Dr. Shelley Wiley, visiting assistant professor of religious studies at Morningside College, and Dr. Bruce David Forbes, the Arthur L. Bunch Professor of Religious Studies and chair of the department, attended the 2006 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion (AAR) held Nov. 18-21, in Washington, D. C.

Wiley presented the paper “Understanding Haitian Vodou through Marvelous Realism: Avoiding Postcolonial Eurocentrism” for the panel session “Africa in Latin America and the Caribbean.” The paper discussed the history and roots behind Haitian Vodou and reasons why it remains a vibrant religious tradition today.

Wiley also attended the meeting for the steering committee of the Religion in Latin American and the Caribbean Group, which discussed topics for panel discussions for the 2007 annual meeting of the AAR.

Forbes, who is vice-president of the Upper Midwest Region of the AAR, attended meetings of the regional officers.

Founded in 1909, the AAR is the world's largest association of scholars of religion. The organization promotes research, publishing, and teaching about religion in academia. More than 10,000 scholars of sacred texts and various religions attended AAR’s annual meeting, which explores hundreds of religious topics, including the ancient Near East, the Bible in public life, religions in Africa, and the role of religion in United States public policy.

Wiley has been at Morningside since 2004. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas, a master’s degree from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Texas, and a doctorate from Northwestern University’s Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Ill. She is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A.

Forbes has been on the faculty at Morningside since 1978 and is an adjunct professor at Augsburg College Weekend College in Minneapolis, Minn. He holds a bachelor’s degree in religion and philosophy from Morningside, a master's of theology degree from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and a doctorate in history of American Christianity from Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey. He is an ordained minister with the United Methodist Church.