October 10 , 2008

Christian-Muslim Relations: The Role of Media and Education

  Bethlehem University Hosts International Conference: 15-17 Oct 2008

Are they extremists? Are they faithful followers? How do we come to understand each other? How do we teach students about Christians and Muslims? How do Islamic and Christian textbooks portray the other? What influence does the popular media have on how we interact and view ourselves and those who are from a different faith-tradition?

Christian and Muslim scholars will once again gather to break bread, pita, and barriers at Bethlehem University as they explore these and other topics concerning the influence of media and education on Christian-Muslim relations.

The second annual International Conference on Christian Muslim relations, organized by the Religious Studies department and co-sponsored by the International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU), the Friends of Bethlehem University in England and Wales (FoBU-UK), and the Pontifical Mission in Jerusalem (PMP), will take place at the university in Bethlehem, Palestine, from 15-17 October 2008, during the 35 th anniversary week of Bethlehem University, the first Palestinian university establishing in the West Bank and the only Catholic university in the Holy Land.

Focusing on the influence of media and education on Christian-Muslim relations, the Conference will include participants from Greece , Italy , Germany and the United Kingdom , as well as scholars from four Palestinian universities: Al Najah University in Nablus ; Al Quds University in Jerusalem ; Al Aqsa University in Gaza and Bethlehem University in Bethlehem .

“The participation of several Palestinian universities shows an interest and willingness to build better relations between Christians and Muslims and the participation of international speakers highlights the necessity of a global dialogue in order to build a better future,” said Father Jamal Khader, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at Bethlehem University.

The conference will begin with an opening session at 10am on Wednesday, October 15 th and close with a panel discussion at 2:30pm on Friday, October 17 th and will include more than fifteen speakers and eight sessions. On Thursday, 16 October, esteemed British journalist Virginia Clark will deliver the Father Michael Prior Memorial Lecture, sponsored by the Living Stones of the Holy Land Trust, and entitled “ The Influence of the Evangelical Zionist Lobby on Perceptions of Islam in the Western Media .”

To register to attend the conference or for more information about the program details and speakers, please visit: http://religiousconference.bethlehem.edu/