Friday, December 28, 2012

State of Formation Blog

The "State of Formation" is a journalist-style blog of the Parliament of the World's Religions and Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue, with contributors. Recently, Rebecca Levi posted about her upcoming wedding ceremony (Jewish and lesbian)... making a statement or engaging in authentic religious ritual? Check this article out, and others.
-M. Mueller

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Reflections on the Year - Michelle Mueller

It's been an adventurous year: another two semesters at the religiously diverse Graduate Theological Union, my first attendance at the biennial Women & Mythology conference, spending the summer with Mormons in Provo, Utah, communing with gay and lesbian Mormons in Seattle for a weekend in October, AAR (American Academy of Religion), speaking on issues in Paganism for a panel on LGBTQ youth and religion, and finally, a weekend with Unitarian Universalist emerging scholars.

I'm saddened about the change in the Parliament of the World's Religions. Have been anxiously looking forward to it. The Council is doing what it can to plan for the future of the Parliament. While Brussels has withdrawn its bid, there is a possibility of a Parliament at a different site in the next few years. We will likely not know the outcome for several months.

I am gearing up for another year of academic work and interfaith/theological/multireligious conferences. The specifics have yet to be revealed. One thing is for sure: I'll be teaching NeoPagan Liturgy: Earth Ritual as a "hybrid" course (for students in residency, and online for those at a distance) in Fall 2013 at Starr King School for the Ministry, with my faculty advisor's mentorship. I am so grateful for the Graduate Theological Union including contemporary Paganism in its curriculum. In the acceptance notification, Academic Dean Arthur Holder wrote:

"Congratulations for submitting a worthy project that represents the best elements and talents of our doctoral program."
For more information, see our website: http://pagansonthehill.blogspot.com.