What two topics are usually off-limits in most social settings? You guessed it: politics and religion. Yet, with election 2004 rapidly approaching, debate over the relationship between the two disciplines is intensifying at college campuses across the country.
The Center for the Study of Religious Freedom at Virginia Wesleyan responded by offering three different but related programs to engage students and the community in meaningful dialogue about the importance of citizenship, democracy and religion.
“I think the programs complemented each other well and participants benefited from each format in different ways,” said Craig Wansink, professor of religious studies. “The Nexus program was a series of panel discussions by local experts having to do with the election; the symposium was straight lecture by nationally and internationally known speakers; and the political dialogue series used a small group format to promote discussion between students and members of the community.”
The fifth annual NEXUS series titled “The NEXUS of Faith and Civic Engagement,” co-sponsored by the Tidewater Chapter of the National Conference for Community and Justice and the Virginian-Pilot, featured panelists tackling questions such as: What role should religious belief play in passing laws regarding beginning of life and end of life issues? How much should faith communities be involved in the political process, and to what extent should faith influence a public servant’s choices?
Panelists included physicians, social workers, geriatric specialists, civil rights and social justice advocates and a judge, as well as Virginia delegates Winsome Sears from Norfolk and Robert McDonnell of Virginia Beach. Panelists were selected on the basis of both their active faith life and their knowledge about the issues.
The 2004 Spring Symposium “Law, Religion and Politics: Election 2004 & Beyond” spanned from Feb. 12 to April 22 and featured lectures by experts on a wide variety of topics from the banning of religious rhetoric in elections in India, to the political activism of American Jews, to how politics of the Black Church continue to facilitate civil rights and the empowerment of all people.
“These speakers were very powerful,” said Wansink. “One speaker we had, Yehezkel Landau, is a person who is American-born but immigrated to Israel and has spent his entire life trying to bring together Jews and Muslims. We were able to bring him here because he happened to be in the U.S. teaching students at Hartford Seminary about his peace-keeping efforts.”
In addition to these activities, the Political Science Perspective Film Series presented “A Portrait of America: Images of American Political Culture” showcasing such films as Forrest Gump and Elmer Gantry.