Media Relations
Monday,
February 2,
2004
Religious Studies
In the midst of urban violence and political turnoil in Guatemala, the idea of "Christian citizenship" has taken on a new meaning. Once overwhelmingly Roman Catholic, the country is now more than half non-denominational Christian. Kevin O'Neill, assistant professor of religious studies and American studies at Indiana University Bloomington, studies "an issue critically important not just to Guatemala but also to countries throughout Latin America, Africa and Asia, not to mention the United States of America. These are all places where the continued entanglement of evangelical Christianity and democracy is unmistakable."
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About 80 faculty members at Indiana University's Bloomington campus have research or professional interests in the Middle East. They can be found from the Kelley School of Business to the Jacobs School of Music and in many specialized areas as well, such as designing national health care plans and government administration. The new director of IU's Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies Program hopes to involve as many of them as possible in the program's future activities.
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As rapid advances in biotechology raise questions about appropriate uses of these new tools, there is another kind of question to consider: Is it important for humans to accept certain physical limitations, even if those limitations could be eliminated?
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In recent national surveys, more than 80 percent of Americans said they believe that God supernaturally heals people in answer to prayer. That doesn't mean they shun conventional medical treatment, but the barrier between naturalism and supernaturalism is collapsing. "There's an American penchant to have it all -- both the MRIs and the miracles," said Candy Gunther Brown, associate professor of religious studies at Indiana University Bloomington.
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The question from one of her students is familiar -- "Is Oprah a religion?" -- and Kathryn Lofton is ready with a reply: "Oprah does things in a religious manner, but she is not a religion." In discussing how Oprah Winfrey has influenced so many people, Lofton approaches her as someone committed primarily to spiritual change through material means.
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Lecture Notes for Oct. 23-Nov. 6, 2006. Lectures and speakers featured on the Indiana University Bloomington and Kokomo campuses include a visit from Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson, an evaluation of Indiana charter schools and two lectures in correlation with the IU Art Museum's exhibit, "Conspiring with Tradition: Contemporary Painting from the Guilin Chinese Painting Academy."
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