Harvard Divinity School

This Leading Toward Justice webinar features panel discussions spotlighting alumni impact in the world and the ways alumni leverage their HDS training while working in secular or public professions. This session will discuss the critical importance of ethical practices and religious literacy in government and public service fields. Moderated by Susan O. Hayward, MDiv ’07, associate director for the Religious Literacy and the Professions Initiative (RLPI) at Harvard Divinity School Panelists: Gary Burrill, MDiv ’91: Parliamentary Member, Nova Scotia House of Assembly Jacqueline Y. Collins, MPA ’01, MTS ’03: State Senator of Illinois, Assistant Majority Leader Usra Ghazi, MTS ’15: Foreign Service Officer, U.S. Department of State Kelly Raths, MDiv '05: Former Assistant Director, Oregon Department of Corrections This event took place on October 3, 2022 Learn more: https://rpl.hds.harvard.edu/news/leading-toward-justice-hds-alums-discuss-intersections-religion-ethics-and-government Full transcript: https://rpl.hds.harvard.edu/news/2022/12/1/video-leading-towards-justice-intersections-religion-ethics-and-government

Writer and human rights activist Simran Jeet Singh, MTS '08, discusses his new book, The Light We Give, and his ongoing work as a public scholar and educator on Sikhism and religious pluralism. Event participants discussed the intersections between Singh’s work, public understanding about Sikhism, and Religion and Public Life approaches to teaching and learning about religion. This discussion focused on educators working with students from 7th grade through college. This event took place on September 29, 2022. Learn more: https://rpl.hds.harvard.edu/ Full transcript: https://hds.harvard.edu/news/2022/9/29/video-teaching-and-learning-about-sikhism-simran-jeet-singh-lunchtime-conversation

Harvard Divinity School and the Center for the Study of World Religions host this panel discussion to inaugurate the second year of the CSWR's “Transcendence and Transformation” initiative, hosted by Director Charles M. Stang. The panel features the initiative's newest post-doctoral fellows and research associates as well as discussions of the history of “shamanic” healing practices in Central Asia; how best to teach embodied contemplative practices in the classroom; early Christian controversies over allegorical interpretation of the Bible, and universal salvation; the neuroscience of contemplative Christian prayer; and the "Great Resurrection" in Nizari Isma'ilism. This event took place on October 3, 2022. Learn more: https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/ Full transcript: https://hds.harvard.edu/news/2022/10/3/video-transcendence-and-transformation-take-two

Presented by the Women’s Studies in Religion Program, these five new and one returning research associates for 2022-23 shared their thoughts on the ethical responsibility of scholars to be engaged in the study of gender. This event was held August 24, 2022. A full transcript can be found on the WSRP website: https://wsrp.hds.harvard.edu/news/2022/10/06/video-ethical-scholarship-gender-religion-difference-womens-studies-religion-panel Learn more: https://wsrp.hds.harvard.edu/

In this first episode of Faculty Focus, HDS Professor Charles M. Stang discusses psychedelics and spirituality, early Christianity and demonology, and why Dune makes for good academic inquiry. Faculty Focus is a special new podcast series from Harvard Divinity School, where we’ll speak with HDS professors about their courses and research interests. Full transcript of this episode available on the HDS website: https://hds.harvard.edu/news/2022/10/3/faculty-focus-charles-stang-why-dune-makes-good-academic-inquiry Learn more about HDS: https://hds.harvard.edu/ Music track: "Old Dog New Tricks"; Extreme Music Limited

Harvard Divinity School and the Swartz Hall Art Committee celebrate the unveiling of "Earth Bound," an original creation by artist and Mashpee Wampanoag tribal member Ramona Peters. The ceremony included remarks by HDS Dean David N. Hempton, Peters, Mashpee Wampanoag Historic Preservation Officer David Weeden, and others. "Earth Bound," is an ahkuhq or cooking vessel, which will have a permanent home on display inside Harvard Divinity School’s Swartz Hall. The work was commissioned by HDS and the Swartz Hall Art Committee, with support from the Harvard Culture Lab Innovation Fund. This event took place September 19, 2022. Visit the HDS website for a full transcript: https://hds.harvard.edu/news/2022/09/29/video-earth-bound-welcoming-new-artwork-ramona-peters Learn more: https://hds.harvard.edu/about/history-and-mission/ramona-peters-earth-bound

Harvard Divinity School marked the opening of the 2022-23 academic year with its 207th Convocation. Harvard Radcliffe Institute Dean Tomiko Brown-Nagin delivered the address, titled "Legacies of Slavery: Bondage and Resistance." Brown-Nagin chaired the Presidential Initiative on Harvard and the Legacy of Slavery, which issued its report earlier this year. The ceremony included a welcome from HDS Dean David N. Hempton, an introduction by Tracey E. Hucks, Victor S. Thomas Professor of Africana Religious Studies at HDS and Suzanne Young Murray Professor at Harvard Radcliffe Institute, music by Aric Flemming, MDiv ’19, and Christopher Hossfeld, director of music and ritual at HDS, and readings by HDS students Ahmaad Edmund and Siana Monet. The event was held September 1, 2022. Visit the HDS website for a full transcript: https://hds.harvard.edu/news/2022/09/29/video-hds-2022-convocation-legacies-slavery-bondage-and-resistance Learn more: https://hds.harvard.edu/

Curiously, the English language lacks a word for “the belief that human beings only live once.” In this talk, Professor Steven Arrigg Koh discussed this long-held belief in the United States, prevalent amongst those with both sacred and secular views. “Univitalism” (the term coined by Professor Koh to describe this phenomenon) is so common that it is assumed by American Jews, Christians, Muslims, atheists, and agnostics alike—and is thus implicitly or explicitly integral to the reasoning of many U.S. legal and political decisionmakers. By contrast, a significant minority of Americans and many in Eastern societies subscribe to a “multivitalist” worldview, wherein individuals are reborn. This event took place February 18, 2022. Learn more: https://rpl.hds.harvard.edu/home

What is the role of Palestinian universities in the struggle for freedom and justice? Rana Khoury, Religion, Conflict, and Peace Initiative Fellow and Vice President for Development at Dar Al-Kalima University, shares her exploration of developing a dedicated curriculum and the experience of Dar Al-Kalima University in shaping Palestinian students as cultural activists. Khoury is in conversation with Hilary Rantisi: Associate Director of the Religion, Conflict, and Peace Initiative at Harvard Divinity School. This event took place April 26, 2022. Learn more: https://rpl.hds.harvard.edu/programs/religion-conflict-peace

In conversation with Daniel Boyarin, Rabbi Brant Rosen interrogated the ways that Zionist hegemony is expressed through the Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israeli Independence Day) that has become a staple on the American Jewish holiday calendar, projecting themes of militarism, colonialism, and empire on to sacred religious tradition. He also presented an alternative framing of this day as a religious observance – one that expresses remembrance, repentance, and reparations. Presenters: Brant Rosen: Topol Fellow at RCPI; Rabbi, Tzedek Chicago In conversation with: Prof. Daniel Boyarin: Caroline Zelaznik Gruss and Joseph S. Gruss Visiting Professor in Talmudic Civil Law at Harvard Law School (2021-2022) Moderator: Atalia Omer: Professor of Religion, Conflict, and Peace Studies at the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at University of Notre Dame and T. J. Dermot Dunphy Visiting Professor of Religion, Violence, and Peacebuilding and Senior Fellow in Conflict and Peace at Harvard Divinity School This event took place April 19, 2022. Learn more: https://rpl.hds.harvard.edu/programs/religion-conflict-peace