Events

2025 Online Teaching and Learning WorkshopSacred Self Care: African American Women Faculty Making Room for Ourselves While Teaching Religion and TheologyApplication Dates:Opens: January 13, 2025Deadline: March 5, 2025Schedule of SessionsAug. 14, 2025, 12:00 pm ET–3:00 pm ETSep. 11, 2025, 12:30 pm ET–3:00 pm ETOct. 9, 2025, 12:30 pm ET–3:00 pm ETNov. 13, 2025, 12:30 pm ET–3:00 pm ETDec. 4, 2025, 12:30 pm ET–3:00 pm ETJan. 8, 2026, 12:30 pm ET–3:00 pm ETLeadership TeamChanequa Walker-Barnes, Ph.D, Columbia Theological SeminaryParticipantsAngela Parker, Mercer University McAfee School of TheologyAmber Neal-Stanley, Purdue UniversityRichelle White, Kuyper CollegeElise Edwards, Baylor UniversityKamilah Hall Sharp, Chicago Theological SeminaryAnnie Lockhart-Gilroy, Phillips Theological SeminaryCatherine Williams, Moravian UniversityAmanda Mbuvi, Reconstructionist Rabbinical CollegeWynetta Wimberley, Wake Forest University School of DivinityAshlyn Strozier, Georgia State UniversityCandace Smith, BSK Theological SeminaryJanice McLean-Farrell, New Brunswick Theological SeminaryApplication ClosedWabash Center Staff Contact:Sarah Farmer, Ph.DAssociate DirectorWabash Center301 West Wabash Ave.Crawfordsville, IN 47933farmers@wabash.eduHonorariumParticipants will receive an honorarium of $2,500 for full participation in this workshop.Read More about Payment of ParticipantsDescriptionAfrican American women faculty in religion and theology are situated at the crossroads of two predominantly male arenas: religious leadership and the academy. With rare exception, we are a minority in our departments and institutions, often “the first,” “the only,” or “the youngest” (in age and/or rank). We epitomize Patricia Hill Collins’ concept of “the outsider within.” While situated within the ivory tower, we do not have (or often desire) the same access to institutional power and prestige as our White and/or male counterparts. Hence, we face a myriad of challenges as we navigate intersecting layers of oppression: institutionalized racism, sexism, and heterosexism; disparities in hiring, promotion, and salary; micro- and macroaggressions from colleagues and students; heightened demands for invisible and emotional labor; racial battle fatigue; isolation, exclusion, and tokenism; and lack of mentoring and adequate support.Despite these obstacles, the presence and voices of African American women are critical to the religious and theological academy. How, then, do we make room for ourselves in spaces that were not built with us in mind? How do we sustain ourselves as we do the work of upending paradigms, advocating for justice and equity, and being voices for marginalized peoples?This online workshop will gather African American women teaching religion and theology at any season in their career for six online sessions exploring how holistic self-care can help us to lean into our outsider-within status in ways that support our personal and professional thriving. The sessions will integrate small and large group discussions, didactic presentations, individual reflection and sharing, mindfulness practices, and of course, plenty of laughter, womanistcare, and #BlackGirlMagic.Participants will have access to supplemental funding (by application) for their individual self-care needs.GoalsFoster authentic and supportive community where Black women faculty can network, collaborate, and share experiencesAddress the intersectional challenges faced by Black women faculty in religion and theologyPromote self-care, physical and emotional wellness, and work-life synergyClarify personal and professional values and prioritiesIdentify and detox from unhealthy habits and practices instilled through higher educationDevelop a personalized self-care rule of life for sustaining personal wellness and professional vitalityProvide resources and mentorship to enhance personal and professional developmentQuestions to Be EngagedWhat are the challenges that we experience as African American women faculty in theology and religion?What are the advantages and disadvantages of our status as “outsiders within”?What unhealthy habits and practices of the academy have we internalized?How can we show up as our authentic selves while protecting ourselves from interpersonal and institutional discrimination?How do we navigate our institutional and professional responsibilities with our commitments to our health, our families, and our communities?What are our needs in terms of healthy work environments?How is self-care reflected in our approaches to pedagogy and scholarship?How do we make room for ourselves as “outsiders within” religious studies and theology?What are the indicators that it is time to leave an institution? What is the exit strategy?EligibilityAfrican American women faculty in religious studies and/or theologyTenure track, continuing term, and/or full-time contingencyJob description or contract that is wholly or primarily inclusive of teachingTeaching in an accredited college, university, or theological school in the United States, Puerto Rico, or CanadaDoctoral degree awarded by December 2024Institutional support and personal commitment to participate fully in workshop sessionsApplication MaterialsPlease complete and attach the following documents to the online application (available January 13, 2025):Application Contact Information formCover letterAn introductory letter that describes your teaching context and addresses why you want to be part of this collaborative community, including what you hope to gain from it and what you might contribute to it. (Up to 500 words)Brief essayWhat are the most salient experiences that have shaped your current practice and identity as a Black woman faculty member in religion and/or theology? (Up to 500 words)Academic CV (4-page limit)A letter of institutional support for your full participation in this workshop from your Department Chair, Academic Dean, Provost, Vice President, or President. Please have this recommendation uploaded directly to your application according to the online application instructions.

Arts-Based Pedagogy Roundtable: Deepening Creative Flow Important Dates Application Opens: January 16, 2024 Application Deadline: March 6, 2024 Schedule of Sessions Online Orientation: August 7, 2024; 3:00pm - 4:30pm ET In-Person Gathering: September 19-22, 2024 Gathering Location Kimpton Overland Hotel Atlanta, GA Leadership Team Angela Hummel, Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design Ralph Basui Watkins,Columbia Theological Seminary Instructions for Leaders Participants Shauna Hannan, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary of California Tamisha Tyler, Bethany Theological Seminary Myron Krys Florence,Union Theological Seminary (NYC) Lis Valle-Ruiz, McCormick Theological Seminary Nick Peterson, Christian Theological Seminary Eric Thomas, General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church Andrew Wilson, Mount Allison University David Kwon, Seattle University Sheila Winborne, Northeastern University Seth Gaiters, North Carolina State University Heather White, University of Puget Sound Contact Sarah Farmer, Associate Director Wabash Center farmers@wabash.edu Honorarium Each participant will be provided with travel expenses, meals, lodging, and a stipend of $2,500. Read More about Payment of Participants Important Information Foreign National Information Form Policy on Participation Description For many teachers, the arts are foundational to pedagogical philosophy and practice – this conversation is for these colleagues. This intensive conversation will be a gathering of scholars who understand themselves as artists or as creatives teaching religion and theology and who want to be inspired, challenged, and stretched by others who make regular use of the arts in course design. Habits, practices, and knowledges of creativity, imagination, and multiple art mediums will be explored. Central to the conversation will be the notions and practices of embodiment, generativity, experience, compassion, wonder, empowerment, and healing. The hands-on experience will include workshopping of ideas, peer discussion, peer critique, artistic experiences, conversations with artists, a visit to an art space, and encouragement for working on and completing a personal syllabus project. Participants will bring to the conversation a syllabus to be reimagined or a new course idea to be designed through an arts-based approach. This workshop is not for spectators or colleagues who have not claimed their teaching identity as artists and creators. There is an expectation of creative production during this experience. Key Questions What is the role of creativity and imagination in course design? What networks and conversation partners will support and strengthen arts-based approaches? How might an existing course be redesigned with an arts-based approach to teaching and learning? What artistic, creative, and imaginative experiences might be a fulcrum, foundation, or inspiration for designing a course? What embodied and immersive experiences might add dimension and meaning-making to the course for deeper learning? How are learning activities or assignments that are embodied, imaginative, and foundation-ed by the arts, imagination and creativity developed and implemented? How can a creative process or artistic product be assessed or graded? Participant Eligibility (10 participants by application) Participants who identify themselves as an artist or as creative and who routinely integrate the arts and creativity into their teaching and course design. Teaching religion, theology, or related fields in an accredited college, university, seminary, or divinity school in the United States, Puerto Rico, or Canada. Tenure-track, tenured, continuing term, and/or full-time contingency in any season of career; doctoral degree awarded by July 1, 2024. Job description or contract that is wholly for, or inclusive of, developing new curriculum or developing curriculum-related activities such as degree/non-degree programs, co-curricular programs, new initiatives, new courses, revamping old courses, establishing laboratories or experimentation for teaching. Collegial and institutional support for the integration of the arts into teaching and course design; institutional support and personal commitment to participate fully in all workshop sessions. Colleagues who will be actively teaching in 2025 and/or 2026 to be able to focus upon a project during the workshop that can be implemented in the teaching context. Colleagues are willing to give critique of the artistic and pedagogical work of other participants in an affirming and compassionate way; colleagues who are willing to be critiqued for the strengthening of their arts-based teaching. Application Materials Please complete and attach the following documents to theonline application: Application Contact Information form Cover letter: An introductory letter that describes your teaching context and addresses why you want to be part of this collaborative experience, including what you hope to get out of it, and what you might contribute to it. (Up to 500 words) Brief essay: Essay Prompts (answer all prompts using 800 to 900 words or less; roughly 200 words per question) What is your working definition of arts-based pedagogy? Describe your teaching identity as an artist or as a creative. Describe a creative or artistic lesson plan, learning activity, or assignment that you designed and incorporated into your current teaching. How was the learning experience for your students? How was the learning experience for you? Briefly describe the course, learning activity, or assignment you will be creating or rethinking during the Roundtable. Academic CV (4-page limit) A letter of institutional support for your full participation in this workshop from your Department Chair, Academic Dean, Provost, Vice President, or President. Please have this recommendation uploaded directly to your application according to the online application instructions.