Greetings, JWHA friends!
We hope everyone is feeling rested and relaxed as another year is upon us. We have two exciting events planned this year that will showcase the best scholarship in Restoration Studies.
The first will be held at the historic Stone Church in Independence, Missouri. This beautiful limestone building, which was built in 1888, sits diagonally opposite the Community of Christ Temple. We will meet on Friday, May 30, 2025, in conjunction with the Community of Christ World Conference, and will feature two of the best scholars in Restoration Studies: Dr. Nancy Ross and Dr. David Howlett. They will make a collaborative presentation titled “‘You might change your mind!’: Early Responses to Women’s Ordination in the 1980s RLDS Church.” Their presentation will be followed by a light reception. Save the date and watch your inbox for the registration announcement.
Our annual conference will be held at the famous Harry S. Truman Presidential Library in Independence, Missouri, from September 18-21, 2025. The Truman Library is the perfect venue for our conference theme, which is titled “Politics and Religion: The Impact of Governance and Government on the Restoration Movements from 1830s to the present.” We are hoping to get papers that will explore a range of topics where politics and religion intersect, and that affects Restoration theologies, policies, and practices. Papers might include church leaders’ interactions with U.S. presidents, reactions to Supreme Court rulings, social justice issues, attitudes towards scientific developments, the role of religion in education, political demographics of Restoration religions, gender and sexuality theologies and practices, institutional statements of party advocacy or neutrality, and more. With politics on everyone’s mind these days, there will be plenty to discuss!
This year’s Richard P. Howard Lecture will be given by award-winning scholar Dr. Gregory A. Prince. Our keynote speaker will be given by incoming Community of Christ prophet/president Dr. Stassi D. Cramm. The conference will conclude on Sunday at the Community of Christ Temple with a special hymn fest led by President Cramm and apostles from the Community of Christ. Please send proposals by April 6, 2025. For more details about the JWHA submission process, please go to our website.
We hope you can join us at one or both of these events, in what promises to be a lively, spirited, and edifying experience.
With best wishes,
—Matt Harris, JWHA president-elect and planning committee co-chair
—Eric Paul Rogers, planning committee co-chair
