Interfaith Symposium Will Highlight Peace Service

Released: October 21, 2004

MILWAUKEE – An interfaith symposium on peace service in the Islamic, Christian, and Jewish traditions will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 30, at Marquette University 's Alumni Memorial Union (Room 227). The event is free and open to the public.

Peace service is work that directly addresses conflict through methods of active nonviolence. The symposium, Peace Service in the Abrahamic Traditions, is designed to foster collaborative learning about the foundations of peace service within the three faith traditions. It features speakers and respondents from each of the traditions.

Presenters include Imam Rashied Omar, coordinator of the J.B. Kroc Institute for Peace Studies at Notre Dame University, Dr. Michael Duffey, associate professor from Marquette University 's Department of Theology, and Dr. Sherry Blumberg, educator at Congregation Am Echod in Lynbrook , Illinois . Respondents are Rabia Harris from the Muslim Peace Fellowship, Dr. Carol Frances Jegen, BVM, from Loyola University 's Institute of Pastoral Studies, and Dr. Amy Shapiro from the Department of Philosophy at Alverno College.

Co-sponsors of the symposium are Marquette University, which welcomes students from all states and over 80 countries in its undergraduate and graduate programs, and Global Peace Services USA , a nonprofit, non-governmental organization, promoting education for active nonviolent peace services.

Additional information is available at http://www.marquette.edu/theology/ , or from Dr. Irfan Omar at 414-288-2746.