Panel questions role of religion during election year

Three academics explored the dichotomy between religion and faith Thursday at “The Great Divide: Faith and Politics in America Today,” hosted by the USC Caruso Catholic Center and the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies.

The event is the fourth in the “Race, Faith and Violence” series, which examines the intersection of three major religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and the current political and cultural climate. Varun Soni, dean of religious life, moderated the event, which focused on the divide between religion and politics, and how different faiths can work together to surmount it.

The panel featured Rabbi Reuven Firestone, a Regenstein professor in medieval Judaism as well as a member of the School of Religion faculty; Amir Hussain, a professor of Islam and world religions at Loyola Marymount University; and Pim Valkenberg, professor of religion and culture at the Catholic University of America.

The event began with an introduction by former U.S. ambassador, author and professor of constitutional law Doug Kmiec, who spoke about the intimate relationship between politics and religion in the United States, and how the freedom to practice religion independent of government interference is a gift that the Founders of the United States passed on down to future generations.

“The Founders gave us a nation that had a preference for freedom and had a special preference for freedom of conscience and freedom of religion,” Kmiec said.

Kmiec asked the panelists to discuss how each of their faiths has helped build American culture and how Americans can work together to build a joint culture rather than tear down each other’s traditions.

Hussain discussed the experience of Muslims in America, especially after 9/11 and the anti-Sharia laws and anti-Muslim feelings it evoked, and how it defeated the promises that this country stands for. He also touched on issues of what it means to be a patriot, and whether that definition of patriotism includes someone like Colin Kaepernick, the professional football quarterback standing up in the face of perceived injustice and making a statement.

Firestone spoke about the divides that are embedded in American culture, such as the prejudice against Judaism evident in many pieces of literature, music and folktales. This lead to an increase in anti-Semitic crimes, despite Jews being well represented in the highest tiers of American society, according to Firestone. Firestone and the rest of the panel believed that if we acknowledge these prejudices and are able to talk about them in discussions and symposiums like this one, this will be the first step in solving such divides in our society.

Events such as this one are paramount to making USC a more accepting and forward thinking campus, according to Samuel Paul, executive director for the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies.

“The importance is to be able to integrate their monotheistic thought and be a little more pluralistic,” Paul said. “It’s respect, it’s understanding of other traditions, other people and other sexual orientations, and above it all, it’s respect, understanding and dignity, and you can only do that by listening.”

Cyrus Khandalavala, a sophomore studying international relations, agreed on the importance of students attending events like these.

“A lot of people just follow the preconceived ideas they have about religion, so when you actually get into conversations with them, you can complicate your viewpoint in important ways,” Khandalavala said.