Westminster College to Host Interfaith Listening Team from India
Posted on Wednesday, March 10, 2004
Westminster College will host two members of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Interfaith Listening Team from India Monday, Sept. 27-Wednesday, Sept. 29.
In addition to lecturing in several classrooms all three days, the team, Dr. Andreas D'Souza, a Christian, and Dr. Ismat Mehdi, a Muslim, will lead several events that are open to the public. Monday at 12:30 p.m. they will lead is a discussion at Westminster's McKelvey Campus Center; Monday, at 6:30 p.m. a public forum is planned at the McGill Center in New Castle; and Tuesday at 7 p.m. another public forum is planned at the Westminster's Wallace Memorial Chapel.
The Interfaith Listening Project was designed to bring Christians and Muslims together for listening and conversation around the world. Each team includes a Christian and a Muslim who share their experiences of the realities and challenges of Christian-Muslim relationships.
"Our hope is that through this dialogue, we will explore the complexities of living in our multi-religious world," said Dr. Robert VanDale, professor of religion emeritus and director of Westminster's Peace and Resolution Center. "We may find ways to accept God's call to work together for the well-being of our communities and for justice, peace, and the healing of creation."
D'Souza is the director of the Henry Martyn Institute, an international center for Research, Interfaith Relations and Reconciliation, located in Hyderabad, India.
Mehdi has taught classical Arabic literature, Arab history and culture, and modern literature for over 20 years. She was the first secretary for culture and director of the Indian Culture Center at the Embassy of India in Cairo from 1991-1995.
The events are free and open to the public, and are sponsored by The Pittsburgh Presbytery Peacemaking Ministry Team in cooperation with Westminster College and the Shenango Presbytery.
For more information, contact Dr. Andrea K. Grove, assistant professor of political science and co-coordinator of the event, at (724) 946-7254 or e-mail groveak@westminster.edu.
To learn more about the Interfaith Listening Project, visit www.pcusa.org/listeningproject
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