Parley P. Pratt Conference

BICENTENNIAL PERSPECTIVES   Gregory Armstrong, Committee Chair University of Arkansas-Fort Smith garmstro@uafortsmith.edu Dennis Siler, Program Chair University of Arkansas-Fort Smith dsiler@uafortsmith.edu Brooks Green, Program Co-Chair University of Central Arkansas  brooksg@uca.edu Jeanie Pierson, Theater Project Maumelle, Arkansas  piersonrichard@sbcglobal.net Martha Siler, Cemetery Project  University of Arkansas-Fort Smith marthasiler@msn.com Shawn Bills, Coordinator Fayetteville LDS Institute  billssd@ldsces.org Barbara Smith, Representative Fayetteville LDS Institute smithbw@ldsces.org	Call for Papers RELIGION AND REACTION: THE LIFE, TIMES, AND LEGACY OF PARLEY PARKER PRATT April 20-21, 2007 Fort Smith, Arkansas Inspired by the life of missionary Parley Parker Pratt (1807-1857) whom the Arkansas Intelligencer of May 15, 1857 deemed "…A man of note among the Mormons…," conference organizers seek proposals and abstracts on topics and themes related to the man, his contemporaries, and their impact on history, theology, music, literature, etc. for a conference to be held at the historic King Opera House on Main Street in downtown Van Buren, Arkansas. Submissions that explore other issues and themes related to religious traditions and reaction to them will also be considered. The conference marks the 200th anniversary of Pratt's birth and the sesquicentennial of his death. Keynote speaker will be acclaimed historian Jan Shipps, professor emerita of history and religious studies at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and author of Mormonism: The Story of a New Religious Tradition, and Sojourner in the Promised Land: Forty Years Among the Mormons. She is also co-editor of The Journals of William E. McLellin. Topics for presentation may include, but are not limited to: Religious persecution and violence Religious controversies in the press Missions, especially to native peoples New theologies and religious traditions Parley Pratt, author, missionary, apostle We encourage papers and sessions in the scholarly tradition as well as innovative and interactive sessions. The committee recognizes the importance of engaging the audience in a compelling manner; thus proposals for panels, roundtables, poster or photo sessions, performances, films, and other appropriate formats are welcome. Presentations may vary from twenty minutes to longer sessions and prospective presenters should specify their desired time frame. Submission procedure.  Proposals should be submitted electronically to dsiler@uafortsmith.edu or mailed to Pratt Conference, 2222 Park Ridge Drive, Van Buren, AR 72956. Submissions should be received by January 1, 2007 and should include the following information: A complete mailing address, email, phone number, and affiliation for each participant, A prospectus or abstract of no more than 250 words for each presentation, A vita of approximately 500 words for each presenter.
See you in Arkansas in April 2007!
2222 Park Ridge Drive Van Buren, AR 72956 U.S.A.   Phone  (479) 788 7961 Fax     (479) 788 7559 E-mail garmstro@uafortsmith.edu Web site prattconference.org