College of Wooster’s Academy of Religion free public lecture series

“It’s a great series, a gem. It’s a good way for the community and college to connect, and I always learn a lot from the lectures,” Wooster resident Pat Petsch said. Petsch has attended the Academy of Religion lectures for many years.This year marks the 48th time the series is offered for free to both the campus and local communities. It is geared for persons of any background and endeavors to explore the chosen topic from multiple religious perspectives. This year’s topic is Religious Fundamentalisms: The Clash of True Believers.Fundamentalism is the rigid belief in the basic principles of any discipline. While fundamentalism is often connected with religious organizations, it also can be applied to others such as some groups of atheists and neoliberal economists. Fundamentalism excludes considering differing points of view, being rooted in extreme and exclusive beliefs in a certain way of thinking. Charles Kammer, academic dean of the Fall Academy, explains this year’s program will examine “A variety of religious fundamentalisms in an attempt to understand the causes, structures and psychology of fundamentalist movements with the hope of discovering some way past the impasse and conflict that a world divided by conflicting fundamentalisms has created.” Kammer is The James F. Lincoln professor of religious studies at The College of Wooster. Members of the College of Wooster Religious Studies Department along with the college’s former chaplain will present the lectures.Kammer will open the series with The Fundamentals of Fundamentalism on Sept. 14. On Sept. 21 Dr. Jeremy Rapport, associate professor of religious studies, will discuss American Reactionary Movements: The Case of Christian Fundamentalism.The following week on Sept. 28 the topic will be Islamic Fundamentalism, Between Neo-Nazis and Neocommunists. The presenter is Dr. Sarah Mirza, assistant professor of religious studies. On Oct. 5 will be a lecture by Dr. Joan Friedman, associate professor of religious studies, on Strands of Jewish Fundamentalism.The last two lectures of the series include the Oct. 12 topic of The Tension Between Hindu Universalism and Religious Exclusivism. Dr. Ishwar Harris, Synod professor of religious studies, emeritus, will be the lecturer. The series concludes on Oct. 19 with Linda Morgan-Clement, former chaplain at The College of Wooster and currently dean of spiritual and religious life at Lawrence University. Morgan-Clement will discuss The Interfaith Alternative to Fundamentalism. The community is invited to join in this dialogue and to engage in the conversation. Kammer said, “Is there a way to a more peaceful future, to a world where concern for the common good transcends concern for ideological purity, a world where the dignity of all persons is recognized and respected irrespective of belief systems?” Perhaps the answer will lead to a more just and peacefully inclusive society. Lectures occur weekly on Wednesday evenings at 7:30 p.m. on the campus of The College of Wooster in Lean Lecture Hall. Lean is located on the lower level of Wishart Hall at Bever and University Streets. For more information call Charles Kammer at 330-263-2473 or email him at ckammer@wooster.edu.