Trinity Hosts Secularism Forum
On November 2, the Trinity campus community and many
welcomed guests gathered in the Washington Room for the inaugural
event of the Institute for the Study of Secularism in Society and
Culture (ISSSC). With a half-dozen of the world’s most prominent
contemporary voices on secularism and religion as participants, the
overflow crowd witnessed and engaged in a lively debate that
examined the controversial line of separation between church and
state and the contested relationship between public culture and
religion.
After opening
remarks from Barry Kosmin, the institute’s director, the afternoon
kicked off with the first session, “Secularism and American Public
Life.” Mark Silk, director of the Trinity Program on Public Values
(comprising both the Greenberg Center for the Study of Religion and
Public Life and the ISSSC), acted as moderator for panelists
Christopher Hitchens, columnist for Vanity Fair; Susan
Jacoby, author of Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism;
and Peter Steinfels, religion columnist for the New York Times.
“The event was an all-around success,” says Silk. “The turnout among
students was terrific, the discussions were lively, and the insights
were fascinating.”
The second panel,
“Secularism in the Academy,” was moderated by President Jones and
included three distinguished scholars: Eileen Barker, professor of
sociology, emeritus, London School of Economics; Michael Ruse,
professor of philosophy, Florida State University and the author of
many books on evolution and religion; and David Hollinger, professor
of history and department chair, University of California,
Berkeley. The panelists, all of whom work on issues relating to
secularism, discussed the role and future of secularism in higher
education.
The ISSSC, which
aims to advance understanding of the role of secular values and the
process of secularization in contemporary society and culture, was
made possible by the generous support of the Posen Foundation of
Lucerne, Switzerland. The institute will serve as a forum for civic
education and debate through lectures, seminars, and conferences as
part of the College’s new Program on Public Values, an initiative
designed to foster a comprehensive understanding of some of the
central issues and ideas of the contemporary world.
For additional
information and photos, please go to
www.trincoll.edu/Academics/AcademicResources/values/ISSSC/events/default.htm#inaugural.
Contributed by Carlin Carr
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