[ExI] call for soteriology and eschatology papers that mention h+, was : CALL: H+ call for papers

[BillK]

On Fri, Feb 20, 2009 at 10:59 AM, Michael Miller wrote:
> I'd like to just point out the difference between the fields of religious
> studies and theology: while Spike's claim would be true of Theology as a
> discipline, Religious Studies is a non-doctrinaire academic investigation,
> many of whose professors and scholars are atheist or agnostic (or at the
> least would reject such a grand claim as that of the bible being "the
> revealed word of god"...of course many committed christians and jews would
> also feel the need to add much qualification to this assertion). They simply
> find religion a fascinating thing to study, and something which says a lot
> about the human endeavour. And probably they find H+ interesting now for
> similar reasons, that it expresses much of the same longings for purpose,
> growth, assured future and longevity common to our species.
>


The AAS does indeed appear to be an 'anything goes' type of religious grouping.

The Center for the Study of Atheism is even trying to get allowed in to the AAS.
<http://www.darkfiber.com/atheisms/csa/index.html>


The Apologetics research resources on religious cults, sects, etcetera
has a quite funny entry about the AAS.
<http://www.apologeticsindex.org/a36.html>

Quote:
This is what the top theologians and religion scholars in the country
do for fun every year the weekend before Thanksgiving. The annual
gathering of the American Academy of Religion and the Society of
Biblical Literature is to this crowd what the Sundance Film Festival
is to independent filmmakers.

In short, everybody who's anybody comes, and then some. Up-and-coming
scholars cut their theological teeth presenting papers critiqued by
the best of the Ivory Tower. Professors from Podunk U. banter
theologically with those from Harvard, Princeton and Yale
universities. Job candidates circulate polished resumes and schmooze
with department heads.

This year, nearly 8,000 scholars were on hand for more than 400
presentations on so-called weighty academic issues such as ''Problems
in Categorization of Hebrew Particles.'' (One participant described
that talk as more mentally taxing than an episode of Survivor, but
every bit the thriller.)

Newcomers quickly learn there's an etiquette at play in this crowd.
Pure scholars of religion don't want to be confused with theologians,
whom they see as muddying academics with faith. The theologians, on
the other hand, aren't of one mind as to the purpose of their
scholarship, or even their audience.

Jews, Muslims and Buddhists debate about whether "theologian" is
strictly a Christian term. The Christians haggle over whether the
academic study of theology is an end unto itself, or whether it should
be grounded in a faith community.

While almost all the Christian theologians identify with a
denomination, many gulp and swallow hard when asked whether they
regularly attend a church. ''Not for a long time,'' said Dr. Petri
Luomanen, a Lutheran pastor who's a biblical studies scholar from the
University of Helsinki, Finland. ''I have nothing against it; I've
just been too busy.''

Other theologians echoed that response, though none wanted his or her
name in print. A few said they consider church nothing more than folk
religion. The Jesus in churches cannot be reconciled with the Jesus of
theological scholarship, they added.
---------------------


There is a report here from the Communist Party of the USA who
attended to publicize an atheist book 'Away With All Gods!'. They
weren't thrown out - they seem to have had quite a fun time at the
conference.
<http://revcom.us/a/151/AAR-en.html>

-----------------------


I also found articles written by a previous president of the AAS
discussing the types of atheism and how atheists are really just a
different type of religious experience.

So, really, 'anything goes!'   You can describe just about any human
experience as religious, so the AAS could easily see Transhumanism as
one of the New Age 'seekers after truth'.

BillK