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SnowStar Speakers

2010 Conference Speakers

Amy-Jill Levine

Amy-Jill Levine is E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Professor of New Testament Studies at Vanderbilt University Divinity School, Department of Religious Studies, and Graduate Department of Religion. She has been awarded grants from the Mellon Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the American Council of Learned Societies. She has also held office in the Society of Biblical Literature, the Catholic Biblical Association, and the Association for Jewish Studies.

A self-described "Yankee Jewish feminist who teaches in a predominantly Protestant divinity school in the buckle of the Bible Belt," Levine combines historical-critical rigor, literary-critical sensitivity, and a frequent dash of humor with a commitment to eliminating antisemitic, sexist, and homophobic theologies. She is also an orthodox Jew. Her presentations at the conference will be: Jesus, Women, Gender, and Sexuality and Hearing the Parables Through Jewish Ears. She will also spend a session in dialogue with Laurie White, a director of SnowStar.

 

Karen Warren

Karen Warren is, arguably, the leading international voice in ecofeminism as well as environmental ethics. She recently retired from a long and highly-acclaimed teaching career at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. A widely traveled scholar, Karen has given keynote speeches and major addresses around the world. Yet, she sees herself as a “street philosopher” who believes philosophy is relevant to people of all ages, in all cultural, geographical, and socioeconomic contexts. Her commitment to “public philosophy” has also motivated her to write and speak for lay audiences in what she intends to be a non-technical but philosophically engaging manner.

Karen will give two major presentations: Nature is a Feminist Issue: An Introduction to Ecofeminism & Ecofeminist Philosophy, and So Why Does Ecofeminism/Ecofeminist Philosophy Matter? She will also spend a session in conversation with her philosophical colleague, Chris Kraatz, Jr.

 

Brandon Scott

Bernard Brandon Scott is the Darbeth Distinguished Professor of New Testament at the Phillips Theological Seminary, University of Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is also the author of several books, including widely acclaimed, Hear Then the Parable. Recently he was published with Margaret Lee, Sound Mapping the New Testament (Polebridge Press, 2009.

A charter member of the Jesus Seminar, he is co-chair of the Bible in Ancient and Modern Media Section of the Society of Biblical Literature and a consultant to the American Bible Society experimental film translations. Brandon is a long-time friend of SnowStar and will challenge us with an address entitled, SnowStar: the Next Ten years.

 

Chris Kraatz Jr.

Chris is Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, specializing in Ecofeminism. He also teaches in the Native American Studies program and is one of the most popular and respected teachers on the IUPUI campus. The son of SnowStar President, Chris Kraatz, and his wife, Eileen, Chris is also Lakota by adoption – not by ancestry. While not speaking for nor representing the Lakota People, he has followed the “Red Road” for many years.

Chris will do a presentation on Native American flutes along with information on how the songs relate to Native American heritage and culture. He also join with Karen Warren in a conversation around issues of ecofeminism. Finally, Chris will close the conference with music on the Native American flute.

 

Glen McDougall

Glen is from the Oneida First Nation at the Thames and will do a teaching on their Nation’s Creation Story. This will provide a contrast to the traditional Genesis creation stories, enlightening Karen Warren’s discussions on environmental issues and the care of Mother Earth.

Also coming from the Oneida First Nation are dancers/singers who will participate in the closing celebration of the conference.