MONTREAL/March 13, 2006—
On Wednesday, March 15, Concordia's Peace and Conflict Resolution lecture series will present Interfaith Encounters: Challenging Assumptions about Diversity and Community. It will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in room H-110 of the Henry F. Hall Building (1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. West).
The symposium will consider the importance of communication for inter-religious, intra-religious and religious/secular dialogues. It will raise questions such as: How does one respectfully acknowledge religious differences while maintaining one's own faith? Do we dare to present intra-religious conflict to other faith communities? How do we move beyond agreeing to disagree? Can we still have dialogue when we fundamentally disagree? If so, what do we dialogue about? Are there communication models that would be helpful in bridging divides within and between communities?
The guest speakers will also address the question of how to negotiate diversity and unity in the layers of community through internal and external communication.
Dr. Gregory Baum, professor emeritus in McGill University's Faculty of Religious Studies will examine the question of diversity within religious communities and the interfaith dialogue that is so much a part of any interfaith initiative.
Panellists Stuart Brown, Director of the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism (Montreal), Dr. Lori Beaman, associate professor in the Department of Sociology Anthropology (Concordia) and Dr. Howard Joseph, professor of Religion Studies (Concordia) will respond with presentations that will highlight the various issues religious communities respond to in their efforts to engage in interfaith dialogue.
For more information contact Dr. Paul Allen at (514) 848-2424, ext. 2492 or Rev. Ellie Hummel, at (514) 848-2424 ext. 3590.
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Source :
Tanya Churchmuch
Senior Media Relations Advisor
Concordia University
