IGE and the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University partnered on June 16 and 17 for “Evangelicals and Muslims: Conversations on Respect, Reconciliation, and Religious Freedom.”

The following is the original press release:

IGE’s annual Global Leadership Forum (GLF) will feature an honest conversation between Muslims and Evangelicals about their deepest differences. The forum will seek to equip participants with practical ideas concerning religion’s impact on their context and vocation. GLF tackles the toughest issues while challenging and equipping people of faith to better engage the world. Past speakers have included former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, former USAID Directors Andrew Natsios and Brady Anderson, theologian Miroslav Volf, Washington Post Columnist Michael Gerson, and Muslim World experts Hadia Mubarek and Achmed Younis.

GLF 2009 seeks to equip participants with a practical perspective for understanding those of another faith, beginning with an open forum from 7:00 to 8:30pm on Tuesday, June 16, entitled “Voices of Muslim-Christian Understanding.”

Wednesday, June 17, will feature three panels on Respect, Reconciliation, and Religious Freedom. The first panel at GLF 2009 will examine the sources for mutual understanding and respect in each tradition.

The second panel features an examination of the term ‘reconciliation,’ focusing both on the deep theological, cultural, and political differences between the two great traditions and on the common points of agreement which could become the beginning of a larger reconciling process.

The third panel will be a frank discussion of religious freedom. What happens in Muslim countries if a Muslim converts to Christianity? Alternatively, how have Muslims perceived and experienced Christian missionaries in Muslim countries? How are Muslims treated in Christian majority countries, especially related to the construction of new mosques?

In the end, we hope that GLF 2009 will assist participants to better understand the issues that divide—and connect—these two great traditions and will enable pastors and imams to bring back new insights to their congregations.

Schedule of Events

16 June 2009
Gaston Hall, Georgetown University

7:00pm to 8:30pm Voices of Muslim-Christian Understanding
Plenary featuring Pastor Dr. James Movel Wuye, Imam Dr. Muhammad Nurayn Ashafa, Dr. John L. Esposito, Dr. Chris Seiple and Dalia Mogahed

17 June 2009
Copley Formal Lounge, Georgetown University

9:00am to 10:30am “On Respect”
This conversation examines the sources for mutual understanding and respect in each tradition.

Speakers:
Dr. John O. Voll, Georgetown University
Dalia Mogahed, Gallap Center for Muslim Studies
Dr. Jennifer Bryson, Witherspoon Institute
Imam Mohamed Magid, ADAMS Center
Moderator: Dr. John L. Esposito, Georgetown University

11:00am to 12:30pm “On Reconciliation”
This conversation focuses on the reconcilable differences between the two great traditions and on the common points of agreement between the two faiths.

Speakers:
Imam Dr. Muhammad Nurayn Ashafa, Interfaith Mediation Centre
Pastor Dr. James Movel Wuye, Interfaith Mediation Centre
Imam Saafir Rabb, Masjid Khalifah
Dr. Andrew Saperstein, Yale University
Moderator: Dr. Chris Seiple, Institute for Global Engagement

1:30pm to 3:00pm “On Religious Freedom”
This conversation discusses religious freedom for Muslims and Christians across the world.

Speakers:
Dr. Timothy Samuel Shah, Council on Foreign Relations and Boston University
Ahmed Younis, Gallup Center for Muslim Studies
Suhail A. Khan, Institute for Global Engagement
H. Knox Thames, co-author, International Religious Freedom Advocacy (Baylor University Press, 2009)
Moderator: Dr. John Borelli, Georgetown University

For more information, please RSVP to Abigail Skeans at askeans@globalengage.org