EngagedScholarship@CSU Editor&#39; s Introductory Note

Regennia Williams

EngagedScholarship@CSU Editor' s Introductory Note

Cleveland State University EngagedScholarship@CSU The Journal of Traditions & Beliefs Michael Schwartz Library 2016 Editor's Introductory Note Regennia N. Williams PhD Initiative for the Study of Religion and Spirituality in the History of Africa and the Diaspora How does access to this work benefit you? Let us know! Follow this and additional works at: http://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/jtb Part of the African American Studies Commons, History of Religion Commons, Oral History Commons, Other Languages, Societies, and Cultures Commons, Other Religion Commons, Social History Commons, and the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Williams, Regennia N. PhD (2016) "Editor's Introductory Note," The Journal of Traditions & Beliefs: Vol. 3, Article 3. Available at: http://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/jtb/vol3/iss1/3 This From the Editor is brought to you for free and open access by the Michael Schwartz Library at EngagedScholarship@CSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Journal of Traditions & Beliefs by an authorized administrator of EngagedScholarship@CSU. For more information, please contact library.es@csuohio.edu. Williams: Editor's Introductory Note In World Religions in America (2009), Jacob Neusner suggests that an introduction to the world’s religions “is important, because to understand America, you must understand religion.” I am pleased, therefore, that, in Women’s History Month 2016, I was able to find the time, space, and other resources to publish the Proceedings of Cleveland State University’s Women and Spirituality Symposium. This is a special issue of The Journal of Traditions & Beliefs, the peerreviewed publication of the Initiative for the Study of Religion and Spirituality in the History of Africa and the Diaspora (RASHAD). This journal did not exist at the time of the gathering that inspired the poetry, essays, and scholarly articles contained herein. Today, I am indebted to Barbara Loomis and other staff members in CSU’s Michael Schwartz Library for their ongoing support of this journal and other Engaged Scholarship publications. I would be remiss if I failed to acknowledge the many unforeseen challenges associated with making this publication available. Through no fault of our contributors, the target publication date was revised more than once. The first major delay was related to my Fulbright research and teaching in Nigeria, and my relocation to the Washington, D.C. Metro Area on March 1, 2016 caused the most recent delay. In hindsight, however, it appears that the timing was good, because, thanks to the availability of Engaged Scholarship, I can now afford to share the Proceedings with readers throughout the global community. No budget is required for printing and postage! Special thanks to each of the contributors for participating in the symposium, revising their presentations, and submitting their work for peer review. Thanks, also, to Patricia Awen Fey O’Luanaigh, Co-Convener of the Symposium, Marketing Strategist Dana Aritonovich, the planning committee members and reviewers, our co-sponsors, and every attendee. The names of our program participants are too numerous to include here, but you will find them listed in the souvenir program booklet. Please do not stop there, however. I invite you to review every page of the booklet and the illustrated symposium keepsake, “The Circumference of Community.” These primary documents provide evidence—in words and photographs—of the incredible diversity that characterized our audiences, presenters, and the subjects of their presentations. The women and men who participated were students and/or practitioners of a variety of the world’s religions and spiritual traditions, and they gladly shared their knowledge with others. The aforementioned diversity is also reflected in the contents of this issue; from the opening poem about a young women’s spiritual journey—and articles on the spirituality of Indigenous women, African survivals in American folk culture, and women’s contributions to transcendentalism—to discussions of the experiences of a female astrologist in Thailand, the creation of croning ceremonies in the United States, and an analysis of the leadership style of Jesus. First person narratives, information gleaned from oral interviews, and analyses of other primary and secondary sources are included—along with bibliographies designed to facilitate further reading and discussion. Taken together, these works have the potential to enhance our understanding of the complex relationships between spirituality, organized religion, the arts, and the humanities. Thank you for your interest. Sincerely, Regennia N. Williams, PhD, Editor March 31, 2016 Published by EngagedScholarship@CSU, 2016 1

Log In

EngagedScholarship@CSU Editor' s Introductory Note

Related papers

Related papers