Grappling with the Global Ethic: Multi-Religious Perspectives on Global Issues

Join us for a two-part conference—one academic, the other practical—tackling global social issues using the resources of numerous religious traditions and of the Global Ethic (the signature document of the Parliament of the World's Religions). Part 1: Academic Conference April 23: 9 AM – 5:30 PM | April 24: 9 AM – 6:00 PM | Reception 6:00-7:30 PM The University of Chicago Divinity School | Swift Hall, 3rd floor Part 2: Practicum April 25: 9 AM – 5:00 PM Chicago Theological Seminary (room TBA) | 1407 E 60th Street All programs are free, including the reception on April 24 Academic Conference: This academic conference brings together leading scholars of several faith traditions. Each scholar will explore a contemporary social issue like human trafficking or Hinduism’s caste system, bringing to bear the unique resources of their traditions as well as the moral directives of the signature document of the Parliament of the World’s Religions, “Towards a Global Ethic: An Initial Declaration,” also known as the Global Ethic. Members of the faculty or graduate students from the University of Chicago will offer responses. Practicum: A day of practical break-out sessions that will take, for inspiration, the academic conference’s conversations about the Global Ethic and social issues (attendance at the conference is not required). Together, participants will identify three social-justice issues in the Chicago area of greatest concern and develop concrete, interfaith plans to address them. The Parliament of the World’s Religions will take up these ideas and bring participants together for future action. Academic Conference Presenters Keynote Lecture by Sumner B. Twiss (Global Ethic and human rights), Distinguished Professor of Human Rights, Ethics, and Religion, Florida State University Presenters: Hille Haker (Catholicism), Richard A. McCormick, S.J. Chair of Catholic Moral Theology, Loyola University Chicago Martin Nguyen (Sunni Islam), Assoc. Professor of Islamic Religious Traditions and Faculty Chair for Diversity, Fairfield University Hsiao-Lan Hu (Engaged Buddhism), Assoc. Professor of Religious Studies, and Women’s and Gender Studies, University of Detroit Mercy Scott R. Paeth (Protestant Christianity), Assoc. Professor of Religious Studies, Peace, Justice & Conflict Studies, DePaul University Amanda Mbuvi (Judaism), Asst. Professor of Religion, High Point University Teresia Hinga (African religions), Assoc. Professor of Religious Studies Santa Clara University Huaiyu (Henry) Wang (Confucianism; Chinese philosophy), High Point University Samaneh Oladi Ghadikolaei (Shi'i Islam), Asst. Professor of Islamic Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University Anantanand Rambachan (Hinduism), Professor of Religion, Philosophy and Asian Studies, Saint Olaf College Rosalyn LaPier (Native American), Assoc. Professor of Environmental Studies, University of Montana