Drury University's 2009-2010 Convocation Theme

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As “The Pluralism Project” at Harvard Divinity School has demonstrated, the religious and spiritual landscape of America is changing. With the arrival of new immigrants, the old-line faith traditions of Protestantism, Catholicism and Judaism are making way for many new voices. Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs and Hindus are now worshiping in mosques and temples across the country. Moreover, religious communities are facing the emergence of a new American generation who often claims that its members are “spiritual, not religious.” Add to this mix the presence of the “new atheists,” who reject all belief in God as inconsistent with the rational age, as well as the Pentecostals and Evangelicals, and one has the recipe for profound diversity.

At the same time that these spiritual forces are restructuring religious life in America, the world is experiencing major challenges. Global poverty, war, ethnic conflict and planetary environmental problems are making their presence felt in ways that demand a response. Often our spiritual identities, representing core beliefs and practices, shape our answers and actions.

Is there a way to live together in a time of spiritual and religious diversity? Is there a pattern we can follow to allow for mutual respect and dialogue? This convocation series thinks that there is.

Through honest sharing of our traditions, respectful conversations about our hopes and dreams, and a willingness to see one another as part of the solution and not just sources of threat, spiritualities can point us toward a just and sustainable global community.

In this series, the Drury community is introduced to representatives from diverse spiritual traditions. Issues of morality and social justice are explored, questions of ultimate meaning are discussed, and a vision of peaceful co-existence is lifted up.

The 2009-10 academic year marks the centennial celebration for the Drury School of Religion. This event is a year-long celebration of Drury’s own heritage as a church-related university grounded in a tradition that honors the connection between spirituality and intellectual pursuit and values interfaith dialogue. May this gathering of speakers and performers help you find a richer sense of your own commitments and a greater respect for the commitments of others.

Blessings be with you.

Peter Browning
Convocation Director 2009-2010