This past June 5-6, the Thomas H. Olbricht Christian Scholars’ Conference at Lipscomb University (Nashville, Tenn.) featured an emphasis on John Updike. In addition to  attending the world premier of “John Updike’s Roger’s Version,” which was announced in an earlier post, attendees could sit in on a session convened by Kimberly Reed (Lipscomb University) on “John’s Version: Updike and Christian Faith,” with panelists Ralph C. Wood (Baylor University), Ami McConnell (Sr. Fiction Editor, Thomas Nelson Publishers), and David Dark (Belmont University).

Another session on “John Updike and Christian Thought” was convened by Steve Weathers (Abilene Christian University) and featured papers on “Impudence and Desperation: John Updike and his Childhood’s Faith” (Mark Cullum, Abilene Christian University), “John Updike’s ‘Pigeon Feathers,’ Fear of Annihilation, and God” (Michael Potts, Methodist University), and “Run on Home: Updike’s Celebration of Ceremonies in ‘Packed Dirt, Churchgoing, a Dying Cat, a Traded Car'” (James W. Thomas, Pepperdine University).

A third session was offered on the topic of “The Flesh Became Word: A Discussion of the Themes From and Sciences Behind the Stage Adaptation of John Updike’s Roger’s Version,” with Greg Greene of Blackbird Theater convening a panel featuring the play’s director, Wes Driver, and Clifford Anderson (Vanderbilt University).

Here’s the link to the complete schedule.