New Church Life May/June 2017 | Page 36

Bryn Athyn College Extends its Reach The Swedenborg and the Arts International Conference taking place on the campus of Bryn Athyn College June 6-9 is a landmark event for the College, putting it on the map for academic scholarship. Below are comments from President Brian Blair and Co-Chair Dr. Jane Williams-Hogan about what this means for the College: President Brian Blair Bryn Athyn College is proud to host the Swedenborg and the Arts International Conference. As the only New Church college in the world, hosting this exciting event is a natural outgrowth of our mission. Furthermore, this intellectual gathering of international artists and scholars represents a significant step toward a future in which Bryn Athyn College can serve a global community in studies where New Church thought can be conducted in conferences like this on campus. We are delighted to share our top-notch facilities in support of this type of knowledge sharing. Contact: [email protected] Dr. Jane Williams-Hogan, Professor Emerita Co-Chair of Swedenborg and the Arts Conference Brief History: It is important to know that the Swedenborg and the Arts Conference was proposed by a scholar, Massimo Introvigne, whom I have known for more than 20 years, due to my work at the American Academy of Religion. He was the guest editor for an issue of Nova Religio on “New Religious Movements and the Visual Arts,” and I had an article in that issue on the “Influence of Emanuel Swedenborg’s Religious Writings on Three Visual Artists.” While the issue was in progress, in the spring of 2015, Massimo wrote to me and suggested that Bryn Athyn College sponsor a conference on Religion 216