SpeakerDr. Mustafa Gökçek received his BA and MA in International Relations at Bilkent University in Ankara. After studying Russian and conducting research in Moscow for his master’s thesis on the Caspian Sea and legal issues among its littoral states, he pursued doctoral studies in History at the UW-Madison. Dr. Gökçek wrote his dissertation on Tatar intellectual influence in the late Ottoman discussions on Islam and nationalism. He is currently an Assistant Professor of History at Niagara University in Niagara Falls, NY, teaching courses on Middle Eastern, Russian, and Central Asian history.

TopicSecularism and Islam in Turkey: A Historical Perspective

SponsorsASM Associated Students of MadisonMSC Multicultural Council - Multi Cultural Student Center

WhenApril 23, 2010Friday5:30 pm

WhereUW-MadisonHumanitiesRoom 1221455 S. Park St.Madison, WI 53715

Speakers
Prof. Jim Goulding
Prof. Ali Yurtsever
Rabbi Laurie Zimmerman

Topic
Peace in The Religions of Abraham
“The faith of Abraham as Exemplified in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Scriptures”
Sponsors
ASM Associated Students of Madison
MSC Multicultural Council - Multi Cultural Student Center

When
March 3, 2010
Wednesday
5:30  pm

Where
UW-Madison
4151 Grainger Hall

975 University Av.
Madison, WI 53706

Leonard J. Swidler is Professor of Catholic Thought and Interreligious Dialogue at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA where he has taught since 1966. He is the co-founder (in 1964, with Arlene Swidler) and Editor of the Journal of Ecumenical Studies (quarterly). He is also the Founder/President of the Dialogue Institute – Interreligious, Intercultural, International (1978–), and the Founder/President of the Association for the Rights of Catholics in the Church (1980–).

Topic
Dialogue or Death

Sponsors
ASM Associated Students of Madison
MSC Multicultural Council - Multi Cultural Student Center

When
November 23, 2009
Monday
5:30 pm

Where
UW-Madison
University of Wisconsin School of Business
2020 Grainger Hall
Room: 2080 (Nicholas Hall)

975 University Ave
Madison, WI 53706

Movie
Kingdom of Heaven

“Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Speak the truth, always, even if it leads to your death. Safeguard the helpless and do no wrong.”

Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Orlando Bloom, Eva Green, Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson

Kingdom of Heaven is an epic adventure about a common man who finds himself thrust into a decades-long war. A stranger in a strange land, he serves a doomed king, falls in love with an exotic and forbidden queen, and rises to knighthood. Ultimately, he must protect the people of Jerusalem from overwhelming forces while striving to keep a fragile peace.

When
November 18, 2009
Tuesday
6:00 pm

Where
UW-Madison
Vilas Communication Hall
Room: 4008

821 University Ave
Madison, WI 53715

Refreshment
Turkish coffee will be served.

Zeki Saritoprak has been the Nursi Chair in Islamic Studies at John Carroll University since 2003. He holds a Ph.D. in Islamic Theology (The Science of Kalam) from the University of Marmara, Turkey. He earned his Master’s degree in Islamic Theology and Philosophy, and his B.A. in Divinity from the same university. He studied Arabic language for several years in Cairo while researching for his dissertation in Islamic Theology, entitled The Antichrist (al-Dajjal). He is the Founder and former President of the Rumi Forum for Interfaith Dialogue in Washington, D.C.

He researched and taught courses at Harran University (Turkey), Georgetown University, the Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. and Berry College in Rome, Georgia. Some of the subjects he has taught include the science of Kalam, Introduction to Islam, World Religions, Biblical Elements in the Qur’an, Islamic Spirituality, classical and contemporary Islamic movements, and interfaith dialogue as well as courses on Islamic personalities such as al-Ghazzali and Bediüzzaman Said Nursi.

In addition to presenting at numerous conferences and universities over the years, Dr. Saritoprak is also the author of several books and academic articles in Turkish, English, and Arabic.

Topic
Jesus in Qur’an

• The Birth of Jesus
• The Names of Jesus
• Jesus as a Prophet
• The Death of Jesus
• Jesus’ Ascension
• The Descent of Jesus
• Three Approaches on His Descent

Sponsors
ASM Associated Students of Madison
MSC Multicultural Council - Multi Cultural Student Center

When
December 5, 2008
Friday
5:00 pm

Where
UW-Madison
University of Wisconsin School of Business
5120AB, Capitol Conference Room
3259 Grainger Hall

975 University Avenue
Madison, WI 53706

We served dessert.

When
Thursay, November 20, 2008
5:00 pm

Where
UW-Madison
120 Ingraham Hall

1155 Observatory Dr.
Madison, WI 53706

In this 90-minute documentary, Rageh Omaar uncovers the hidden story of Europe’s Islamic past and looks back to a golden age when European civilisation was enriched by Islamic learning.

Rageh travels across medieval Muslim Europe to reveal the vibrant civilisation that Muslims brought to the West.

This evocative film brings to life a time when emirs and caliphs dominated Spain and Sicily and Islamic scholarship swept into the major cities of Europe.

His journey reveals the debt owed to Islam for its vital contribution to the European Renaissance.

When
Thursday
October 30, 2008
5:30 pm

Where
UW-Madison
1211 Humanities

455 N Park St.
Madison, WI 53706

The Parliament of the World’s Religions brings together the world’s spiritual and religious communities, their leaders and their practitioners to a gathering where peace, diversity and sustainability are discussed and explored in the context of interreligious understanding and cooperation. Since 1993, the Parliament has convened in different parts of the world —in North America — Chicago (1993), in Africa — Cape Town (1999), in Europe –Barcelona (2004)–and will convene next in December 2009 in Melbourne, Australia. During the 2009 Parliament, participants will work with others and within their own traditions to craft faithful responses to several issues including global poverty, global warming, environmental degradation and restoration.

This gathering in Madison focused on environmental spiritualities with particular attention given to WATER—its role in our sacred writings, our rituals, our daily lives—and how our traditions can work together to ensure that every creature on earth have access to this precious and essential gift.

A1 & B1. “A Common Word Between Us & You:” Implications for Future Interfaith Dialogue ( 2 Consecutive Sessions)–
A Common Word Between Us and You is an open letter, dated 13 October 2007, from 138 leaders of the Muslim faith to leaders of the Christian faith. It calls for peace between Muslims and Christians and tries to work for common ground and understanding among both faiths based especially on the two main commandments: (1) love God; and (2) love one’s neighbor. In this two-part presentation, Dr. Goulding will address the significance of this document and the responses from various Christian institutions for the future of interreligious dialogue. Asım Şahin will then respond to his presentation and the two of them will enter into dialogue with the participants.
Session A & Session B.
—Dr. James Goulding holds degrees from DePauw University, Yale Divinity, and Claremont Graduate School. After serving 30 year in various capacities at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois, he joined the Edgewood College Religious Studies Department as adjunct professor in 2004 where he teaches courses in World Religions and Islam.

Asım Şahin, a native of Turkey, is a UW-Madison Graduate Student in Industrial Engineering, and a Board Member of Dialogue International.

Where
Edgewood College
Religious Studies Department

When
Sunday, October 12, 2008

Schedule
11:00 am Registration & Vegetarian Lunch, Visit Exhibits/Resources
12:00 pm Welcome & Opening Prayer
2:00 pm Concurrent Sessions A, Lectures/Presentations, Spiritual Practices
3:15 pm Concurrent Sessions B, Lectures/Presentations, Spiritual Practices
5:00 pm Vegetarian-Friendly Dinner
6:00 pm Sacred Concert
8:15 pm Conclusion/Departure

When
Thursday, September 11, 2008
7:00 pm

Where
Red Gym-2nd Floor (MCC Lounge)

Rev. Fr. John Brian Paprock, Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel - Madison, WI

Fr. John Brian Paprock is the priest and vicar of Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission Chapel in Madison , WI . Fr. Paprock was ordained to the Orthodox priesthood in 1987 and continues to serve as a chaplain at area hospitals and hospice.

Topic
God’s world, the natural world and the world of human living seem to work against each other. This talk asked how we can find the way of peace in the diversity, chaos and high-powered life in this century. What is the same and what is different from the age of the scriptures, the moment of creation and this present time? Who made this mess? Why is it allowed?

When
Thursday, May 1st, 2008
5:30 pm

Where
UW-Madison
1111 Humanities

455 N Park St.
Madison, WI 53706