Theologian Richard Mouw to speak on interfaith dialogue, religious civility Feb. 24-25

MEDIA ADVISORY

David Ruth
david@rice.edu
713-348-6327

Jeff Falk
jfalk@rice.edu
713-348-6775

Theologian Richard Mouw to speak on interfaith dialogue, religious civility Feb. 24-25

HOUSTON – (Feb. 11, 2015) – Richard Mouw, a leading American theologian and philosopher, will discuss interfaith dialogue and religious civility at three events presented by Rice University’s Boniuk Institute for the Study and Advancement of Religious Tolerance Feb. 24-25. The events are free and open to the public.

Mouw, the former president of Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif., and currently the Professor of Faith and Public Life in Fuller’s School of Theology, will kick off his series of events with a Feb. 24 discussion, “When Heaven’s Door is Shut: Can Exclusive Religions be Tolerant?,” with Jeffrey Kripal, Rice’s J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought. The discussion will be at 7 p.m. in Herring Hall, Room 100, 6100 Main St. Public registration is required here: http://boniuk.rice.edu/HeavensDoorShut.

On Feb. 25, Mouw will join Elaine Howard Ecklund, Rice’s Autrey Professor of Sociology, co-director of the Boniuk Institute and director of Rice’s Religion and Public Life Program, for an 8 a.m. discussion on “Civil Religion and Religious Civility: The Role of Religious Arguments in Public, Political and Legal Spheres” in Sewall Hall, Room 307. A breakfast reception will follow. The event is co-sponsored by the Religion and Public Life Program.

Mouw also will speak on “Christian Civility” at 7 p.m. Feb. 25 at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 5308 Buffalo Speedway. More information about this talk can be found here.

The Boniuk Institute was founded in 2013 with a gift from Houston philanthropists Dr. Milton and Laurie Boniuk. It is an expansion of the Boniuk Center that was created at Rice in 2004 with a gift from the Boniuks. The Boniuk Center was dedicated to nurturing tolerance among people of all and no faiths, especially youth, and to studying the conditions in which tolerance and intolerance flourish. The Boniuk Institute’s expanded mission focuses on research, education and community engagement.

Members of the news media who want to attend should RSVP to Jeff Falk, associate director of national media relations at Rice, at jfalk@rice.edu or 713-348-6775.

For a map of Rice’s campus, go to www.rice.edu/maps/maps.html.

-30-

Follow the Boniuk Institute via Twitter @BoniukInstitute.

Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews.