Top Navigation

Side Navigation

Mary Olive Woods Past Lecturers

The Mary Olive Woods Lecture is typically given early in the fall semester (September) on a Thursday evening at 7:30 pm. The Lecturer then spends Friday morning answering questions from students and faculty from 10 am to noon. In the even years, the Philosophy faculty choose the MOW Lecturer; and in the odd years, the Religious Studies faculty choose the MOW Lecturer. The Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies has been fortunate to bring an august list of guest speakers to campus using the Mary Olive Woods Trust. If you would like to give to the MOW Trust or suggest future lecturers, please e-mail: PRS@wiu.edu.

  • 2011: Ann Taves, University of California, Santa Brabara (scheduled)
  • 2010: Brian Leiter, The Univeristy of Chicago Law School
  • 2009: Margaret Farley, Divinity School at Yale University
  • 2008: Michael Ruse, Florida State University
  • 2007: J. Gordon Melton, Institute for the Study of American Religion
  • 2006: Alvin Plantinga, University of Notre Dame
  • 2005: Robert C. Fuller, Bradley University
  • 2004: Eleonore Stump, Saint Louis University
  • 2003: Robert D. Baird, University of Iowa
  • 2002: Mary B. Mahowald, University of Chicago
  • 2001: John Dominic Crossan, DePaul University
  • 2000: Ernan McMullin, University of Notre Dame
  • 1999: Wendy Doniger, University of Chicago
  • 1998: Martha Nussbaum, University of Chicago
  • 1997: Don Browning, Divinity School of the University of Chicago
  • 1996: Carl Wellman, Washington University
  • 1995: Ninian Smart, University of California, Santa Barbara
  • 1994: Arthur Fine, Northwestern University
  • 1993: Judith Berling, Graduate Theological Union
  • 1992: Jean Hampton, University of Arizona
  • 1991: Martin E. Marty, University of Chicago
  • 1990: Jeffrie Murphy, Arizona State University
  • 1989: Langdon Gilkey, Divinity School of the University of Chicago
  • 1988: John McDermott, Texas A&M University
  • 1987: Walter Capps, University of California, Santa Barbara