- 2003-04 NEXUS Interfaith Dialogue Series: Faith and Civic Engagement
- Dreadful Sorry, Guys
- Spring 2004 Symposium: Law, Religion and Politics: Election 2004 & Beyond
- Is Democracy a Dinosaur?
2003-04 NEXUS Interfaith Dialogue Series: Faith and Civic Engagement
A series of moderated panel discussions among members of diverse religious traditions focusing on the appropriate relationship between religion and politics. Panelists have been selected on the basis of both their active faith life and their professional knowledge about the issues.
Programs:
Beginning of Life Issues
October 20, 2003
When does human life begin? When does a potential human receive its soul (ensoulment)? How do views about ensoulment affect the way we view abortion, stem cell research, etc.? At what point of gestation should the potential human be granted civil rights?
Panelists: Deacon Keith A. Fournier, Esq., Founder of the "Your Catholic Voice" movement, constitutional lawyer (Roman Catholic); Edward H. Karotkin, M.D., Neonatalogist, Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters (Conservative Jew); Ruth McCall-Miller, Parent Trainer, First Home Care (Muslim); Betsy Wright Rhodes, Religion Columnist, The Virginian Pilot (former Protestant, new Catholic); Dilip Sarkar, M.D., Retired cardiologist, past Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Hindu Temple of Hampton Roads (Hindu).
Moderator: Cathy Lewis, host of "Hear/Say with Cathy Lewis" program on WHRV-FM.
End of Life Issues
November 17, 2003
When does human life end? When does the soul leave the body? How much or little should humans limit methods of keeping someone alive? Should assisted suicide or euthanasia be legal?
Panelists: Hussein M. Aboulatta, M.D., F.A.C.C., Cardiovascular Medicine (Muslim); Leigh Baltuch, M.D., Psychiatric Consultant and Medical Director of the Geropsychiatric program at DePaul Hospital (Conservative Jew); Nancy Buermeyer, Advocate, End of Life Issues, The Raben Group; Rev. Richard P. Chasse, D. Min., Director of Pastoral Care, De Paul Hospital (Episcopalian); Dilip Sarkar, M.D., F.A.C.S.- Retired cardiologist, past Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Hindu Temple of Hampton Roads (Hindu).
Moderator: Michael E. Panitz, Ph.D., Rabbi of Temple Israel in Norfolk
Faith Communities and the Political Process
February 9, 2004
How little or much should faith communities be involved in the political process? Should faith communities lobby politicians for their causes? Should faith communities have an influence on the selection of Supreme Court justices?
Panelists: The Rev. Dr. Benjamin D. Berry, VWC History professor, Civil Rights activist, UCC clergy (Protestant); Dr. Ahmed Noor, Trustee of the Mosque and Islamic Center of Hampton (Muslim); Robert M. Rubin, M.D., Retired dentist, Community activist (Reform Jew); Patrice Schwermer, Social justice activist (Roman Catholic); Tuni Singh, Social justice activist (Sikh).
Moderator: Cathy Lewis, host of "Hear/Say with Cathy Lewis" program on WHRV-FM.
Public Servants and Faith
Monday, April 26, 2004
Should faith influence public servants in their choices/votes? How open should a public servant express his/her faith?
Panelists: Imam Vernon Fareed, Spiritual leader at Masjid William Salaam in Norfolk (Muslim); Judge Bert Sachs (Conservative Jew); Del. Robert F. McDonnel (Roman Catholic); Del. Winsome Sears (Evangelical Christian).
Dreadful Sorry, Guys
October 18, 2003
A monodrama with music, conceived, written and performed by Claudia Stevens, pianist, actor, and vocalist. Text and original music Claudia Stevens; additional music by Debussy and Brahms; additional text by E. E. Cummings.
Impetus for this piece came with the 1999 murder of Ms. Stevens’ friend, Gary Matson, and his partner, Winfield Mowder, near Redding, California, a hate crime perpetrated by members of the World Church of the Creator. It explores the universal human impulse to destroy those different from ourselves and the attempt to make amends afterwards, expressing collective guilt when it is too late.
Partially funded by a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts.
Symposium: Law, Religion and Politics: Election 2004 & Beyond
As we approach Election 2004, questions of the proper relationship between religion and politics persist. What is the appropriate role of religion in elections and politics? Should religious views shape the law? Should they shape civil rights? Are the Ten Commandments the moral foundation of American Law?
Programs:
India and the United States: Courts and Religious Rhetoric in Elections
February 12, 2004
Shylashri Shankar, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Government, University of Texas; Postdoctoral Fellow, Center on Religion and Democracy, University of Virginia.
Law, Politics and the Ten Commandments
February 19, 2004
Paul Finkelman, Ph.D., Chapman Distinguished Professor, University of Tulsa College of Law.
American Jews & Election 2004: Issues and Loyalties
March 4, 2004
Yehezkel Landau, M.T.S., Faculty Associate in Interfaith Relations, Center for Faith and Practice, Hartford Seminary.
The Religious Right's Hopes, Fears, and Plans
April 15, 2004
Julie Ingersoll, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, University of North Florida.
The Black Church & Election 2004: Hopes, Fears, and Political Action Plans
April 22, 2004
Michael J. Battle, M.Div., Ph.D., S.T.M., Assistant Professor of Spirituality and Black Church Studies, Duke University Divinity School.
Is Democracy a Dinosaur?
Why bother to vote? Does democracy matter? Is "our" democracy different from democracy in the Middle East or elsewhere? How do we know what we know about politics? When is democracy inconvenient? Irrelevant? Inappropriate? What is expected of citizens? How should or could the academy nurture good citizenship? Should we care about voter apathy?
Virginia Wesleyan College and the Community Mediation Center of Hampton Roads partnered on this initiative which was partially funded by a grant from the Center for Liberal Education and Civic Engagement, a project of the Association of American Colleges and Universities and Campus Compact.
Opening Lecture:
The Paleontology of Democracy: Lessons from Greece and Rome
February 3, 2004
Lynn Sawlivich, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Classics, Virginia Wesleyan College.
Dialogues:
A series of faculty-student facilitated dialogues
Is Democracy Irrelevant?
February 10, 2004
Dan Margolies, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of History, and Amber Randolph '05.
Democrats are Immoral and Republicans are Uncaring: So What Else Do I Need to Know?
Tuesday, February 17, 2004
Sharon Vaughan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Political Science, and Kevin Bianco '05.
People of a Democratic Society: Engaged Citizens or Dutiful Robots?
February 24, 2004
Craig Wansink, Ph.D., Professor of Religious Studies, and Frances McNally '06.
Promoting Active Citizenship
March 2, 2004
Joyce Easter, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Chemistry, and Kevin Wright '06.