Let’s Talk About It: Muslim Journeys

All of the Muslim Journeys events below will be held in Concordia University’s Buenger Education Center.

1.       September 26, 2013, 7:00 pm:  Immigrants and Spiritual Pluralism in America and The Experiences of a Muslim Immigrant. 

Dr. Butler, author of Religion in Colonial America, will provide us with historical background on the development of religion in America.  He reminds us that we as a people have always been religiously diverse; religious pluralism is a central part of what defines us as Americans.  As each new wave of immigrants settled in our communities, new challenges for understanding these new belief systems presented themselves.  The First Amendment and the unique protection it provides nurtured a “spiritual pluralism unlike that found in any society on either side of the Atlantic or Pacific” (Religion in America, p. 141). 

Dr. Bruce Corrie will then present a few demographic highlights of immigrants in our own community.  Dr. Corrie will then introduce Dr. Odeh Muhawesh, CEO and successful business leader from Plymouth, Minnesota, will then tell of his experiences as a new immigrant to the Twin Cities.  Over the past 26 years, Dr. Muhawesh has founded several very successful businesses and established a strong record of growing revenue and developing competitive products for software and service companies.  He holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Theology from International Theological Seminary, specializes in theology and modern Middle Eastern history, teaches at the University of St. Thomas and is an associate of their Muslim-Christian Dialogue Center. 

The remaining programs will be book-talks based on the following titles.  Dr. Debra Beilke and/or Professor Theresa FitzPatrick will introduce the book with a short summary and a few readings followed by an opportunity for us to discuss the book.  When possible, this will be followed by the personal story of an immigrant from a Muslim county and/or a panel discussion by our students. 

2.       October 2,  10:30 am: In the Country of Men, by Hisham Matar,

3.       November 12, 7:00 pm:  Persepolis:  The Story of aChildhood, by Marjane Satrapi

4.       February 11, 2014 7:00 pm:  House of Stone: A Memoir of Home, Family, and a Lost Middle East,  by Anthony Shadid

5.       March 5,  10:30 am:  BrokenVerses, by Kamila Shamsie

6.       April 8, 7:00 pm:  Dreams of Trespass: Tales of a Harem Girlhood, by Fatima Mernissi

For more information, see this link: http://libraryguides.csp.edu/muslimjourneysbooks