‘Muslims in America’ Series Concludes with Discussion of ‘Religious Dialogue: The Solutions for Peace’

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MACON – Mercer University's “Muslims in America” series will conclude tonight at 6 p.m. in Willingham Auditorium with a presentation titled “Religious Dialogue: The Solutions for Peace” by Dr. Mansa Bilal Mark King, associate professor of sociology at Morehouse College.

Dr. King will explore the vital role of productive interfaith dialogue in ending conflict and building positive outcomes.

Dr. King joined Morehouse's Sociology Department in 2006, following two years as an assistant professor at Middle Tennessee State University. His current teaching responsibilities include introductory and upper division courses in the U.S., as well as the African Family course in Africa for the Morehouse Pan-African Global Experience (MPAGE). His research has been published and presented widely related to his specialties regarding issues of masculinity, race, ethnicity, class, status, religion and family.

He is also engaged in departmental, university, professional and community service activities, including active membership on the Georgia Sociological Association Executive Committee, directing the South Eastern Undergraduate Sociological Symposium (SEUSS), organizing events for the annual Africa Awareness Week program, and active membership on the MPAGE Steering Committee. As the director of SEUSS, he established a partnership with the American Institutes for Research (AIR), an applied social science research firm in Washington, D.C.

Dr. King earned his B.S. in psychology from Howard University and both his M.A. and Ph.D. in sociology from The Johns Hopkins University.

In addition to his presentation, Dr. King will participate in a panel discussion that will also include Pastor Scott Dickison of First Baptist Church of Christ, Imam Adam Fofana of the Islamic Center of Central Georgia, Betty Taylor of Temple Beth Israel and the Women's Interfaith Alliance of Central Georgia and Pastor Marilyn Tucker of Forsyth Presbyterian Church. The discussion will be moderated by Darrie Schlesinger, a member of Women's Interfaith Alliance of Central Georgia.

Following the presentation and panel discussion, Women's Interfaith Alliance of Central Georgia will host a reception that will serve as an opportunity to put interfaith dialogue into practice.

The local alliance of Muslim, Jewish and Christian women organized in 2010 in an effort to appreciate the different faith traditions through education, friendship and service. The group meets monthly for lunch, convenes a book discussion group and a study group, and participates in a variety of community service projects.

The four-part “Muslims in America” series, designed to promote interfaith dialogue and understanding about Islam and the experiences of Muslims in the Middle Georgia community, began in January. The first, second and third events can be viewed on Mercer's YouTube channel.

The series is co-sponsored by Mercer's Center for Community Engagement, Department of International and Global Studies, and Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) Office.