Series at UF will explore foundations of major religions

September 16, 2008

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Starting this month, a new series at the University of Florida will explore the history of religious ideas and communities that shape our world today.

“Faithful Narratives: The Challenge of Religion in History” is an interdisciplinary series that introduces new approaches to research and teaching in religious history, with a focus on the Abrahamic traditions of Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Over the course of three semesters, prominent scholars with specializations from antiquity to modern America will engage faculty and students on multiple levels. The series aims to bridge the gap between an increasing public religiosity and a growing ignorance of the historical foundations of those religions.

Susanna Elm, University of California at Berkeley, will speak on the topic “Pagan Challenge and Christian Response: Towards a New Rome” at 4:30 p.m. Sept. 16 in the Ustler Hall Atrium.

Carlos Eire, Yale, follows on Oct. 6 with “When Miracles Ceased: The Protestant Reformation and the Disenchantment of the World” at 7:30 p.m. in Pugh Hall Room 170.

David Nirenberg, University of Chicago, speaks on Nov. 12 about “Sibling Rivalries: Judaism, Christianity, Islam” at 7:30 p.m. in Pugh Hall Room 170.

Concluding the fall 2008 portion of the series is David Ruderman, University of Pennsylvania, whose topic on Dec. 1 is “The People and the Book: The Invention of Print and the Transformation of Jewish Culture.” Ruderman’s speech will be at 4 p.m. in the Ustler Hall Atrium.

In spring 2009, Peter Brown, Princeton; Michael Signer, Notre Dame; John Van Engen, Notre Dame; and Lamin Sanneh, Yale, will round out the term with topics sure to create interest for all eager to learn more about religious history. The conclusion of the series includes renowned scholars Phyllis Mack, Rutgers; Mark Noll, Notre Dame; Anthony Grafton, Princeton; and Kenneth Mills, University of Toronto.

The series is sponsored by The Center for Jewish Studies, the Department of History, the Center for the Humanities, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Office of Research and the Gainesville Christian Study Center. The organizers have also received an outside foundation grant from the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion.

Individual talks are sponsored by the Department of Classics and the Rothman Distinguished Lectures in Classics, the Alexander Grass Chair in Jewish Studies, Center for African Studies, Center for Latin American Studies, Center for European Studies, the Graham Center for Public Policy, and the Richard J. Milbauer Chair in History.

For more information please visit http://web.history.ufl.edu/faithful.html. The public lectures are free and open to the public.