In the Wall Street Journal, Andrew Higgins profiles Adnan Oktar, an Islamic creationist from Turkey, and reports on both his fans and critics.
here & there
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.
The unlikely disciple
by Nicole GreenfieldKevin Roose goes undercover with a group of Liberty University students trying to convert spring breakers in Daytona Beach.
Condoms, AIDS, and the pope
by Laura DuaneA New York Times editorial addresses the recent statement by Pope Benedict XVI about the role of condoms in the spread of AIDS.
Aristotle and Islam
by Laura DuaneEric Heinze writes in the Guardian about a question posed to him by two Muslim students, on the compatibility of Aristotle's philosophy and Islam.
The “two cultures” are further apart than ever
by Nathan SchneiderIn Britain's New Humanist, Elaine Glaser argues that the humanities, not science, is where secularists should make their case against religion.
How to disestablish the Church of England
by Daniel VacaRuth Gledhill writes in the London Times about a campaign to have non-believing Britons rescind their baptisms in the Church of England. With support from the National Secular Society, the campaign hopes that that a lower count of baptized Church members will translate into diminished membership numbers and, ultimately, the disestablishment of the church.
A People’s History of Christianity
by Laura DuaneMary Jacobs of the United Methodist Reporter has interviewed Diana Butler Bass about her new book, A People's History of Christianity.
Metaphysics in a time of terrorism
by Nathan SchneiderIn the latest issue of Commonweal, Terry Eagleton ponders religion, culture, and "tragic humanism."
What is “belief”? Who cares?
by Daniel VacaOn Thursday, April 2, Columbia University will host a graduate student conference entitled "Belief Matters: Reconceptualizing Belief and Its Use." Dedicated to examining how "concepts of belief and believing remain central to how scholars, practitioners, institutions, and states conceptualize what religion is and how it operates," the conference will include addresses from Penny Edgell and Michael Taussig as well as responses from Courtney Bender, Mark C. Taylor, and Wayne Proudfoot.
A religious war in Israel’s army
by Nicole GreenfieldThe New York Times' Week in Review discusses the conflict between the views of the secular and the religious in Israel's army.