I am likely behind the times, but I just noticed that the American Society of Church History released a preliminary program for their 2011 meeting in Boston (which can be found here). While there are many panels that promise to be not only fascinating but relevant to frequenters of JI, I thought I would point out three sessions that are likely of particular interest.

Thursday, January 6: 3:00 PM ? 5:00 PM

?Women?s Ritual and Religious Authority in Early Mormonism? ? joint with Mormon History Association
The Westin Copley Place, St. George Room D

Chair: Philip L. Barlow, Utah State University

Kathleen Flake, Vanderbilt University
?Nineteenth-Century LDS Marital Rites and the Not-So-Patrilineal Family?

Jill Mulvay Derr, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
?Eliza R. Snow and the Expression of Female Authority in Nineteenth-Century Mormonism?

Susanna Morrill, Lewis & Clark College
?Women?s Birth and Death Rituals in the Lived Religion of Mormonism, 1870s-1920s?

Comment: James Hudnut-Beumler, Vanderbilt University

Friday, January 7: 9:30 AM ? 11:30 AM

?A Retrospective on the Scholarship of Richard Bushman? (roundtable) ? joint with AHA

Chair: Grant Underwood, Brigham Young University
Harry S. Stout, Yale University
Gordon S. Wood, Brown University
Catherine Kelly, University of Oklahoma
Laurie Maffly-Kipp, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Comment: Richard Bushman, Claremont Graduate University

Saturday, January 8: 2:30 PM ? 4:30 PM

?Things True and Useful: Writing History in the Mormon Tradition?
The Westin Copley Place, St. George Room C

Chair: Susanna Morrill, Lewis & Clark College

Matthew Bowman, Georgetown University
?History Thrown into Divinity: Faith, History, and the Founding Events of Mormonism?

John G. Turner, University of South Alabama
??A New Order of Things?: Polygamy, Faith, and Scholarship?

David J. Howlett, Kenyon College
??We?re Not the Mormons?: Alterity and Church History in the Community of Christ?

Comment: Susanna Morrill, Lewis & Clark College

___________________________

This seems to be quite a bit of Mormon exposure at ASCH this year. First, I’m pleased that MHA is continuing a sometimes tradition of co-sponsoring a session–I don’t remember that happening in the last few years (but maybe I was just oblivious).

Second, though the retrospection panel on Bushman will cover his entire corpus of scholarship—it is sometimes easy to forget that he is best known for his work unrelated to Mormonism—it will be interesting to hear what is said about his Joseph Smith scholarship. Also, combined with the MHA awards he and Claudia received in May and the upcoming commemorative conference in his honor next June, it is nice to see so much attention given the well-worthy sage.

Third, it is especially nice to see the third session filled with a JI perma and two JI frequenters. (Now if only we can convince Susanna to come aboard…) Well represented, indeed! And congrats to those involved!

I really wish I could attend, but familial and geographical constraints will keep me here in the UK. Anyone planning on attending? Any thoughts on the schedule in general?