Ann Taves
UC Santa Barbara
Ann Taves is Professor (Emerita) of Religious Studies at University of California, Santa Barbara and PI of the Inventory of Nonordinary Experiences Project.
Her books include Fits, Trances, and Visions (Princeton, 1999), Religious Experience Reconsidered (Princeton, 2009), and Revelatory Events (Princeton, 2016), as well as articles advocating studying religion under the wider rubric of worldviews and ways of life. Her socio-cognitive approach to the study of religion is discussed in Building Blocks of Religion, ed. G. Larsson, J. Svenson, and A. Nordin (Equinox, 2020).
Talks
Thursday
Worldviews and Ways of Life
Other speakers
Luis Gil
JOGA
I’m a mindfulness instructor with over a decade of experience practicing and teaching at centers and organizations all over North America.
moreRev. Cristina Moon
Daihonzan Chozen-ji
I'm a strategist, writer, and Zen teacher at Daihonzan Chozen-ji, a Rinzai Zen temple and monastery in Honolulu. I anchor Chozen-ji's rigorous, body-based approach to Zen; and train in Kendo, Chado, and ceramics.
moreDr. Josh Packard
Springtide Research Institute
Dr. Josh Packard, Executive Director of Springtide Research Institute, is an accomplished researcher and academic with an expertise in the sociology of religion and new forms of religious expression.
moreVanessa Mason
Institute for the Future
Vanessa Mason is the research director at the Institute for the Future, a 52 year old nonprofit organization that helps individuals, organizations and communities think systematically about the future.
moreReggie Hubbard
Active Peace Yoga
Reggie's life path has surely been non-traditional, and that has suited him just fine. He was the first person in his family to attend college, which profoundly changed his life, literally opening him up to a world of possibilities he never would have imagined.
moreFr. Adam Bucko
The Center for Spiritual Imagination
Fr. Adam Bucko has been a committed voice in the movement for the renewal of Christian Contemplative Spirituality and the growing New Monastic movement.
moreNick Demeris
Theodore Nicholas Demeris is a singer, player, composer, writer and teaching artist who travels the world to activate our human instruments.
moreRev. Diane Berke
One Spirit Learning Alliance
Rev. Diane Berke is the Founder and Spiritual Director of One Spirit Learning Alliance. Ordained as an interfaith minister in 1988, she is a respected pioneer in the field of interfaith/interspiritual education; this past June (2020) she stepped down after 18 years as Director of the One Spirit Seminary Training.
moreFreedom Imani
International recording artist Freedom Imani, a singer, songwriter, vocal coach, and music arranger started his journey in singing at the age of 12.
moreJay Stolar
Jay Stolar is a songwriter and producer known for developing signature sounds for artists in multiple genres.
moreRev. Sarah Bowen
OneSpirit Interfaith Seminary
Rev. Sarah Bowen is an interfaith/interspiritual minister serving on the academic staff of One Spirit Interfaith Seminary in New York City, where she teaches both interspecies and 12-step spirituality.
moreJeff Genung
Contemplative Life
Jeff is co-founder of Contemplative Life, a non-profit organization that connects people and communities with transformative practices, and co-founder of Transformation365.org, an experiential practice network.
moreBarbara Groth
Nomadic School of Wonder
Barbara Groth is founder and creative director of the Nomadic School of Wonder, and handles Experience Design for the immersive art project known as Meow Wolf in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
moreSebene Selassie
Sebene Selassie is a teacher, author and speaker who explores the themes of belonging and identity through meditation, creativity and spirituality.
moreArelis Benítez
Vanderbilt University
Arelis Benítez (Aly) is a graduate student in Religion, Psychology, and Culture. She earned a dual Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion and Spanish from Denison University and an M.A. in Clinical Ministry from Loma Linda University.
moreDaniel Libenson
Judaism Unbound
Daniel Libenson is the founder and president of the Institute for the Next Jewish Future and co-host of the Judaism Unbound podcast.
moreRev. Andrew Chirch
The Chaplaincy Institute
Andy Chirch is learning how to integrate a two-decade career in finance and business with a calling to ministry.
moreElan Babchuck
Glean Network
Rabbi Elan Babchuck is a rabbi and an entrepreneur and spends much of his time exploring the rich intersections between these two traditions, and the abundant possibilities therein.
moreKatie Gordon
Nuns & Nones
Katie Gordon is co-founder, national organizer, and network weaver with Nuns & Nones
moreSteven C. Hayes
University of Nevada.
Steven C. Hayes is Nevada Foundation Professor in the Behavior Analysis program at the Department of Psychology at the University of Nevada.
moreDr. Erika Gault
The University of Arizona
Dr. Erika Gault is an Assistant Professor of Africana Studies with a Ph.D. in American Studies from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
moreDr. Jason Nieuwsma
Duke University Medical Center
Dr. Jason Nieuwsma is a clinical psychologist who is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University Medical Center
moreMarkus Davidsen
Leiden University
Markus Altena Davidsen (1981) is University Lecturer in the Sociology of Religion at the Leiden University Centre for the Study of Religion.
moreLeah Coloff
Leah Coloff is a cellist, singer, creator described by The New York Times as “a combination of artful angularity and a rock-inflected assertiveness.”
moreTasshin Fogleman
Monastic Academy
Tasshin is a resident at the Monastic Academy in Vermont. He also helped to start MAPLE's California location, OAK.
moreJeremy Nickel
EvolVR
Rev. Jeremy D. Nickel thrives at the intersection of spirituality and technology. He founded EvolVR, a VR spiritual community.
moreDavid Fuller
Rebel Wisdom
David Fuller is a multi-skilled journalist and filmmaker and the founder of Rebel Wisdom, a platform to make highly complex ideas accessible to as many people as possible.
moreEric Steinhart
William Paterson University
Eric Steinhart grew up on a farm in Pennsylvania. He received his BS in Computer Science from the Pennsylvania State University.
moreStephanie Paulsell
Harvard Divinity School
Stephanie Paulsell has been a member of the HDS faculty since 2001.
moreCharles Stang
Harvard Divinity School
Charles Stang is Professor of Early Christian Thought at HDS and is the Director of the Center for the Study of World Religions.
moreDan McKanan
Harvard Divinity School
Dan McKanan is the Emerson Senior Lecturer at Harvard Divinity School, where he teaches courses on Unitarian Universalism, religion and social transformation, ecological religion, and liberal theology
moreDaniel Shkolnik
A graduate of Yale University, Daniel Lev Shkolnik is a Humanist speaker and community organizer interested in creating a powerful spiritual alternative to traditional religions.
moreMeisaan Chan
Meisaan Chan works intimately with people who, like her, exist in the liminal spaces of spirituality and has a deep passion for translating Spirit into a vernacular for people who exist outside the walls of religion.
moreGuy Hayward
British Pilgrimage Trust
Guy Hayward co-founded the British Pilgrimage Trust (britishpilgrimage.org) in 2014, and leads guided pilgrimages around Britain.
moreRev. Ineda P. Adesanya
Allen Temple Baptist Church
Reverend Ineda Pearl Adesanya is an ordained American Baptist minister and spiritual director. Rev. Ineda serves as President and CEO of The Chaplaincy Institute - An Interfaith Seminary and Community.
moreTim Victor
Tim Victor is an emerging artist, singer, songwriter, and model originating from Brooklyn, New York.
moreWesley J. Wildman
Boston University
Wesley J. Wildman is Professor of Philosophy, Theology, and Ethics and Professor in the Faculty of Computing and Data Sciences at Boston University.
moreEzra Bookman
Ritualist
Ezra Bookman is an experience designer, artist,and facilitator exploring the transformational power of ritual.
moreTom Wagner
University of Manchester
I am a lecturer, researcher, writer, and editor, interested in all things music and the creative industries.
moreTiu de Haan
Tiu de Haan is an Oxford-educated ritual designer, creative facilitator and ‘Serendipiter’, specializing in reminding people how to shift their perspective to see the magic in the mundane.
moreTerry Washington
Terry J. Washington is in the final year of the Master of Divinity program at Drew University School of Theology.
moreSergio Perez
Sergio holds a degree in Psychology from Trinity College Dublin and has recently finished a M. Sc. in Applied Social Research, also in the same university.
moreErik Davis
Erik Davis (www.techgnosis.com) is an author, independent scholar, podcaster and teacher based in San Francisco.
moreHanifa Nayo Washington
Sacred Activist
Hanifa Nayo Washington is an award winning cultural artivist and the Cultivator of Beloved Community for the Fireside Project, which aims to help people fulfill the potential of their psychedelic experiences by providing compassionate, accessible, and culturally responsive peer support, educating the public, and furthering psychedelic research.
moreChristian Watkins
Kansas State University
Rev. Christian Watkins (she/her/hers) graduated from Yale Divinity School in 2014 with her Master of Divinity.
moreChris Stedman
Augsburg University
Chris Stedman is the author of IRL: Finding Realness, Meaning, and Belonging in Our Digital Lives (2020) and Faitheist (2012), and has written for publications including The Guardian, The Atlantic, BuzzFeed, Pitchfork, VICE, The LA Review of Books, and The Washington Post.
moreRev. Richard S. Gilbert
Rev. Dr. Richard S. Gilbert retired in 2005 after serving 44 years in the Unitarian Universalist ministry in Cleveland, Ohio, Golden, Colorado, Ithaca, New York, and for 32 years at the First Unitarian Church of Rochester, New York.
moreNick Moraitis
Foundation for Young Australians
Nick Moraitis is CEO at the Foundation for Young Australians.
moreMicky ScottBey Jones
Faith Matters Network
Micky ScottBey Jones – the Justice Doula – accompanies people as they birth more love, justice and shalom into our world.
moreMarcelle Dawson
University of Otago
Associate Professor Marcelle Dawson teaches sociology at the University of Otago in New Zealand.
moreLerita Coleman Brown
Lerita Coleman Brown, PhD, Ayşe I. Carden Distinguished Professor Emerita of Psychology, Agnes Scott College, is a spiritual director/companion, writer, retreat leader, and speaker.
moreDevin Singh
Dartmouth College
Devin Singh, Ph.D., is an internationally recognized thought leader, award-winning professor, and path-breaking author, speaker, and coach working at the intersection of social theory, ethics, and leadership development.
moreDavid G. Robertson
Religious Studies Project
David G. Robertson is Lecturer in Religious Studies at the Open University, co-founder of the Religious Studies Project, and co-editor of the journal Implicit Religion.
moreDanny Fluker Jr.
Black Boys OM
Atlanta Native, Freelance Writer, Yoga and Meditation practitioner, 200 Hour Registered Yoga Instructor.
moreChris Cotter
Religious Studies Project
Chris Cotter is Lecturer in Religious Studies at the University of Chester, and IASH-CTPI Duncan Forrester Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh.
moreCasper ter Kuile
Sacred Design Lab
Casper ter Kuile is the co-founder of Sacred Design Lab, a co-host of the podcast Harry Potter and the Sacred Text and a Ministry Innovation Fellow at Harvard Divinity School.
moreAnthony Garcia
The Attention Collection
Anthony is a writer, storyteller, and gifted public speaker.
moreAngie Thurston
Sacred Design Lab
Angie Thurston is a co-founder of Sacred Design Lab and a Ministry Innovation Fellow at Harvard Divinity School.
morePaul Bulencea
The College of Extraordinary Experiences
Paul Bulencea is a transformational experience designer, entrepreneur, and author.
morePamela Ayo Yetunde
Center of the Heart
Pamela Ayo Yetunde, Th.D. is a chaplain and pastoral counselor.
moreMarshall Ganz
Harvard Kennedy School
Marshall Ganz is the Rita E. Hauser Senior Lecturer in Leadership, Organizing, and Civil Society at the Kennedy School of Government, where he teaches, researches, and writes on leadership, organization, and strategy in social movements, civic associations, and politics.
moreJosh Bullock
Kingston University
Josh is a criminology and sociology lecturer at Kingston University, London.
moreGina Magyar-Russell
Loyola University Maryland
Gina Magyar-Russell is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Loyola University Maryland.
moreJulie Exline
Case Western Reserve University
Julie Exline, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Case Western Reserve University.
moreAnn Taves
UC Santa Barbara
Ann Taves is Professor (Emerita) of Religious Studies at University of California, Santa Barbara and PI of the Inventory of Nonordinary Experiences Project.
moreChristina Baldwin
PeerSpirit
Christina Baldwin is a writer and seminar presenter of 30+ years experience.
moreCarole M. Cusack
University of Sydney
Carole M. Cusack is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Sydney.
moreBroderick Sawyer
Broderick Sawyer, PhD, is an activist, spiritual teacher/practitioner, and psychologist in Connecticut.
moreBrian Victoria
Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies
Brian Victoria is a native of Omaha, Nebraska and a 1961 graduate of Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, Nebraska.
moreAlexander Darius Ornella
University of Hull
Dr. Alexander Darius Ornella's research interests sit at the intersection of religion, popular culture, visual and material culture, and technology.
moreAyden LeRoux
Odyssey Works
Ayden LeRoux is the Assistant Director of Odyssey Works and the author of two books related to their work, Isolation and Amazement (Samsara Press, 2013), and Odyssey Works: Transformative Experiences for an Audience of One (Princeton Architectural Press, 2016) co-authored with Abraham Burickson.
moreAbraham Burickson
Odyssey Works
Abraham Burickson is the co-founder and Artistic Director of Odyssey Works, an interdisciplinary performance group that makes bespoke performances for one-person audiences.
moreBradley Onishi
Skidmore College
Bradley Onishi is Associate Professor of Religion at Skidmore College.
more