Center on Religion & the Professions

Improving religious literacy among professionals.

Center’s work on teaching religious literacy featured in new book

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Center Director Debra Mason is a co-author on a new book chapter documenting lessons learned from organizing an online course in religion.

Mason, Justin Arft and Amy White collaborated to create the Religious Literacy for the Public and Professions course in 2009. They share their experiences in Fostering Religious Literacy across Campus, recently released by New Forums. The book describes the diverse curricular projects for teaching religious literacy developed after years of work by teams from campuses across the country.

MU’s Muslim Student Association to hold conference

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A community activist from Brooklyn and chaplain from Northwestern University will be the keynote speakers at “Pursuits Of This World Beyond Material Gains,” a conference to be held April 14-16 by MU’s Muslim Students Association.

Imam Siraj Wahhaj of Brooklyn is a well-known community activist, religious leader and speaker. He will speak at 8:15 p.m. Thursday, April 14, at Stotler Lounge in Memorial Union.

Ustadah Tahera Ahmad is a chaplain at Northwestern University. She was recently featured in the PBS program “What’s Your Calling?”, which highlighted her spiritual and academic endeavors. She regularly hosts young Muslim art stages, open mics, and counsels young Muslims through study circles that promote a balanced Muslim life-style. Tahera Ahmad will speak at 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 15, at the Fred Smith Forum in MU’s Reynolds Journalism Institute.

The Center is a co-sponsor of the conference. Registration is free, but required and includes a booklet and two dinners. For more information, e-mail muslimstudents.mizzou@gmail.com or visit http://mizzoumso.org.

Distinguished scholar Juergensmeyer to speak on religion and secularism at MU

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A widely-published author and commentator will give the next Distinguished Lecture on Religion and Public Life at 7:30 p.m. April 7.

Mark Juergensmeyer, the director of the Orfalea Center for Global & International Studies, professor of sociology, and affiliate professor of religious studies at the University of California-Santa Barbara, will speak on “Global Rebellion: Religious Challenge to the Secular State” in Jesse Wrench Auditorium in Memorial Union at the MU campus. The Center on Religion & the Professions is co-sponsoring the lecture.

Juergensmeyer is an expert on religious violence, conflict resolution and South Asian religion and politics, and has published more than two hundred articles and twenty books, including the recently-released Global Rebellion: Religious Challenges to the Secular State.

The speech is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the MU Religious Studies department at (573) 882-4769 or rsinfo@missouri.edu.

Podcast: Equipping faith leaders to address substance abuse

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Many leaders in faith communities wonder, “But what do I say?” when they are concerned about possible substance use and chemical dependency with a congregation member or professional colleague.

Heather Harlan, prevention specialist at Phoenix Programs, as a guest of Dr. Kris Tenny-Brittian, area pastor of the Northeast Area Disciples of Christ, recently led a 45-minute audio training session specifically designed for leaders of churches and other faith communities. The information can equip faith leaders to more effectively recognize and refer congregation and family members, as well as professional colleagues, who might be struggling with situations involving alcohol or other drugs.

Harlan will be a part of the upcoming “Caring Adults = Resilient Teens conference co-sponsored by The Center.

To download a recording of the training, visit the Phoenix Program’s website.

Free lecture: ‘The Migration of Borders, People and Policies’

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Border fence

U.S.-Mexico border fence

Mark Adams, a mission co-worker with the Presbyterian Border Ministries in Agua Prieta, Mexico, and U.S. coordinator of the binational ministry “Frontera de Cristo,” will speak on “The Migration of Borders, People and Policies” at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 5 on the MU Campus in Arts and Sciences 113.

This free presentation will address the problems faced by migrants as they try to reach the U.S. Adams will discuss the causes that drive them north, the journey itself and the lives they lead after arrival.

For more information, please call The Center on Religion & the Professions at 573-882-9257.

Photo: provided

Free showing and discussion of ‘The Last Supper’

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The MU Religious Studies Department is sponsoring a free showing of “The Last Supper” at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 7, in 106 Pickard Hall. A reception will be held at 5:30 p.m., and a discussion moderated by Associate Professor Robert Baum following the film.

“The Last Supper,” shot in the U.S., Philippines, Thailand, Japan, Kenya, South Africa and Sweden, is about the discrepancy between historical “meaning” and contemporary use of the last supper traditionally given to prisoners facing the death penalty. Former death row chef Brian Price reconstructs one of the 200 final meals that he prepared during his time as inmate in Huntsville State Prison in Texas.

Upcoming TREE workshop on teen dating violence

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Cross-posted from the Teen Relationship Education website. TREE is sister organization to The Center.

Teen Relationship Education and Empowerment invites you to learn more about developing youth programming — specifically tailored by you — to meet the educational and spiritual needs of your youth.

To participate, your community needs a team of at least two adults and two youth members to attend the workshop and help brainstorm, design and implement your programming.

In addition to the workshop, TREE can provide educational resources, event coordination, speakers and supplies.

The two-day workshop will be held 2-6 p.m. Sunday, April 10, and 5-9:30 p.m. Monday, April 11, 2011.

At the workshop you can learn about definitions and staistics of teen dating violence, relevant activities and speakers, TREE lending library resources and more.

Included with your participation are consultations with the project coordinator and networking opportunities with other religious groups, as well as previous TREE teams.

You must register for the workshop by April 6. For more information, e-mail TREE Coordinator Kim Gage Ryan at kim@teenrelationshipeducation.org.

Learn about challenges facing teens today at ‘Caring Adults = Resilient Teens’

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Youth workers, clergy, teachers and others are invited to a practical workshop aimed at helping adults to better understand and address the needs of mid-Missouri teens.

“Caring Adults = Resilient Teens” is open to the public, including youth workers, clergy, faith community members, parents, caregivers and teachers.

The workshop is 5 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, April 28, at the Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services. Limited scholarships are available to cover the $15 fee. A light supper is included in the cost.

Speakers will equip adults with practical tools to help teens become healthy and happy young adults.

The program is coordinated by the Missouri School of Religion. Co-sponsors are the Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services; the MU Center on Religion & the Professions; Phoenix Programs, Inc.; the Teen Relationship Education and Empowerment project (TREE); and the Youth Community Coalition. Speakers from those groups comprise the speakers.

Pre-registration is required. To register or inquire about a scholarship, please call the Missouri School of Religion, (573) 635-1187, or email krystalmsr@earthlink.net.

Author to speak at MU about lynched WWI veteran

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Douglas Hunt, the author of “Summary Justice: The Lynching of James Scott and the Trial of George Barkwell in Columbia, Missouri, 1923,” will speak at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 27, in Ellis Library at the University of Missouri.

Hunt’s lecture, “Presumed Innocent: Regina Almstedt, James Scott and the Mob,” will discuss the true story of Scott, a decorated World War I veteran. He will give a summary of the incident and evidence pointing to Scott’s innocence. The Rev. Clyde Ruffin, the pastor of Second Missionary Baptist Church in Columbia, will also discuss plans to raise a monument on Scott’s unmarked grave.

For more information, call Rebecca Ballew at (573) 882-7083 or e-mail ballewr@umsystem.edu.