Three-Day Conference in April Explores Tolerance Within the World's Religions

BARD’S INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED THEOLOGY PRESENTS THREE-DAY CONFERENCE IN APRIL ON TOLERANCE WITHIN THE WORLD’S RELIGIONS Renowned Scholars Discuss the Topic of Tolerance in Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Graeco-Roman Philosophy ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y.—The Institute of Advanced Theology at Bard College presents a three-day conference, “Religious Resources of Tolerance,” from Tuesday, April 24, through Thursday, April 26. Free and open to the public, the programs are held in the Weis Cinema of the Bertelsmann Campus Center. The conference is cochaired by Jacob Neusner, Distinguished Service Professor of the History and Theology of Judaism at Bard, Bruce Chilton, Bernard Iddings Bell Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Bard, and William Scott Green, Senior Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education at the University of Miami. Participants include renowned scholars Robert Berchman of Dowling College; Bradley Clough of American University of Cairo; Danny Jorgensen of University of South Florida; Baruch A. Levine of New York University; Alan J. Avery-Peck, Ibrahim Kalin, and William Reiser of College of the Holy Cross; Vincent J. Cornell and Kevin Corrigan of Emory University; and Ismail Acar, Richard Davis, Carolyn Dewald, and Kristin Scheible of Bard College. “Religions are sources of intolerance, but they also contain teachings that foster interfaith understanding, and we will examine some of these,” explains Professor Neusner, organizer of the conference. Professors Chilton and Neusner’s students, who are taking a seminar this semester based on the conference papers, chair several presentations and ask the first question of each session. “Religious Resources of Tolerance” is presented at Bard with a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and additional support from the Templeton Foundation and the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love. (Please note that any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily reflect those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.) The Institute of Advanced Theology was established to foster the kind of critical understanding, based on scholarship, that would make true religious pluralism possible. Since its inception in 1996, the Institute’s work has focused on how religions influence history, society, and other religions, and are in turn influenced by them. The Institute gratefully acknowledges support from members of the Institute, the Crohn Family Trust, and Tisch Family Foundation, as well as grants from The Levy Economics Institute and Bard College. To register for the conference or for further information, call the Institute office at 845-758-7279, e-mail iat@bard.edu, or visit the website www.bard.edu/iat. __________________________________________________ A Program of the Institute of Advanced Theology at Bard College Conference: “Religious Resources of Tolerance” Tuesday, April 24, through Thursday, April 26, 2007 Weis Cinema, Bertelsmann Campus Center Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York
Conference chairs: Jacob Neusner and Bruce Chilton, Bard College; William Scott Green, University of Miami

Tuesday, April 24

12:45 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Greeting, Michèle Dominy, Dean of the College, Bard College

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. The “What” and “Why” of Religious Toleration William Scott Green, University of Miami

2:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Christianity: The Christian Claim for Tolerance in Graeco-Roman Controversy Bruce D. Chilton, Bard College

3:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. The Pre-Christian West: Graeco-Roman Paganism: Political Foundations of Tolerance in the Graeco-Roman Period Robert Berchman, Dowling College

4:30 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. The Pre-Christian West: Graeco-Roman Paganism: Ritual Resources of Tolerance in Graeco-Roman Religion Kevin Corrigan, Emory University

6:00 p.m. Dinner, Faculty Dining Room, $20

7:15 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Tolerance in Ancient Israelite Monotheism Baruch A. Levine, New York University

Wednesday, April 25

9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Graeco-Roman Paganism: Literary Expressions of Tolerance in the Graeco-Roman Period Carolyn Dewald, Bard College

10:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Christianity: The Roman Catholic Understanding of Religious Tolerance in Modern Times. The Second Vatican Council William Reiser, College of the Holy Cross

11:30 a.m. Lunch, Faculty Dining Room, $5.00

1:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Mormonism: The Mormon Narrative: A Public Policy toward “Gentiles” in the Mormon Commonwealth Danny Jorgensen, University of South Florida

2:15 p.m. – 3:30 p.m Judaism: Structures of Accommodation to Idolatry in the Rabbinical Laws of Idolatry Jacob Neusner, Bard College

3:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. Judaism: Tolerance of Idols and Idol Worshippers in Early Rabbinic Law: The Case of Mishnah Tractate Avodah Zarah Alan J. Avery-Peck, College of the Holy Cross

4:45 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Islam: Islamic Public Policy of Tolerance Ibrahim Kalin, College of the Holy Cross

6:00 p.m. Dinner, Faculty Dining Room, $20

7:15 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Islam: Theologies of Difference and Ideologies of Intolerance in Islam Vincent J. Cornell, Emory University

 

Thursday, April 26

9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Islam: Theological Foundations of Religious Tolerance Ismail Acar, Bard College

10:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Buddhism: Toward a Buddhist Policy of Tolerance: The Case of King Ashoka Kristin Scheible, Bard College

11:30 a.m. Lunch, Faculty Dining Room, $5.00

1:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Buddhism: A Policy of Intolerance: The Case of Sinhala Buddhist Nationalism Bradley Clough, American University of Cairo

2:15 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Hinduism: Hindu Public Policy of Tolerance and Intolerance Richard Davis, Bard College

3:30 p.m. Adjournment

This conference is presented at Bard with a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and additional support from the Templeton Foundation and the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love.
Please note that any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily reflect those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

This event was last updated on 04-26-2007

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