Weekly Recap for Tuesday, November 3, 2015 at ProgressiveChristianity.org in Gig Harbor, Washington, United StatesFree Weekly Recap of our most viewed and new resources from last week.
Last Week At ProgressiveChristianity.org ...
We delved into the topics of the Human Project, Remembrance, the Right Moral Way and Wholeness.
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Jose Mujica’s Interview – URUGUAY – #HUMANThe Human Project
José Mujica, nicknamed Pepe Mujica, was President of Uruguay from 2010 to 2015. A former Tupamaros freedom fighter in the 60s and the 70s, he was detained, like a hostage by the dictatorship between 1973 and 1985. He advocates a philosophy of life focused on sobriety: learn to live with what is necessary and fairest.
About Human the Movie
Filmmaker and artist Yann Arthus-Bertrand spent 3 years collecting real-life stories from more than 2,000 women and men in 60 countries. Working with a dedicated team of translators, journalists and cameramen, he captures deeply personal and emotional accounts of topics that unite us all; struggles with poverty, war, homophobia, and the future of our planet mixed with moments of love and happiness.
Drawing on this unrivalled collection of images, Yann Arthus-Bertrand offers us a galaxy of works adapted for all platforms and every type of interaction: cinema, tv, the digital space, and major public events. Music by Armand Amar.
More about the whole HUMAN project: www.human-themovie.org
If you are a theatre, a distributor and interested by screening the movie, contact us: distribution@human-themovie.org
READ ON ... 
Remembrance/Peace Sunday
William WallaceTHEME: Peace with the past – peace with the present ...
THOUGHTS FOR REFLECTION
Along the Way
- If we are unwilling to learn from history, we commit ourselves to reliving the mistakes of our ancestors.
- The peace of the land, the peace of the people and the peace of the heart are inextricably intertwined.
- We are the shapers of our own apocalypse.
- What is accomplished by force does not last. What is accomplished by love is eternal.
- Those who seek to enter the depths of spirituality (the Way of God) by use of physical, intellectual or emotional force may succeed in raping the superficial but will never gain access to the divine mysteries.
- We cannot embrace the mystery, we can only allow ourselves to be embraced by it.
- We cannot wait until we have true peace of mind before we start working for peace, nor can we wait until the world is at peace before seeking peace of mind.
- It is better not to remember war if all it does is to reinforce ancient antagonisms.
- To remember war without offering forgiveness to former enemies
- is only to reinforce soul destroying hatred.
- Peace is not just the absence of war – it is being at home with the most shadowy parts of our personality, so that we know where our anger is coming from and how to transform it.
- This world will not be a safe place for all human beings until power is in the hands of people who are secure enough to be able to laugh at themselves and the institutions which they control.
- The first step out of violence is to stop viewing oneself, or any part of oneself as an unlovable enemy.
PRAYERS
O God whose will it is that we should live in peace, help us to remember past violence in the spirit of forgiveness but at the same time to learn those lessons which that violence can teach us and to apply these insights to the international, national, communal and individual dimensions of our living.
HYMNS
What can we learn from war? (BL)
Within the shadows of our thinking. (BL)
Our hands O God. (BL)
Repaying force with counter force. (BL)
Deep in the human heart. (BL)
When the picture haunts my mind. (BL)
The meek shall inherit the Earth. (BL)
Holy Spirit as you speak. (BL)
Aid will never save the world. (BL)
My desire for you my friend. (BL)
Recalling all our ancient hurts. (BL)
Help us O Christ
www.methodist.org.nz/resources/hymns/boundlesslife
God of forgiveness.
http://www.methodist.org.nz/resources/hymns/the_mystery_telling
As we give we shall receive
Singing the Sacred Vol 1 2011 World Library Publications
AN ACT OF REMEMBRANCE
With compassion we remember all who have died in violent conflict; civilians and other innocent victims, servicemen and women,
prisoners of war, onscientious objectors,
freedom fighters, peace observers.
We give thanks for all who have laid down their lives for others and pray that we also may discover that sacrifice is one of the paths that lead to wholeness.
We remember people whose bodies have been mutilated by war, or violated sexually,
people whose minds have become fragmented by violence, and people whose spirits have become broken by conflict.
May our remembrance of the dead increase our compassion for the living.
We remember the perpetrators of violence,
all who deliberately, unthinkingly or unwillingly participated in or supported violent action, all whose minds are so warped that they exalt violence as virtue, all who regard other groups of people as enemies in whom there is no goodness, all who are afraid of other political systems, cultures or religious beliefs, all who consider competition as superior to cooperation.
Almighty God who has made us creatures of passion, help us to make peace with the violence that lurks within our own psyche.
Give us courage to explore the complexity of our darkness, a willingness to re-experience buried pain and to nurture the love which can redirect our suppressed energies into the cause of justice and peace.
A PARAPHRASE OF PART OF THE PEACE PRAYER OF ST FRANCIS
O loving Christ may I become an instrument of your peace:
Grant that I may learn
To strive but not compete,
To be empowered without seeking to oppress,
To stand tall without looking down on others,
To be aware of my inner wisdom without attempting to inflict it on anyone else.
For it is in letting go that we find peace,
In abandoning arrogance that we find truth
And in taking risks that we find love.
FOCUS FOR ACTION
- What are some of the ways in which we and our ancestors have been both the oppressed and the oppressors, the victims and the manipulators?
- What lessons can we learn from this and what steps can we take to help ensure that history does not simply repeat itself?
- What are some of the misleading labels in our mind or in our society which prevent us from discerning that all political systems, all economic ideologies, all organizations and all individuals consist of a complex mixture of good and bad, oppressive and liberating forces?
Festive
Worship
Text and image © William Livingstone Wallace but available for free use.
READ ON ... Along the Way
Richard Holdsworth
The Right Moral Way has not changed over time and remains psychologically sound.
The Right Moral Way has not changed over time and remains psychologically sound.
The professor and mountaineer Ernest Gellner told of how he once became lost. No matter how he tried to follow his map, he could not find his way down the mountain. Then he realized that his map was of the wrong mountain. He used this anecdote to introduce to us Immanuel Kant’s precept of the categorical imperative: an action that is necessary in itself, without reference to any other purpose. It is a categorical imperative to read the right map for the right mountain. Like Gellner we all need maps along the way and we need the right map for the Right Moral Way.
The Right Moral Way has not changed over time and remains psychologically sound. In a “Psychology Today” article entitled ‘The (Only) Seven Spiritual Principles We Need to Succeed’, Karl Albrecht reveals traditional key values for moral living that are still crucial in contemporary times.
(see http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/brainsnacks/201301/the-only-seven-spiritual-principles-we-need-succeed).
The following are thoughts on Albrecht’s contemporary topics, with reference to their ancient precepts by indicating a Bible count of the number of times they appear in the Bible (from http://www.openbible.info).
Enjoy Gratitude (Bible count, 200)
I try to think gratefully about things that help me, or bring wholesome pleasure to myself and others. I also feel grateful for supportive others when I think of what life would be like without them.
Foster Humility (Bible count, 90)
Humility does not mean to let people walk all over me. It means that I should not become high minded and “one-up” on other people. Always being right, posturing about prestigious stuff, or voicing overriding attitudes display only illusions of grandeur.
Build Optimism (Bible count, 174)
Optimistic thinking is not a vague hope that everything will turn out OK. Optimism emerges from developing positive attitudes. For most of us most of the time, there is more that is good in our world than bad: so optimism is valid! And when we are challenged, Albrecht advises, “Things turn out for the best if you make the best of the way things turn out.”
Release Generosity (Bible count, 53)
Generosity creates a cheerful attitude. This is true of both financial and emotional generosity, such as being helpful, welcoming and compassionate. A truly generous person gives to give, not to get. Feeling good about giving is enhanced when it is part of a positive personal connection, not just a tax-deductible donation.
Benevolently Forgive (Bible count, 127)
Forgiveness lets go what happened, while vengeance torments us. When we relinquish our grievances we can reclaim moral strength and learn to avoid situations that create abuse.
Emphasize Purpose (Bible count, 80)
“If you don’t know where you want to go, any road will take you there.” Purpose means to choose a wholesome, even if limited, focus and keep out distractions.
Expand Expectations (Bible count, 20)
We often program ourselves to satisfy only the way things are in our comfort zone; but we can expand our scenarios to explore new sources of information and inspiration to bring fresh expectations.
These truisms are valuable and reliable signposts that I often miss or evade. But the overall direction of the Right Way can be realized simply. The Zen text Hsin Hsin Ming, for example advises that the Right Way is easy—if we stop being so picky and judgmental. And to paraphrase Matthew 6.33, “Seek (Bible count 340) first the Realm of Good and everything else gets added”.
READ ON ... 
Weekly Liturgy
Week of: October 25th, 2015
Wholeness
Wholeness is the journey toward integration of body, mind and soul… our own unique balance between all the aspects of being human. It requires integrating the dark and light in our own life experiences, healing the internal rifts. The journey of a lifetime…
READ ON ...
Worship Materials: Wholeness and Healing
Simply Held
For Fullness by Richard Holdsworth
We are entirely reader supported. Donate today and positively change lives around the world!
Events and Updates
Westar Fall 2015 Meeting- Taking the Scholarship of Religion Public
If we are ever to resolve competing ideas of God across Western religions, must we abandon the Jesus of history?
Westar Fall 2015 Meeting- Taking the Scholarship of Religion Public
Fall 2015 Meeting
Atlanta, Georgia
If we are ever to resolve competing ideas of God across Western religions, must we abandon the Jesus of history?
How might the primary lenses commonly used to bring the Bible into focus help us wrestle with issues of feminism, war, homosexuality, and race?
Can one imagine a scenario in which Judaism and Christianity did not develop into separate traditions?
How might atheism be employed strategically to force theologians to confront their own assumptions?
Join Harvey Cox, Jack Miles and scholars of the Christianity Seminar and the Seminar on God and the Human Future in an uncensored, cutting-edge exploration of these and other radical historical and theological questions!
Pre-register by June 22 for best rates
Program
Westar Public Lectures
Harvey Cox, How to Read the Bible
Jack Miles, If Jesus is God, what God is he?
Westar Academic Seminars
Christianity Seminar
Seminar on God and the Human Future
Public Forum on Westar Seminars (Associates Forum)
AAR/SBL Program Highlights
Young Leaders in Religion Forum
Westar Public Lectures
Harvey G. Cox, Jr.
How to Read the Bible
Many intelligent people do not know how to read the collection of songs, prayers, history, legend, annals, parables, poetry, and other genres we call the Bible. Though the Bible remains the world’s bestseller—frequently quoted, misquoted, interpreted and misinterpreted—it’s hard to know how many people actually read it. What is clear is that many who do find it frustrating and bewildering. And they often revert to an unreflective literal reading. Harvey Cox observes that the more educated one becomes, the less likely that is. He will explore the primary lenses—literary, historical, and practical—commonly used to bring the Bible into focus, revealing its rich diversity and meaning, and offering a contemporary activist version that wrestles with issues of feminism, war, homosexuality, and race.
Harvey G. Cox, Jr. is Hollis Research Professor of Divinity at Harvard University. Described by Martin Luther King, Jr. as one of the Church’s most creative thinkers, he is a prolific author, renowned scholar, and revered teacher whose course on God and Money was the most subscribed at Harvard Divinity School in fall 2014. His many books include Secular City(1965), selected by the University of Marburg as one of the most influential books of Protestant theology in the twentieth century, How to Read the Bible (2014), The Future of Faith (2009), and When Jesus Came to Harvard (2004). In 2014, he received the Yale University Alumni Award for Distinction in Theological Education.
Sunday, November 22, 2015
10:30–11:30
Jack Miles
If Jesus is God, what God is he?
After 9/11/2001, certain fundamentalist Christians denied that the Allah of the Qur’an could be equated with the God of the Bible. Nineteen hundred years earlier, as the biblical canons were coming into being, Marcion of Sinope denied that the God of the Jewish Scriptures could be equated with the God of Jesus Christ. The nascent church rejected Marcion’s own rejection of what became the Old Testament as well as much of what became the New Testament. Later Christianity, however, has never come to terms with his reasoning—namely, that the character of the deity is so different in these two scriptures as to be incompatible. Jack Miles will explore how we might address that disparity today, though doing so, he warns, must entail a kind of farewell to the Jesus of history.
Jack Miles (Ph.D., Harvard University) is Distinguished Professor of English and Religious Studies with the University of California at Irvine and Senior Fellow for Religious Affairs with the Pacific Council on International Policy. A writer and editor whose work has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times and The Boston Globe, Miles is the author of several books, including GOD: A Biography, winner of a Pulitzer Prize in 1996, and Christ: A Crisis in the Life of God, which led to his being named a MacArthur Fellow for the years 2003–2007. Most recently he served as the general editor of the Norton Anthology of World Religions (2014).
Sunday, November 22, 2015
1–3:30
Westar Academic Seminars
Wholeness is the journey toward integration of body, mind and soul… our own unique balance between all the aspects of being human. It requires integrating the dark and light in our own life experiences, healing the internal rifts. The journey of a lifetime…
Worship Materials: Wholeness and Healing
THOUGHTS FOR REFLECTION
1. God is both the source, measure and fullness of wholeness.
2. Wholeness is a process rather than a static state:
it is not an end to the journey but the journey itself.
read more1. God is both the source, measure and fullness of wholeness.
2. Wholeness is a process rather than a static state:
it is not an end to the journey but the journey itself.
For Fullness
Open my heart,
Pure Healing Power
To remove emotional pain;
Open this heart
Pure Healing Power
Again, again, again
read morePure Healing Power
To remove emotional pain;
Open this heart
Pure Healing Power
Again, again, again
Worship Materials: Wholeness and Healing
From the Celebrating Mystery collection
by William Wallace
THEME: Peace with the past – peace with the present ...
THOUGHTS FOR REFLECTION
---------------------- If we are unwilling to learn from history, we commit ourselves to reliving the mistakes of our ancestors.
- The peace of the land, the peace of the people and the peace of the heart are inextricably intertwined.
- We are the shapers of our own apocalypse.
- What is accomplished by force does not last. What is accomplished by love is eternal.
- Those who seek to enter the depths of spirituality (the Way of God) by use of physical, intellectual or emotional force may succeed in raping the superficial but will never gain access to the divine mysteries.
- We cannot embrace the mystery, we can only allow ourselves to be embraced by it.
- We cannot wait until we have true peace of mind before we start working for peace, nor can we wait until the world is at peace before seeking peace of mind.
- It is better not to remember war if all it does is to reinforce ancient antagonisms.
- To remember war without offering forgiveness to former enemies
- is only to reinforce soul destroying hatred.
- Peace is not just the absence of war – it is being at home with the most shadowy parts of our personality, so that we know where our anger is coming from and how to transform it.
- This world will not be a safe place for all human beings until power is in the hands of people who are secure enough to be able to laugh at themselves and the institutions which they control.
- The first step out of violence is to stop viewing oneself, or any part of oneself as an unlovable enemy.
PRAYERS
O God whose will it is that we should live in peace, help us to remember past violence in the spirit of forgiveness but at the same time to learn those lessons which that violence can teach us and to apply these insights to the international, national, communal and individual dimensions of our living.
HYMNS
What can we learn from war? (BL)
Within the shadows of our thinking. (BL)
Our hands O God. (BL)
Repaying force with counter force. (BL)
Deep in the human heart. (BL)
When the picture haunts my mind. (BL)
The meek shall inherit the Earth. (BL)
Holy Spirit as you speak. (BL)
Aid will never save the world. (BL)
My desire for you my friend. (BL)
Recalling all our ancient hurts. (BL)
Help us O Christ
www.methodist.org.nz/resources/hymns/boundlesslife
God of forgiveness.
http://www.methodist.org.nz/resources/hymns/the_mystery_telling
As we give we shall receive
Singing the Sacred Vol 1 2011 World Library Publications
AN ACT OF REMEMBRANCE
With compassion we remember all who have died in violent conflict; civilians and other innocent victims, servicemen and women,
prisoners of war, onscientious objectors,
freedom fighters, peace observers.
We give thanks for all who have laid down their lives for others and pray that we also may discover that sacrifice is one of the paths that lead to wholeness.
We remember people whose bodies have been mutilated by war, or violated sexually,
people whose minds have become fragmented by violence, and people whose spirits have become broken by conflict.
May our remembrance of the dead increase our compassion for the living.
We remember the perpetrators of violence,
all who deliberately, unthinkingly or unwillingly participated in or supported violent action, all whose minds are so warped that they exalt violence as virtue, all who regard other groups of people as enemies in whom there is no goodness, all who are afraid of other political systems, cultures or religious beliefs, all who consider competition as superior to cooperation.
Almighty God who has made us creatures of passion, help us to make peace with the violence that lurks within our own psyche.
Give us courage to explore the complexity of our darkness, a willingness to re-experience buried pain and to nurture the love which can redirect our suppressed energies into the cause of justice and peace.
A PARAPHRASE OF PART OF THE PEACE PRAYER OF ST FRANCIS
O loving Christ may I become an instrument of your peace:
Grant that I may learn
To strive but not compete,
To be empowered without seeking to oppress,
To stand tall without looking down on others,
To be aware of my inner wisdom without attempting to inflict it on anyone else.
For it is in letting go that we find peace,
In abandoning arrogance that we find truth
And in taking risks that we find love.
FOCUS FOR ACTION
- What are some of the ways in which we and our ancestors have been both the oppressed and the oppressors, the victims and the manipulators?
- What lessons can we learn from this and what steps can we take to help ensure that history does not simply repeat itself?
- What are some of the misleading labels in our mind or in our society which prevent us from discerning that all political systems, all economic ideologies, all organizations and all individuals consist of a complex mixture of good and bad, oppressive and liberating forces?
Festive
Worship
Text and image © William Livingstone Wallace but available for free use.
Simply Held
From the book THE RHYTHM OF STILLNESS by Alice Smith
A marvelous mystery
the eternal embrace
always there
enfolding
infusing
enlarging
enhancing
never smothering
or squeezing
clutching
or clasping.
We are simply held
by the embrace
that protects us
from absolutely nothing
yet holds us all the time.
---------------------
For Fullness by Richard Holdsworth
Open my heart,
Pure Healing Power
To remove emotional pain;
Open this heart
Pure Healing Power
Again, again, again
Open my love,
Deep Healing Power
To nurture my innocent core;
Open this love,
Deep Healing Power
More, more, more
Open my mind,
Strong Healing Power
For I keep your Fullness out;
Open this mind,
Strong Healing Power
As I doubt, doubt, doubt
Open my thoughts,
Safe Healing Power;
I am wary where I stand;
Open these thoughts
Safe Healing Power
And, and… and?
I surrender my soul,
Kind Healing Power
In my humble attempt at belief;
I surrender this soul,
Kind Healing Power
To receive your boundless gift
I surrender my will
Great Healing Power
And cease my endless strife
I surrender this will
Great Healing Power
To savor the Fullness of Life
---------------------
“I really like (A Joyful Path, children’s curriculum). I use stories most of all and encourage children to act them out. I’ve used affirmations successfully too... It makes me think and reflect and connect.” ~Rev. TomWe are entirely reader supported. Donate today and positively change lives around the world!
Events and Updates
Westar Fall 2015 Meeting- Taking the Scholarship of Religion Public
If we are ever to resolve competing ideas of God across Western religions, must we abandon the Jesus of history?
Westar Fall 2015 Meeting- Taking the Scholarship of Religion Public
Fall 2015 Meeting
Atlanta, Georgia
If we are ever to resolve competing ideas of God across Western religions, must we abandon the Jesus of history?
How might the primary lenses commonly used to bring the Bible into focus help us wrestle with issues of feminism, war, homosexuality, and race?
Can one imagine a scenario in which Judaism and Christianity did not develop into separate traditions?
How might atheism be employed strategically to force theologians to confront their own assumptions?
Join Harvey Cox, Jack Miles and scholars of the Christianity Seminar and the Seminar on God and the Human Future in an uncensored, cutting-edge exploration of these and other radical historical and theological questions!
Pre-register by June 22 for best rates
Program
Westar Public Lectures
Harvey Cox, How to Read the Bible
Jack Miles, If Jesus is God, what God is he?
Westar Academic Seminars
Christianity Seminar
Seminar on God and the Human Future
Public Forum on Westar Seminars (Associates Forum)
AAR/SBL Program Highlights
Young Leaders in Religion Forum
Westar Public Lectures
Harvey G. Cox, Jr.
How to Read the Bible
Many intelligent people do not know how to read the collection of songs, prayers, history, legend, annals, parables, poetry, and other genres we call the Bible. Though the Bible remains the world’s bestseller—frequently quoted, misquoted, interpreted and misinterpreted—it’s hard to know how many people actually read it. What is clear is that many who do find it frustrating and bewildering. And they often revert to an unreflective literal reading. Harvey Cox observes that the more educated one becomes, the less likely that is. He will explore the primary lenses—literary, historical, and practical—commonly used to bring the Bible into focus, revealing its rich diversity and meaning, and offering a contemporary activist version that wrestles with issues of feminism, war, homosexuality, and race.
Harvey G. Cox, Jr. is Hollis Research Professor of Divinity at Harvard University. Described by Martin Luther King, Jr. as one of the Church’s most creative thinkers, he is a prolific author, renowned scholar, and revered teacher whose course on God and Money was the most subscribed at Harvard Divinity School in fall 2014. His many books include Secular City(1965), selected by the University of Marburg as one of the most influential books of Protestant theology in the twentieth century, How to Read the Bible (2014), The Future of Faith (2009), and When Jesus Came to Harvard (2004). In 2014, he received the Yale University Alumni Award for Distinction in Theological Education.
Sunday, November 22, 2015
10:30–11:30
Jack Miles
If Jesus is God, what God is he?
After 9/11/2001, certain fundamentalist Christians denied that the Allah of the Qur’an could be equated with the God of the Bible. Nineteen hundred years earlier, as the biblical canons were coming into being, Marcion of Sinope denied that the God of the Jewish Scriptures could be equated with the God of Jesus Christ. The nascent church rejected Marcion’s own rejection of what became the Old Testament as well as much of what became the New Testament. Later Christianity, however, has never come to terms with his reasoning—namely, that the character of the deity is so different in these two scriptures as to be incompatible. Jack Miles will explore how we might address that disparity today, though doing so, he warns, must entail a kind of farewell to the Jesus of history.
Jack Miles (Ph.D., Harvard University) is Distinguished Professor of English and Religious Studies with the University of California at Irvine and Senior Fellow for Religious Affairs with the Pacific Council on International Policy. A writer and editor whose work has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times and The Boston Globe, Miles is the author of several books, including GOD: A Biography, winner of a Pulitzer Prize in 1996, and Christ: A Crisis in the Life of God, which led to his being named a MacArthur Fellow for the years 2003–2007. Most recently he served as the general editor of the Norton Anthology of World Religions (2014).
Sunday, November 22, 2015
1–3:30
Westar Academic Seminars
The Two Jewish Wars
and the Emergence of Christianity
The Christianity Seminar will address the impact of the bar Kokhba revolt of 132–135 CE. Inasmuch as scholars focus on the catastrophe of the First Jewish War of 70 CE, equal attention needs to be placed on the bar Kokhba revolt as perhaps the pivotal moment in the formation of post-temple Judaism and the rise of Christianity. Scholars will examine the significance of this revolt and its devastation by asking questions about (1) how the causes of the revolution that briefly established an independent Jewish state impacted Judaism and Christianity, (2) how it defined the future of Judaism as much as Christianity, and (3) if there might have been a different Christianity if the two traditions had not consequently separated.
How and why did the Jewish tradition after 70 CE begin to fragment into rabbinic Judaism and various Jesus movements?
What was the significance of the Jewish revolts in 66 and 130 CE to the emergence of Christianity?
What were the factors or reasons that led to the separation of Christianity from its mother religion Judaism? When were communities aware that the separation had taken place?
Can one imagine a scenario in which Judaism and Christianity did not develop into separate traditions?
Friday, November 20, 2015
1–2:45, 3:15–5, 6:30–8 PM
and the Emergence of Christianity
The Christianity Seminar will address the impact of the bar Kokhba revolt of 132–135 CE. Inasmuch as scholars focus on the catastrophe of the First Jewish War of 70 CE, equal attention needs to be placed on the bar Kokhba revolt as perhaps the pivotal moment in the formation of post-temple Judaism and the rise of Christianity. Scholars will examine the significance of this revolt and its devastation by asking questions about (1) how the causes of the revolution that briefly established an independent Jewish state impacted Judaism and Christianity, (2) how it defined the future of Judaism as much as Christianity, and (3) if there might have been a different Christianity if the two traditions had not consequently separated.
How and why did the Jewish tradition after 70 CE begin to fragment into rabbinic Judaism and various Jesus movements?
What was the significance of the Jewish revolts in 66 and 130 CE to the emergence of Christianity?
What were the factors or reasons that led to the separation of Christianity from its mother religion Judaism? When were communities aware that the separation had taken place?
Can one imagine a scenario in which Judaism and Christianity did not develop into separate traditions?
Friday, November 20, 2015
1–2:45, 3:15–5, 6:30–8 PM
The Radical Tillich
Reclaiming a Strategic Atheism
The Seminar on God and the Human Future will honor the 50th anniversary of Paul Tillich’s death with the vanguard topic, “The Radical Tillich: Reclaiming a Strategic Atheism.” Historically “atheism” is the rejection of belief in a (or any) transcendental being. But it is not often noticed that “atheism” has another, radical sense, which is to undermine the assumptions of human knowledge and to push even theology and philosophical forms of religion to new frontiers of thought. In many ways, there cannot be breakthroughs in knowledge without “atheism” working at the edge of accepted norms. Some of the greatest philosophers of human history, including Socrates and Jesus of Nazareth, were accused of atheism in their time.
What theological and ideological debts does modern Western culture owe to Tillich?
What are the edges of Tillich’s thought on theology and American culture?
In what sense has Paul Tillich opened a frontier for a postmodern Christianity?
If atheism is the proper response to the concept of God as a Supreme Being, what other definitions of God—if any—are worth pursuing?
How can atheism be employed strategically as a theological “axe at the root of the tree”? How can it force theologians to confront their own assumptions?
Saturday, November 21, 2015
9–11:30 AM, 1–3:30 PM
Public Forum on Westar Seminars (Associates Forum)
What significant results emerged from the discussions of Westar’s Christianity Seminar and the Seminar on God and the Human Future? What is the relevance of Seminar findings both within and beyond academia? Seminar chairs Bernard Brandon Scott and David Galston will each present a ten-minute overview of key Seminar outcomes and then open the floor to audience questions.
Sunday, November 22, 2015
9–10 AM
Seminar Papers
The Seminar Papers, which will become available in November, are the basis for the discussions in the Friday and Saturday sessions. They will not be presented orally at the event. Persons wishing to follow the discussions should read the papers in advance.
Electronic copies of the Seminar Papers are available to the public and will be posted when they come available, usually 2 to 3 weeks prior to the event. Hard copies of the papers will be available at a cost of $25 each.
Read online – Check for availability in November
Order hard copies of seminar papers
AAR/SBL Program Highlights
A full Westar registration grants access to all AAR and SBL sessions—a practically inexhaustible smorgasbord of topics related to the study of religion—as well as to trips to local tourist attractions, including the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Change and the Atlanta Botanical Garden.
Preliminary information about the AAR/SBL sessions, including session descriptions, locations and times, is not yet available. Check back soon for links to both programs. Copies of the print program will be available for pickup at the meeting.
Schedule
Friday, November 20
1–2:45 pm
Session 1, Christianity Seminar
3:15–5 pm
Session 2, Christianity Seminar
5–6:30
Meal break
6:30–8 pm
Session 3, Christianity Seminar
Saturday, November 21
9–11:30 am
Session 1, Seminar on God and the Human Future
11:30–1
Meal break
1–3:30 pm
Session 2, Seminar on God and the Human Future
8:30–10 pm
SBL Reception
Sunday, November 22
9–10, 10:30–11:30 am
Morning lecture (TBA)
11:30 am–1 pm
Meal break
1–2, 2:30–3:30 pm
Afternoon lecture (TBA)
Dates & Deadlines At-a-Glance
June 22 Early Bird Registration Deadline
Aug 17 Pre-Registration Deadline
Register by this date to receive SBL name badge & program book in mail; otherwise these must be picked up onsite.
Oct 31 Hotel discounted room rates expire
Some hotels may honor the rate after this date. More information.
Nov 1 Registration cancellation deadline
Nov 9 Accommodation cancellation deadline
Nov 17 Registration Deadline
Registration after this date is available only through AAR/SBL at a higher rate.
Nov 20–22 All Westar events
Nov 21–24 All AAR/SBL events, Exhibit Hall open
Registration and Fees
All Westar events, along with Registration and the Exhibit Hall, will take place in the Embassy Hall Ballroom of the International Tower at the Hyatt Regency. See “Meeting Location” below for more details.
Not a Westar member? You can add a Westar membership ($45) to your registration and register at the member price. Westar members receive a subscription to The Fourth R magazine (6 issues annually), discounts on national meeting registration, and 20% off Polebridge books & media. Learn more.
Already registered for the AAR/SBL meeting? Your AAR/SBL registration lets you attend Westar academic seminars. It does not, however, give you access to Westar public lectures. To sign up for the public lectures, see option 2 below.
Westar Fellows who registered through AAR/SBL may join in Westar academic seminars at no additional charge. But, in order to estimate how many places to set at the seminar table, we need you to fill out the Westar online registration form. Clicking on three boxes—(1) I have registered thru AAR/SBL, (2) I am an academic, and (3) I am a Westar Fellow—will let you tell us in which seminars you plan to participate. This is for planning purposes only.
Option 1
Register for full Westar Meeting
For a full meeting registration plus the option to register a partner for the full meeting or just for one/both public lectures, choose Option 1. A Westar full meeting registration gives registrants—including Fellows—full access to the Westar meeting, including academic seminars and public lectures, and full access to the AAR/SBL program, including the exhibits and the reception, as well as to the convention hotel room block. This is an all inclusive registration.
Upon completion of your Westar registration, you will receive instructions for completing your AAR/SBL registration (at no additional cost) and gaining access to hotels. Learn about hotel options.
Members Non-members
Early Bird Registration (By June 22) $160 $200
Pre-registration (By Aug 17) $180 $220
Registration (By Nov 17) $210 $250
Option 2
Sign up for public lectures only
Those who do not wish to attend Westar academic seminars, the AAR or SBL programs, and who do not want access to the hotel room block, may sign up just for Westar public lecture(s) on Sunday, November 22nd. Lecture attendees can pick up a day pass to the exhibit hall at the event.
Members Non-members
Public Forum on Westar Seminars (Associates Forum) $10 $20
Harvey Cox $20 $20
Jack Miles $40 $40
Admission is available at the door for public lectures only.
Meeting Location
All Westar events, along with Registration and the Exhibit Hall, will take place at:
Hyatt Regency Atlanta
Embassy Hall Ballroom
265 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 30303
A name badge, which comes with a full registration only, will be required to access the Exhibit Hall and all sessions, except the Westar public lectures. If you are attending public lectures only, please come straight to the Embassy Hall Ballroom. Lecture attendees can pick up a day pass to the Exhibit Hall on site.
Accessibility
Westar members with disabilities or any attendees who may have difficulty getting around the meeting are encouraged to note this during registration. View the AAR’s Accessibility Information Page. You can also get information directly from the Hyatt Regency Accessibility page.
Seminar Papers
For more information about seminar papers, including when they come available and how to order hard copies, click here.
Registration cut-off date & refunds
Full registrations must be received at the Westar office no later than Tuesday, November 17. Walk-on registration is available for public lectures only. Refunds are available if requested by November 1, minus a $40 administrative fee. No refunds will be given after that date.
Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available on request. Attendance at Westar events qualifies for CEUs for clergy and other educators. Full attendance at Westar’s Spring or Fall semiannual meetings earns 2 CEUs (.5 per day). Please notify us of your interest when you register, or fill out the CEU request form. During the event, applicants will be asked to check in with a Westar staff member each day on arrival and departure. A certificate will be sent immediately following the event. Please call 503-375-5323 with any questions.
Young Leaders in Religion
Helping clergy and other leaders ages 20 to 45 to translate and transform religion scholarship into meaningful forms for their communities
Westar Institute is forming a new Young Leaders in Religion Forum. If you are between the ages of 20 and 45, and are a trained religious leader in church, arts, chaplaincy, non-profit, social advocacy, new faith community or social service work, we invite you to join this new solidarity network, which launched at Westar’s national meeting in Santa Rosa, March 18–21, 2015. At that time participants came together to raise and address issues, challenges, and goals, and to identify leaders to help shape the future of Young Leaders in Religion at Westar. The Fall 2015 Meeting will continue that important work. Check back soon for more details on the Fall 2015 schedule and program.
Westar is actively seeking interested members for this new forum. If you feel you or someone you know would be a good candidate for this program, please contact academic director David Galston for more information: dgalston@westarinstitute.org
Young Leaders in Religion should not use the regular registration form to sign up for the Fall 2015 forum. Please wait for instructions from the Young Leaders in Religion program committee.
Full Registration Resources
Exhibit Hall
The Polebridge Press bookstore will be located in the Exhibit Hall at Booth #1509, along with approximately 150 other publishers featuring books on a wide spectrum of subjects from religious studies to hermeneutics to philosophy, often at deep discounts on cover price. A name badge, which you receive with a full registration only, is required to access the exhibits. Lecture attendees can pick up a day pass at the event for access to the Exhibit Hall Sunday only.
Exhibit Hall Hours:
Saturday, November 21, 8:30 am–5:30 pm
Sunday, November 22, 8:30 am–5:30 pm
Monday, November 23, 8:30 am–5:30 pm
Tuesday, November 24, 8:30 am–12:00 pm
Hospitality
Westar national meetings are more than the sessions themselves; Westar is a community of people who enjoy candid, intellectually honest conversations about religion in general and Christianity in particular. A hospitality suite will be made available each day for casual conversation with other attendees. Usually the room is available between and after sessions. Check back soon for more details.
Hotel Options
AAR/SBL has negotiated special conference rates at twelve luxurious and convenient hotels for meeting attendees. Please note that you can only get the special conference rate by booking a full Westar registration (which includes an AAR/SBL registration). Hotel conference discounts expire 10/31/2015, though some hotels may honor conference rates after that date at their discretion. Hotel room rates do not include the average of 12.5% percent hotel room tax. The single/double/triple/quadruple room designation denotes the number of room occupants, not the number of beds. A triple room means three people are sharing two double beds unless a rollaway bed is requested at an extra charge.
Hotel reservations are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. There will not be any hotel shuttles but all hotels are within a 15-minute walk from the convention center. If you would like to view the hotel descriptions and prices available for the 2015 annual meeting prior to registering, see the Hotel Locator Map and Rates and Hotel Amenities Chart.
Internet Access
Complimentary internet is available in the Hyatt Regency lobby, meeting rooms, and guest rooms.
Restaurants & Sightseeing
For information about restaurants and sightseeing in the immediate vicinity of the meeting, a good place to start is the Downtown Atlanta website. Atlanta attractions include the Atlanta Botanical Garden, Centennial Olympic Park, MLK Jr. National Historic Site, Inside CNN Studio Tour, the High Museum of Art, and the Georgia Aquarium, all linked from the Atlanta Tours and Sightseeing page.
Child Care
AAR/SBL hosts a children’s program called Kiddie Corp. The program is for children ages 6 months through 12 years old. Snacks and beverages will be provided. Meals must be supplied by parents or purchased when checking your child in each day. Register in advance to guarantee a place. Check back soon for registration information.
Travel Information
Air Travel Discounts
Delta and United Airlines are the official carriers of the AAR & SBL Annual Meeting and Avis is the preferred rental car supplier. For the benefit of our conference attendees, a discount is available and is valid a few days before and after the Annual Meeting ends, depending on carrier. To take advantage of these special discounted fares, you can call or make reservations directly through their respective websites listed below. Discounts do not apply to certain restricted fares and exclude sale fare inventories.
If you book through your own travel agency, be sure to give them the appropriate discount code below.
Carrier Phone Number Website Discount Code
Delta Airlines 1-800-328-1111 www.delta.com NML6C
United Airlines 1-800-426-1122 www.united.com ZUME390393
Avis Car Rental 1-800-331-1551 www.avis.com Z245795 (AWD#)
Transportation from Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Rapid Transit Train – MARTA
Arriving air travelers should follow the Ground Transportation signs to MARTA (Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority). The fare gates are just a few feet from the baggage claim areas. Take the MARTA train to the Peachtree Center Station. You may either take the Doraville Gold Line or the North Springs Red Line. At Peachtree Center, exit to the Food Court and follow signs to the Hyatt Regency or Marriot Marquis Hotel. People who are staying in other properties may get more specific directions from their hotels. For more information, visit http://itsmarta.com/rail-schedules-or-route.aspx. MARTA fare is $5 for a round trip ticket, and $1 more if you don’t already have a Breeze Card.
Taxis
A set fee prevails between the airport and downtown of $30. There is a $2 charge for each additional person and a $1.50 flag drop fee. Taxis can be found in the Yellow Bus aisle.
Shared-Ride Vans
The AAR and SBL are partnering with Super Shuttle this year for dates between November 18 and 28. Shared shuttle service is available 24 hours a day with a reservation. They are offering a discount of $1 off one-way trips ($15.50), or $4 per roundtrip ($29). There are two ways to book Super Shuttle:
Go to the AAR/SBL Super Shuttle Site to book your shuttle. Note that only AAR & SBL hotels are listed on this link.
Call 1-800-258-3826, and give the discount code VSBT4. Attendees will be charged $2 each way if you choose to call in your reservation. Please have the address of your hotel ready.
Upon arrival, follow signs to the baggage claim area and collect your luggage. Proceed to the SuperShuttle ticket counter to speak with a uniformed Customer Service Representative. The counter is located in the Domestic Terminal’s south-side baggage claim area, in the corridor immediately to the left of the escalator from the inter-terminal train. The ticket counter is staffed from 6:00 AM to 2:00 AM daily. Most shared-ride shuttles pick up on the Green Bus Aisle, which is located outside in the Ground Transportation Center between the Domestic North and South Terminals.
Arriving International Passengers
The Atlanta airport has a relatively new (2012) International Terminal. If you are arriving directly from an international flight, you cannot access secured areas of the Airport after you pick up your luggage at the international terminal baggage claim. The airport has a complimentary 24-hour shuttle service that goes from the international terminal to the main terminal (15-minute ride). From the main terminal, you have access to the domestic terminal’s ground transportation center at the west of the building, which includes MARTA. If you are flying back directly to an international location, you must go to this terminal to check in as well.
Hanging signs will assist you with identifying loading and unloading zones for each ground transportation service:
Taxis: Yellow/Zone 1
Local Shuttles: Green/Zone 4
International Shuttle Connector (to main airport terminal): Red/Zone 3
Parking at the Annual Meeting
Each hotel has different parking rules and rates. Please check at the property that is most convenient for you for accurate information. The Hyatt Regency offers hotel parking (indoor valet) with in/out privileges. There is no self-service parking available.
The charges are as follows:
0-1 hour $ 10.00
1-2 hours $14.00
2-4 hours $18.00
4-6 hours $24.00
6-24 hours $32.00
Additional Parking – Should the underground lot become full, additional parking is located at 31 Baker Street, located ½ block away from the hotel. The rate is $18 per night for this parking.
For more information, please see the Hyatt Regency Transportation page and Parking page. If you are planning on driving in, and would like a more economical choice, you might want to park at an outlying MARTA station and take the rail in. Hyatt Regency Atlanta is connected to Peachtree Center Train Station via Peachtree Center Mall. From http://itsmarta.com/rail-schedules-or-route.aspx, you can click on individual train stations to view their parking information. See above for more MARTA information.
For more information, visit W
estarInstitute.org
Images
Start:
November 20, 2015
End:
November 24, 2015
Location:
Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Embassy Hall Ballroom
265 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta United States Georgia
Contact:
Westar Institute
Website:
http://www.westarinstitute.org/national-meetings/fall-2015-registration/
Telephone:
(503) 375-5323
READ ON ...
Reclaiming a Strategic Atheism
The Seminar on God and the Human Future will honor the 50th anniversary of Paul Tillich’s death with the vanguard topic, “The Radical Tillich: Reclaiming a Strategic Atheism.” Historically “atheism” is the rejection of belief in a (or any) transcendental being. But it is not often noticed that “atheism” has another, radical sense, which is to undermine the assumptions of human knowledge and to push even theology and philosophical forms of religion to new frontiers of thought. In many ways, there cannot be breakthroughs in knowledge without “atheism” working at the edge of accepted norms. Some of the greatest philosophers of human history, including Socrates and Jesus of Nazareth, were accused of atheism in their time.
What theological and ideological debts does modern Western culture owe to Tillich?
What are the edges of Tillich’s thought on theology and American culture?
In what sense has Paul Tillich opened a frontier for a postmodern Christianity?
If atheism is the proper response to the concept of God as a Supreme Being, what other definitions of God—if any—are worth pursuing?
How can atheism be employed strategically as a theological “axe at the root of the tree”? How can it force theologians to confront their own assumptions?
Saturday, November 21, 2015
9–11:30 AM, 1–3:30 PM
Public Forum on Westar Seminars (Associates Forum)
What significant results emerged from the discussions of Westar’s Christianity Seminar and the Seminar on God and the Human Future? What is the relevance of Seminar findings both within and beyond academia? Seminar chairs Bernard Brandon Scott and David Galston will each present a ten-minute overview of key Seminar outcomes and then open the floor to audience questions.
Sunday, November 22, 2015
9–10 AM
Seminar Papers
The Seminar Papers, which will become available in November, are the basis for the discussions in the Friday and Saturday sessions. They will not be presented orally at the event. Persons wishing to follow the discussions should read the papers in advance.
Electronic copies of the Seminar Papers are available to the public and will be posted when they come available, usually 2 to 3 weeks prior to the event. Hard copies of the papers will be available at a cost of $25 each.
Read online – Check for availability in November
Order hard copies of seminar papers
AAR/SBL Program Highlights
A full Westar registration grants access to all AAR and SBL sessions—a practically inexhaustible smorgasbord of topics related to the study of religion—as well as to trips to local tourist attractions, including the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Change and the Atlanta Botanical Garden.
Preliminary information about the AAR/SBL sessions, including session descriptions, locations and times, is not yet available. Check back soon for links to both programs. Copies of the print program will be available for pickup at the meeting.
Schedule
Friday, November 20
1–2:45 pm
Session 1, Christianity Seminar
3:15–5 pm
Session 2, Christianity Seminar
5–6:30
Meal break
6:30–8 pm
Session 3, Christianity Seminar
Saturday, November 21
9–11:30 am
Session 1, Seminar on God and the Human Future
11:30–1
Meal break
1–3:30 pm
Session 2, Seminar on God and the Human Future
8:30–10 pm
SBL Reception
Sunday, November 22
9–10, 10:30–11:30 am
Morning lecture (TBA)
11:30 am–1 pm
Meal break
1–2, 2:30–3:30 pm
Afternoon lecture (TBA)
Dates & Deadlines At-a-Glance
June 22 Early Bird Registration Deadline
Aug 17 Pre-Registration Deadline
Register by this date to receive SBL name badge & program book in mail; otherwise these must be picked up onsite.
Oct 31 Hotel discounted room rates expire
Some hotels may honor the rate after this date. More information.
Nov 1 Registration cancellation deadline
Nov 9 Accommodation cancellation deadline
Nov 17 Registration Deadline
Registration after this date is available only through AAR/SBL at a higher rate.
Nov 20–22 All Westar events
Nov 21–24 All AAR/SBL events, Exhibit Hall open
Registration and Fees
All Westar events, along with Registration and the Exhibit Hall, will take place in the Embassy Hall Ballroom of the International Tower at the Hyatt Regency. See “Meeting Location” below for more details.
Not a Westar member? You can add a Westar membership ($45) to your registration and register at the member price. Westar members receive a subscription to The Fourth R magazine (6 issues annually), discounts on national meeting registration, and 20% off Polebridge books & media. Learn more.
Already registered for the AAR/SBL meeting? Your AAR/SBL registration lets you attend Westar academic seminars. It does not, however, give you access to Westar public lectures. To sign up for the public lectures, see option 2 below.
Westar Fellows who registered through AAR/SBL may join in Westar academic seminars at no additional charge. But, in order to estimate how many places to set at the seminar table, we need you to fill out the Westar online registration form. Clicking on three boxes—(1) I have registered thru AAR/SBL, (2) I am an academic, and (3) I am a Westar Fellow—will let you tell us in which seminars you plan to participate. This is for planning purposes only.
Option 1
Register for full Westar Meeting
For a full meeting registration plus the option to register a partner for the full meeting or just for one/both public lectures, choose Option 1. A Westar full meeting registration gives registrants—including Fellows—full access to the Westar meeting, including academic seminars and public lectures, and full access to the AAR/SBL program, including the exhibits and the reception, as well as to the convention hotel room block. This is an all inclusive registration.
Upon completion of your Westar registration, you will receive instructions for completing your AAR/SBL registration (at no additional cost) and gaining access to hotels. Learn about hotel options.
Members Non-members
Early Bird Registration (By June 22) $160 $200
Pre-registration (By Aug 17) $180 $220
Registration (By Nov 17) $210 $250
Option 2
Sign up for public lectures only
Those who do not wish to attend Westar academic seminars, the AAR or SBL programs, and who do not want access to the hotel room block, may sign up just for Westar public lecture(s) on Sunday, November 22nd. Lecture attendees can pick up a day pass to the exhibit hall at the event.
Members Non-members
Public Forum on Westar Seminars (Associates Forum) $10 $20
Harvey Cox $20 $20
Jack Miles $40 $40
Admission is available at the door for public lectures only.
Meeting Location
All Westar events, along with Registration and the Exhibit Hall, will take place at:
Hyatt Regency Atlanta
Embassy Hall Ballroom
265 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 30303
A name badge, which comes with a full registration only, will be required to access the Exhibit Hall and all sessions, except the Westar public lectures. If you are attending public lectures only, please come straight to the Embassy Hall Ballroom. Lecture attendees can pick up a day pass to the Exhibit Hall on site.
Accessibility
Westar members with disabilities or any attendees who may have difficulty getting around the meeting are encouraged to note this during registration. View the AAR’s Accessibility Information Page. You can also get information directly from the Hyatt Regency Accessibility page.
Seminar Papers
For more information about seminar papers, including when they come available and how to order hard copies, click here.
Registration cut-off date & refunds
Full registrations must be received at the Westar office no later than Tuesday, November 17. Walk-on registration is available for public lectures only. Refunds are available if requested by November 1, minus a $40 administrative fee. No refunds will be given after that date.
Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available on request. Attendance at Westar events qualifies for CEUs for clergy and other educators. Full attendance at Westar’s Spring or Fall semiannual meetings earns 2 CEUs (.5 per day). Please notify us of your interest when you register, or fill out the CEU request form. During the event, applicants will be asked to check in with a Westar staff member each day on arrival and departure. A certificate will be sent immediately following the event. Please call 503-375-5323 with any questions.
Young Leaders in Religion
Helping clergy and other leaders ages 20 to 45 to translate and transform religion scholarship into meaningful forms for their communities
Westar Institute is forming a new Young Leaders in Religion Forum. If you are between the ages of 20 and 45, and are a trained religious leader in church, arts, chaplaincy, non-profit, social advocacy, new faith community or social service work, we invite you to join this new solidarity network, which launched at Westar’s national meeting in Santa Rosa, March 18–21, 2015. At that time participants came together to raise and address issues, challenges, and goals, and to identify leaders to help shape the future of Young Leaders in Religion at Westar. The Fall 2015 Meeting will continue that important work. Check back soon for more details on the Fall 2015 schedule and program.
Westar is actively seeking interested members for this new forum. If you feel you or someone you know would be a good candidate for this program, please contact academic director David Galston for more information: dgalston@westarinstitute.org
Young Leaders in Religion should not use the regular registration form to sign up for the Fall 2015 forum. Please wait for instructions from the Young Leaders in Religion program committee.
Full Registration Resources
Exhibit Hall
The Polebridge Press bookstore will be located in the Exhibit Hall at Booth #1509, along with approximately 150 other publishers featuring books on a wide spectrum of subjects from religious studies to hermeneutics to philosophy, often at deep discounts on cover price. A name badge, which you receive with a full registration only, is required to access the exhibits. Lecture attendees can pick up a day pass at the event for access to the Exhibit Hall Sunday only.
Exhibit Hall Hours:
Saturday, November 21, 8:30 am–5:30 pm
Sunday, November 22, 8:30 am–5:30 pm
Monday, November 23, 8:30 am–5:30 pm
Tuesday, November 24, 8:30 am–12:00 pm
Hospitality
Westar national meetings are more than the sessions themselves; Westar is a community of people who enjoy candid, intellectually honest conversations about religion in general and Christianity in particular. A hospitality suite will be made available each day for casual conversation with other attendees. Usually the room is available between and after sessions. Check back soon for more details.
Hotel Options
AAR/SBL has negotiated special conference rates at twelve luxurious and convenient hotels for meeting attendees. Please note that you can only get the special conference rate by booking a full Westar registration (which includes an AAR/SBL registration). Hotel conference discounts expire 10/31/2015, though some hotels may honor conference rates after that date at their discretion. Hotel room rates do not include the average of 12.5% percent hotel room tax. The single/double/triple/quadruple room designation denotes the number of room occupants, not the number of beds. A triple room means three people are sharing two double beds unless a rollaway bed is requested at an extra charge.
Hotel reservations are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. There will not be any hotel shuttles but all hotels are within a 15-minute walk from the convention center. If you would like to view the hotel descriptions and prices available for the 2015 annual meeting prior to registering, see the Hotel Locator Map and Rates and Hotel Amenities Chart.
Internet Access
Complimentary internet is available in the Hyatt Regency lobby, meeting rooms, and guest rooms.
Restaurants & Sightseeing
For information about restaurants and sightseeing in the immediate vicinity of the meeting, a good place to start is the Downtown Atlanta website. Atlanta attractions include the Atlanta Botanical Garden, Centennial Olympic Park, MLK Jr. National Historic Site, Inside CNN Studio Tour, the High Museum of Art, and the Georgia Aquarium, all linked from the Atlanta Tours and Sightseeing page.
Child Care
AAR/SBL hosts a children’s program called Kiddie Corp. The program is for children ages 6 months through 12 years old. Snacks and beverages will be provided. Meals must be supplied by parents or purchased when checking your child in each day. Register in advance to guarantee a place. Check back soon for registration information.
Travel Information
Air Travel Discounts
Delta and United Airlines are the official carriers of the AAR & SBL Annual Meeting and Avis is the preferred rental car supplier. For the benefit of our conference attendees, a discount is available and is valid a few days before and after the Annual Meeting ends, depending on carrier. To take advantage of these special discounted fares, you can call or make reservations directly through their respective websites listed below. Discounts do not apply to certain restricted fares and exclude sale fare inventories.
If you book through your own travel agency, be sure to give them the appropriate discount code below.
Carrier Phone Number Website Discount Code
Delta Airlines 1-800-328-1111 www.delta.com NML6C
United Airlines 1-800-426-1122 www.united.com ZUME390393
Avis Car Rental 1-800-331-1551 www.avis.com Z245795 (AWD#)
Transportation from Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Rapid Transit Train – MARTA
Arriving air travelers should follow the Ground Transportation signs to MARTA (Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority). The fare gates are just a few feet from the baggage claim areas. Take the MARTA train to the Peachtree Center Station. You may either take the Doraville Gold Line or the North Springs Red Line. At Peachtree Center, exit to the Food Court and follow signs to the Hyatt Regency or Marriot Marquis Hotel. People who are staying in other properties may get more specific directions from their hotels. For more information, visit http://itsmarta.com/rail-schedules-or-route.aspx. MARTA fare is $5 for a round trip ticket, and $1 more if you don’t already have a Breeze Card.
Taxis
A set fee prevails between the airport and downtown of $30. There is a $2 charge for each additional person and a $1.50 flag drop fee. Taxis can be found in the Yellow Bus aisle.
Shared-Ride Vans
The AAR and SBL are partnering with Super Shuttle this year for dates between November 18 and 28. Shared shuttle service is available 24 hours a day with a reservation. They are offering a discount of $1 off one-way trips ($15.50), or $4 per roundtrip ($29). There are two ways to book Super Shuttle:
Go to the AAR/SBL Super Shuttle Site to book your shuttle. Note that only AAR & SBL hotels are listed on this link.
Call 1-800-258-3826, and give the discount code VSBT4. Attendees will be charged $2 each way if you choose to call in your reservation. Please have the address of your hotel ready.
Upon arrival, follow signs to the baggage claim area and collect your luggage. Proceed to the SuperShuttle ticket counter to speak with a uniformed Customer Service Representative. The counter is located in the Domestic Terminal’s south-side baggage claim area, in the corridor immediately to the left of the escalator from the inter-terminal train. The ticket counter is staffed from 6:00 AM to 2:00 AM daily. Most shared-ride shuttles pick up on the Green Bus Aisle, which is located outside in the Ground Transportation Center between the Domestic North and South Terminals.
Arriving International Passengers
The Atlanta airport has a relatively new (2012) International Terminal. If you are arriving directly from an international flight, you cannot access secured areas of the Airport after you pick up your luggage at the international terminal baggage claim. The airport has a complimentary 24-hour shuttle service that goes from the international terminal to the main terminal (15-minute ride). From the main terminal, you have access to the domestic terminal’s ground transportation center at the west of the building, which includes MARTA. If you are flying back directly to an international location, you must go to this terminal to check in as well.
Hanging signs will assist you with identifying loading and unloading zones for each ground transportation service:
Taxis: Yellow/Zone 1
Local Shuttles: Green/Zone 4
International Shuttle Connector (to main airport terminal): Red/Zone 3
Parking at the Annual Meeting
Each hotel has different parking rules and rates. Please check at the property that is most convenient for you for accurate information. The Hyatt Regency offers hotel parking (indoor valet) with in/out privileges. There is no self-service parking available.
The charges are as follows:
0-1 hour $ 10.00
1-2 hours $14.00
2-4 hours $18.00
4-6 hours $24.00
6-24 hours $32.00
Additional Parking – Should the underground lot become full, additional parking is located at 31 Baker Street, located ½ block away from the hotel. The rate is $18 per night for this parking.
For more information, please see the Hyatt Regency Transportation page and Parking page. If you are planning on driving in, and would like a more economical choice, you might want to park at an outlying MARTA station and take the rail in. Hyatt Regency Atlanta is connected to Peachtree Center Train Station via Peachtree Center Mall. From http://itsmarta.com/rail-schedules-or-route.aspx, you can click on individual train stations to view their parking information. See above for more MARTA information.
For more information, visit W
estarInstitute.org
Images
Start:
November 20, 2015
End:
November 24, 2015
Location:
Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Embassy Hall Ballroom
265 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta United States Georgia
Contact:
Westar Institute
Website:
http://www.westarinstitute.org/national-meetings/fall-2015-registration/
Telephone:
(503) 375-5323
READ ON ...
View all upcoming events here!
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Our mailing address is:
ProgressiveChristianity.org
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News
Job Listings
FacebookTwitterWebsiteEmailYouTubeOur mailing address is:
ProgressiveChristianity.org
4810 Pt. Fosdick Dr. NW#80
Gig Harbor, Washington 98335 United States
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