Conference Examines Religion and War

WHAT:
The links between God and war will be examined during a two-day conference at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

“The Holy War Conference” will feature discussions of whether these links have been misunderstood or exploited, and how to account for the modern proliferation of holy war.

WHEN:
Nov. 15: 2 – 4 p.m.; coffee break followed by keynote address at 5 p.m.
Nov. 16: 9 – 11 a.m.

WHERE:
UIC Institute for the Humanities
Stevenson Hall, lower level
701 S. Morgan St.

DETAILS:
Participating scholars will explore centuries of holy war across various faiths and borders and the connections to imperial, national, and religious political movements. The scholars will also individually address specific religious traditions.

Panel discussions will offer a comparative look at the differences and similarities among conceptions of religious violence, and how religion has been used to justify such actions.

The keynote address, “Revelation and Militancy in the Traditions of Abraham,” will be delivered by Michael Sells, professor of Islamic history and literature in the Divinity School at the University of Chicago, and author of the forthcoming book “The God of War: America in a World of Religion.”

Admission is free. For more information, call (312) 996-6352 or check the conference schedule.

Rachel Havrelock, UIC associate professor of English and Jewish studies, organized the event, sponsored by the UIC Institute for the Humanities and UIC College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.