Gustavus Serving as Partner Site for Religion Conference

Gustavus Adolphus College will present Trinity Institute’s 38th National Theological Conference, Religion and Violence: Untangling the Roots of Conflict, on Jan. 21-23. While the conference will take place in New York City, Gustavus will serve as one of the regional partner sites, which have been established throughout the United States and Canada to enable groups to participate through an online telecast.

The conference will bring together a panel of prominent Christian, Jewish, and Muslim theologians to explore the deeply rooted, seemingly inexorable union of religion and violence. Conference participation is open to clergy and laypersons of all faith traditions.

Keynote speakers include bestselling author and former Roman Catholic priest James Carroll, Charles A. Briggs Distinguished Professor of Systematic Theology at Union Seminary James Cone, Eli Black Chair on Jewish Studies at Dartmouth College Susannah Heschel, and Senior Research Fellow at St. Anthony’s College (Oxford), Doshisha University (Kyoto, Japan), and the Lokahi Foundation (London) Tariq Ramadan.

Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal church Katharine Jefferts Schori will preach the opening Evensong.

The conference schedule is as follows:

Monday, Jan. 21 — Melva Lind Interpretive Center, Linnaeus Arborteum

• 4 p.m.: Opening Reception and Registration
• 4:30 p.m.: Theological Reflection Group
• 6 p.m.: Opening Evensong
• 7:30 p.m.: Adjourn

Tuesday, Jan. 22 — St. Peter Room, C. Charles Jackson Campus Center

• 8 a.m.: Opening Remarks
• 8:15 a.m.: James H. Cone — Presentation and Q&A
• 9:45 a.m.: Break
• 10 a.m.: Theological Reflection Group
• 11:15 a.m.: Lunch (on your own)
• 1 p.m.: Susannah Heschel — Presentation and Q&A
• 2:30 p.m.: Break
• 2:45 p.m.: Theological Reflection Group
• 4 p.m.: Adjourn

Wednesday, Jan. 23 — St. Peter Room, C. Charles Jackson Campus Center

• 8 a.m.: James Carroll — Presentation and Q&A
• 9:30 a.m.: Break
• 9:45 a.m.: Theological Reflection Group
• 11 a.m.: Lunch (on your own)
• 12 p.m.: Tariq Ramadan — Presentation and Q&A
• 1:30 p.m.: Break
• 1:45 p.m.: Theological Reflection Group
• 3:15 p.m.: Closing Panel
• 4:15 p.m.: Adjourn

The registration deadline to participate at the Gustavus partner site is Wednesday, Jan. 16. The registration fee is $10 per person. For registration information and questions contact Marilyn Beyer in the Office of Church Relations at 507-933-7001 or mbeyer@gustavus.edu.