Westminster College will focus on Christian/Muslim relations next week.

 The first event features The Right Rev. Dr. Michael Nazir-Ali, the 106th Bishop of Rochester.  He will deliver the 18th annual Wayne H. Christy Memorial Lecture, Sunday, Sept. 26, at 7 p.m. in Wallace Memorial Chapel. 

Nazir-Ali, who was born and raised in Pakistan and currently holds citizenship in his native country and the United Kingdom, will speak on "The Role of Religion in the Current International Situation."  He was the youngest Anglican bishop in the world, and the first Asian religious leader to sit in the House of Lords.

He is the author of a number of books on Christian mission and on inter-faith issues, particularly on Islam.  He was the chair of the group which wrote The Search for Faith published in 1996, which examined some of the barriers to people believing in Christ today.  He is a regular contributor to national, international and local newspapers, the Church Press, radio and television.

 Two members of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Interfaith Listening Team from India will attend The Christy Lecture, and remain on campus until Tuesday evening.

 In addition to lecturing in several classrooms all three days, the team, Dr. Andreas D'Souza, a Christian, and Dr. Ismat Mehdi, a Muslim, will lead several events that are open to the public.  Monday at 12:30 p.m. they will lead is a discussion at Westminster's McKelvey Campus Center; Monday, at 6:30 p.m. a public forum is planned at the McGill Center in New Castle; and Tuesday at 7 p.m. another public forum is planned at the Westminster's Wallace Memorial Chapel. 

 The Interfaith Listening Project was designed to bring Christians and Muslims together for listening and conversation around the world.  Each team includes a Christian and a Muslim who share their experiences of the realities and challenges of Christian-Muslim relationships.

"Our hope is that through this dialogue, we will explore the complexities of living in our multi-religious world," said Dr. Robert VanDale, professor of religion emeritus and director of Westminster's Peace and Resolution Center.  "We may find ways to accept God's call to work together for the well-being of our communities and for justice, peace, and the healing of creation."

 D'Souza is the director of the Henry Martyn Institute, an international center for Research, Interfaith Relations and Reconciliation, located in Hyderabad, India. 

 Mehdi has taught classical Arabic literature, Arab history and culture, and modern literature for over 20 years.  She was the first secretary for culture and director of the Indian Culture Center at the Embassy of India in Cairo from 1991-1995.

 Both events are free and open to the public.  For more information, contact Dr. Andrea K. Grove, assistant professor of political science, at (724) 946-7254 or e-mail groveak@westminster.edu.

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