The University of Toledo Center for Religious Understanding will present a panel discussion to help the Toledo community understand the protests and conflicts surrounding an anti-Islam film made in America and cartoons mocking the Prophet Mohammad in a French magazine.

The brown-bag teach-in called “A Closer Look at Anti-American Sentiment in the Muslim World” will take place at 12:30-1:45 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 25 in Memorial Field House Room 1910 on the University’s Main Campus.

“Through this teach-in we will be able to provide information to our community about why this conflict is occurring and GIVE some context TO the media reports,” said Dr. Ovamir Anjum, UT Imam Khattab Chair of Islamic Studies. “It is important to promote education and religious understanding at all times, but especially when there is violent conflict going on around us. In addition to understanding, we want to discuss ways to build on the positive. There are demonstrations throughout the Muslim world that arecondemning violence and are sympathetic to the deceased ambassador.”

Anjum, the author of Politics, Law and Community in Islamic Thought who also was a guest on the Leading Edge with Jerry Anderson on Sunday talking about the same topic, is one of the panelists.

The other panelists are Dr. Edmund Lingan, director of the University’s Institute for Performance and Spirituality and eyewitness to the destruction of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, and via Skype, Dr. Todd Green, assistant professor of religion at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa with expertise in secularization and Islamophobia.

The free event will include time for questions and discussion. Visitors can park in Lot 13 and the West Ramp for the event.

For more information contact the UT Center for Religious Understanding at 419-530-6187 or cfru@utoledo.edu.

Tags: College of Languages Literature and Social Sciences