by Jack Llewellyn

The Department of Religious Studies is sponsoring two lectures early in the spring semester that feature the role of religion in American popular culture. On 31 January from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the auditorium in the library (Meyer 101), Amy Collier Artman will be delivering a public lecture on “Televising Testimony: Kathryn Kuhlman and Your Faith and Mine,” about the pioneering televangelist Kathryn Kuhlman. Dr. Artman earned her B.A. degree in Religious Studies from Missouri State University. This lecture is based on the doctoral dissertation that she recently completed at the University of Chicago. Responding to the lecture will be Wayne E. Warner, former director of the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center (the Assemblies of God’s archives) and author of the book Kathryn Kuhlman: The Woman Behind the Miracles.

 

Then on February 16 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. in the auditorium in the library, Julie Byrne will give a lecture with the title “O God of Players: Ten Years Later.” Holding the Monsignor Thomas J. Hartman Endowed Chair in Catholic Studies at Hofstra University, Dr. Byrne is the author of the book O God of Players: The Story of the Immaculata Mighty Macs, the definitive history of the team that won the 1972, 1973 and 1974 collegiate women’s basketball championships. This team was the subject of a 2011 movie, on which Dr. Byrne served as a consultant. Responding to the lecture will be Cheryl Burnett, former Lady Bears coach (who once played against the Macs).