C. Robert Mesle, Ph.D.

Professor of Philosophy and Religion
Honors Director

Office Phone: 641-784-5184
Home Phone: 641-784-3722(before 10:00pm)
Email: bobmesle@graceland.edu

FAMILY

We are the proud parents of Sarah & Mark. Sarah is married to Brandon Harvey. They gave us a wonderful grandson, Elliot. Sarah (Ph.D.) recently completed her doctorate at Northwestern University and is currently a visiting lecturer in American Lit at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Brandon is a marvelously multi-talented person who works at Accenture Corp. in creative computer software design. Mark is married to Abbey Studer, and works at the Cook County Clerk's office in Chicago, doing voter registration, running elections, and making democracy safe for Chicago. He is one of the kindest people on the planet and is suprisingly funny. Abbey is head of the Nuclear Medicine department at Children's Memorial Hospital. She is also a great photographer. Barbara and I are grateful to have the universe's most wonderful children, children-in-law, and grandson.

PERSONAL VALUES

SEEK COMPASSIONATE WISDOM.
(My mission statement for myself and my students)

LOVE INTELLIGENTLY. (My father's advice)

"Any future theology I do must put the welfare of children above the niceties of metaphysics." Robert McAfee Brown

"There lives more faith in honest doubt,
Believe me, than in half the creeds." Tennyson, "In Memoriam"

"Reality lies beyond my grasp;
and deep, so deep, who can discover it." (Jerusalem Bible, Ecclesiastes 7:24)

"There remains the final reflection, how shallow, puny, and imperfect are efforts to sound the depts in the nature of things. In philosophical discussion, the merest hint of dogmatic certainty as to finality of statement is an exhibition of folly." A. N. Whitehead, Process & Reality (Preface x)

COURSES TAUGHT RECENTLY

Honors Humanities: Ways of Seeing
Honors Seminar
World Philosophy and Religions: Great Texts
Suffering & Meaning
Medical Ethics
Ethics
Philosophy of Religion
Process Philosophy and Theology
Basic Issues in Philosophy
Science and Religion

*Team-taught by four faculty members from religion/philosophy, literature, music and art.
**My Humanities II courses integrate religion and philosophy with literature

EDUCATION

Ph.D., Philosophy and Religion, Northwestern University, 1980
M.A., Christian Theology, University of Chicago Divinity School, 1975
B.A., Religion, Graceland University, 1972

PROFESSIONAL and EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES and HONORS

Alumni Excellence in Teaching Award, 2006 and 1990.
Keynote address at the 3rd International Symposium on Whitehead's Wisdom Childhood Education, at Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China, July 18,2009.
Lead Professor: The Whitehead Academy, at the East China School of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China, July 21-august 1, 2009.
Co-Chair: International Conference on "The Impact of Worldviews-Secular and Religious-on the Sustainability of Democracies," in Assisi, Italy: The 5th International Conference of the Highland Institute ofr American Religious and Philosophical Thought Gug. 4-9, 2008.
Professor in the Summer Process Academy on "Process Though and Constructive Postmodernism, "Ludong University in Yantai, China, July 21-31, 2007.
Visiting Scholar, Claremont School of Theology, & Claremont Graduate University, Spring 2003
Board member, Highlands Institute for American Religious and Philosophical Thouoght
William E. Phipps Religion and Philosophy Interdisciplinary Lecturer, Davis & Elkins College, Elkins, WV.
A public lecture, "The Poet of the World: A Process-Relational Vision of God," and six classes: Intro to Philosophy, Ethics, Nursing, Psychology Research, Social Psychology, and the Problem of Evil (Honors Students). Previous holders of this lectureship include Martin E. Marty from the University of Chicago Divinity School and Nancy Duff of Princeton Theological Seminary.
Co-Chair of Philosophy & Religion sections, 3rd International Whitehead Conference/ 25th Anniversary Conference of the Center for Process Studies, Claremont, CA, Aug. 1998
Editorial Board, Process Studies, 1993 to present, Abstracts Editor, 1984 to 1993
Book Review Editor and Editorial Board, American Journal of Theology and Philosophy
Curriculum Co-Author and Consultant for RLDS African Pastors, Kenya, September-October, 1991
University of Budapest Faculty Exchange Program, January 1991
Distinguished Authors Lecture, sponsored by Herald House Publishing Co., October 1989
NEH Fellow, Summer of 1986, University of Santa Clara, CA
Andrew Mellon Fellow, University of Kansas Center for Humanistic Studies, Spring 1985
Gold Seal for Scholarship, Graceland University, 1972
Top 1% of class of 404, William Chrisman High School, 1968
Eagle Scout

PUBLICATIONS

5 Books
2 Edited Journals
60 Articles
38 Book Reviews
1 Booklet

BOOKS & JOURNALS

Process-Relational Philosophy: An Introduction to Alfred North Whitehead, Templeton Foundation Press, 2008. The Chinese translation by Zhou Bangxian, was published in China by the Guizhou People's Publishing House, June, 2009. Zhou Bangxian has translated Whitehead's major's works into Chinese.
Theology 9: Process Theology and Religious Pluralism, Co-editor, with Joni Wilson, Graceland Press, 2002, and published in Korean, 2003.
Theology V: The Jesus Seminar (editor) "Preface" & "Jesus the Challenge," Graceland/Park Press, Independence, MO 1998.
Process Theology: A Basic Introduction, with a concluding chapter by John B. Cobb, Jr., Chalice Press, 1993. Also published in Korean translation, and forthcoming in Japanese translation by Tokiyuki Nobuhara.
John Hick's Theodicy, with a response by John Hick, Macmillan in the U.K. and St. Martin's in the U.S., 1991
The Bible as Story and Struggle, Herald House, 1989
Fire In My Bones: A Study in Faith and Belief, Herald House, 1984

ARTICLES

Podcast of an interview on my book, Process Relational Philosophy, on "Homebrewed Christianity", at http://homebrewedchristianity.com/ Interviewed in August, posted 10/23/09.
"Religious Naturalism: Seeking the Welfare of Children within the Limits of Nature Alone: A Process-Relational Perspective," in Theology Volume 15: Science and Religion: Pastoral Implications," 2008, Community of Christ Seminary, ed., Ruth Ann Wood and Peter A. Judd.
"Creative Transformation: Process Philosophy in Curriculum and Classroom," was published in Chinese translation, in the Papers of the International Conference on Process Thinking & Curriculum Reform, Yanti, China, July, 2007.
Podcast, June 2008: A two-part interview with me on "Suffering & Meaning" is available as a downloadable podcast at the website Homebrewed Christianity http://trippfuller.com/?p=173. Part 1, June 18. Other scholars interviewed for this website include the leading New Testament scholar, John Dominic Crossan.
"Suffering, Meaning, and Pragmatism: What Do Theodicies Do?" Proceedings of the Twenty-first World Congress of Philosophy, volume 8 on Philosophy of Religion, William Sweet, ed. (Ankara, Turkey, 2007).
"Suffering, Meaning, and the Welfare of Children" Proceedings of the Twenty-first World Congress of Philosophy, volume 8 on Philosophy of Religion, William Sweet, ed. (Ankara, Turkey, 2006)
"What Shall We Say to the Torturer? Moral Realism, Conscience, and Human Nature,"The American Journal of Theology and Philosophy 26:1&2, Jan-May, 2005.
"Voices: Two Questions," Saints Herald, January, 2005.
"Suffering, Meaning, and the Welfare of Children: What Do Theodicies Do?" was the focus of a special form issue of The American Journal of Theology and Philosophy (Sept. 2004). The issue carried responses by three important scholars in the philosophy and religion: John Hick, John Roth, and Stephen Davis, along with a "Response to my Critics" by Bob Mesle.
"Teaching about Suffering and Meaning,: Creative Transformation, Spring 2004 (13:2)
"Korea & China Conferences: Experimental Tourists and Wonderful People" Published online at http://www.ctr4process.org/news/CPSKoreaTourist.htm and in "Process Perspectives" Fall 2004 (27:2)
"Tangled, Muddy, Painful, and Perplexed: Pragmatism, Feminism, and Life," in The American Journal of Theology and Philosophy, January 2003.
“Process-Relational Theology: A Brief Introduction,” “Pragmatism, Process Theology, and Religious Pluralism,” (also, “Prayers in Process: Praying to a Process-Relational God” which explains and shares participants’ prayers from the closing session of the 2001 Theology Colloquy.) In Theology 9: Process Theology and Religious Pluralism, Co-editor, with Joni Wilson, Graceland Press, 2001.
“Ambiguity, Creativity, and Commitment: A Response to John Cobb, Jr.,” The American Journal of Theology and Philosophy, Sept. 2001.
--. "Grace, Works, and the Worth of Persons," reprinted in Ministry of Shalom, Temple School Resource 275, Community of Christ, 2001. Saints' Herald, Feb. 1987 (#22 below).
“Science and A Prophetic Church,” in Theology: Entering A New Millennium, Richard Brown, ed. (Independence, MO: Graceland Press), 2001, pp. 28-33.
"Ambiguity, Creativity, Freedom, and God," forthcoming in The American Journal of Theology and Philosophy.
"Pragmatism, Naturalism, and the Inner Life," forthcoming in Religious Humanist, Vol. XXXIII No. 1 & 2.
"Global Theologies: W.C. Smith and John Hick on Inclusive Religion," in Theology 6: Interface Ministry, Richard A. Brown, ed. Graceland/Park Press, 1998.
"Naturalism, Pragmatism, and God: Seeking the Welfare of Children within the Limits of Nature Alone," Video Tape and printed essay in The Knowledge of God, 1998, RLDS Temple School Resource. The video form includes the presentation and an hour of discussion with the audience.
"Counted as Loss: Struggling with Troublesome Tradition," Restoration Studies VII, 1998.
"Process-Relational Theology," Video Tape and printed essay, in Lectures in Contemporary Theology, by Temple School Center, RLDS church, 1996.
"A Community of Love," Saints Herald, March 1995
"For the Welfare of children: Current Theological Issues," in Theology: From Tradition to Task, Graceland/Park Press, 1993
Chapters on "Salvation," "The Problem of Evil," "Eschatology," "Theology," "Scripture," and "Preaching" in the Christian Leadership Curriculum created at the African Church Leaders' Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, October 1991 (Herald House, 1992)
Co-Authored with Barbara Hiles Mesle, "Mutuality and Power," in With Equal Regard, ed. by Gail Mengel (Temple School), 1992
"History, Faith and Myth," reprinted in Faithful History: Essays on Writing Mormon History, ed. by George Smith (Signature Press), 1992
"Sharing a Vague Vision: Wieman's Early Response Whitehead, " Process Studies 20/1, Fall 1991
"'Added on like dome and spire:' Wieman's Later Critique of Whitehead," Process Studies 20/1, Fall 1991
"Humanism and Hick's Interpretation of Religion," in Problems in the Philosophy of Religion: Critical Studies of the Work of John Hick, Harold Hewitt, ed., (Macmillan in the U.K. and St. Martin's in the U.S.), 1991
"Does Process Theology Matter?" The American Journal of Theology and Philosophy,11/3
"Prayer, Liberation, and Healing," Saints Herald, March 1991
"For the Welfare of Children: The Place of Scripture in the Life of the Church," Distinguished Authors Lecture: 1989-1990, Herald House, 1990
"Welcome the Stranger," Saints Herald, August 1990
"Pragmatism and Empiricism," The American Journal of Theology and Philosophy, May 1989
"On Miracles," Saints' Herald, May 1989
"Reflections on Sacred Space", Saints' Herald, September 1988. Reprinted in Preparing for the Temple, 1989
"Does God Hide From Us? John Hick and Process Theology on Faith, Freedom and Theodicy," in The International Journal for Philosophy of Religion, 24:93-111
"Zion' and the Future of the RLDS Church", Restoration Studies IV
"Sacred Fudge" The John Whitmer Historical Association Journal, Vol. 8, 1988
"Does God Hide from Us?" The John Whitmer Historical Association Journal, Vol. 8, 1988
"Teaching Philosophy at Graceland", Saints' Herald, November 1987
"A Friend's Love: Why Process Theology Matters," The Christian Century, July 15-22, 1987
"Grace, Works, and the Worth of Persons", Saints' Herald, February 1987
"The Problem of Genuine Evil: A Critique of John Hick's Theodicy," The Journal of Religion, October 1986
"The Restoration and History: New Testament Christianity," Dialogue, Summer 1986
"Restoration as Ahistorical: The Nature of Earliest Christianity," in the Temple School resource on "The Nature and Mission of the Church," 1986
"Reinterpreting the Inspired Version," Restoration Studies III, Winter 1986
"The Nature of Earliest Christianity: Jerusalem's Jewish Disciples," Saints' Herald, March 1985
"The Nature of Earliest Christianity: Ministry in Early Christianity," Saints' Herald, April 1985
"The Ethics of Religious Language," Commission, April 1985
"God's Love and Human Agency: Reflections on God's Unchangeability," in Restoration: People Growing, Herald House, 1985, reprinted from Commission, Fall 1980
"Power and Personhood: A Philosophical Perspective," "Women and Men: Research and Experience," Proceedings of a conference at the University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse, Fall 1984
"Aesthetic Value and Relational Power: An Essay in Personhood," Process Studies, 13:1
"Healing Each Other," co-authored with Barbara Hiles Mesle, in Our Caring Fellowship: A Program Resource for Church Groups, Herald House, 1983
"History, Faith and Myth," Sunstone, 7:6, November-December, 1982
"The Kaleidoscope of Faith," Chapter one in The Faith Journey, Herald House, 1981
"The Use of Scripture in Pastoral Care," Commission, 1981
"Introduction," for The Beauty of Wholeness: Program Resource for Women, Herald House, 1981
"The Church is My Family," Saints' Herald, June 1981
"Love and Power: The Paradox of a Crucified Christ," Saints' Herald, April 1979
Six short articles describing modern theological movements, with dialogues to illustrate main ideas, in More Than Burnt Offerings, Herald House, 1978
"The Development of the New Testament from Ecclesia to Institution," Courage, Fall 1972
"Dietrich Bonhoeffer: "The Church and the Man for Others," Courage, Fall 1971

BOOK REVIEWS

Review of, J. Murray, Nature Red in Tooth and Claw: Theism and the Problem of Animal Suffering. Oxford: Oxford U. P., 2008, for The International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 66:3 and published on line, August, 2009.
By the Waters of Naturalism: Theology Perplexed Among the Sciences, by Andrew Porter, in CTNS BULLETIN, The Center for Theology and Natural Sciences, 22:3, spring 2003.
Religion and Scientific Naturalism: Overcoming the Conflicts, by David R. Griffin, in Process Studies 31:1 (2002)
Review of The Cross, the Plow, and the Skyline: Contemporary Science Fiction and the Ecological Imagination. Ernest J. Yanarella. Forthcoming in Science Fiction Studies.
World in Process: Creativity and Interconnection in the New Physics, John A. Jungerman, Foreword by John B. Cobb, Jr. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2000. Forthcoming in Process Studies.
Religion and Scientific Naturalism: Overcoming the Conflicts, by David R. Griffin, Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 2000, forthcoming in Process Studies.
The Sacred Depths of Nature. Ursula Goodenough (Oxford U.P) in The American Journal of Theology and Philosophy, Jan. 2002 (23:1)
Philosophers Speak of God, Charles Hartshorne and William L. Reese, eds. Amherst, NY: Humanity Books, 2000, The American Journal of Theology and Philosophy, May, 2001 (22:2).
Realistic Pragmatism: An Introduction to Pragmatic Philosophy, by Nicholas Rescher, the State University of New York Press, 2000, The American Journal of Theology and Philosophy, Sept. 2000.
Moral Progress: A Process Critique of MacIntyre, by Lisa Bellantoni, the State University of New York Press, 2000, in Process Studies 29:2.
Review of The Basics of Bioethics by Robert M. Veatch, in Bioethics Forum 15:2.
Review "Experience of God and the Rationality of Theistic Belief," by Jerome Gellman, (Cornell Studies in the Philosophy of Religion) Cornell U.P., 1997, The International Journal for Philosophy of Religion, vol 45.
"Knowing the Real: John Hick on the Cognitivity of Religions and Religious Pluralism," by Kenneth Rose, in The International Journal for Philosophy of Religion, 44: 185-187
"Essays in Religious Naturalism," ed. by Peden & Axel, The International Journal for Philosophy of Religion
"The Problem of Evil: Selected Readings," U. of Notre Dame Press, The American Journal for Theology and Philosophy, May, 1994, 15:2
"The Minimalist Vision of Transcendence: A Naturalist Philosophy of Religion," by J. Stone, (SUNY) in The International Journal for Philosophy of Religion, Vol. 35, 1994
"The Tragedy of Evolution: The Human Animal Confronts Modern Society," by Michio Kitahara, (Praeger) in The American Journal for Theology and Philosophy, 14:1, Jan 1993
"Peculiar People: Mormons and Save-Sex Orientation," by Ron Schow, Wayne Schow, and Mabeth Raynes, ed., in The John Whitmer Historical Association Journal, Vol. 13, 1993
"Process Philosophy and Political Ideology: The Social and Political Thought of Alfred North Whitehead and Charles Hartshorne," by R. Morris (SUNY), The Journal of the American Academy of Religion, 1992
"An Interpretation of Religion: Human Responses to the Divine," John Hick, (Macmillan) in The Journal of the American Academy of Religion, 1990
"The Categories and the Principle of Coherence: Whitehead's Theory of Categories in Historical Perspective," by A. Zvie Bar-on, Critical Review of Books in Religion, 1989
"Reading the New Testament," Pheme Perkins, Paulist Press, Saint's Herald, April, 1989
"Wisdom as Moderation: A Philosophy of the Middle Way," by Charles Hartshorne, Critical Review of Books in Religion, 1988
"God in Process Thought: A Study of Charles Hartshorne's Concept of God," Santiago Sia, Nijhoff, 1985, Process Studies 17/1
"The Chicago School: Voices in Liberal Religious Thought," by Creighton Peden, Wyndham Hall Press, 1987, Process Studies 17/1
"Science and Religion: A Critical Survey," Rolston Holmes III, Random House, 1987, (Booknote) Process Studies 16:2
"The Organization of Interests," N.H. Wieman, University Press of American, 1985 (Reprint of Wieman's Harvard Dissertation of 1917), Process Studies 16/2
"Evil and the Process God," Barry Whitney, Edwin Mellen Press (Toronto Studies in Theology, Vol. 19), 1985, Process Studies 16/1
"The Importance of the Past," George Allan, SUNY Press, 1986, Process Studies 15:4
"The Importance of the Past," George Allan, SUNY Press, 1986, (a separate review) The John Whitmer Historical Association Journal 1987
"Indian Origins and the Book of Mormon," Dan Vogel, Signature Books, 1986, The John Whitmer Historical Association Journal 1987
"Encountering Evil: Live Options in Theodicy," ed. by Stephen Davis, John Knox Press, 1981, Process Studies 15/2
"Philosophy of Religion," 3rd edition, John Hick, Prentice-Hall, 1983, Process Studies 15/2
"Talking About God: Doing Theology in the Context of Modern Pluralism," David Tracy and John B. Cobb, Jr., Seabury Press, 1983, Process Studies 15/1
"Omnipotence and Other Theological Mistakes," Charles Hartshorne, SUNY, 1984, Process Studies 14:3
"Preface to Faith: A Philosophical Inquiry into RLDS Beliefs," Paul Edwards, Signature Press, 1984, Sunstone 10:7, Fall 1985 (co-authored with Larry Conrad)
"Message and Existence: An Introduction to Christian Theology," Langdon Gilkey, Seabury, 1979, Process Studies 11:3
"Wieman's Empirical Process Theology," Creigton Peden, University Press of America, 1977, Process Studies 8:2
"Since Cumorah: The Book of Mormon in the Modern World," Hugh Nibley, Deseret Press, 1967, Courage, Fall 1971

SELECTED PRESENTATIONS

Principal teacher of the Process Philosophy Academy at the East China University of Science and Technology in Shanghai, China, July 21-Aug. 1, 2009.
Keynote address at the 3rd International Symposium on Whitehead's Wisdom Education, at Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China, July 18, 2009.
7th International Whitehead Conference on "Process, Religion, and Society," at Dharmaram College, Christ University, Bangalore, India, Jan 5-9, 2009. Three Presentations.
1. Introduction to Whitehead: 3 sessions. I taught part I, my colleague taught part II, and we worked together to answer questions in part III.
2. "Brahman and Elliot: The Power of Children as Symbols: Tillich, Whitehead, the Gita, and Sacredness." 7th International Whitehead Conference on "Process, Religion, and Society," Bangalore, India, Jan 5-9, 2009.
3. Panel discussion of my book, Process Relational Philosophy, 7th International Whitehead Conference on "Process, Religion, and Society," Bangalore, India, Jan 5-9, 2009. (A 1.5 hour session) Participants in the discussion included the President of the Japanese Process Society, the Dean of Philosophy of Dharmaram College, the former Dean of Boston University School of Religion, and the founding president of the International Process Network (IPN).
"Seeking The Welfare Of Children within the Limits of Nature Alone: An Approach to Teaching Religious Naturalism," International Conference on "The Impact of Worldviews-Secular and Religious-on the Sustainability of Democracies," in Assisi, Italy: The 5th International Conference of the Highlands Institute for American Religious and Philosophical Thought Aug. 4-9, 2008.
"Religious Naturalism: Seeking The Welfare Of Children Within The Limits Of Nature Alone: A Process-Relation Perspective" at the annual GU Seminary Theology Forum, on Science and Religion: Pastoral Implications, Feb 8, 2008.
Team taught the Process Academy, at Ludong University, Yantai, China, July 21-August 1, 2007. "Creative Transformation: Process Philosophy in Curriculum and Classroom," at the "International Conference on Process (Postmodern) Thinking and Curriculum Reform," at Ludong University school of education, Yantai, China, July 20, 2007.
While in Beijing, China, I also had the unique opportunity to meet with the faculty from six "process kindergartens" in the Beijing area. Barbara and I spoke to the faculty, through a translator, about educational applications of process philosophy, The kindergartens are part of an effort at educational reform in China and are part of the Institute for Postmodern Develop of China, the China Research Project on Whitehead's Philosophy of Wisdom Education. We also got to tour a kindergarten and meet the children. What fun!
I presented two classes at St. Andrew's Christian Church in Olatha, KS, on April 15. Here is the blurb. AT-ONE-MENT WITHOUT ATONEMENT, C. Robert Mesle
"The hard fact, beyond all sentimentality, is that either we share suffering in love or outside of love, and it is not the same in one case as in the other. Suffering with the other in love becomes a sacrament of the possibility of love in all being and is the deepest source of the transmutation of suffering." (D. D. Williams) Christian images of the atonement are rooted in this deep truth of human life. Yet, those same images have given rise to grotesquely twisted pictures of divine love, and have surely contributed to the most cruel and destructive expressions of Christian exclusivism. How can we save what is true and good, while rejecting what is destructive, in this central Christian doctrine? Can we preserve at-one-ment without a supernatural atonement?
The 9:30 class looked at problems with traditional images of atonement, while the 12:00 class looked at resources in process theology, Hinduism, and Buddhism.
"Connecting with Lived Experience: Teaching Whitehead's Idea that Experience Goes All the Way Down," at the American Philosophical Asso. (Central Division) in Chicago, Feb 18, and invited presentation for the presentation by the Society for the Study of Process Philosophies.
Team Taught course on "Advanced Theodicy," with John B. Cobb, Jr., at the Summer Institute on Process & Faith at the Callremont School of Theology in June, 2006.
"Suffering & Meaning: An Interdisciplinary Humanities Course," with Barbara Hiles Mesle, at the "XIIth International Concerence for Teachers and Students of English: Relfecting Upon the Classroom," in Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 2006.
“Culture, Nature, & the Torturer: David Griffin and Richard Rorty on Conscience,” The International Seminar on Process Philosophy and Philosophy of Culture Against the Background of Globalization, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, China, May 30-June 1, 2004.
“Suffering & Meaning: An Invitation to Dialogue,” The 5th International Whitehead Conference: Process Thought and East Asian Culture, Seoul, Korea, May 24-28, 2004.
“Suffering, Meaning, and the Welfare of Children,” American Philosophical Association, Pacific Division, was the focus of a three hour session with responses by Phillip Quinn of Notre Dame University, D. Z. Phillips of the Claremont Graduate University School of Religion, and Stephen Davis of Claremont-McKenna College. 3/27/04
"Suffering, Meaning, and Pragmatism: What do Theodicies Do?" World Congress of Philosophy, Istanbul, Turkey, August 10, 2003
"Science, Religion, and the Welfare of Children," World Congress of Philosophy, Istanbul, Turkey, August 12, 2003
"What shall we say to the torturer? Moral Realism, Conscience, Human Nature, and Democracy," Conference on Pragmatism, Religion, and Democracy,Highlands Institute for American Religious and Philosophical Thought, Dobokogo, Hungary, August 4-9, 2003
"Suffering, Meaning, and Ethics: A discussion for ministers, theologians, and everyone," a seminar at The Center for Process Studies, the Claremont School of Theology, Claremont, CA, Feb. 11, 2002
“Reconstruction Through Ethics,” at “Community of Christ and Post Deconstruction II,” a gathering of Community of Christ theologians, historians, and others, 12/18/02, Independence campus of GU.
“The Last Believer in Zeus: Reflections on the Community of Christ and Joseph Smith, Jr.” A Response to papers by Mark Scherer, George Jones, and Barbara Higdon at the John Whitmer Historical Association’s 30th anniversary meeting in Nauvoo, IL, Sept. 26-29, 2002.
“Tangled, Muddy, Painful, and Perplexed: Pragmatism, Feminism, and Life,” with Barbara Hiles Mesle, at the Highlands Institute for American Religion and Philosophical Thought, Highlands, NC, June 19-22, 2002.
"Sept 11: Grieving with God, A Process-Relational Perspective," at St. Andrew’s Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Olathe, KS, Dec. 9, 2001. They had been using my book, Process Theology, in their adult education class, and invited me to come and share with the class, and give a luncheon address and discussion on a process theological perspective on Sept. 11, 2001.
Process Theology workshop, Mobile Al., Jan 4-6, Seattle Stake, June 16-17; Denver Stake, August 10-11, 2001
"Pragmatism, Realism, and the Welfare of Children: Does the Difference Make a Difference?" Highlands Institute for American Religious and Philosophical Thought, June 25, 20
"Pragmatism, Naturalism, and the Inner Life: Seeking the Welfare of Children Within the Limits of Nature Alone," Bad Boll, Germany, July 30, 1998
"Dupre' and Pragmatism: Seeking the Welfare of Children Within the Limits of Nature Alone," American Academy of Religion meetings, Rocky Mountains and Great Plains Regional meeting, Omaha, NE, March 20-21, 1998
"Naturalism, Pragmatism, and God: Seeking the Welfare of Children Within the Limits of Nature Alone," RLDS Temple Lecture Series on "The Knowledge of God." August 1997
"Creativity, Ambiguity and God," an invited presentation at the Unitarian Universalists General Assembly meetings, for the Process Theology Network Workshop. June 1996
"What Must I do? Probing the Boundaries of Our Habitations," presented at the Midwest Regional meeting of the American Academy of Religion March 1996, by invitation of the Highlands Institute for American Religious Thought.
"Process Theology" a videotaped presentation at the RLDS Temple, August 3, 1996, part of series on theology sponsored by the RLDS Joint Council and Temple School. Videotapes and a book containing written copies of the presentations was used by the Joint Council members for theological education in the field. The presentation included a 55-minute talk on Process Theology.
"Theism and Naturalism in Process Thought" A public conversation with John B. Cobb, Jr., Claremont School of Theology and the Center for Process Studies, July 21, 1994
"Rortian Ripple Ethics: Luscious Layers of Stories, Sentimentality, and Sophia. 100% Naturalist Ingredients," with Barbara Hiles Mesle, Conference on Neo-Pragmatism, Highlands Institute for American Religious Thought, June 1995, Highlands, NC
"Committed Relativism: Postmodern Ethics and Story Telling," with Barbara Hiles Mesle, at conference on "The End(s) of Postmodernism" at Northeast Missouri State University, September 15-16
"Committed Relativism: Process Naturalism and Ethical Cultural Relativism," at the 2nd International Forum on Philosophical Theology of the Highlands Institute for American Religious Thought, at St. Andrews University, Scotland, August 1993
"Naturalism, Pragmatism, and God: Seeking the Welfare of Children Within the Limits of Nature Alone", a videotaped lecture presented at the RLDS Temple on August 2, 1997. Part of a lecture series sponsored by the RLDS Temple School and the RLDS Joint Council for use in an educational resource on "The Knowledge of God".
"The Small Pox Fallacy: Struggling with Suffering and Meaning," International Conference on Philosophical Theology at Oxford University, sponsored by the Highlands Institute for American Religious Thought, August 1989
"Humanism and Hick's Interpretation of Religion," Presented by invitation, at a conference on John Hick's philosophy of religion, held at the Claremont Graduate School, Claremont, CA, April 7-8, 1989
"Does Process Theology Matter?" a seminar at the School of Theology at Claremont, Claremont, CA, April 6, 1989
"For the Welfare of Children: The Place of Scripture in the Life of the Church," Distinguished Authors Lecture Series, sponsored by Herald House Publishing Co., October 1989

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

American Philosophical Association (Addresses and Proceedings of the APA)
American Academy of Religion (Journal of the AAR)
Highlands Institute for American Religious & Philosophical Thought (American Journal of Theology and Philosophy)
Midwest Bioethics Center (Bioethics Forum)
Center for Process Studies (Process Studies)
The Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences (CTNS Bulletin, Science & Spirit)
Process and Faith (Creative Transformation)
Unitarian Universalist Process Theology Network (Newsletter)

C. Robert Mesle's Vita

C. Robert Mesle, Ph.D.