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Sep 27, 2016

Social Activist and Religious Leader Sr. Joan Chittister to Hold Interfaith Seminar

Bestselling author, speaker, and co-chair of the United Nations' Global Peace Initiative for Women, Sister Joan Chittister will visit Christ Church Cathedral in downtown Houston on October 14-15 to speak at “Spirituality, Self, and Society,” a Faith and Reason seminar.

 

“I’m coming to Houston to answer my own questions about what it means to seek a kind and just and moral society,” said Chittister. "Is there really such a thing as compassion? Can we ever arrive at a common good again? And in the light of those two important questions in our society, where and how do each of us and all of us fit into that?”

 

For over 40 years, Chittister, a member of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, has been a highly influential religious and social leader and an advocate for peace, women’s rights, human rights, and church renewal.

 

She is a best-selling author with over 50 published books and has appeared on notable productions like “60 Minutes,” “CBS News,” “Weekend Edition Sunday” on NPR, “On Being” with Krista Tippett and “Super Soul Sunday” with Oprah Winfrey.

 

“Spirituality, Self, and Society” will address the challenges of living a purposeful life defined by compassion and care for the other. In that spirit of unity, Chittister, a Roman Catholic and Benedictine nun, has invited an interfaith panel of responders to join her in this discussion.

 

“In addition to our usual format, this time we’re going to broaden the conversation. We’re asking faith leaders from the Houston area in Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism to join this Christian presentation to determine in what ways their own traditions answer these questions.” said Chittister.

 

The responders are Carissa Baldwin-McGinnis, associate rector at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Heba Khan, assistant editor at the Journal of Feminist Economics at Rice University, Claire Villarreal, programs manager at the Dawn Mountain Center for Tibetan Buddhism, and Melissa Weininger, Anna Smith Fine senior lecturer in Jewish Studies at Rice University.

 

The seminar is open to all at a cost of $75 per ticket and $50 for students.  Tickets may be purchased and more information about the seminar can be found at http://faithandreason.org/.

 

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FaithandReason® seminars are a presentation of the D.L. Dykes, Jr. Foundation. Houston area co-sponsors of the conference are Christ Church Cathedral and the Hines Center for Spirituality and Prayer. Founded in 1839, Christ Church is the cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas and is located in the heart of downtown Houston.

 

Additional sponsors include: the Joe B. and Louise P. Cook Foundation, Covenant Church, the Foundation for Contemporary Theology, Grace Episcopal Church, Plymouth United Church (UCC), St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in the Heights, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church and School, and Trinity Episcopal Church.