Events

2020 Annual Meeting

Your AAR staff continues to work toward holding the Annual Meeting in Boston, Nov. 21-24, 2020. We are aware of the uncertainty and contradictory projections related to the COVID-19 pandemic and with health and safety as a priority, we will continue monitoring the guidance of governments and health experts as we plan and make decisions. Should any changes need to be made related to the 2020 Annual Meeting, we will promptly notify you.

2020 Regional Meetings

Open Registration:

All remaining regional meetings for 2020 have been canceled

AAR Board Acts on Gissendaner Clemency Case

March 2, 2015

The Board of Directors of the American Academy of Religion learned this weekend that a number of our members have been active in seeking clemency for Kelly Renee Gissendaner, who was scheduled to be executed by the State of Georgia on Monday, March 2, 2015. The details of Ms. Gissendaner’s case are available here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/28/us/a-death-row-inmate-finds-common-ground-with-theologians.html?_r=0

Acting under Article V, Section 11 of our Bylaws ("Action without Meeting") our Board struggled to discern its responsibilities in light of the AAR policy on public statements.  After careful consideration, a two-thirds majority of the Board consented to issue a supportive statement.  Given the lateness of the hour, however, the Board thinks the most effective action is to issue this invitation to its members: AAR members who wish to add their voices to the growing call for clemency can

1.  Endorse online petitions here:

http://action.groundswell-mvmt.org/petitions/governor-deal-use-your-power-to-stop-the-execution-of-kelly-gissendaner

or here:

https://www.change.org/p/terry-e-barnard-stop-the-execution-of-kelly-gissendaner

2.  Send a message urging clemency to Governor Nathan Deal at this address:

http://gov.georgia.gov/contact-governor-domestic-form

3.  Send an email urging clemency to the Georgia Board of Pardons and Parole at this e-mail address:

Clemency_Info@pap.state.ga.us

4.  Attend one of several prayer vigils, the details of which are here: http://www.gfadp.org/vigils