Scholarly conference at UMF yields book
FARMINGTON – Every summer, a clique of the world’s top scholars in religious studies converge on Farmington for a weekend workshop to talk about what they know best, and to enjoy the serenity of western Maine before mosquito season hits.
The result of the workshop, slated to be held this summer in June, is a newly-published book titled “Religion and Global Culture,” which came out this past March and was edited by University of Maine at Farmington religion professor Jennifer Reid.
Reid said the new book, published by Lexington Books, is a “tangible expression” and “direct result” of what is done at the annual consultations in religion, which she dubs an intellectual family reunion. “I am excited about this book because I think the book is great. But also, it’s a demonstration of the validity of what we do here,” Reid said last week, her hands proudly clutching the hardcover. “The work we do here in a weekend will find its way all over the world and the community here has impacted that.”
The book examines how religion has emerged from the history of the 19th and 20th centuries through 10 separate submissions penned by religion scholars from around the globe, seven of which will be present at this year’s conference, titled “UMF Consultations on Religion and Modernity.”
Besides their common connection through the consultations, all of the scholars have been influenced by famed religious scholar Charles Long, who each summer forfeits the normal fee he receives for a presentation to speak at the Farmington workshop for free, said Reid. The book, in a way, pays homage to him and his teachings.
Despite common belief, religious studies is not about deities or the Bible, or even the fundamental differences between Baptism and Buddhism. Instead, Reid said, it is a study of the way humans orient themselves in the world in ultimate terms and the relationship between people, the experiences and the sacred. The goal of studying religion is to determine why human religion manifests itself in different ways.
So why is a published book coming out of a workshop in Farmington such a big deal? Reid says because it shows that Farmington is an intellectual community on the move. “Farmington is a really special place and these people want to come here. It’s a wonderful place for being able to do such creative things. They love the college, they love the students and they love the feeling of the Farmington community. It’s far away from the rat race,” said Reid, a native of Canada who began her tenure at UMF in 1995. “The community involvement here is fantastic. These scholars know that there is something special about this place.”
The arrival of the new book on shelves should also be exciting to community members interested in religion or anthropology because they will get the chance to meet its authors this summer. “So much of what we read is one-dimensional. This adds a flesh-and-blood dimension. You actually get to meet these people and talk with them and the community ends up impacting their work just like they impact the community.”
For more information about this summer’s consultations or about the book, contact Jennifer Reid at 778-7409 or e-mail her at jreid@maine.edu.
sdepoy@sunjournal.com
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