 course: Natalie Elliott, Jessica McGinnis, and James Gilbreath.

"Which fork do we use?"

Left to right at Friday's lunch: Stephanie Graham, Melanie Williams, Brian Robbins, and last but not least, Kim Davis.

After the long and substantive question/answer session that followed Prof. Glaude's concluding remarks, the participants and REL faculty adjourned to the University Club for dinner and drinks hosted by Professor Kurtis Schaeffer. The participants were joined by Betty Dickey, the Department's Administrative Secretary who worked behind the scenes to make the event a success. Pictured in the background is Prof. Trost, along with Prof. Murphy to the right.

To end a wonderful event, Prof. Schaeffer distributed to all participants signed copies of Profs. Moses's and Glaude's books, along with mounted flyers that advertised the event, bearing the names of all participants. Pictured above, listening to Prof. Schaeffer's closing remarks, are (left to right): Maha Marouan, Josephine Nhongo-Simbanegavi, Afe Adogame, Mr. Fanusie, Christine Ayorinde (background), Maboula Soumahoro, and Russell McCutcheon. (This was the fun table....)

Photos thanks to Samantha Sastre and Christine Scott