THE FUTURE OF RELIGION:
RE-ENCHANTMENT OF THE WORLD?
HILTON PASADENA, CALIFORNIA, USA, JULY 21-23, 2016
John Paul II–philosopher-poet-Pope–forged a grand new synthesis unmatched since Thomas Aquinas’ Summa. It is timely, then, to ask how and why John Paul’s vision of a new evangelization of culture may impact the Church and the world. A scholar whose many encyclicals sought to make religion accessible and relevant to the modern world, John Paul combined the moral courage of the Russian Nobel-winning author Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn with a major French Catholic philosopher Jacques Maritain’s personalism that emphasized human dignity and universal spiritual yearnings, bridging East and West. Personal experience as a witness to Nazi and communist dictatorships in his native Poland sharpened his vision and prayer life, and contributed to his formation and pastoral calling rooted in Christian humanism. But it was his friendly demeanor, approachable personality, openness to all seekers, and bearings under physical afflictions that appealed to all and made John Paul II everyone’s Pope across geographical and cultural divides, prompting the call for his sainthood (“santo subito“). The question, thus, arises: What are the prospects for John Paul’s quest for the evangelization of culture and the future of religion in a world that embraces a commercial ethos with highly atomized, self-referential individuals in a postmodern global society in search of common bonds? Can such a world experience re-enchantment by rediscovering St. Paul’s cardinal virtues–faith, hope, and love–as the road energized by Christ’s promise of grace, mercy, and redemption?
KEYNOTE: FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016:
“JOHN PAUL II IN THE LIGHT OF THOMAS AQUINAS:
PERSONALISM, MERCY AND THE QUEST FOR HOLISTIC EXISTENCE”
Mary Christine Ugobi-Onyemere, IHM, Pontifical Urbaniana University, Rome, Italy
Author, The Knowledge of the First Principles in Saint Thomas Aquinas
RESPONSE: “ON PHILOSOPHY AND ENCHANTMENT”
Fr. James V. Schall, S.J., Georgetown University, USA
ICSA VIII CONGRESS GUIDELINES:
THE FUTURE OF RELIGION endeavors to bring together scholars from a wide range of disciplines and denominations for an exciting international conference which takes both scholarship and faith seriously. Conference Venue: ICSA VIII is co-sponsored by IIR-ICSA-JIS in the City of the Roses–world-famous Tournament of Roses–in sunny Southern California, with many cultural and sightseeing opportunities. Send Abstracts (250 words) to: Dr. O. Gruenwald, JIS Editor, 1065 Pine Bluff Drive, Pasadena, CA 91107, USA, per e-mail (no attachments) to: ICSA VIII (click for e-mail). Include: Paper Title, First & Last Name, faculty or student, mailing address, phone & e-mail. Publication: Fully-developed papers will be considered for publication in the peer-reviewed Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies XXIX 2017. Conference web: www.JIS3.org/icsaviii2016. Registration: Conference participants must pre–register: $100 by 15 March 2016; $125 after 15 March 2016; $150 after 1 May 2016.
ICSA VIII CONGRESS STRUCTURE:
Check-In: Thursday, July 21, 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM, Hilton Pasadena. Reception: Thursday, July 21, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM. Main Congress Program: Friday, July 22, 8:45 AM – 5:45 PM. Saturday-Sunday, July 23-24: Cultural/Ecclesial/Sightseeing. Format: Multidisciplinary panels and papers. Participants are encouraged to attend the entire conference to enhance dialogue, synergy, and synthesis, as well as fellowship. Presenting a paper is not a prerequisite for participation. Indicate if you prefer to serve as discussant. Family members enjoy the reduced student registration rate. Audio-Visual Equipment: Bring laptop or flash drive if desired for PowerPoint presentation. Cultural/Sightseeing: Before or after the conference. Optional Field Trip: Huntington Library & Gardens, Pasadena.
TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATIONS:
Lodging: We recommend that conference participants make their hotel and airline reservations as soon as possible. Hilton Pasadena Reservations: 1-800-445-8667; 1-626-577-1000. Cultural/sightseeing/travel/accommodations: Pasadena Convention & Visitors Bureau: www.visitpasadena.com; 1-800-307-7977. Bring an alarm clock and a sweater or jacket for cooler mornings and evenings. Ground Transportation: Hilton Pasadena (168 S. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena, CA 91101) may be reached from the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) via shuttles, e.g., Super Shuttle (shared ride $25: 1-800-258-3826, or rent-a-car (ca. 45-minute drive).