Conference focuses on religious similarities and differences

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- "One God, Three Scriptures: Judaism, Christianity & Islam" is a day-long conference sponsored by the Grand Valley State University Kaufman Interfaith Institute, the West Shore Committee for Interfaith Dialogue and the West Michigan Academic Consortium.

The October 16 conference, held at Aquinas College, is free and open to the public. Lunch is available for $10 with advance registration. Registration deadline is October 11. For more information call (616) 331-5702, or visit www.interfaith-mi.com.

Dr. David Nirenberg, professor of medieval history and social thought at the University of Chicago, is the keynote speaker. His morning address, “The Seal of the Prophets: Muhammad’s Relationship to Those Who Came Before Him,” is at 10:30 a.m. in the Wege Student Center. His evening keynote, at 7 p.m. in the Art & Music Center, is "Unto Every Prophet an Adversary: The Wordview of Political Islam.”

The West Michigan Academic Consortium consists of Aquinas College, Calvin College, Calvin Theological Seminary, Grand Valley State University, Hope College and Western Theological Seminary.