ASCHA | Association of Scholars of Christianity in the History of Art
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“And Who Is My Neighbor?” Refuge, Sanctuary, and Representation in Modern Art and Visual Culture
In February 2026, we are pleased to present two events on the intersecting themes of welcome, refuge, sanctuary and representation.
Tuesday, February 17, 2026 | DePaul University, Chicago, IL
“And Who Is My Neighbor?” Refuge, Sanctuary, and Representation in Modern Art and Visual Culture
A Symposium
Co-sponsored by:
• Association of Scholars of Christianity in the History of Art (ASCHA)
• Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology, DePaul University
The parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37) endures as a powerful meditation on compassion, hospitality, and the boundaries of moral responsibility. In an age marked by geopolitical instability, mass displacement, and deepening social divides, the question “And who is my neighbor?” acquires renewed urgency. This day-long symposium, co-sponsored by the Association of Scholars of Christianity in the History of Art (ASCHA) and the Center for World Catholicism & Intercultural Theology at De Paul University (Chicago), invites critical reflection on how visual art—particularly modern and contemporary—has grappled with the ethical, theological, and political implications of neighborliness, sanctuary, and the representation of the “other.”
Registration is now open. Click here to register.
Schedule
Morning
Session 1—Historical Foundations and Precursors
Virginia Raguin, College of the Holy Cross, “Good Samaritan, Samaritan Woman and Works of Mercy in Art”
Lucy Bowditch, "The Good Samaritan's Transformation and Message: Tracking a Summer Church's Radical Stained Glass Window"
Sarah Sprouse, Director, Grunewald Guild, “Sacred Narratives of the Migrant: From the Great Migration to Contemporary Iconography”
Session 2 - Conceptual, Theoretical, Theological, and Aesthetic Frameworks
Ellie Ashby, Harvard Divinity School, “Algorhythmic Theologies: Instagram Reels and the Visual Politics of Neighbor-Love"
Sam Harrelson, California Institute of Integral Studies, "Ecologies of Refuge: Trees, Crosses, and the Art of Neighborliness"
Afternoon
Session 3—Interreligious/Cultural Interactions
Sandra Ceas, Colorado State University, "Koinonia on the Rocks"
Justin Grosnick, Graduate Theological Union "Faces of God across Hinduism & Christianity: Images and Objects of Mercy or Exclusion?"
Taylor Worley, Wheaton College, "A Kincentric Model of Neighborliness from Contemporary Native Art"
Session 4—Contemporary Art Practices—Performance and Place
Deborah J. Wilk, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, "Performing Motherhood in Sanctuary and at the US/Mexico Border"
Kiki McGrath, artist, and Nathan Tucker, University of Chicago, "Performing Sanctuary"
Emily Normand, Raclin Museum, University of Notre Dame, "Who Belongs Here?: A Contextual Consideration of Tavares Strachan's Neon Interventions and Notions of Christian Hospitality"
Symposium Organizers:
Dr. Ronald R. Bernier, Professor of Humanities at Wentworth Institute of Technology, and Dr. Rachel Hostetter Smith, Gilkison Distinguished Professor of Art History at Taylor University, are the editors of Religion and Contemporary Art: A Curious Accord (Routledge, 2023).
Saturday, February 21, 2026, 2:30-4:30pm |114th annual CAA Conference
ASCHA Session: “And Who is My Neighbor?”: Refuge, Sanctuary, and Representation in Modern Art and Visual Culture
We are pleased to invite you to join our upcoming session at the CAA 114th Annual Conference in Chicago, February 18–21, 2026.
Date, time, and location:
Saturday, February 21, 2026, 2:30-4:30pm
Topic:
“And Who is My Neighbor?”: Refuge, Sanctuary, and Representation in Modern Art and Visual Culture
Conveners:
Ronald R. Bernier, PhD, Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston, MA and Rachel Hostetter Smith, Taylor University, Upland, IN
Description:
The parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) remains one of the most enduring narratives in religious traditions, raising profound questions about community, responsibility, and the boundaries of moral obligation. In an era of heightened political tensions, worldwide immigration on an unprecedented scale, and shifting social landscapes, the question "And who is my neighbor?" resonates with urgent contemporary significance.
This session seeks to explore how religious traditions have grappled with the concept of neighborliness, hospitality, and ethical otherness, particularly through the lens of modern and contemporary visual art. We will examine artistic representations of neighborliness, inclusion, and exclusion in various religious and cultural traditions from the 20th century to the present. How have artists engaged with the themes of hospitality, belonging, and social responsibility? In what ways do contemporary artistic practices challenge, subvert, or reaffirm religious conceptions of community and care? How do religious iconographies and theological discourses shape contemporary responses to the ethical dilemmas of our time?
Presentations:
Cynthia Fowler, Emmanuel College: “Adrian Kellard: Acts of Intercession on Behalf of Gay Men”
Kimberly G. Sandoval, Artist: “Cristo en el Valle”
Olga Yunak, Graduate Theological Union: “Icons of Displacement: Alexandra Dabbert’s Religious Art in Exile”
Jeryn Mayer, Houston Community College: Painting the Future: Contemporary Street Art in Belfast
Download and read their abstracts here.
Please direct any questions to Ron Bernier at Bernierr1@wit.edu.
Annual business meeting: CAA 2026
You are warmly invited to join us for our annual business meeting, where you can learn more about our plans for ASCHA and get involved with our work. Attendance at the business meeting is free but requires pre-registration through the CAA conference site.
Location: Hilton Chicago, 720 South Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL 60605
Meeting Room: Private Dining Room 1
Meeting Date: Saturday, February 21, 2026
Meeting Time: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM, Central Time