Religion Professor and Students Participated in International Academic Congress

Dr. Bryan Rennie, Vira I. Heinz professor and chair of Westminster College's Department of Religion, History, Philosophy and Classics, and two religion majors attended the 20th quinquennial congress of the International Association for the History of Religions Aug. 15-21 at the University of Toronto in Ontario, Canada.

The conference theme, "Religion: A Human Phenomenon," was subdivided into five areas: description, interpretation, explanation, reflection, and innovation.

Rennie organized a panel session of four speakers and a respondent on "Possible Futures of the Philosophy of Religion." He presented "The History (and Philosophy) of Religion(s)" as part of the panel. The papers from Rennie's session were requested for publication in the Studies in Religion/Sciences Religieuses academic journal.

Junior religion and philosophy major John Allison and junior religion major Christopher (Drew) Myers attended the congress with Rennie.

Support from the Heinz Collaborative Research Fund allowed the students to attend many academic sessions and plenary lectures given by some of the world's leading scholars of religion. They learned about both specific issues and the general state of the field and pursued their interests in ancient civilizations or historicism vs. theology in religious studies.

"The trip was a great success for both professor and students," Rennie said. "We return to our studies in the new semester enriched and encouraged."

Rennie, who has been with Westminster since 1992, earned an undergraduate degree, master's, and Ph.D. from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. He has authored four books and numerous articles on Mircea Eliade.

Allison is a son of Dale and Kristine Allison of Pittsburgh and is a graduate of homeschooling.

Myers is son of Chris and Deborah Myers of Knox and a graduate of Keystone High School.

Contact Rennie at (724) 946-7151 or e-mail brennie@westminster.edu for more information.

(L-r) Christopher (Drew) Myers, Dr. Bryan Rennie, John Allison