American Academy of Religion Conference Will Focus on Ritual

Hindu and Christian pilgrimages, Zen archery, Jewish mysticism, gender violence in film, a report on a near-death experience, and the oppressive and liberating potentials of ritual will be some of the topics considered when the American Academy of Religion holds its annual regional conference at Ithaca College Friday and Saturday, March 30--31. Hosted by Ithaca College and the religious studies programs at Cornell University, the conference is open to the general public.

Prominent scholars who will speak at the conference include Richard Schechner, professor of performance studies at New York University and author of The Future of Ritual; Ronald Grimes, professor of religion and culture at Wilfrid Laurier University and author of Marrying and Burying; and Tom F. Driver, professor of theology and culture at Union Theological Seminary and author of Liberating Rites.

The program will include a special multimedia performance, "Where the World Is Breathing," which will feature Hindu, Jewish, Christian, and Moslem music, drumming, singing, and dancing. Attendees will also have the opportunity to walk a labyrinth, take part in a workshop on Hindustani music, and participate in massages, Kundalini yoga, and Buddhist meditation.

Preregistration for the conference is necessary. For registration information, including the conference schedule and fees, contact the Office of Conference and Event Services at 274-3313 or mbrubaker@ithaca.edu. For information on the content of the conference, contact Lee Bailey, Ithaca College associate professor of philosophy and religion, at bailey@ithaca.edu; or Jane Marie Law, Cornell’s H. Stanley Krusen Professor of World Religions, at jml16@cornell.edu.

From its beginnings in 1909 as a small group of scholars, the American Academy of Religion is now the largest, most comprehensive association dedicated to promoting the academic study of religion.