Session 2: Democracy vs. Theocracy (Rule of the People vs. the Law of God?)

By: Aryeh Cohen, Janna Gosselin, Mustafa Akyol, Reinhard Krauss   Source: IslamiCity Oct 28, 2022 No Comments

Category: Americas, Faith & Spirituality, Featured, Videos Topics: Democracy, Interfaith, Theocracy Channel: Webinars Views: 1503
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People of faith orient their beliefs and their conduct on holy scriptures believed to contain divinely revealed truths and ethical mandates. Some argue that the God-given truths and ethical mandates of their particular tradition must also be implemented in the political arena. Such a demand for a divinely mandated political order (theocracy) is obviously incompatible with democracy in which political authority is based on the collective will of all people, regardless of their particular religious convictions. The panel discussion will explore why people of faith should reject theocratic models of political authority in favor of democracy.

Held on: October 26 at 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Moderator         Dr. Reinhard Krauss, Academy for Judaic, Christian, and Islamic Studies

Presenters

Rabbi Aryeh Cohen, Professor, Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies
Dr. Janna Gosselin, New Theological Seminary of the West
Mustafa Akyol, Cato Institute

Respondents

Naomi Moskowitz, UCLA
Hannah Grierson, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) USA
Rasik Hussain, Los Angeles Mayor’s Office

Presenter Bio's:

Rabbi Dr. Aryeh Cohen - Rabbi Cohen, is Professor of Rabbinic Literature and a former chair of the Rabbinics Department in the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies. His research and scholarship sit at the intersection of Talmud, Jewish ethics, and social justice activism. Dr. Cohen is also the Rabbi in Residence at Bend the Arc: Jewish Action, a national social justice organization. He is a co-convener of the Black Jewish Justice Alliance (BJJA) and a member of Clergy for Black Lives.

Dr. Janna Gosselin - Dr. Gosselin is the Coordinator and Professor of Christian Spiritual Formation at New Theological Seminary of the West. After a successful career practicing law at both a major international law firm in downtown Los Angeles and a boutique entertainment law firm in Beverly Hills, Janna Gosselin experienced a spiritual awakening that propelled her to doctoral studies and seminary.

Mustafa Akyol - Mr. Akyol is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute’s Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity, where he focuses on the intersection of public policy, Islam, and modernity. Since 2013, he has also been a frequent opinion writer for The New York Times, covering politics and religion in the Muslim world. He is the author of Reopening Muslim Minds: A Return to Reason, Freedom, and Tolerance (2021), “Why, As A Muslim, I Defend Liberty” (2021), The Islamic Jesus: How the King of the Jews Became a Prophet of the Muslims (2017), and Islam without Extremes: A Muslim Case for Liberty (2011).

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This page is part of a series.
Click here to view the Series' Table of Contents
  Category: Americas, Faith & Spirituality, Featured, Videos
  Topics: Democracy, Interfaith, Theocracy  Channel: Webinars
Views: 1503

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