FAITH AND POLITICS: LIFE, LIBERTY AND

2011 Cultural Institute weekend is July 21-24.

Faith and Politics: Life, Liberty and Political Pursuits

This course will explore intellectually and practically the confluence between religion and U.S. politics. Dr. Abraham brings this subject to life with his charming Irish humor and real-world examples. Participants will learn to identify the history, content and logic of American civil religion; gain an understanding of how personal faith and public life interact in America; and become familiar with the possibilities and problems civil religion encounters in the assimilation of new immigrants, including Muslim immigrants. Two highlights of the course will be visits to the Dar Al Islam mosque and the St. Francis de Assisi church.

About the Instructors
William J. Abraham is the Albert Cook Outler Professor of Wesley Studies at SMU’s Perkins School of Theology and was appointed an Altshuler Distinguished Teaching Professor in 2003. He earned a Master of Divinity degree from Asbury Theological Seminary and a doctorate from the University of Oxford in England. A native of Northern Ireland, Abraham has authored numerous articles in philosophy and theology. Currently he is researching the relation between theology and terrorism, and he recently was awarded the distinguished Crosson Fellowship for the research at the Center for Philosophy and Religion at the University of Notre Dame.

For more information
Contact Allison Curran at: taosci@smu.edu or call 214-768-TAOS (8267).