Timothy K. Beal, Ph.D. – Florence Harkness Professor of Religion at Case Western Reserve University

Dear Colleagues:

Religion is one of the most basic elements in U.S. politics. It justifies or drives beliefs on both the left and right of the political spectrum. The Bible, as Tim Beal says, “is a powerful weapon that has been wielded for good and for ill throughout American history.”

Politicians claim the Bible supports their positions, and “most people just don’t know the Bible well enough to say whether these claims are right, wrong, correct, incorrect or a matter of interpretation.” In response, Professor Beal has done a series of BibliFact blogs on huffingtonpost.com, in which he has commented on both the biblical basis for claims and the extent to which politicians are making them. Mitt Romney, for example, has had to figure out how to use the Bible when his Mormonism makes evangelical Christians suspicious. President Obama has to appeal to religious voters yet deal with the fact that his party’s base is the more secular of the two. Other politicians and advocates, however, are much less constrained!

Few if any scholars can match Tim Beal’s studies of the links between religion and everyday life in the United States. Join us for what should be a fascinating discussion about both the election and our society.

All best regards,
Joe White
Luxenberg Family Professor of Public Policy and Director, Center for Policy Studies

About Our Guest…

Timothy Beal is the Florence Harkness Professor of Religion at Case Western Reserve University and Editor-in-Chief of The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and the Arts (in progress). He has published thirteen books and many scholarly articles on the cultural history of the Bible, religion and popular culture, and relations between critical theory and academic religious studies. He has also published essays on religion and American culture for The New York Times, The Chronicle of Higher Education, CNN.com, The Washington Post, and The Cleveland Plain Dealer, and is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post. He has been featured on national radio shows including NPR’s All Things Considered, The Bob Edwards Show, WBUR’s On Point, and Interfaith Voices.

Where We Meet

Mather House is located next to the Thwing student center two buildings to the right of Kelvin Smith Library on Euclid Avenue. Please enter the front door to Mather House and turn right. Mather House Room 100 is at the end of the hall.

Parking Possibilities

The most convenient parking is the lot underneath Severance Hall. We regret that it is not free. From that lot there is an elevator up to street level labeled as for the Thwing Center..

Friday Lunch Upcoming Topics and Speakers:

October 26: Special Event in Memory of Alec Lamis – “Insecure Majorities: Congress and the Permanent Campaign.” With Frances E. Lee, Professor of Government and Politics, University of Maryland ***Special Location: Wolstein Medical Research Building auditorium, first floor, 2103 Cornell Road. Lunch and Mama Jo’s pies provided.***

November 2: Political Science Department Pre-Election Forecasts. With Justin Buchler, Associate Professor of Political Science, and colleagues.

November 9: What Just Happened? Open discussion about the election results, with Joe White, Chair, Department of Political Science.

November 16: Learning from Mad Cows. With Dr. Pierluigi Gambetti, Professor and Director, Division of Neuropathology and Director, National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center.

November 30: The Medium is the Message: What Happens When Universities Digitize Course Evaluations. With Timothy J. Fogarty, Professor of Accountancy.

December 7: The “Chicago Boys” Without Pinochet: Privatization and Protest in Chile. With Diane Haughney, Ph.D.