Join us for the Francis Lectureship and opening keynote for Motherhood to motherhoods: Ideologies of 'The Feminine' Conference. 

A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH: MATERNITY IN ANTIQUITY AND TODAY 

Friday, April 28

4:00-5:15PM 

Beckman Hall 404 

Reception will follow 5:15-6:00PM. 

Lecture by Dr. Janice De-Whyte, Associate Professor of Religion at Loma Linda University and author of Wom(b)an: A Cultural Narrative Reading of the Hebrew Bible Barrenness Narratives. 

The Francis Lectureship was established in honor of Professor Fred Francis, an expert on the writing of the Apostle Paul who taught New Testament and Christian Ethics in the Religious Studies Department at Chapman University from 1964-1984. The lectureship was established in 1984 to bring eminent biblical scholars from around the world to speak to the Chapman community. 

More about Motherhood to motherhoods Conference: 

Motherhood is seen as one of the most 'natural' and universal experiences for women; however, "motherhood" is a social and cultural construct that can be contested and negotiated. The notion of "motherhood" has evolved beyond a women's biological function to a way of being in the world, one that all genders can experience. Not all mothering is done by women, nor are all women mothers. To explore these concepts, we will hold a free three-day conference, Motherhood to motherhoods: Ideologies of 'The Feminine', at Chapman University in April 2023. Taking a multidisciplinary and global perspective, the conference aims to deconstruct the patriarchal mother as a biological and essential category and understand how motherhood is constructed and shaped through media representations in art, literature, film, and social institutions. The conference will consist of academic lectures, discussions, and student poster presentations as well as workshops aimed at a general audience to create a community-based discussion about the role of women's labor and health, gender identity issues, and the ideological construction of motherhood. 

View the full conference schedule here.