Symposium: “Gender and Inclusion in the Rule of St. Augustine“ and “Ancient Religious Mothers Art Gallery”

St. Norbert College faculty will offer brief presentations on their scholarship and creative work related to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. This hourlong session includes two presentations as well as time for Q&A; feel free to come and go as you’re able.

Note for faculty and instructors: If you plan to attend this session with a class, please register for yourself and all your students so organizers can have an accurate headcount. 

Jennifer Hockenbery (Philosophy & Dean of Humanities) presents “Gender and Inclusion in the Rule of St. Augustine”
St. Augustine regularly presented a theology in which God as Mother cherished her people and lifted them to herself.  Furthermore, he wrote his Rule for African women living in community to help them live together well.  My presentation will focus on my scholarship regarding the translations of Augustine's Confessions and Rule alongside Augustine's own work encouraging women's leadership, advocating for mutuality in marital relationships, and proclaiming the supremacy of a leadership style  for all people based in love not fear. More importantly, I will discuss specifically the way his Rule encourages community engagement, reconciliation within communities, and holding members to account in how they deal with each other and the broader world.

Erica Barnett (Education) presents “Ancient Religious Mothers Art Gallery”
Too often history and social studies textbooks typically relay the “White Social Studies” narrative of religion as a “white” cultural sphere and place men as the central agents of religious historical change. As educators, my colleagues and I pondered how to interrupt these racist, male-centric patterns and, in response, created the “Pillars of Strength: Ancient Religious Mothers'' Online Art Gallery Resource as a solution for us to learn more about religious women leaders. Attendees will learn and engage with the “Ancient Religious Mothers” Online Art Gallery as an ethnically-accurate, professionally researched digital image collection portraying the prominent ancient mothers of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.  (Note: attendees should bring laptops, tablets, or ipads.) 

Faculty Development | Website | View More Events

Contact the organizers