COV&R-Bulletin No. 7 (Oct. 1994)
A Note from the Executive Secretary
Most of what I have to report and announce is stated already in the membership renewal letter from Gil Bailie and me that was sent to North American members and friends. However, since it was not mailed to European colleagues, I will reiterate it here.
The annual meeting, held in Wiesbaden, was a huge success, with 110 registrants. Many thanks to Raymund Schwager, Wolfgang Palaver, and Dietmar Regensburger for their work. The ambiance was relaxed and friendly, and our main speakers, Jean-Pierre Dupuy, John Milbank, and René Girard stimulated and continued important discussions.
The meeting of COV&R in conjunction with the annual convention of the American Academy of Religion and Society of Biblical Literature will take place Friday, November 18, 1994 in Chicago. The topic of the morning session, 9-12 noon in Conference Room 4C of the Hilton, will be biblical interpretation. Papers will be given by Charles Mabee and Sandy Goodhart on the prophetic tradition as a basis for Jewish-Christian dialogue and Hans Jensen on Girard, Lévi-Strauss, and the Joseph Story. The afternoon session, 2-4:30 in Williford B of the Hilton, will focus on the question of whether Christianity is a sacrificial religion. Robert Daly will present a paper, with Bruce Chilton and Paul Duff as respondents. That evening Andrew McKenna will host a COV&R buffet reception from 6 to 9 p.m. at his house. His address is 1103 W. Albion. You can take a taxi to his home or the CTA train to the Loyola stop. Further information will be provided at the sessions in Chicago.
The topic for the COV&R meeting June 1-3, 1995 at Loyola University of Chicago is "Mimesis, Violence, and the Subject of Responsibility." The program is partially set, but also partially still in formation. The program committee is still interested in presentations by members, especially those who have not, or who have not recently, actively participated in meetings. Thematic sections include Paradoxes and Pragmatics of Communication, Literature and Human Conflict, Women's Studies, Jewish-Christian Dialogue, Politics and Representation, and Conflict Resolution. Suggestions of themes for other sections are welcome. Please address your suggestions and one-page abstracts to Andrew McKenna, Dept. of Modern Languages and Literatures, Loyola University-Chicago, Chicago, IL 60626. FAX: (312)508-3514.
You will have received by now your copy of Contagion: Journal of Violence, Mimesis, and Culture. A periodical is quite an undertaking and a big step forward for COV&R. Our warm thanks to Judy Arias for her excellent work in producing a journal of such high quality in form and content. She urges all those with an academic appointment to request that their library subscribe to CONTAGION.
Finally, our thanks to Bob Hamerton-Kelly for his contribution in writing the Minutes of the Advisory Board and plenary business meetings.
James G. Williams
