The University of Mary Washington’s Khatib Program in Religion and Dialogue will continue its mission of fostering interfaith conversations with a spring lecture series. The evening talks on March 17 and April 9 will bring two distinguished scholars to campus, Avinoam Patt and Jordan Denari Duffner, both accomplished authors and educators in the area of religious studies.
“In 2019, Dr. Reza Khatib and the late Georgianna Khatib endowed the Khatib Program in Religion and Dialogue here at Mary Washington,” said Mary Beth Mathews, director of UMW’s Khatib Program and professor of religious studies. “A response to rising religious violence, the Khatib Program offers an annual academic course for Mary Washington students. It also funds lectures, events and contributions to the UMW community to shine a light on the ways we can better understand each other in an increasingly diverse and changing religious climate.”
The dialogue kicks off Monday, March 17, at 7 p.m. in the Cedric Rucker University Center Chandler Ballroom with the topic, The Golden Land? Antisemitism and American Jewish History, 1654 – Present. During this talk, Patt, professor of Holocaust studies at New York University who holds a joint Ph.D. in modern European history and Hebrew and Judaic studies, will explore the history of antisemitism in America and how Jewish communities have navigated discrimination and prejudice from the colonial period until today.
The series continues on Wednesday, April 9, at 7 p.m. in Combs 237 with the topic, Islamophobia: What We All Should Know (and Do) about Anti-Muslim Discrimination. In this presentation, Duffner, a leading scholar of Muslim-Christian relations with a Ph.D. in theological and religious studies, will speak about the nature of Islamophobia and its impact on Muslim communities and individuals. She’ll also touch on the current geopolitical climate, including the recent surge in violence in the Israeli-Palestinian region, offering practical steps for interfaith solidarity and advocacy.
Mary Washington’s Khatib Program is dedicated to countering religious intolerance by promoting scholarly engagement with religious traditions. Inspired by the personal experiences of Reza Khatib and his late wife, Georgianna, it reinforces their commitment to fostering interreligious dialogue.
“The Khatib Program is pleased to bring to Mary Washington such distinguished speakers for our lecture series,” Mathews said. “It’s important to understand religious hatred and why we should work against it.”
For more information on UMW’s Khatib Program or the spring lecture series, visit the Khatib Program in Religion and Dialogue webpage or contact Professor of Religious Studies Mary Beth Mathews at mmathews@umw.edu.