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

Chaplaincy Program: FAQs

AAR-CERP Annual Chaplaincy Conference

Frequently Asked Questions

Chaplaincy Conference, Atlanta

Who is invited to attend?

Senior officials who oversee chaplaincy in governmental institutions, including statewide prison chaplaincy directors, Federal Bureau of Prisons officials, senior military chaplains, and those who oversee military chaplaincy endorsements. If your situation doesn’t fit this description, but you feel that your particular situation is special, contact Barbara McGraw at bmcgraw@stmarys-ca.edu.

How much does attending the program cost?

The program itself is free. You need to cover your own expenses for transport, food, and lodging. AAR’s discounted conference hotel rates are available.

Why do the American Academy of Religion and the Center for Engaged Religious Pluralism provide this program? If you don’t charge for it, aren’t you losing money? I don’t get it—what’s in it for you?

We are nonprofit organizations whose purpose includes educating the public about religion. Ignorance about less familiar religions can cause a lot of unnecessary civil strife in the world, and we’d like to share our expertise to make that better. The conference requires little cash outlay for us. By using, as speakers, scholars who are on site anyway because they’re already attending a larger AAR meeting, we have no honorarium or travel expenses to pay, and we get the meeting space free.

What faiths are you supporting?

None. The AAR and CERP are academic institutions. We are committed to educating people about religions, not to favoring any particular religion.

Can I arrive late to Annual Chaplaincy Conference or leave early?

If you’d be unable to attend otherwise, yes. But it’s best if you’re there for the whole program because often the discussions build on each other.

Does it make sense to attend more than one year?

Yes. Many who oversee chaplaincy in governmental institutions attend year after year. Topics often differ year-to-year, but even when repeated, attendees’ knowledge of the subject is deepened.

What’s the difference between the Annual Chaplaincy Conference and the “Annual Meeting"?

The AAR Annual Meeting consists of several hundred sessions geared toward scholars and runs from Saturday morning thru Tuesday morning. The Annual Chaplaincy Conference is that Friday afternoon and all day Saturday.

To get funding from my institution, I need an official letter of invitation. Can I get that?

Yes. Email the AAR Administrative Coordinator, Myrriam Zion, at mzion@aarweb.org

How long has the program been going?

The program started in 2004 and—except for one year when the AAR Annual Meeting was in Canada—has taken place every year since. CERP began cosponsoring in 2011.

Whom do I contact, if I still have a question?

Re the Chaplaincy Conference program: contact Barbara McGraw at bmcgraw@stmarys-ca.edu
Re the larger AAR Annual Meeting email: annualmeeting@aarweb.org


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