Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion Will Present Lecture on Islamic-Christian Relations

November 2, 2015
Paul Marshall

Paul Marshall courtesy photo.

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Media contact: Terry Goodrich, (254) 710-3321

WACO, Texas (Nov. 2, 2015) – Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion well welcome Paul Marshall, Ph.D., for a lecture on Islamic-Christian relations at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, in the Cox Lecture Hall of Armstrong Browning Library.

Marshall is a Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute’s Center for Religious Freedom and the author and editor of more than 20 books on religion in politics. He also has written several hundred articles, and his writings have been translated into Russian, German, French, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Norwegian, Danish, Albanian, Japanese, Malay, Korean, Arabic, Farsi and Chinese.

His lecture, “Is Christian-Muslim Conflict Inevitable? The Role of Indonesia,” will explore the complex but persistent patterns of conflict between Christendom and the Islamic world. To avoid escalation, it is important to learn from parts of the world that have different, positive patterns. Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim country, should be an example to both worlds.

“Dr. Marshall is one of the world’s leading researchers when it comes to the issue of religious freedom,” said Byron Johnson, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of the Social Sciences and director of the Institute for Studies of Religion. “He will be discussing his latest research on the topic of religious freedom in Indonesia, where the majority of the population is Muslim.”

Marshall makes frequent media appearances and has been featured on ABC Evening News, CNN, PBS, Fox and the British, Australian, Canadian, South African and Japanese Broadcasting Corporations. His work has been published in or is the subject of articles in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times and The Dallas Morning News.

“Religious freedom is restricted in many countries around the world,” Johnson said. “Paul Marshall’s lecture will provide insights of how religious freedom can exist even in Muslim majority countries and thus improve civil society.”

Marshall received a B.S. from the University of Manchester, M.S. from the University of Western Ontario, M.Phil. from the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto and M.A. and Ph.D. from York University.

This event is free and open to the public, but registration is encouraged.

Armstrong Browning Library is located at 710 Speight Ave.

For more information, contact the Institute for Studies of Religion at 254-710-7555.

by Ashton Brown, 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