A day-long series of events presented by the students of Religion 3064.
12:30 p.m. Keynote Address
The Sacralization of the Kensington Rune Stone: Constructing a Myth of America’s Birth
David M. Krueger
David M. Krueger is a storyteller, scholar, author, and educator who is passionate about public history and social justice. His areas of expertise include American religious history, violence, myths, and popular culture. As a sought-after lecturer and speaker, he has served as a scholarly contributor on radio and network television, including the Travel Channel and the Science Channel. He received a ThM from Princeton Theological Seminary and a PhD in religion from Temple University. His book, Myths of the Rune Stone: Viking Martyrs and the Birthplace of America, is out with the University of Minnesota Press. Dr. Krueger is also a versatile and seasoned educator who has taught at Chestnut Hill College, Palmer Theological Seminary, Temple University, Rutgers University-Camden, and a variety of community-based organizations, such as the Arch Street United Methodist Church, The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program, and the Dialogue Institute. Although he grew up as a farm kid in Minnesota, he has come to love Philadelphia and its fascinating history since moving there in 1995. Articles and essays he has written have appeared in Religion Dispatches, the Believe Out Loud blog, the Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia (forthcoming), the Religion in American History blog, and Marginalia: A Los Angeles Review of Books Channel.
2 p.m. Panel Discussion American Religion and Popular Culture
Moderator: Elizabeth De Furia
Presentations:
“The Righteous Devil of Hell’s Kitchen: Religion in Marvel’s Daredevil” by Ruth Tracy
“Dana Scully’s Religion” by Rosie Nolan
“Theatre as Social Change: Protestantism, Theatre, and Policy Reform in Nineteenth-Century America” by Samuel-James DeMattio
Respondent: David M. Krueger
3:30 p.m. Panel Discussion
American Religious Movements
Moderator: Chloe Taylor
Presentations:
“Secrecy, Seclusion, and Suppression: An Examination of Scientology’s Purposes and Practices” by Ilyssa Daly
“The New Face of Mormonism” by Pauline Robert
“Starhawk: A Study of the Religion, Activism, and Beliefs of a Self-Defined Wiccan” by Molly Litton
“Religious Charisma in Everyday Life” by Jonah Morgulas
Respondent: Irene Elizabeth Stroud
Presented by the students of Religion 3064
Sponsored by the Department of Religion and the Office of the Provost and Dean of Faculty