Baylor’s Institute for Studies of Religion Welcomes Bishop Daniel Flores

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Media contact: Terry Goodrich, (254) 710-3321
WACO, Texas (Oct. 24, 2014) – Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion will address the relationship between the secular and sacred with Bishop Daniel Flores at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28, in the Paul W. Powell Chapel of George W. Truett Theological Seminary.
Flores will present a lecture titled “The Church, the State and the Shifting Dynamics of Public Secularity.”
“Public secularity can deeply affect how people of faith understand themselves and what limits are placed on their public articulation and practice of their faith,” said Thomas Hibbs, Ph.D., dean of the Baylor Honors College, adding that it also affects law and culture.
Flores is one of the leading Catholic bishops addressing the issue of public secularity.
“He is a deeply learned man, a humble and wise pastor, and an engaging and witty speaker,” Hibbs said. “Anyone with an interest in our public life and the relations of church and state should find much to appreciate in his talk.”
Flores is the Sixth Bishop in the Diocese of Brownsville, Texas. He earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of Dallas and a master’s of divinity from Holy Trinity Seminary. He also studied at Rome’s Casa Santa Maria and Angelicum University.
Truett Seminary is at 1100 S. Third St. For more information, call the Institute for Studies of Religion at (254) 710-7555.
by Kristen Bennett, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution, characterized as having “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The University provides a vibrant campus community for approximately 16,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Baylor sponsors 19 varsity athletic teams and is a founding member of the Big 12 Conference.
ABOUT THE INSTITUTE FOR STUDIES OF RELIGION

Launched in August 2004, the Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion (ISR) exists to initiate, support and conduct research on religion, involving scholars and projects spanning the intellectual spectrum: history, psychology, sociology, economics, anthropology, political science, epidemiology, theology and religious studies. The institute’s mandate extends to all religions, everywhere, and throughout history, and embraces the study of religious effects on prosocial behavior, family life, population health, economic development and social conflict. While always striving for appropriate scientific objectivity, ISR scholars treat religion with the respect that sacred matters require and deserve. For more information, visit www.baylorisr.org