We historians have it rough.
On Wednesday I am heading out to Malibu, California to attend the biennial meeting of the Conference on Faith and History at Pepperdine University. Jay Green of Covenant College has put together an excellent and very full program blending traditional historical papers with historiographical sessions that engage the intersection of Christian faith and the discipline of history. As usual, there will be an undergraduate research conference proceeding the main conference.
This year’s theme is “Christian Historians and Their Publics.” It is a star studded line-up. The plenary addresses will be delivered by Allen Guelzo, Colleen McDannell, Charles Marsh, and John Wigger.
Other speakers include Daniel Williams, Andrea Turpin, Brad Gundlach, Chandra Mallampalli, Robert Tracy McKenzie, Margaret Bendroth, Eric Miller, Tal Howard, Eugene McCarraher, Beth Barton Schweiger, Jim LaGrand, Timothy Hall, Jonathan Yeager, Jay Case, Heather Vacek, Chris Gehrz, Rachel Cope, Tom Mach, James Bratt, Rick Kennedy, Miles Mullin, Arlene Sanchez Walsh, Keith Beutler, Darren Dochuck, Mark Noll, Molly Worthen, David Bebbington, Gary Scott Smith, Glenn Sanders, Shirley Mullen, Bill Svelmoe, John Wilsey, Christopher Shannon, Michael Hamilton, Ed Blum, Jana Riess, Todd Brenneman, Randall Balmer, Fred Beuttler, Jonathan Boyd, Mike Kugler, Alister Chapman, John Fry, Bill Trollinger, David Swartz, Gregg Frazer, Donald Yerxa, Tom Okie, Wilfred McClay, and John Wilson. (And more!)
I have three tasks this weekend:
I am looking forward to joining Rick Kennedy (Point Loma Nazarene University); William McCoy (Eastern Nazarene University); Michael Wilson (Vanguard University); and Brad Hale (Azusa Pacific University) on Thursday afternoon for a plenary roundtable at the undergraduate conference. It is entitled “Why I Hate (or Love) the History Channel.”
On Friday at 2:30 I will be on a panel entitled “Christian Historians and Social Media.” I will be joining fellow bloggers Jonathan Den Hartog, Chris Gehrz, and Paul Putz.
On Saturday at 10:00 I will be part of a session on book publishing. I will be joining Eric Miller, Tracy McKenzie, and John Fry.
I am starting to put together my schedule for conference. One of my former students, Brooke Strayer, is presenting a paper at the undergraduate conference and another former student, Amanda Mylin (M.A. student at Baylor), is giving a paper at the main conference. I am planning to attend both sessions.
The students in my History of American Evangelicalism course (are all of you reading this–extra credit if you are!) will not be in attendance at the conference, but they should be interested in knowing that I hope to attend a session on the 25th anniversary of the David Bebbington Quadrilateral. The session will include Darren Dochuk, Mark Noll, and Molly Worthen. Bebbington is scheduled to respond.
I am looking forward to a good weekend of intellectual stimulation, learning, seeing old friends, and making new ones. I will probably tweet @johnfea1 and blog the conference, so stay tuned.
Please…an overview of “What I love and hate about the History Channel?” Need to see what those in the trade are saying about THC.
Will do, Bob. I am expecting a rousing conversation about Pawn Stars, American Pickers, and American Restorations. Oh yes, maybe we will talk some history too.