Photos from the First Session

Before the morning's first session begins, which was opened by Professor of Music (Director of the School of Music's Jazz Studies program) and Associate Dean Tom Wolfe, of the College of Arts & Sciences (far left); joining him are (left to right): REL student Joe Kimbrough along with Profs. Steven Ramey, Mark McCormick, Steve Jacobs, and Tim Murphy. The College of Arts & Sciences played a key role in helping to make the symposium possible.

Dr. Mark McCormick, Chair of the Religion and Philosophy Department at
Stillman College and scholar of the Hebrew Bible, chaired the opening panel. As the grader for all REL distance education classes, Prof. McCormick is also affiliated with UA's Department of Religious Studies.

Dr. Tim Murphy, of the Department of Religious Studies, opened the morning by presenting his theoretical paper "Religion as the Structuring of Asymmetrical Relations" (PDF, available with your Bama ID/Password). His paper concluded: "[T]he asymmetrical structures which constitute what we call 'religion' are not, as I think they are often thought be, the unfortunate exceptions or aberrations of 'true religion.' They are true religion, they are the historical norm." His lecture was based on a chapter in his forthcoming collection of essays, Representing Religion.

Although a number of students attended the sessions (possibly attracted by the student newspaper's article on the event), as well as some members of the local community, professors from a variety of Departments also took the opportunity to eavesdrop on what their colleagues in History and Religious Studies are doing.

Prof. Mike Mendle, Interim Chair of the Department of History for 2007-8 and a scholar of early modern English political thought, jumps into the Q&A, with Prof. Catherine Davies (English) looking on.

Prof. Steven Ramey (left), who represented Religious Studies in planning the symposium, speaks during the break with Mirza Beg, a local geologist who is himself quite active in areas that impact religion and public education, such as the current workshop he is leading, entitled "Just How Much Do You Know About the Muslims?"

Prof. George Williamson (left) represented the Department of History in the symposium's planning. He presented a paper of his own as part of one of the afternoon sessions. He is pictured here chatting during the break with one of his respondents, Prof. Ted Trost. Dr. Trost holds a cross-appointment to New College and, like Williamson in History, is the Undergraduate Director of Religious Studies.

Prof. Tony Clark (left), a scholar of Chinese history and politics, who has organized very successful film series since arriving at UA, speaks during the break with Prof. Luoheng Han (middle), Chair of the Department of Geography, and his uncle, Dr. Minghan Liu, whose specialty is Medieval history (formerly of Shandong University), who attended the symposium while visiting Tuscaloosa.

Joe Kimbrough (right), an REL major, and his mother, Rhonda Kimbrough, who came down from Birmingham to attend the event.

See photos from the second session

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