RADNOR, Pa. (Jan. 3, 2013) – A free speakers series at Cabrini College will feature diverse perspectives on international peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and human rights.
Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Baptist, and Quaker leaders will visit campus beginning in February to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Pope John XXIII’s encyclical, Pacem in Terris, or Peace on Earth.
Renowned religious speakers such as Reverend Fred Kammer, Rabbi Seth Goren and Reverend Anthony Campolo will join Daniel Seeger of the American Friends Services Committee and professors at Saint Joseph’s University and Cabrini College in presenting on the encyclical.
The series is made possible in part by funding from the Public Education for Peacebuilding Support initiative of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP). Each presentation is free and open to the public, and is on the Cabrini College campus (610 King of Prussia Road, Radnor).
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Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013: Reverend Fred Kammer, SJ, executive director of the Jesuit Social Research Institute at Loyola University in New Orleans, La., presents “The Future of Solidarity: Changes and Challenges Facing Catholic Social Thought.”
A renowned speaker in Catholic social justice circles, Reverend Kammer is author of “Doing Faithjustice” (2004), a widely used text on Catholic Social Teaching, and is former president of Catholic Charities USA.
7:15 p.m., the Mansion -
Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013: Gerald Beyer, Ph.D., associate professor of religious studies and theology at Saint Joseph’s University, presents “John XXIII and Human Rights: The Implications for Today.”
The author of “Recovering Solidarity: Lessons from Poland’s Unfinished Revolution (2010), Beyer’s scholarly research focuses on solidarity, Catholic social thought, human rights, economic justice, and political and economic challenges in Poland.
7:15 p.m., Grace Hall -
Wednesday, March 13, 2013: Rabbi Seth Goren, director of Jewish Student Life and associate chaplain at Lehigh University, presents “Reflections on Pacem in Terris, Power and Privilege.”
In addition to his experience in higher education at Lehigh and Princeton universities, Rabbi Goren has also worked with the Israeli Ministry of Justice, the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs, and Jewish Funds for Justice.
7:15 p.m., Grace Hall -
Wednesday, March 20, 2013: Rasheeda Ahmad, Ed.D., assistant professor of education at Cabrini College, presents “Islamic Perspectives on International Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding.”
Ahmad has researched on multicultural and urban education, community-based learning and civic engagement, and disability studies. She provides extensive professional development and instructional materials for educators in Ghana, West Africa.
7:15 p.m., Grace Hall -
Tuesday, March 26, 2013: Leonard Primiano, Ph.D., chair of religious studies at Cabrini, presents “The Meaning of “Peace” in Father Divine’s Peace Mission Movement.” One of the preeminent scholars on the Father Divine Peace Movement, Primiano is co-producer of The Father Divine Project, a multimedia documentary and video podcast about Father Divine, Mother Divine, and the Peace Mission Movement.
He also is writing and producing a documentary film, “I Know You Are God: The Marriage of Father and Mother Divine.”
7:15 p.m., Grace Hall -
Wednesday, April 3, 2013: Reverend Anthony Campolo, professor emeritus at Eastern University, presents “A Baptist Engagement of International Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution.” Author of 38 books on religion and social justice from an evangelical perspective, Reverend Campolo is founder and president of the Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education.
He has created, nurtured, and supported programs for at-risk children in cities across North America, and has helped establish schools and universities in several developing countries. Reverend Campolo is also a spiritual advisor to President Bill Clinton. The Campolo College of Graduate and Professionals Studies at Eastern University bears his name.
7:15 p.m., Grace Hall -
Wednesday, April 10, 2013: Daniel Seeger, of the American Friends Services Committee, presents “Can You Have One Without the Other? Peace and Justice in Pacem in Terris and in Quaker Spirituality.”
A renowned Quaker commentator on religion and social justice issues, Seeger is the subject of a 1965 Supreme Court case (U.S. vs. Seeger), which overturned his previous conviction of refusing the military draft on religious grounds, expanding the merit of conscientious objection in U.S. constitutional law.
7:15 p.m., Widener Lecture Hall -
Wednesday, April 17, 2013: Nicholas Rademacher, Ph.D., associate professor of religious studies at Cabrini, presents “Thomas Merton on Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding.”
Rademacher has researched North American Catholic radicalism—especially the Catholic peace movement—and the work of Paul Hanly Furfey, Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton, and the Berrigan brothers.
7:15 p.m., Widener Lecture Hall
About USIP
The United States Institute of Peace is the independent, nonpartisan conflict management center created by Congress to prevent and mitigate international conflict without resorting to violence. USIP works to save lives, increase the government’s ability to deal with conflicts before they escalate, reduce government costs, and enhance national security. USIP is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in Baghdad, Iraq, and Kabul, Afghanistan.
As part of its congressional mandate, USIP devotes a portion of its budget to support organizations that will advance the field of conflict management by developing new techniques, establishing best practices, and professionalizing the field through education and training.
The Public Institute for Peacebuilding Support is a program of USIP administered by the Institute of International Education.
About Cabrini University
Founded in 1957 by the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Cabrini University is a Catholic institution that empowers students to become advocates of social change through an Education of the Heart, focusing on academic excellence, community engagement, and leadership development.
Cabrini enrolls approximately 1,300 undergraduates in more than 35 majors, pre-professional programs, concentrations, and minors on its serene 112-acre campus located 30 minutes from Philadelphia. The University also enrolls 900 students in graduate, doctoral, and professional studies programs at its main campus in Radnor, PA, and at five off-campus locations.