Call for Papers on Contemplative Life

[Ermel Stepp]

PRELIMINARY CALL FOR PAPERS FOR A CONFERENCE
 
IMPLICATIONS OF CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE: RECOVERING ORIGINAL UNITY
 
22-24 October 1993
 
The Merton Research Institute
Marshall University
Huntington, West Virginia
 
Papers are solicited from scholars in multiple disciplines
on the nature of contemplative life and its implications for
education, the quality of life, the human condition, and
culture. Special consideration will be given to papers in
the following nine categories:
 
   1. Mysticism and the Sacred
   2. Mystical Visions of Being
      The mysticism of contemplative life; the mysticism of
      Thomas Merton; cosmic consciousness; aspects of
      mystical experience; images of deity; visions of
      Being; mysticism, conscience, and principle.
   3. Cultural Visions of Being
      Expressions of conscience, principle, and vision in
      contemplative life; the cultural images of Thomas
      Merton: poetry, music, the arts, literature, the
      environment, war and peace, institutions; cultural
      diversity.
   4. Visionary Individuality and Being
      Implications of contemplative life for personal
      integration and education; the thought of Thomas
      Merton on personal integration and education;
      psychology of mysticism; holding to vision, principle
      and conscience.
   5. Visionary Individuality and Becoming
      Implications of contemplative life for growth,
      socialization, learning, and education; the thought of
      Thomas Merton on education; psychology of mysticism;
      standing on vision, principle and conscience.
   6. Visionary Community
      Implications of contemplative life for the quality of
      life, the human condition, and social order; the
      thought of Thomas Merton on community; vision,
      conscience, and principle in values and shared meaning
      in groups, communities, and culture.
   7. Visionary Action
      Implications of contemplative life for the future;
      the thought of Thomas Merton on contemplative action;
      conscience and principle in visionary leadership and
      strategic planning.
   8. "The Asian Journal of Thomas Merton"
      Inner clarity, beyond shadow and disguise, inner depths,
      transcendent freedom, beyond difference, standing on your
      own feet, transcendent liberty.
   9. Visionary Inquiry
      Mysticism and science; ways of understanding
      contemplative life and its implications; understanding
      visions of Being, conscience, and principle, holding
      to them, asking questions about them, and interpreting
      them.
 
 
Papers should be prepared using the standard form and style of
the _Publication Manual_ of the American Psychological
Association with the following provisions: Papers should be typed
with one inch margins, double spaced, not exceeding 50 pages.
Papers may be submitted by postal or electronic mail. If the
paper is sent by electronic mail, it should be in plain text
(simple ASCII format).
 
Refereed papers will be presented to the conference by authors in
concurrent sessions, with three papers per session. Twenty
minutes will be allocated for each paper, fifteen minutes for a
panel reaction in each session, and fifteen minutes of focused
discussion in each session.
 
Preliminary abstract due: July 1, 1993.
Deadline for papers, with final abstracts, to be received: August 1, 1993.
Notification of acceptance: September 1, 1993
 
Papers will be "blind" refereed. Anyone interested in
serving as a referee on papers for one of the nine identified
categories should send a statement of interest. Also, include a
brief vita stating relevant qualification by academic
preparation, professional expertise, and publication to serve as
a referee in the specified category of interest. Preliminary
abstracts, papers, and statements of interest in being a referee
are to be submitted by postal or electronic mail to:
 
 Dr. Ermel Stepp
 Executive Director
 The Merton Research Institute
 Marshall University
 Huntington, West Virginia 25755-2400
 Internet: estepp at byrd.mu.wvnet.edu
 BITNET: M034050 at MARSHALL
 
 (304) 696-2946
 
ASSIGNMENT OF RIGHTS TO THE MERTON RESEARCH INSTITUTE

The Merton Research Institute shall be assigned the rights
to publish, distribute, and sell, directly or by contracted
arrangements, texts and images of any and all invited
addresses, papers, moderation, reaction to any papers
or session, focused interaction, and/or focused discussion.
These rights shall encompass all media, including print,
audio and video tapes, slides, and computer discs/diskettes.
Likewise, TMRI will have the right to archive and provide
access to the archives for globally connected computer
networks and systems for public retrieval without cost.
The rights assigned to The Merton Research Institute shall
serve to foster, encourage, advance, and conduct research
on contemplative life.
 
MODERATORS AND REACTORS
 
Anyone interested in serving as a moderator for a session or
serving as a reactor on a panel in a session may send a
statement of interest and expertise to:
 
 Dr. Alan Altany
 Department of Religious Studies
 Marshall University
 Huntington, West Virginia 25755
 
 (304) 696-2702
 
COLLABORATION, SPONSORSHIP, AND FUNDING
 
Collaborators
 
 Patrick Hart, O.C.S.O
 The Abbey of Gethsemani

 Robert Daggy, Ph.D.
 The Thomas Merton Studies Center
 Bellarmine College

 The International Thomas Merton Society

 Others
 
Sponsors
 
 The West Virginia University System
    Marshall University
       College of Education
       Department of Religious Studies
 
 The State College System of West Virginia
    Southern West Virginia Community College
 
 Others
 
Liaison for Collaboration, Sponsorship, and Funding
 
 Dean Lucas
 Director, External Affairs
 Southern West Virginia Community College
 Logan, West Virginia 25601
 
 (304) 696-4365
 
ANONYMOUS FTP
 
Information on The Merton Research Institute and the
conference are available by anonymous FTP. Other information
files may be retrieved by anonymous FTP as they become
available.
 
Instructions to access Merton files by anonymous FTP:
 
ftp byrd.mu.wvnet.edu
login anonymous
password: Your electronic address
cd /pub/merton/TRMI
get MERTON.INDEX
get TMRI.mission.goals
get TMRI.papers.call
get TMRI.conference.call
 
REGISTRATION AND HOUSING/HOTEL/MOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
 
The conference will be announced at a later date. Send your
request for information about conference registration and/or
local housing and/or hotel/motel accommodations to:
 
 
 Dr. Keith Spears
 Director, Instructional Television
 Marshall University
 Huntington, West Virginia 25755
 
 (304) 696-3150