Reza Aslan addresses religious extremism

On Feb. 9, 2016, at 7:30 p.m. in Willamette University’s Smith Auditorium, religious scholar and best-selling author Reza Aslan delivered the spring Atkinson Lecture: “Holy Wars: Religion and Violence at Home and Abroad.”

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During his talk at Willamette, Aslan addressed the ideology fueling al-Qaida, the Taliban and other “holy warriors.” He described ways to manage, perhaps defeat, those who employ religious violence.

Aslan is the author of The New York Times’ bestseller, “Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth,” international bestseller, “No god but God: The Origins, Evolution and the Future of Islam,” and “How to Win a Cosmic War.” His frequent media appearances garner millions of views as he challenges the audience to consider the “earthly grievances” Aslan argues are at the root of global conflict.

Tickets were available beginning Jan. 18, 2016. Willamette students, faculty and staff could reserve a free ticket and purchase up to four additional tickets for $5 each. Willamette alumni purchased discounted tickets for $10, and general admission tickets were available to the public for $20. Doors opened at 6:30 p.m., and a book signing followed the lecture.

About Reza Aslan

Aslan is a professor at U.C. Irvine, where he teaches creative writing. Among Aslan’s many community leadership and service positions, he’s on the board of the Chicago Theological Seminary and the Yale Humanist Community.

A former religious studies faculty member at Drew University and University of Iowa, Aslan earned his bachelor’s in religious studies from Santa Clara University, his master’s in theological studies from Harvard University, a master’s in fine arts from University of Iowa and his doctorate in sociology from U.C. Santa Barbara.

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