PAST
SPONSORED EVENTS
Lilly Network Collaborations and Conferences bring together faculty and administrators from different institutions in church-related higher education.
Collaborations invite a small group to consider a topic of concern or interest in a workshop setting, while conferences bring together a large group of faculty or administrators (possibly along with students or community members) to examine a common concern or topic of special significance to the group.
2023 EVENT
Christianity and Core Texts at Global / Cultural Crossroads
Grove City College
On March 30-31, 2023, Grove City College hosted an on-campus Lilly Fellows Regional Conference on “Christianity and Core Texts at Global/Cultural Crossroads.” Panelists were asked to deliver scholarly or pedagogical papers on a primary text or core text from a non-Western tradition that engages with Christian faith, practice, or tradition, including works of literature, philosophy, theology, history, and the fine arts. Panels engaged with works and authors from Uganda, Rwanda, Peru, India, Japan, Martinique, Cameroon, the United States, and various Christian communities in the Middle East.
Gene Luen Yang, an award-winning graphic novelist and cartoonist, delivered the keynote address on Thursday evening. Alongside visuals of his cartooning work throughout the years, Yang offered a personal account of his life as he navigated the tensions and harmonies between his Chinese heritage, his search for vocational direction as an artist, and his Catholic faith. On Friday afternoon, Dr. Susan Van Zanten (Valparaiso University) gave a plenary address centered on Christian ethics in contemporary ecocriticism and West African fiction, particularly the recent novel How Beautiful We Were (2021) by Cameroonian author Imbolo Mbue. Dr. Van Zanten’s lecture offered a critical framework for connecting global literatures in light of current environmental crises.
2022 EVENTS
Vatican II and Catholic Higher Education: Leading Forward
Sacred Heart University
Sacred Heart University celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council, as well as the 60th anniversary of the University’s founding in the spirit of Vatican II in October 2022. To celebrate this landmark moment in the history of Catholic higher education and the Catholic intellectual tradition, Sacred Heart University assembled a conference of thinkers, writers, and artists who will offer deep, creative, and interpretive reflection on the impact of Vatican II on Catholic higher education. We examined how Vatican II can lead and move Catholic higher education forward. We explored how our reading and understanding of Vatican II documents, as well as the formative thinkers of Vatican II and the Catholic intellectual tradition, can deepen and expand our vision of Catholic higher education, addressing new and old challenges. The Conference showcased four keynote presentations:
"What, for the University, is Solidarity? Catholic Higher Education and the Unfinished Reception of Gaudium et Spes," by Susan Bigelow Reynolds
"Joy and Hope on the Margins: The Mission Imperative of Access to Catholic Higher Education," by Patricia McGuire
“To Expel or Embrace? The Challenge and Promise of Handing Down the Catholic Intellectual Tradition in Light of Dei Verbum,” by Grant Kaplan
"Vatican II and Catholic Higher Education: Guest in Its Own House?" by Massimo Faggioli
Fostering Community and Hospitality on a Diverse Campus
Sterling College
On May 16, 2022, Sterling College hosted a conference to gather faculty, staff, and administration from multiple church-related colleges and universities in Kansas and surrounding areas in order to discuss and deepen our commitment to diversity and its connection to our respective missions as faith-based institutions. The one-day conference featured two plenary speakers, Richard Hughes and Nathan Luis Cartagena, and included break-out sessions on specific topics, a question-and-answer session with the plenary speakers, and time for fellowship and collaboration.
Dr. Hughes’s plenary address was titled “Escaping the Grip of White Supremacy: A Mandate for Christian Higher Education” and Dr. Cartagena’s was “Cultivating Mercy on Diverse Campus.” The plenary talks encouraged the conference attendees to listen to the stories of underrepresented students, enter into the suffering of others, and understand how white supremacy often inhibits us from doing so. The breakout sessions were designed to provide take-aways for attendees from different corners of college/university work, such as “Diversity in Athletics” and “Biblical Theology of Hospitality.” Our goal was to encourage professionals from multiple church-related colleges and universities to realize their role as leaders in the realms of community, hospitality, and diversity, thereby shaping the character of their institutions of higher-learning to reflect justice, peace, and reconciliation and the significance of these practices in the Christian tradition. The conference had nearly 90 attendees from eight regional institutions.
Religion, State, and Nationalism: Problems and Possibilities
Valparaiso University
On April 8, 2022, Valparaiso University hosted a symposium was sponsored by the Lilly Fellows network. The symposium explored the thorny dynamics of religion, state, and nationalism in three sessions. Atalia Omer, Antoine Arjakovsky, Scott Hibbard, and Slavica Jakelic were among the internationally-acclaimed panelists exploring the problems caused by political exploitation of religion, and the theological possibilities for positive relations between governments and religious institutions. A special panel discussed the challenges and potential of developing curricular resources and pedagogical strategies for teaching religion and state issues in undergraduate programs of institutions of Christian higher education.
2021 EVENTS
Reckoning and Reimagining: Envisioning a Faithful Presence
Azusa Pacific University
This full-day virtual conference hosted by Azusa Pacific University (APU) that gathered a diverse, interdisciplinary group of Christian scholars, clergy, religious leaders, and students to discuss timely issues of reckoning and reimagining. The conference offered insights, theory, and research to inform an understanding of a robust response to the global enduring impacts of COVID-19, including reimagining the liberal arts through the general education curricular revision and other initiatives.
The conference supported institutions from the regional Lilly Network and beyond to participate in panels of faculty and students working together to address the concepts of decolonization, mindfulness, equity, and action in Spring 2021. Panelists shared strategies, curricular innovations, and innovative research in response to COVID-19, the perceived resurgence in overt xenophobia and racism, and how this impacts liberal arts curricula. This conference was envisioned to address four session tracks, or content areas: economics, socio-politics, healthcare, and racial tensions in relation to the Christian faith. Videos of the keynote speakers and plenary sessions are available here.
Higher Education's Moral Obligation of Addressing Addiction: A Humanities Response
University of Pikeville
On May 16, 2022, Sterling College hosted a conference to gather faculty, staff, and administration from multiple church-related colleges and universities in Kansas and surrounding areas in order to discuss and deepen our commitment to diversity and its connection to our respective missions as faith-based institutions. The one-day conference featured two plenary speakers, Richard Hughes and Nathan Luis Cartagena, and included break-out sessions on specific topics, a question-and-answer session with the plenary speakers, and time for fellowship and collaboration.
Dr. Hughes’s plenary address was titled “Escaping the Grip of White Supremacy: A Mandate for Christian Higher Education” and Dr. Cartagena’s was “Cultivating Mercy on Diverse Campus.” The plenary talks encouraged the conference attendees to listen to the stories of underrepresented students, enter into the suffering of others, and understand how white supremacy often inhibits us from doing so. The breakout sessions were designed to provide take-aways for attendees from different corners of college/university work, such as “Diversity in Athletics” and “Biblical Theology of Hospitality.” Our goal was to encourage professionals from multiple church-related colleges and universities to realize their role as leaders in the realms of community, hospitality, and diversity, thereby shaping the character of their institutions of higher-learning to reflect justice, peace, and reconciliation and the significance of these practices in the Christian tradition. The conference had nearly 90 attendees from eight regional institutions.
Crises in the Modern West: The Drama of Atheist Humanism
Belmont Abbey College
Belmont Abbey College hosted a Lilly Fellows Program Regional Conference entitled “Crises in the Modern West: The Drama of Atheist Humanism.” After a long Covid-19 related delay, the program generally went as planned according to the original proposal to LFP.
Following the general format of Henri De Lubac’s book the Drama of Atheist Humanism the conference included three plenary lectures and four faculty and student Socratic seminars on the authors treated by De Lubac in his book. The participants also shared two meals in common.
Wesleyan Education Council Convening
Indiana Wesleyan University
The Wesleyan Education Council comprised of the presidents and chairs of the boards of trustees of colleges and universities affiliated with the Wesleyan Church, a denomination founded in 1968 in the Wesleyan Methodist tradition. Institutions affiliated with the denomination include Houghton College, Indiana Wesleyan University, Kingswood University, Oklahoma Wesleyan University, and Southern Wesleyan University (collectively known as WE5). In fall 2021, the WE5 convened to address issues related to the mission, purpose, and value of Wesleyan Higher Education and allow for further collaboration among our institutions, and the opportunity to chart the future for Wesleyan Higher Education.
2020 EVENTS
Challenges and Opportunities for the Catholic University in the 21st Century
Sacred Heart University
The aim of the Conference was to generate a wide, broad conversation about how the Catholic Intellectual Tradition could provide a ‘compass across the college or university’ to promote and imbue the Catholic identity and ‘ethos’ of an institution. In short, the Conference more than met that aim. There were panels on Catholic identity, Catholic thought, on the CIT across disciplines, on pedagogy, on programs, on the Catholic Imagination, on social justice, on student life, and from the perspective of the VPs for Mission. Because of the pandemic, the conference was online, and videos of all the talks are available:
Gregory Kalscheur, SJ, “Engaging the CIT: How Research in All Disciplines Can be Enriched by Encounter with the Tradition”
Carolyn Woo, "Catholic University and Mission: A Primer for Leadership and Development"
Gerald Beyer, “Justice Within and Beyond the University Walls”
Paul Mariani, “Ordinary Time: Poems” and “The Mystery of It All: The Vocation of Poetry in the Twilight of Modernism”
Michael Higgins, “Word, Sacrament and Imagination: Merton and Jones and the CIT”
Communication and Religion in the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election
Seton Hall University
From the 21st to the 23rd of October 2020 the Institute for Communication and Religion (ICR) at Seton Hall University hosted a Lilly Fellows Program Regional Conference entitled “Communication and Religion in the ’20 Election.” Approximately 2500 viewers attended six events broadcast live online including a Presidential debate watch party and keynote addresses from leading scholars in Political Science, Religion, Journalism, and Communication.
Heidi Campbell (Texas A&M) shared research on “Internet Memes and American Civil Religion,” Ronald C. Arnett (Duquesne University) spoke on “Practices that Matter: The Faith and Politics of Dorothy Day,” Rob Pallitto (Seton Hall University) shared expertise on “Trump, the 2020 Election, and the limits of Ideology Theory,” and Jo Renee Formicola (Seton Hall University) addressed “Catholics, The Media, and the ’20 Election.” The final program “Judaism and Christianity in the ’20 Election” was co-presented by Jon Radwan (Seton Hall University, ICR Director) and Peter Beinart (CUNY, The New York Times). Audience questions were answered at all sessions and remaining queries were covered in a follow-up interview with Ronald C. Arnett conducted by Asya Robinson (Seton Hall University).
Conference proceedings can be viewed here. In addition,
SHU has recorded a series of follow-up podcasts on the topic of communication and religion in politics.
EARLIER EVENTS
2019
Matter and Spirit: A Seminar on Contemporary Chinese Art and Society
Calvin College
The Prodigal Love of God: Re-encountering Dordt at 400 and Beyond
Dordt College
Promoting Human Dignity and Civic Responsibility at Catholic Universities in the Chicagoland Area
Benedictine University
2018
Global General Education and Asian Texts: What Should Our Students Read?
Pepperdine University
Building Racial Bridges; Seeking Racial Understanding
Lipscomb University
2017
Reason and Faith on the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation
Central College
2016
Discerning Academic Vocation in a Contested Religious Tradition
Georgetown College
2015
Islam in the Classroom: Challenges and Opportunities of Teaching about Islam in a Post 9/11 World
Gordon College
2014
Teaching the Christian Intellectual Tradition Conference: Augustine Across the Curriculum
Samford University
2013
R5: A Visual Arts Seminar and Studio in South Africa
Calvin College
2011
Faith, Science, and Stewardship: Christian Pedagogy on the Environment
Benedictine University
Wanting Something More: Reflecting Upon the Callings of Mid-Career Faculty
Wittenberg University
2010
Seminar on Academic Leadership in Baptist Universities
Baylor University
Imago Dei: Human Dignity in Ecumenical Perspective
Gordon College
2009
The Pietist Impulse in Christianity
Bethel University
2007
Singing God's Song Faithfully: Implications for Theology and Music Faculty Seeking to Prepare Music Leadership for the Church
University of Notre Dame
2006
Together and By Association, A Conference for Lasallian College and University Faculty
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
2006
To Be in Good Standing—Implications for a Catholic University
Saint Xavier University
2005
Academic Excellence and Christian Mission: The Chair's Role in a Both/And Approach
Hope College
2004
Building and Supporting Diversity at Church-Related Colleges
Texas Lutheran University
2003
Life of the Mind, Life of Faith, Curriculum, and Student Life in the Bible Belt
Belmont Abbey College
2002
Baylor University
College of The Holy Cross
Gordon College
Midland Lutheran College
Westmont College
2001
Concordia College-Moorhead
University of Notre Dame
2000
Abilene Christian University
Pepperdine University
St. Olaf College
1999
Muhlenberg College
1998
University of Notre Dame
1997
Westminster College
Xavier University
1996
Baylor University
Rivier College
1995
Whitworth College
1994
Loyola Marymount University
1993
Bethune-Cookman College
Boston College
1992
Baylor University
Luther College