Muslim and Christian scholars will consider the most revered woman in both traditions during a discussion at the Scarritt-Bennett Center.
Mary (in the Christian tradition) or Maryam (the Muslim tradition) – the mother of Jesus – is mentioned more in the Qur’an than the New Testament. During the interfaith panel discussion 6:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11, scholars will compare how the two religious traditions perceive Mary/Maryam. The forum is titled “Recollecting Maryam: An Inter-textual Encounter with Mary in the Biblical and Quranic Traditions.”
The event in the Harambee Auditorium at the Scarritt-Bennett Center, 1008 19th Ave. S. near the Vanderbilt campus, is free
and open to the public. The moderator will be the Rev. Ann Holmes Redding, founder of Abrahamic Reunion West, which is committed to healing the global dysfunction between Muslims and Christians.
Participating will be:
From the Catholic tradition: Robin Jensen, Luce Professor of the History of Christian Art and Worship, Vanderbilt University.
From the Muslim tradition: Tayyibah Taylor, founding editor-in-chief and publisher of Azizah Magazine, a publication that provides a vehicle for the voice of Muslim American women.
From the Protestant tradition: Melanie Trexler, Ph.D. candidate in theological and religious studies, specializing in Christian-Muslim dialogue and comparative theology, Georgetown University.
The program is sponsored by The Carpenter Program in Religion, Gender and Sexuality at Vanderbilt and the Scarritt-Bennett Center.