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		History   Highlands Institute for American Religious and Philosophical Thought Highlands, North Carolina USA

History Note: To open the "History of the Women's Dialogue" document, click here. In 1986 a conference was held in Paderborn, Germany, on "American Philosophical and Religious Thought." Many of those presenting papers were members of the editorial board of The American Journal of Theology and Philosophy. Informal discussions between these board members led to the decision to expand the efforts of the AJTP into an institute which would develop conferences, seminars and other activities related to the four-point foci of the journal: 1) the interface between theology and philosophy, especially where theological efforts have utilized the American philosophical tradition, 2) the history and development of liberal religious thought in America, 3) themes of relevance to the "Chicago School" of theology, and 4) naturalism in American theology and philosophy. Creighton Peden was asked to develop a plan for the Institute and to present it at the meeting of the AJTP's Board in November, 1986. The plan called for establishing the Highlands Institute for American Religious Thought (later changed to H. I. for American Religious and Philosophical Thought—HIARPT), to be located in Highlands, North Carolina. The Institute would sponsor two conference series. An international conference series on "Philosophical Theology" was established, to be held on a five-year schedule beginning in 1988 at Oxford University. A second conference series on "American Religious and Philosophical Thought," to be held on a five year schedule, was begun in Highlands in 1990. In non-conference years a seminar was scheduled for Highlands. In addition to these academic gatherings, an annual public lecture/seminar series was to be held in June and July in Highlands. It was anticipated that some Institute members would use Highlands as a place to spend part of the summer, do some writing, and participate in the presentations and discussions of the lecture series. It was also anticipated that some members would retire to Highlands and provide a foundation for the public programs. The first lecture series began in 1990. As the public series expanded, interest in the community regarding a creative interchange about ideas and issues developed. Part of this opportunity for creative interchange involved the development of the Women's Dialogue, which meets monthly in Highlands and sponsors an annual seminar in June. By 1993, the public discussion program was extended to weekly sessions between November and April. The development of these off-season programs contributed to increased participation in the annual Summer Public Lecture series, with the result that this series was expanded into May, September and October. In addition to developing academic conferences, seminars and public programs, HIARPT has also continued and expanded The American Journal of Theology & Philosophy and has developed a book series with Peter Lang, with our conference volumes as the core of this series. The proceedings of the academic seminars are published in the AJTP. The Institute regularly holds a "Reception and Business Meeting" on Monday afternoon at the annual American Academy Religion meeting in November. This session is followed by the annual "AJTP Lecture." A HIARPT dinner also follows these two sessions.   Past Meetings 1988: First International Conference on Philosophical Theology, August 12-15, 1988, Somerville College, Oxford University. 1989: Seminar on Nancy Frankenberry's Religion And Radical Empiricism, July 22-29, 1989, Highlands, N. C. Coordinator: James Woelfel. 1990: First Conference on American Religious Thought, June 19-24, 1990, Highlands, N.C. Keynote speaker: Gordon D. Kaufman. Program Chair: Delwin Brown. 1990: First Public Lecture Series. Speakers: Creighton Peden, Everett J. Tarbox, Jr., Randolph C. Miller, Gordon K. Kaufman, Sheila Davaney, William Dean, Larry E. Axel. Director: Everett J. Tarbox, Jr. 1991: Seminar on Charley D. Hardwick's Manuscript of Events of Grace. June 19-22, 1991, Highlands, N.C. Coordinators: Nancy Frankenberry and Marvin Shaw. 1991: Public Lecture/Seminar Series. Speakers: J. Edward Barrett, Harvey H. Potthoff, Rebecca C. Axel, Karl Peters, Mason Olds, Lora (Nancy) Tarbox. Director: Everett J. Tarbox, Jr. 1992: Seminar on "The Contribution to the Distinctively American Tradition of Philosophical and Religious Thought by John E. Smith." Keynote: John E. Smith. June 23-28, 1992, Highlands. N.C. Coordinators: William Dean and Tyron Inbody. 1992: Public Lecture/Seminar Series. Speakers: Donald S. Klinefelter, Frederick Ferré, John E. Smith, Francis Bush, Rebecca Axel, Mason Olds. Director: Everett J. Tarbox, Jr. 1993: Second International Conference on Philosophical Theology. Theme: "Religious Experience and Ecological Responsibility." August 5-9, 1993, University of St. Andrews, Scotland. Conference Chair: J. Edward Barrett. 1993: First Women's Dialogue Seminar on "Writing Our Lives." Leader: Rebecca Chopp. June 27-28, 1993, Highlands, N.C. Coordinator: Lora (Nancy) Tarbox. 1993: Public Lecture/Seminar Series. Speakers: W. Creighton Peden, Karl Peters, Rebecca Chopp, Mason Olds, D. William D. Shaw, Director: Everett J. Tarbox, Jr. 1993 : Beginning of November-April Public Dialogue based on articles and books previously read. Coordinator: Creighton Peden 1994: Seminar on William Dean's The Religious Critic in American Culture. June 21-25, 1994, Highlands, N.C. Coordinators: David Conner and Donald Crosby. 1994: Women's Dialogue Seminar on "Recent Feminist Theorizing." Leader: Nancy Frankenberry. Coordinator: Nancy Tarbox. 1994: Public Lecture/Seminar Series. Speakers: W. Creighton Peden, Tyron Inbody, William Dean, J. Edward Barrett, Donald S. Klinefelter, Mason Olds. Director: Everett J. Tarbox, Jr. 1995: Conference on "Pragmatism (Paleo and Neo) and American Religious Thought." Keynote Speaker: Richard Rorty. June 20-24, 1995, Highlands, N. C. Program Chair: Nancy Frankenberry. 1995: Women's Dialogue Seminar on "Contemporary Trends in Feminist Theology." Leader: Sheila Davaney. Coordinator: Nancy Tarbox. 1995: Public Lecture/Seminar Series. Speakers: W. Creighton Peden, Sheila Davaney, Donald Crosby, William Dean, Langdon Gilkey, Thomas Parker. Director: Everett J. Tarbox, Jr. 1996: Seminar on "Robert C. Neville's Philosophy and Theology." June 19-23, 1996, Highlands, N.C. Seminar Coordinators: J. Harley Chapman and Charley Hardwick. 1996: Women's Dialogue Seminar on "Women, Science and Religion." June 23-24, 1996. Leader: Nancy Howell. Highlands, N.C. Coordinator: Nancy Tarbox. 1996: Public Lecture/Seminar Series. Speakers. W. Creighton Peden, Frederick Ferré, Nancy Howell, Mason Olds, J. Edward Barrett, Langdon Gilkey, Howard Radest. Director: Everett J. Tarbox, Jr. 1997: Seminar on Sheila Greeve Davaney's manuscript of Pragmatic Historicism: Reconstruction the Theological Task. June 18-22, 1997, Highlands, N.C. Coordinators: Linell Cady & Thomas Parker. 1997: Women's Dialogue Seminar on "How Do We Respond to Tragic Evil?" Leader: Marjorie Suchocki. Coordinator: Nancy Tarbox. 1997: Public Lecture/Seminar Series. Speakers: Edward Barrett, Frederick Ferré, Marjorie Suchocki, Donald Crosby, Mary Brown Bullock, Langdon Gilkey, Howard Radest. Director: Everett J. Tarbox, Jr. 1998: Third International Conference on Philosophical Theology. Theme: "Personal and Public Religion in a Pluralistic Age." July 29-August 3, 1998, Bad Boll, Germany. Program Chair: Douglas R. Anderson and Hermann Deuser. 1998: Women's Dialogue Seminar on A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf. Leader: Barbara Reitt. June 14-15, 1998, Highlands, N.C. Coordinator: Nancy Tarbox. 1998: Public Lecture/Seminar Series: Speakers: Henry Levinson, Barbara DeConcini, Langdon Gilkey, William Jones, Barbara Reitt, Donald Klinefelter, J. Edward Barrett, Karl Peters, Howard Radest. Director: Everett J. Tarbox, Jr. 1999: Seminar on "Constructive Alternatives for the 21st Century: Reflections on the Chicago School in American Religious Thought," June 23-27, 1999, Highlands, N.C. Coordinators: Nancy Howell and Mason Olds. 1999: Women's Dialogue Seminar on "Post Patriarchal Ethics - A Feminist Theo-Political Approach." Leader: Mary E. Hunt. June 27-28, 1999. Highlands, N.C. Coordinator: Nancy Tarbox. 1999: Public Lecture/Seminar Series. Mason Olds, Langdon Gilkey, Frederick Ferré, Gordon D. Kaufman, Mary E. Hunt, J. Edward Barrett, George Pickering, Augustus Staub, Howard Radest. Director: Everett J. Tarbox, Jr. 2000: Conference on "The Pragmatic Century: conversations with Richard Bernstein." Keynote Speaker: Richard Bernstein. June 23-27, 2000. Highlands, N.C. Program Chairs: Sheila Greeve Davaney and Warren Frisina. 2000: Women's Dialogue Seminar on "The Feminist Detective Novel As Entertainment and Criticism." Leader: Susan Kress. June 22-23, 2000. Highlands, N.C. Coordinator: Nancy Tarbox. 2000: Public Lecture/Seminar Series. Speakers: Mason Olds, Brian Cole, Langdon Gilkey, J. Wentzel van Huyssteen, Susan Kress, Gordon D. Kaufman, Frederic B. Burnham, Richard J. Bernstein, W. Creighton Peden, Edward J. Cashin. Director: Everett J. Tarbox, Jr. 2001: Seminar on Frederick Ferré's "Living and Value: Toward a Constructive Postmodern Ethics." June 20-23, 2001. Coordinators: Mary Doak and Everett J. Tarbox, Jr. 2002: Seminar on "Feminism and Pragmatism," June 19-22, 2002, Highlands, N.C. Coordinators: Kathlyn A. Breazeale and Marjorie Suchocki. 2003: Fourth International Conference on Philosophical Theology. Program Chairs: Leslie A. Muray and Jon Taylor.

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