At least since the Reformation and the early modern creation of the nation-state, accounts of a person’s vocation almost always include a calling toward citizenship—and often, obedience to the rule of law and support for governmental officials. At the same time, many who have worked for justice and the common good (often within the context of religious belief) have understood their vocations as demanding protest against injustice and advocacy for the marginalized—think of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcom X, Dorothy Day, or Jesus of Nazareth. Today, in the face of partisan divides as the rule of law is hotly contested—sometimes violently—the conflicts among these callings is on full display. During NetVUE’s annual pre-conference gathering before the SBL and AAR Annual Meetings, participants will deliberate on the worth and limits of our vocation as citizens.
The event begins at 2 p.m. on Thursday, November 19 and concludes at noon on Friday, November 20. The schedule of events is forthcoming and will be posted in late spring. The deadline to register is November 12, 2026.
Schedule of Events
Thursday, November 19, 2026
2:00–2:30 p.m.
Introduction
“Is Citizenship a Vocation?”
David S. Cunningham, Professor of Theology, Aquinas College (MI), and Executive Director of NetVUE, Council of Independent Colleges
2:30–4:00 p.m.
Keynote Address
Keynote Address
William T. Cavanaugh, Senior Research Professor of Catholic Studies and Director, Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Studies, DePaul University (IL)
4:00–4:15 p.m.
Break
4:15–5:45 p.m.
Panel Discussion
Discussion on Loyalty to Nation and its Limits
Daniel Bennett, Professor of Political Science, John Brown University (AR)
Lori Brandt Hale, Associate Professor of Religion and Director of General Education, Augsburg University (MN)
Hannah Schell, Associate Director of Advancement Communications, Juniata College (PA)
6:00 p.m.
Reception and dinner at a local restaurant
Friday, November 20, 2026
9:00–10:30 a.m.
Panel Discussion
Discussion on Interfaith Relations, Religious Nationalism, and Multiple Citizenships
Christina Littlefield, Associate Professor of Communication and Religion, Pepperdine University (CA)
Noah Silverman, Manager of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships, American Friends of the Parents Circle—Families Forum
Najeeba Syeed, El-Hibri Endowed Chair and Executive Director of Interfaith at Augsburg, Augsburg University (MN)
10:30–10:45 a.m.
Break
10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Presentation and Conversation
Presentation and Book Conversation on Migrant God: A Christian Vision for Immigrant Justice by Isaac Villegas
Carl S. Hughes, Pastor Gerhard A. & Marion Poehlman Professor in Theology and Department Chair, Theology, Philosophy, & Classical Language, Texas Lutheran University (TX)
Maria Teresa Davila, Associate Professor of Religious and Theologies Studies, Merrimack College (MA)
Isaac Samuel Villegas, Mennonite minister, columnist for The Christian Century, and author of Migrant God: A Christian Vision for Immigrant Justice
12:30–2:00 p.m.
Lunch
Optional; not included in the registration fee
Meals, Accommodation, and Transportation
Registered participants are invited to a Thursday evening reception and dinner at a local restaurant. A light breakfast is provided in the meeting room on Friday morning. The cost of these meals is included in the registration fee, which is $25 for those at NetVUE member institutions ($100 for non-members). Many participants will likely continue the discussion over lunch on Friday as well, though this meal is not included in the fee. All registrants will receive a copy of Migrant God when they arrive at the meeting.
Members of AAR or SBL who are registered for the Annual Meeting can obtain discounted lodging through the organization of which they are a member. Information concerning area hotels, as well as airport transfer and parking information, will be available on the SBL website or the AAR website. Limited assistance for one extra night of lodging, or for travel, is available to those registered for the pre-conference gathering who are unable to cover this cost.
Other Optional Sessions
During the AAR Annual Meeting (Date and time to be announced)
NetVUE Reception for Members and Friends
Hosted by David S. Cunningham, Executive Director of NetVUE, and Lynne Spoelhof, Director of NetVUE Operations
NetVUE also hosts a reception during the AAR/SBL Annual Meeting. All SBL and AAR participants are invited to stop by this reception, whether or not their institutions are members of the network, and whether or not they are able to participate in the pre-meeting gathering. Attendees can learn more about NetVUE (including faculty development and grant opportunities), connect with friends and colleagues with similar interests, and enjoy one another’s company.
During the SBL Annual Meeting (Date and time to be announced)
SBL Session: “Teaching Biblical Studies and Finding Vocation in the Anthropocene: A Panel Discussion of Timothy Beal’s When Time is Short”
As an affiliate member of SBL, NetVUE is able to host a session within the SBL meeting itself. This year’s session examines the work of Timothy Beal, When Time is Short: Finding Our Way in the Anthropocene. Panelists Amy Erickson of the Iliff School of Theology (CO) and Rhiannon Graybill of the University of Richmond (VA) will offer comments on Beal’s book and their work with it among biblical studies students, attending to the themes of “palliative hope,” becoming “humus beings,” and human “grasslikeness.” Timothy Beal of Case Western Reserve University (OH) will respond with comments about the intersection of biblical studies, the future of humanity, and the calling to live justly and humbly in the Anthropocene. The session will be moderated by Jason Mahn, Conrad Bergendoff Chair in the Humanities and Director, Presidential Center for Faith and Learning, Augustana College (IL).
NetVUE is a program of the Council of Independent Colleges. NetVUE programs and services are made possible through member dues and the generous support of Lilly Endowment Inc.
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