Rethinking Religion and World Affairs: The Berkley Center Tenth Anniversary Symposium

April 8, 2016
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. EDT
Location: Copley Hall Copley Formal Lounge Map

Issues of religion and world affairs are as salient in the media today as in 2006 when the Berkley Center was founded. And unfortunately much of the news is still negative. Still, there is every reason for hope. The religious people who comprise about four-fifths of humanity overwhelmingly reject faith-inspired violence and identify with values of justice and peace. And religious institutions—communities of worship, schools, hospitals, and aid organizations of different kinds—take roles in world affairs that affirm the essential dignity of human beings and advance the common good.

How can we better tap the positive currents within and across traditions to advance deeper interreligious understanding? And how should we think about—and act on—the changing relationship between religion, violence, and peace in today’s world? The Berkley Center Tenth Anniversary Symposium convened thought leaders and practitioners to address these crucial questions. The symposium was preceded by a keynote address by Madeleine Albright on the afternoon of April 7.

SCHEDULE

Welcome and Introduction | Thomas Banchoff

Interfaith Dialogue: Lessons Learned and Paths Forward | Akbar Ahmed, Martha Nussbaum, Preet Singh, Miroslav Volf, José Casanova (moderator)

Podium Discussion | Karen Armstrong, John J. DeGioia 

Religion, Violence, and Peace: Rethinking the Connections | Shaun Casey, Michael Gerson, Bryan Hehir, Sayeeda Warsi, Thomas Banchoff (moderator)

related event | Religion, Peace, and World Affairs: The Challenges Ahead

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Participants

Related Publication

Report April 7, 2016

Religion, Peace, and World Affairs: The Challenges Ahead

The essays in this tenth anniversary volume, authored by center faculty and leading scholars, religious leaders, and practitioners, provide a survey of some of the main global challenges that are likely to engage us at the intersection of religion, peace, and world affairs in decades to come.
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