2023 SCSM Conference at Duke Divinity School (March 2–4, 2023)
by Glenn Stallsmith (local organizer for the conference)
The Divinity School at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina is pleased to host the next SCSM conference from March 2–4, 2023. Duke Divinity School (DDS) is home to the Duke Initiatives in Theology and the Arts (DITA), directed by Jeremy Begbie, which is the primary organization providing administrative support for the conference. Founded in 1926 as the first of the university’s graduate professional schools, the Divinity School attracts students from across the nation and around the world. DDS is a United Methodist seminary that offers a Master of Divinity (both residential and hybrid formats), a Master of Arts, a Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.), a Master of Theological Studies (Th.M.), a Doctor of Theology (Th.D.), and a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.). Its numerous certificate programs include a Certificate in Theology and the Arts and a Certificate in Worship. Some of the conference panel sessions will reflect on the impacts of Duke’s faculty in the fields of worship (Lester Ruth) and theology and the arts (Begbie).
Our keynote speaker will be Rev. Dr. Luke Powery, the Dean of the Duke University Chapel and Associate Professor of Homiletics at Duke Divinity School. His teaching and research interests are located at the intersection of preaching, worship, pneumatology, and culture, particularly expressions of the African diaspora. He is the author of Spirit Speech: Lament and Celebration in Preaching; Dem Dry Bones: Preaching, Death, and Hope; Rise Up, Shepherd! Advent Reflections on the Spirituals; and Were You There? Lenten Reflections on the Spirituals. Powery was ordained by the Progressive National Baptist Convention and has served in an ecumenical capacity in churches throughout Switzerland, Canada and the United States. He received his bachelor of arts in music with a concentration in vocal performance from Stanford University, his master of divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, and his doctor of theology from Emmanuel College at the University of Toronto.
Dean Powery’s keynote address on Thursday afternoon will focus on the role of spirituals in worship and preaching. Later that same evening we will be treated to a concert in Duke Chapel, led by Dr. Zebulon Highben, Director of Chapel Music at the Duke University Chapel. (Cost included in your registration fee.)
Registration for the conference is now open via the SCSM website at https://www.scsmusic.org/2023-duke-divinity-school/. The registration site includes details about pricing at member and student rates. Remember, registration is always lower for SCSM members, and you can renew your membership for 2023 now at https://www.scsmusic.org/joinrenew-2/. Your registration fees include two meals (Thursday supper and Friday lunch) as well snacks throughout the conference.
When making your travel plans, note that the conference will begin in the early afternoon of Thursday, March 2 and conclude at noon on Saturday, March 4. Duke Divinity is less than 30 minutes by car from the Raleigh-Durham airport (RDU). Three local hotels are providing conference rates, and their reservation links are on the SCSM website. Please note that Duke’s men’s basketball team plays the University of North Carolina that weekend, which will increase demand for hotels across the area. We advise that you make your reservations (and register for the conference) soon.
