The Orthodox Christian Association of Medicine, Psychology, and Religion [OCAMPR] recently issued a call for workshop and paper proposals for its Annual Conference, “Isolation, Violence, Hope and Communion,” slated to be held at Saints Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church, Glenview, IL November 7-9, 2019.
Proposals for presentations should reflect professional, academic discussion on critical issues regarding the helping professions and pastoral care, specifically as it relates to our Orthodox Christian faith. OCAMPR wishes to encourage an Orthodox approach to the topics that are addressed, informed by psychology and medicine. While presentations reflecting the Conference theme are encouraged, other subjects related to the overall mission of OCAMPR are welcomed.
Workshops will be allotted one hour and should include didacticas as well as an interactive, experiential, and/or discussion component. Workshops presented by more than one person (e.g., a panel), from different disciplines, are encouraged. Papers will be limited to 20 minutes, presented by one person, and followed by five minutes for questions and discussions. Detailed information on submitting proposals is available online. Deadline for proposals is May 1, 2019. OCAMPR will relay acceptances in June.
In related news, His Grace, Bishop Irinej [Dobrijevic] of Eastern America of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America will introduce the conference theme in his keynote address, while the medical perspective will be presented by Donald Jenkins, MD, FACS, a Clinical Professor in the Division of Trauma and Emergency Surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX and a Distinguished Chair in Burn and Trauma Surgery and Associate Deputy Director of the Military Health Institute. Kathryn Bocanegra, PhD, LCSW, a post-doctoral fellow at Loyola University of Chicago’s Center for Criminal Justice Research, Policy and Practice, will present the psychological perspective. The theological perspective will be offered by Deacon Perry Hamalis, MDiv, PhD, the Cecelia Schneller Mueller Professor of Religion at North Central College, Naperville, IL.
OCAMPR, an international, pan-Orthodox organization endorsed by the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America, exists to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and promote Christian fellowship among healing professionals in medicine, psychology and religion. Members pursue an understanding of the whole person which integrates the basic assumptions of medicine, psychology and religion within the Orthodox Christian faith in educating and serving Church and community.