Franklin College’s Jim Alexander, assistant professor of religious studies, has been selected to participate in a multidisciplinary seminar titled, “Teaching Interfaith Understanding,” from June 9-13 in Chicago, Ill.

Offered by The Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) and Interfaith America (IA), its purpose is to broaden faculty members’ knowledge and perspective to help them strengthen the teaching of interfaith understanding, develop new courses and other resources, and expand the network of faculty members who are committed to teaching this subject. The seminar is supported by a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.

Alexander was selected from hundreds of applicants with only 25 invited to participate as a cohort.

“As a graduate of Franklin College and chair of the philosophy and religion department, I am honored to represent the college during this important seminar,” Alexander said. “I look forward to learning from colleagues from around the nation about transformative ways to increase understanding and appreciation across religious differences. This work is even more important now that anti-Semitism is rising in the United States and discrimination against other religious minorities remains a constant threat throughout the country.”

The seminar will be led by Laurie Patton, president of Middlebury College, and Eboo Patel, founder and president of IA. It will examine the substantial theoretical questions inherent in teaching interfaith understanding and explore the practical work of translating these ideas into courses.

For more information, contact Franklin College’s Office of Communications at (317) 738-8185.

POSTED Jun 14, 2022