Interfaith Trialogue Series 2010

The Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice (OCCJ) is holding its 2010 Interfaith Trialogue Series over February 7^th, 21^st, and March 7^th at various locations. This year marks the 27^th anniversary of the interfaith event, which has addressed a wide range of themes related to religious understanding in the past. The 2010 Interfaith Trialogue Serieswill will bring together religiously diverse youth and is themed “Crisis or Confidence? Youth and Religion in America”. Rev. Dr. Bill Crowell, chair of the series for the 4^th consecutive year, speaks of the planning committees efforts this year to widen their audience to include youth. “We’re reaching out to the young population and young professionals, to involve them more.” All of the programs at this year’s series are open and free to the public.On February 7^th, 2010 the 27^th Interfaith Trialogue Series kicks off at Boston Avenue United Methodist Church with the first session entitled “What History and Science Tell Us About Teens”. Speakers scheduled for the first session include Ovidio Bermudez, M.D., Laureate Psychiatric Clinic and Hospital; Gerard Clancy, M.D., University of Oklahoma-Tulsa; and Gary Peluso-Verdend, Ph.D., Phillips Theological Seminary.

The second of three sessions on February 21, 2010 is entitled “Young Tulsans Talk About Their Religious Lives” and is taking place at the Charles Schusterman Jewish Community Center. Kelsey Birkes, Kenny Cohen, Ben Crittendon, DeJon Jordan and Kamlah Milad are all scheduled to speak at the second series.

The series concludes on March 7, 2010 with “Creating Strong Youth Communities of Faith: What Works? What Doesn’t?” at Peace Academy. To close the event are speakers Ken Coughlin, Bishop Kelley High School; David Finer, B’nai B’rith Youth Organization; and Audra Fogle, Boston Avenue United Methodist Church.

The event is sponsored by the OCCJ, and partly funded by the Tulsa Library Trust’s Alfred E. Aaronson Lecture Series Endowment. The series was started in 1969 when Alfred E. Aaronson retired from the Tulsa City-County Library Commission, the Gilcrease Museum Board, and the Tulsa Community Relations Commission. Funds that were collected in his honour upon his retirement were dedicated to hosting leaders to the community to encourage progressive thinking and action in various fields.

The OCCJ is dedicated to fighting bias, bigotry, and racism in Oklahoma while promoting understanding and respect among races, religions, and cultures. The OCCJ started as a volunteer movement in 1934 as a chapter of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and became an independent organization in 2005. With a wide range of programs that involve many age groups, religions, and cultures, the OCCJ is one of the leading organizations in advocating the ethical treatment of all people.

Website: www.occjok.org