Since the philosopher Nietzsche announced the &ldquo\;death of God&rdquo\; over a century ago\, the specter of divine absence has hovered over Western civilization.
\nThe importance of this theme has not been limited to atheists. \; Since at least the 1960s\, the &ldquo\;death of God&rdquo\; movement has captivated the imagination of theologians and philosophers alike\, and as a result has been an ongoing &ndash\; and contentious &ndash\; issue for the public as a whole. \; The \;box office success in recent years of such Christian films as &ldquo\;God&rsquo\;s Not Dead&rdquo\; and &ldquo\;God&rsquo\;s Not Dead 2&rdquo\;)\, which to date have grossed around $80 million\, attest to a profound\, popular interest in Nietzsche&rsquo\;s famous saying\, even if it has become a focus of the culture wars.
\nWhether God is dead or absent\, however\, the question of whether the divine continues to manifest in some way &ndash\; as a &ldquo\;still small voice&rdquo\; or as felt presence &ndash\; is a question that preoccupies religious believers and philosophers and theorists of religion \;alike. \; Theologian John D. Caputo contends\, for example\, that God may not exist\, but still &ldquo\;insists&rdquo\; in certain mysterious ways. A long spiritual tradition running back to the early Middle Ages known as &ldquo\;negative theology&rdquo\; holds that even if the divine itself is beyond human reach\, one can still &rdquo\;speak&rdquo\; of God &ndash\; paradoxically &ndash\; by &ldquo\;not-speaking.&rdquo\; \; Likewise\, God can also &ldquo\;speak&rdquo\; in the same way.
\nThe conference will address a number of questions from an interdisciplinary perspective concerning the relationship between the presence/absence and the voice/silence of God. \; For instance: What does it imply (theologically\, linguistically\, existentially\, psychologically\, etc.) to invoke the expression &ldquo\;God speaks&rdquo\;? \;If God is dead\, does God still &ldquo\;speak from the dead&rdquo\; in some extended sense of the word\, and what does that in itself say about God? \; What does it mean to talk about divine &ldquo\;presence&rdquo\; and \;&ldquo\;absence&rdquo\;\, or about God &ldquo\;speaking&rdquo\; or &ldquo\;remaining silent&rdquo\;? \; Are we simply utilizing \;metaphors when we talk about the &ldquo\;voice of God&rdquo\;\, or does such a locution have more palpable \;as well as empirical ramifications?
\nThe conference is designed not just exclusively \;for academics\, but also extends an invitation \;to religious professionals. \;A specific conference program will be available after August 20. \;
\nRegistration: \;
\nFaculty\, independent scholars\, clergy\, and professionals. \; \;Before Sept. 15\, $110. \;After Sept. 15\, \;$130.
\nStudents. \;Before Sept. 15\, $60. \;After Sept. 15\, $80.
\nUniversity of Denver faculty and students\, including alumni\, receive a 50% discount. \;This discount does NOT include presenters.
\nLodging during conference. \; \;Conference attendees are eligible for special rates at select hotels. \;To obtain your discount indicate that you are a University of Denver conference guest when making your reservation. \;For a list of discounted hotels\, go the following URL on the University of Denver website: \;http://www.du.edu/communityvisitors/visitors/hotels.html. \;The only hotel that is within walking distance of the university is the La Quinta Inn Cherry Creek: \;http://www.laquintadenvercherrycreek.com/?cid=local_518. The La Quinta Inn\, however\, is not discounted.
\nProgram
\nFriday\, October 6 \;
\n10:15 am
\nRegistration
\nSturm Hall 251 (Sturm Hall is located at the intersection of Asbury and Race Sts. There is a paid\, public parking lot across the street.
\n11:00 am
\nLunch
\nSpanky&rsquo\;s Urban Roadhouse (1800 E. Evans Ave.\, Denver CO 80210)* \;
\nWelcome and Introduction
\nCarl Raschke\, University of Denver \;
\n1:00 pm
\nSession 1. \; What Do We Mean When We Say &ldquo\;God Speaks (Or Not) Speaks&rdquo\;? \;
\nSturm Hall 251
\n&ldquo\;The Scandal of Divine Presence.&rdquo\; \; Jerry Martin\, University of Colorado\, Boulder.
\n&ldquo\;God on Kant and Belief.&rdquo\; \; Yuhang Guo\, Munster University.
\n&ldquo\;Heidegger and the Gods.&rdquo\; \; Susanne Claxton\, Southern New Hampshire University.
\n&ldquo\;The Voice of God After the Death (Camps) of God: \; Richard Rubenstein and the Speech of Suffering&rdquo\;. \; Josiah Solis\, Claremont Graduate School.
\n\;3:15 pm
\nBreak
\n3:30 pm
\nConcurrent Sessions
\n\;Session 2A. \; Biblical Approaches
\n\;Sturm Hall 251
\n&ldquo\;Protest and Enlightenment in the Book of Job.&rdquo\; \; Wes Morriston\, University of Colorado\, Boulder.
\n&ldquo\;Adoremus: The Murder of the God\, Jesus of Nazareth&rdquo\;. \; John Meeks\, American Theological Library Association.
\n\;&ldquo\;Pauline Mysticism: Divine Presence Experienced&rdquo\;. \; William Elkins\, University of Arkansas\, Little Rock. \;
\nSession 2B. \; God and Race
\nSturm Hall 253 \;
\n&ldquo\;Mediating the Death of God: Religion\, Science\, Race\, and the Printing Press.&rdquo\; \; Armond Towns\, University of Denver.
\n&ldquo\;Fetishism and the Erasure of Indigeneity.&rdquo\; \; Roger Green\, Metropolitan State University of Denver.
\n&ldquo\;&rsquo\;The Jew&rsquo\; as Kenotic Subject\, &lsquo\;The Jew&rsquo\; as Pausal Subject: Racialized Alterity as Non-Christian Subjectivity in Rosenzweig and Levinas.&rdquo\; \; Sarah Pessin\, University of Denver.
\n\;5:00 pm
\nBreak \;
\n5:15 pm
\n\;Session 3. \; Keynote Address.
\n\;Sturm Hall 253
\n\;&ldquo\;Absolute Knowing of the Absent God in Hegel´\;s Phenomenology of the Spirit.&rdquo\; \; Kurt Appel\, University of Vienna. \;
\n\; Kurt Appel is Professor of Fundamental Theology and Philosophy at the University of Vienna. \;He is the author of \;Time and God: Myth and Logos in Hegel and Schelling \;and \;The Concept of Revelation in the Political Theology of the Young Hegel.
\n6:30 pm
\nReception \;
\nTBD \;
\nSaturday\, October 7
\n9:30 am
\nConcurrent Sessions
\nSession 4A. \; The Dialectic of Divine Presence and Absence I.
\nSturm Hall 251
\n&ldquo\;God's Absence as Textual Presence: The Radical (literary) Theology of Northrop Frye&rdquo\;. \; Daniel Fishley\, Emmanuel College of Victoria University in the University of Toronto.
\n\;&ldquo\;God's Dramatic Absence After Hegel: Von Balthaser on Nietzsche as Negative Theologian&rdquo\;. \; Grand Poettcker\, Briercrest College and Seminary.
\n&ldquo\;Speaking of God&rsquo\;s Presence and Absence As Non-Contrastive Transcendent Distinction&rdquo\;. \; Joyce Anne Konigsburg\, Duquesne University.
\n\;&ldquo\;Divine Absence As Divine Presence.&rdquo\; \; Joshua Gardino\, Independent Scholar.
\n\;Session 4B. \; The Dialectic of Divine Presence and Absence II.
\n\;Sturm Hall 254
\n&ldquo\;Kenosis and Sublimation within the Dialectic of Divine Presence and Absence&rdquo\;. \; Robert M. McDonald\, Claremont School of Theology.
\n&ldquo\;On the Analogical Operations in Blutgewalt: How We Moderns Became Better Christians.&rdquo\; \; Tal-Hi Bitton\, George Washington University.
\n&ldquo\;Speaking of God in Ekklesia: On Telling the Political Truth&rdquo\;. \; Alan Richard\, Realistic Living.
\n\;&ldquo\;Nietzsche and the Death of God.&rdquo\; \; Richard Culbreth\, George Washington University. \;
\n11:30 am \;
\nLunch (on your own) \;
\n1:15 pm
\nSession 5. \; How Does God Speak?
\nSturm Hall 251 \;
\n&ldquo\;If the Qur'an is God's Speech\, How Does God Speak? Divine Speaking In Contemporary Muslim Discourse.&rdquo\; \; Andrea Stanton\, University of Denver
\n&ldquo\;Relation vs. Possession: Responding to the Divine.&rdquo\; \; Roger Green\, Metropolitan State University of Denver. \;
\n&ldquo\;God and the Care for One's Story&rdquo\;. \; Abigail Rosenthal\, Brooklyn College.
\n\;&ldquo\;If God Were To Speak Today\, What Would He Say?&rdquo\; \; Jerry Martin\, University of Colorado Boulder.
\n\;3:30 pm \;
\nWrap-up and Conclusion
\nSturm Hall 251
\n*Lunch included with regular conference registration. \; \;
ORGANIZER;CN=Raschke Carl: METHOD:PUBLISH END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR