Religious pluralism in the United States following 9/11

The past decade in the history of the United States has seen special hostility toward Islam following 9/11.

But controversy surrounding religious pluralism is nothing new, said panelists at a forum about religious diversity Tuesday.

“Religious diversity has been a theme of the republic,” said Bill Balthrop, interim director of the Institute for the Arts and Humanities.

The University has long played a role in the national debate. Former Chancellor James Moeser chose a controversial book about the Quran as summer reading in 2002.

The panel discussion marked the second part of a series leading up to the March 16 lecture by Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf of Park51, a Muslim community center commonly known as the “Ground Zero mosque.”

Speakers emphasized the historical precedent for national religious dissent.

In 1838, Missouri governor Lilburn Boggs signed an order calling for the extermination or expulsion of Mormons from the state.

“And I think it was just last year they apologized,” said Laurie Maffly-Kipp, associate professor of religious studies.

Maffly-Kipp joined Timothy Marr, an associate professor in the department of American studies, and Carl Ernst, a professor of religious studies.

Maffly-Kipp began the panel establishing a baseline for American religious pluralism by mapping the breakdown of religion in the country, which surprises many of her students, she said, by being 75 percent Christian, while still being one of the most religiously diverse nations.

“Most of my students come in from an evangelical background, but they’ve also had a friend who was a Mormon or a boyfriend who was a Mormon, and for me as a teacher, that’s a great point of entry,” she said.

Marr said he thinks Islam is in the process of blending into the nation’s religious identity.

Ernst said he believes religious tolerance has become a mind set of “those people are going to hell but I’m just going to put up with them today.”

He explained that Shariah law, in American terms, would be a form of ethical investing that would exclude investments in such things as pornography, pork products and military weapons production.

Maffly-Kipp ended the panel discussion on a note of optimism, saying she has seen students who come in with prejudice become more open-minded.

She said she believes the focus should not be about overwhelming ideas, but should mean conversation to find common ground.

Balthrop said he was excited by the challenging questions from audience members. About 18 people attended.

“Whether they disagree or not is not the point,” he said. “It’s whether or not we can have that informed, civil conversation.”

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