The Virginia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and Randolph-Macon College is co-hosting a faith-and-science symposium titled “God on the Brain: The Nexus of Religious Faith and Mental Well-Being” on Sept. 23.
The event will be hybrid with an in-person and Zoom component, featuring a keynote speech from Dr. Andrew Newberg, a neuroscientist who has spent decades studying the effects of prayer and meditation on brain functioning and well-being. Organizers say that the keynote will be followed by breakout workshops on mindfulness, self-care, anxiety and depression, social connectedness and dementia.
Neurotheology, the study of religious phenomena and the brain, will be discussed at length as well.
The cost of the conference is $25 and seats are limited. More information and registration can be found here. The registration deadline is Sept. 15.
