Tomorrow at New York University's Institute for Public Knowledge, Erica Robles will present "The Crystal Cathedral Megachurch: Architecting the Rise of Mediated Congregation." The talk, which runs from 12-2pm, will focus on the confluence of architectural postmodernism and emergent media technologies in the reconfiguration of sacred space under the glittering arches of the American megachurch.
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Announcements, events, and opportunities related to topics of interest to TIF readers are posted here. Additionally you may find round-ups of news items and brief commentary on current events.
For a listing of all of the events announcements, click here.
For a listing of announcements regarding books, click here.
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Reshaping Islam’s image with… comic books?
by Grace YukichThe events of September 11th, 2001, changed the image of Islam for many in the world. The religion that, most Muslims argue, is one of peace came to be seen by many as inherently violent and backwards. Naif al-Mutawa, a Kuwaiti psychologist with several degrees from American universities, wanted to counter this image, one he saw as confusing Islam as a religion with the extremism of a few of its followers. As reported recently in an interview with The Atlantic, al-Mutawa responded in an unexpected way---by creating a comic book series.
April 20, 2010
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The Kenyan constitution and the failure of Pan-African theology
by John D. BoyIn The Zeleza Post, Wandia Njoya comments on the upcoming referendum on a new constitution in Kenya, where the Christian churches have sided with the opposition. She argues that the reasons given by churches for opposing the draft constitution are specious and, worse yet, sexist and racist; the churches' stance evidences their failure to buck western evangelicalism and craft a liberating theology.
April 20, 2010
events
Lecture: Michael Warner on “Sex and Secularity” at NYU
by Charles GelmanOn Thursday evening, Michael Warner will give the annual LeBoff Lecture at New York University, for which he will draw on his ongoing work on secularism in antebellum America. The lecture, entitled "Sex and Secularity," will be hosted by NYU's Council for Media and Culture. Details are available here.
April 20, 2010
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‘What funeral?’ A response to Eddie Glaude
by Sam HanEddie Glaude's proclamation that "The Black Church is Dead" has had a vast ripple-effect across the Web. Recently, Candice Benbow, over at Selah and Amen, offered a lengthy assessment of Professor Glaude's article.
April 20, 2010
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Education and American civil religion
by John D. BoyEducation Review, an open-access online journal, reviews the recently published Public Education, America's Civil Religion: A Social History (Teachers College Press, 2009) by Carl Bankston III and Stephen Caldas. While critical of some aspects of the argument laid out in the book, the reviewer is intrigued by the authors' account of the development of schooling in the United States through the concept of "civil religion" and their skeptical perspective on Americans' devotion to education.
April 21, 2010
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Religion and violence in the early church
by John D. BoyThe ever prolific American historian Philip Jenkins recently published yet another book, The Jesus Wars, which deals with the issue of "religious violence." In a guest contribution to the Washington Post's On Faith blog, he argues that a historical exploration of the violence in Christendom during the fifth through seventh centuries C.E. can help us understand religion-based violence in our day and age.
April 21, 2010
events
Colloquium: secularism and its discontents
by Jonathan VanAntwerpenEvent: Secularism and Its Discontents: The View from Jewish Studies. Herbert D. Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies, University of Pennsylvania, 16th Annual Gruss Colloquium, May 3-4, 2010. More details here.
April 22, 2010
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Obama’s rapprochement with U.S. Muslim groups
by Sam HanMax Fisher at the Atlantic Wire has compiled a set of articles and blog posts around the Web dealing with the rather complex relationship that the Obama administration currently has with U.S. Muslim groups. These range in opinion from those who believe the President is not doing enough to those who believe that Obama is somehow a friend to Islamic extremists.
April 23, 2010
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Secularism and religious co-existence in Lebanon
by John D. BoyThis weekend, a group of Lebanese citizens will take to the streets of Beirut to participate in a Laïque Pride rally. In the Guardian's Comment is Free blog, Elias Muhanna provides some background to this event.
April 24, 2010