Tuohy Lecturer Kelsay on 'Islam & the Political Future'
The Tuohy Lecture in the Jardine Room at JCU Professor John Kelsay

John Kelsay, who holds the Walter & Mary Tuohy Chair of Interreligious Studies this semester at JCU, delivered the first of six lectures on "Islam and the Political Future" Tuesday night.  "For a long time Americans thought of Islam as something 'over there,'" noted Dr. Kelsay, professor and chair of Religious Studies at Florida State, adding that today it is "the fastest growing religion in the United States, bar none."  JCU Professor David Mason introduced the speaker, observing that the series was planned over a year ago, well before anyone could have predicted how timely the subject would be.  The series resumes on Tuesday night (October 16) at 8 p.m. in the Jardine Room of the Lombardo Student Center and continues on the four succeeding Tuesday evenings.
To hear audio streaming segments of the lecture and Q&A that followed, click on the corresponding image of computer speakers.  (Note:  The content is the intellectual property of John Kelsay.  Anyone desiring to make use of it is asked to contact Professor Kelsay.

"Islam & the Political Future"

Professor Kelsay introduces his series on Islam (8 minutes) First Lecture:  "The Children of Abraham in North America" (48 min)

Q&A
1. Are you saying followers of Islam came to their faith by reflection?  That's what distinguishes this religion? (2:36) 2. First came Moses, then Jesus, then Mohammed.  Did he know of them?  Can we say Mohammed really didn't say anything new? (5:19)
3. Is there conversion implied in the "submission" of Islam?  More than just awareness? (1:10) 4. Do Muslims have the same understanding of good and evil, something like the Commandments, "Thou shall not kill?" (0:27)
5. To what God did Mohammed refer?  Yahweh? (1:31) 6. Didn't Mohammed say that he who does not believe in Christ is doomed? Doesn't that mean he patterns his teaching after Christianity?(4:14)
7. What about the Arab Christians? (2:43) 8. Is Allah a vengeful God? (1:36)
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