A publ icat ion of the Center for the Study of Rel ig ious Freedom at Vi rginia Wesleyan Univers i ty | SPRING 2020
Emma González
GUN LAW REFORM A
CTIVIST, USA
Gwendolyn Myers
PEACE ADVOCATE, LIBERIA
Malala Yousafzai EDUCATION ACTIVIST, PAKISTAN
Rizky Ashar Murdiono
YOUTH ACTIVIST, INDONESIA
Harry Myo Lin
HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST,
MYANMAR
Greta Thunberg CLIMATE ACTIVIST, SWEDEN
LEADING CHANGE TODAYBuilding Young Leaders for Tomorrow
1 L E A D I N G F O R C H A N G E
Reflecting on how so many Germans abdicated responsibility and leadership during the Nazis’ rise to power in World War II, Rev. Martin Niemöller shared a prose version of this poetic confession.“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me.”
LEADING FOR GOODNESS’ SAKE
Passivity, as he noted, doesn’t lend itself to progress. The human race doesn’t simply drift toward that which is good and pure. Martin Luther King, Jr. famously said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” However, as former Attorney General Eric Holder also cautioned, “It only bends toward justice because people pull it toward justice. It doesn’t happen on its own.” Sometimes specific individuals are in positions or situations – like President Abraham Lincoln in the 1860s – in which they can make a clear difference through their leadership. And when we see the divisions he helped breach, and the way in which he did so, we recognize the difference strong leadership can make.
Other acts of leadership grow out of daily life or work. Two years ago when Siobhan O’Connor was Executive Assistant to the Bishop of the Diocese of Buffalo, this faithful Catholic recognized that she had to speak out. In hundreds of pages of personnel files she had found, she discovered that the Bishop had been allowing priests accused of sexual assault to stay on the job for years. “The reality of what I saw really left me with no other option,” she said, “because at the end of my life, I’m not going to answer to Bishop Malone. I’m going to answer to God.” Leadership as a concept is abstract. But it becomes significant when it starts with ourselves, when we have a clear moral compass, and when we recognize that we need to lead ourselves, not drift. The vision statement for the Center for the Study of Religious Freedom focuses not just on “inform-ing” and “transforming” students and community members, but also on “equipping” them to be leaders in society. In the last 23 years of the life of the Center, never has there been more need for individuals to see them-selves as having the ability and the call to be change agents and leaders.
2P RO G R A M M I N G & PA RT N E R S H I P S
ON-DECK PROGRAMTuesday, February 11 | 11-11:50 am
BLOCKER HALL AUDITORIUM
Leading Social Change through PoetrySARAH BROWNING
As an activist and former community organizer – and in the spirit of Ella Jenkins, Pete Seeger, Adrienne Rich, and others – Sarah Browning uses poetry to show possibilities for political and social change. As a co-founder and Exec-utive Director of Split This Rock, a socially con-scious literary organization, she has highlighted how poets working in community can lead to social change. Learn why Browning believes that poetry is important to leaders today.
Thursday, February 13 | 11-11:50 am
BLOCKER HALL AUDITORIUM
Lincoln’s Mystic Chords Recovering Our Better AngelsDR. TIMOTHY O’ROURKE
Dr. Timothy G. O’Rourke, Vice President Emeritus, served as Chief Academic Officer at VWU from 2007 to 2019, first as the Kenneth R. Perry Dean of the College and Vice President for Academic Affairs and then through his 2016 appointment to Provost and Vice President.
Abraham Lincoln’s two inaugural addresses, along with the Gettysburg Address, do much to capture his principles and politics and the challenge of adapting principles to circumstances.The two inaugural addresses are end pieces – Lincoln is trying, first, to keep the Union from coming apart, and second, to bring it back together. In all three addresses, Lincoln seeks to establish the common ground – or, indeed, the hallowed ground – that can bring Americans together.
LEADING FOR CHANGEWho are we called to be and what might awaken us to action? Join us as we look at leadership through five different lenses: poetry; the words of Lincoln; the art of comics; the failure of leadership; and entrepreneurship (the new age of discovery).
This semester, as we are guided by provocative speakers, as we engage in hard discussions, and learn new ways to lead, we invite you to be a part of this journey.ALL EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Sarah Browning is author of Killing Summer (Sibling Rivalry Press, 2017), co-founder and immediate past Executive Director of Split This Rock, and Associate Fellow of the Institute for Policy Studies, a progressive think tank dedicated to building a more equitable, ecologically sustainable, and peaceful society.
LEADING FOR GOODNESS’ SAKE
3 L E A D I N G F O R C H A N G E
In combatting the terrorist group Boko Haram, the Nigerian military used counterinsurgency tactics that resulted in widespread human-rights violations, rape, and gender-based violence against the civilian population. Dr. Modupe Oshikoya highlights the violence perpetrated by those who were supposed to be in charge of protecting the civilians, shows how leadership and oversight came to be distorted, and brings us all to ask, “Who guards the guards?”
Thursday, March 12 | 11-11:50 am
BLOCKER HALL AUDITORIUM
Who Guards the Guards When Leadership Goes Bad? The Gendered Silences in the Nigerian Military Response to the Boko Haram InsurgencyDR. MODUPE OSHIKOYA
Tuesday, March 10 | 11-11:50 am
BLOCKER HALL AUDITORIUM
Leadership through the Art of ComicsThe Holocaust through the Lens of 1955’s ‘Master Race’ DR. STEPHEN HOCK
Whether they are called comic books or graphic novels, works like Maus or V for Vendetta use not just compelling characters and engaging plots, but also striking art to shape how readers enter the story. Reflecting on an early comic-book story about the Holocaust – Bernard Krigstein’s Master Race – Dr. Stephen Hock highlights how to effectively read comic books and shows the distinctive ways in which they make an impact.
Stephen Hock, Associate Professor of English at VWU, has a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature and Literary Theory from the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to teaching a variety of courses in American literature, he also teaches “The Art of Comic Books,” a course that focuses on formal analysis of the narratives produced by the union of words and images.
Dr. Modupe Oshikoya, Assistant Professor of Political Science at VWU, has served as a Research Associate at the Interfaith Mediation Centre in Kaduna, Nigeria, and as a Senior Officer at the International Affairs and Defence Section of the House of Commons, Houses of Parliament in London. Her research on the Nigerian military led to her receiving the APCG-Lynne Rienner Best Dissertation in African Politics 2019 award.
4P RO G R A M M I N G & PA RT N E R S H I P S
In the last 20 years, Americans increasingly have shifted their self-understanding from an industrial/organiza-tional paradigm to one that is primarily entrepreneur-ial. That has happened in religion, communication media, human relationships, political paradigms, and – of course – business. Life has changed, with tradition-al corporate loyalties being replaced with “Shark Tank” instincts and innovation. This talk highlights how shifts today are illuminated through travelers during the Age of Discovery, the vision they had, and the mutinies they encountered. This lecture focuses on how to navigate in a society that increasingly focuses on entrepreneurship in every aspect of life.
The Center for the Study of Religious Freedom regularly creates project-based partnerships with VWU courses to help students recognize how religious freedom issues shape their daily lives. Last semester, the Center worked with Dr. Bryson Mortenson, Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Choral Music, and his WES 200 course on “Protest Music,” as his students wrote on the role specific songs played in seeking to effect social change. Megan Coffren ‘22 and Landry Moffo ‘22 wrote the winning essays.
PROTEST MUSIC AND SOCIAL CHANGE ROBERT C. NUSBAUM ESSAY CONTEST
The New Age of Discovery What Do Ferdinand Magellan and Elon Musk Have in Common? DR. PATRICK J. MURPHY
Embracing the Church of Tomorrow TodayREV. OLU BROWN
How to lead change? How to look at technology, hospitality, worship, and church systems in the 21st century? This two-day seminar focuses on how to anticipate and embrace change, particularly in an institution – the church – that frequently is reluctant to do so.
Dr. Patrick J. Murphy, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, serves as Goodrich Endowed Chair for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Professor in the Collat School of Business at the University of Alabama (Birmingham).
Support for the On-Deck events is provided by The Lighthouse: Center for Exploration & Discovery at VWU.
Rev. Olu Brown is the lead pastor of Impact Church near Atlanta, GA. In 2016, Impact Church was listed as one of the top 100 fastest growing churches in America (and the fifth fastest growing United Methodist congregation). Brown is well-known as the author of Zero to 80: Innovative Ideas for Planting and Accelerating Church Growth, Leadership Directions from Moses, and 4D Impact: Smash Barriers Like a Smart Church.
Monday, March 23, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Tuesday, March 24, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Seminar Fee: $75 (includes lunch on Monday and a light breakfast on Monday and Tuesday).
This seminar is open to all and also awards one continuing education credit for clergy from the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church.
If you are interested in registering for the 2020 Boyd Institute with Rev. Brown, please contact Kelly Jackson ([email protected]) at the Center for the Study of Religious Freedom.
ON-DECK PROGRAMThursday, April 16 | 11–11:50 am SUSAN S. GOODE FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
BOYD INSTITUTE SEMINAR ON LEADERSHIP IN THE CHURCH
Monday, March 23 & Tuesday, March 24 SUSAN S. GOODE FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Megan’s essay focused on the 1976 song Zombie, by the Nigerian band Fela Kuti’s Afrika ’70. The essay highlighted how both the lyrics of the song and the musical style of Afrobeat were used in protesting the devastation caused by Nigeria’s military. The lyrics to Zombie – words like right turn / about turn / double up / salute – mocked Nigerian soldiers
who were seen as lacking free will, blindly following orders from the ever-changing military leaders. In addition, the unstructured beats and freestyle music of Afrobeat were used as a juxtaposition to the regimented trumpet and drums of military music. Similarly highlighting both the lyrics and the style of the music, Landry focused on the 1970s protests in Jamaica against the country’s oppressive political structure. Max Romeo’s Let the Power Fall on I wastes no time in getting to the theme of the song. Both the self-assertive title and the lyrics that evoke a Rastafarian prayer serve as words of protest, with the reggae form used as a clear example of protest music.
5 J U S T I N E L . N U S B A U M L E CT U R E
Tuesday, February 18 | 11–11:50 am BLOCKER HALL AUDITORIUM
ISRAEL, PALESTINE, VWU STUDENTS, AND THE ART OF WAGING PEACEVirginia Wesleyan Batten Honors College Students, with Dr. Craig Wansink and Kelly Jackson
Robert C. Nusbaum In 1995, Robert C. “Bob” Nusbaum inspired the creation of the Center for the Study of Religious Freedom at Virginia Wesleyan. In a memorial article in 2018, Bob’s son Bill noted that his “father’s actions were animated by the Jewish idea of tikkun olam, a Hebrew phrase that essentially translates to ‘perfect the world.’”
Please join us as we pay tribute to Bob’s enduring vision at the Justine L. Nusbaum Lecture to be held on Tuesday, April 28.
Tuesday, April 28 | 7 - 8:30 pm
SUSAN S. GOODE FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
The Art of Waging Peace Why Peace Literacy MattersPAUL K. CHAPPELL
Born in Alabama to a Korean mother and African-American father, Paul K. Chappell is a West Point graduate, former Army captain, and Iraq War veteran. His military service taught him that people don’t simply gravitate toward peaceful behavior, in large part because they aren’t trained to do so. In an era when humanity has the technolog-ical capacity to destroy itself, and when humans frequently don’t control their own dispositions, Chappell realized the need for us to become as well-trained in waging peace as soldiers are in waging war. This evening he shows how peace literacy frames peace not merely as a goal but as a practical skill-set that addresses the root causes of our human problems. Paul K. Chappell is an international peace educator, author of the seven-book Road to Peace series, and the Peace Leadership Director of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation.
How does someone work for peace in a deeply fractured part of the world? What steps can be taken? Join 15 VWU students who – in a CSRF-sponsored travel course in January 2020 – visited kibbutzim, experienced homestays with Palestinians, had a Shabbat meal in the home of a Jewish Rabbi, talked with Lutheran farmers, met Bedouins, dined in the home of a Druze family, and talked with Jewish and Muslim parents whose children were killed in armed conflict. In addition, the students met with a variety of organizations that work toward peace in the region – with people very different from themselves. Join us as these students share their research on the challenges of this fascinating country.
Peace Literacy has the capacity to repair our broken parts and create a nonviolent world anchored in dignity, meaning, purpose, and compassion for all. Given the crucial role that Peace Literacy can play, I support the recognition of education in Peace Literacy as a universal human right. ARCHBISHOP EMERITUS DESMOND TUTU
6S T U D E N T R E F L E CT I O N S
PEACE LEADERSHIP with JACKLYN CHEELY ’19
Jacklyn Cheely ’19 laughed at herself, shrugged her shoulders, and said, “Feel free to share that I had no idea
what or where Chernobyl was. I had never heard of it!” Cheely, a bright, engaging, joy-filled, focused, and self-deprecating alumna, was reflecting on her summer internship with Paul K. Chappell at the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation (NAPF). Not long after arriving at NAPF in Santa Barbara, she was in a staff meeting when Chernobyl was mentioned. Cheely, who hadn’t yet been born in 1986 when the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the Soviet Union exploded, asked, “What is Chernobyl?” Her colleagues at NAPF, along with an engaging HBO series, quickly educated her on the disaster. Cheely grinned with the recognition that there probably were plenty of other things that she did not yet know. During her years at VWU, Cheely
studied sociology and religious studies, played tennis and was all-conference (ODAC) in field hockey, and consis-tently looked for ways to make a differ-ence. Her engagement with the Center for the Study of Religious Freedom was strengthened when she took the course “Mediating Religious Conflict.” Not only did she learn the difference between dialogue and debate, she ac-quired practical skills that continue to serve her well when discussing difficult and contentious topics. She was introduced to Paul Chappell when she took a CSRF travel course in January 2018. Prior to leaving for Israel and Palestine, stu-dents participated in a peace literacy workshop with Chappell. The work-shop provided grounding for the trip abroad, giving students a new lens for looking at conflict in the region. After graduating in May 2019,
Cheely interned with Chappell in Santa Barbara for the summer before begin-ning a graduate program in peace and development studies at the University of Limerick. Cheely stopped by the Center in December while she was home for the holidays. She reflected on the power of peace literacy to change the world. “What if all world leaders, and all people everywhere, were trained in peace literacy?” she asked. “What would the world look like?” Cheely quickly answered her rhetorical question. A peace literate world would be safer and less violent. Leaders would focus on the root causes of many national and global problems, and we would all have concrete tools for waging peace.
At the Center, we believe that one of the best ways that we can honor Bob Nusbaum is to nurture the Jewish idea of perfecting the world – tikkun olam – in students like Jack-lyn Cheely. We are grateful for her leadership.
7 N E X U S I N T E R F A I T H D I A LO G U E
Deliberation is a particular kind of talk. Effective leaders recognize that such talk goes beyond discussion or debate so as to seek the best solutions for everyone. Most religious and faith-based organizations
share a deep commitment to the well-being of their
communities. Yet despite their best efforts, many
communities continue to struggle to make progress
on pressing issues.
For the past several years, the Center for the
Study of Religious Freedom has been part of a
national Kettering Foundation faith-based research
exchange. Our working group has focused on
strengthening the capacities of religious
organizations and communities to help the
broader community solve persistent problems.
This semester, the Nexus Interfaith Dialogue
series is using the deliberative dialogue format
supported by the Kettering Foundation to explore
two crucial issues for our country: how to prevent
mass shootings; and how to handle immigration.
Each dialogue uses an issue guide that presents
three options for addressing the issue, along with
the drawbacks for each of the options.
Deliberative dialogue is participatory and is
best when conducted in small groups that are
facilitated by trained moderators. To help us to plan
for a good experience, please let us know that
you’d like to participate.
Call 757-455-3129, or email the Center at [email protected] to RSVP.
Sponsored in partnership with the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities (VCIC) and Hands United Building Bridges (HUBB)
Coming to AMERICA
Whom Should We Welcome, What Should We Do?
How Should We Prevent Mass Shootings in Our Communities? Monday, March 9 | 7–9 pm JANE P. BATTEN STUDENT CENTER | PEARCE SUITE
Monday, April 20 | 7–9 pm JANE P. BATTEN STUDENT CENTER PEARCE SUITE
8CA M P U S P RO G R A M S
Ethics and Higher EducationETHICS BOWL DEMONSTRATIONTuesday, February 4 | 7–8:30 pm MONUMENTAL CHAPEL
The Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges’ (VFIC) annual Ethics Bowl competition brings together student teams from each of the 15 VFIC member institutions for lively debate and consideration of applied ethics – real-world dilem-mas that affect people’s lives in increasingly complex ways. As the Virginia Wesleyan team prepares to compete at the 2020 VFIC Ethics Bowl, the Center for the Study of Religious Freedom hosts a debate demonstration that gives the audi-ence the opportunity to interact, critique, and discuss. Please come help students prepare for the VFIC competition, which is held on February 9 and 10 at the University of Lynchburg.
The Virginia Wesleyan 2020 VFIC Ethics Bowl team members are Anitra Howard ’24, Celine Maharaj ’25, Katy Niedzwiecki ’24, Alex Powers ’21, and Criofan Shaw ’25 (alternate), with VWU Professor of Communication Dr. Kathy Merlock Jackson as faculty coordinator.
ON-DECK PROGRAMWednesday, February 26 | 7–8 pm SUSAN S. GOODE FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Diversity Regimes When Diversity is Everywhere, It’s NowhereDR. JAMES M. THOMAS
In his newest book, Diversity Regimes (Rutgers University Press, 2020), Dr. Thomas draws on two years of ethnographic fieldwork at an American public university to illustrate the conflicts between core actors over how to define, organize, and implement diversity within an institution of higher education. He discusses his research during a public lecture on Wednesday evening. Dr. James M. Thomas is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Mississippi, and is the author of four books, over 20 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, invited essays, and numerous commentaries in popular press. Thomas’s research has been featured in The New Yorker, The Washington Post, The Pacific Standard, and Slate Magazine. His research interests are in the areas of race and racism, inequality, affect, and Empire.
Thursday, February 27 | 11 am–12:30 pm
Building Coalitions for Change on College CampusesDR. JAMES M. THOMAS Workshop open to VWU students
Virginia Wesleyan students are invited to participate in a workshop designed to teach skills for building coalitions for change on campus.
Coming to AMERICA
Whom Should We Welcome, What Should We Do?
In “Life Matters,” members of the Wesleyan community offer autobi-ographical reflections on their emotional, intellectual, and spiritual experiences. These deeply personal talks create meaningful opportuni-ties for greater understanding and connection, encouraging each of us to think about what has shaped us and given our own life meaning.
Tuesday, February 25Dr. Michael Hall VWU Lambuth M. Clarke Professor of English
Thursday, April 23Dr. Larry HultgrenVWU Professor of Philosophy and Batten Professor
11-11:50 am JANE P. BATTEN STUDENT CENTER | PEARCE SUITEPlease feel free to bring a bag lunch or purchase lunch in the Boyd Dining Center.
LIFEMatters
The series is co-sponsored with the Chaplain’s Office and the Center for Innovative Teaching and Engaged Learning at Virginia Wesleyan University.
How Should We Prevent Mass Shootings in Our Communities? Monday, March 9 | 7–9 pm JANE P. BATTEN STUDENT CENTER | PEARCE SUITE
PAGE 9 - FROM THE STAFF] Please use both pictures of Craig and Kelly (serious and playful)
T wo images were central to Bob Nusbaum’s vision of the necessity of a center. One image was not an attractive one. It was of genocide, of the Holocaust, of religious people hating, persecuting, and killing people of other faiths. It highlighted a world adrift.
If that was the disease or the problem, then the other image was the cure or a hope for the future. The second image – reflecting the leadership of James Madison and Thomas Jefferson – was that of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom and the First Amendment. Religious differences exist. However, through that statute and amendment, Americans acknowledged the reality of diversity and came to claim it as an important part of our heritage. At its core, the Center recognizes that diversity exists, and that diversity strengthens us. At the same time, we recognize that without dialogue, diversity feels more threatening than empowering. Diversity and dialogue are critical to issues involving faith and freedom. Diversity and dialogue are needed more than ever in so many arenas of life in the United States. That was what we heard repeatedly last semester when we went through a systematic self-study. We met with three different focus groups (students, faculty and staff, and community members) in reflecting on advancing our mission. Surprisingly, there was a lot of consensus among the three groups. Participants from each constituency appreciated the Center’s inclusive and welcoming environment for learning about diverse perspectives and beliefs. People also appreciated the relationship building opportunities that came from respectful discussion on tough topics. Students were especially interested in creating space for cultivating deeper knowledge and understanding of topics that are relevant in daily life. They want to hear from people who are personally impacted, and they want greater opportunities for meaningful dialogue. One student described it as “teaching us how to understand the world.” We look forward to sharing more of the feedback later this semester, as we announce some changes in our future. As the two of us finish our sixth year back at the Center, and as the CSRF finishes its 23rd year, we are humbled by, and grateful for, your support. We need leaders. We need you. Thank you for your commitment to diversity and dialogue today.
We need leaders.
When society drifts,
it does not drift in
meaningful or healthy
ways. When we drift,
we don’t drift toward
healthier or more
meaning-filled lives.
And so this last semester,
we deliberately paused
to reflect on where we
have been and where we
need to go in the Center.
9 F RO M T H E S TA F F
Craig and Kelly
We appreciate your trust and support in our common mission. If you are able, please visit www.vwu.edu/giveonline and make a donation. Designate your gift to the Center for the Study of Religious Freedom (CSRF).
CALENDAR PAGE 10 10CALENDAR OF EVENTS
ALL CSRF EVENTS ARE FREE, OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, AND
HELD ON THE VWU CAMPUS *Registration is requested for Nexus
Interfaith Dialogue events. Please contact the Center at 757-455-3129
or [email protected] to register.
MARCH
9 How Should We Prevent Mass Shootings in Our Communities?* NEXUS INTERFAITH DIALOGUE Monday, 7–9 PM Batten Center, Pearce Suite
10 Leadership through the Art of Comics The Holocaust through the Lens of 1955’s ‘Master Race’
LEADING FOR CHANGE SERIES Dr. Stephen Hock Associate Professor of English, VWU Tuesday, 11-11:50 AM Blocker Hall Auditorium
12 Who Guards the Guards When Leadership Goes Bad?
The Gendered Silences in the Nigerian Military Response to the Boko Haram Insurgency
LEADING FOR CHANGE SERIES Dr. Modupe Oshikoya Assistant Professor of Political Science, VWU Thursday, 11-11:50 AM
Blocker Hall Auditorium
23 Embracing the Church of Tomorrow Today
24 BOYD INSTITUTE Rev. Olu Brown Lead Pastor of Impact Church, Atlanta GA 2-Day Seminar on Leadership in the Church
Goode Fine & Performing Arts Center (Registration required. Fee $75)
FEBRUARY
4 Ethics and Higher Education ETHICS BOWL DEMONSTRATION Tuesday, 7-8:30 PM Monumental Chapel
11 Leading Social Change through Poetry LEADING FOR CHANGE SERIES Sarah Browning Co-founder, Split This Rock Tuesday, 11-11:50 AM Blocker Hall Auditorium
13 Lincoln’s Mystic Chords Recovering Our Better Angels LEADING FOR CHANGE SERIES Dr. Timothy O’Rourke Vice President Emeritus, VWU Thursday, 11-11:50 AM Blocker Hall Auditorium
18 Israel, Palestine, VWU Students, and the Art of Waging Peace
Virginia Wesleyan Batten Honors College students, with Dr. Craig Wansink and Kelly Jackson
Tuesday, 11-11:50 AM Blocker Hall Auditorium
25 LIFE MATTERS: Dr. Michael Hall Lambuth M. Clarke Professor of English, VWU Tuesday, 11-11:50 AM Batten Center, Pearce Suite
26 Diversity Regimes: When Diversity is Everywhere, It’s Nowhere
Dr. James Thomas Associate Professor of Sociology University of Mississippi Wednesday, 7-8 PM Goode Fine & Performing Arts Center
Understanding RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
CRAIG WANSINK, PH.D. Joan P. and Macon F. Brock, Jr. Director
KELLY JACKSON, Associate Director
ERIC MAZUR, PH.D. Center Fellow for Religion, Law, and Politics
EDITORCraig Wansink, Ph.D.
MANAGING EDITORKelly Jackson
ART DIRECTORChristine Hall
PRODUCTION MANAGERJanice Marshall-Pittman
Understanding RELIGIOUS FREEDOM is published twice a year by the
Center for the Study of Religious Freedom at Virginia Wesleyan University
757.455.3129 [email protected] | www.vwu.edu/csrf
APRIL
16 The New Age of Discovery What Do Ferdinand Magellan and Elon Musk Have in Common? LEADING FOR CHANGE SERIES
Dr. Patrick J. Murphy Goodrich Endowed Chair for Innovation and
Entrepreneurship, Univ. of Alabama Thursday, 11-11:50 AM Goode Fine & Performing Arts Center
20 Coming to America: Whom Should We Welcome, What Should We Do?* NEXUS INTERFAITH DIALOGUE Monday, 7–9 PM Batten Center, Pearce Suite
23 LIFE MATTERS: Dr. Larry Hultgren Professor of Philosophy and Batten Professor, VWU
Thursday, 11-11:50 AM Batten Center, Pearce Suite
28 The Art of Waging Peace: Why Peace Literacy Matters JUSTINE L. NUSBAUM LECTURE Paul K. Chappell Peace Leadership Director, NAPF Tuesday, 7-8:30 PM Goode Fine & Performing Arts Center
Virginia Wesleyan Batten Honors College Students, with Dr. Craig Wansink and Kelly Jackson at the Western Wall in Jerusalem (January 2020).
Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage
PAIDNorfolk, VA Permit 275817 Wesleyan Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23455
Pictures taken during a CSRF travel course to Israel and Palestine in January 2020 (see article on page 5).
