Author: Timothy Knepper

On Thursday, September 12 in Drake’s Sussman Theater (lower level of Olmsted Center), Dr. Cody Dolinsek will deliver the inaugural lecture of the 2024–26 lecture & dialogue series on religion, disability, and work: “Disability and Religion: A Dialogue of Dissonance in Search of Harmony.”

Religion and disability, at least as conceived in biblical religion, particularly in Judaism and Christianity, are out of harmony. For example, the Torah forbids the disabled offspring of the Levitical priests to participate in the priestly service. The blind and the lame, among others, are explicitly excluded from administering the most sacred rituals of their faith. In the Christian New Testament, Jesus is portrayed as healing those with disabilities–speech impediments, deafness, and blindness. The implication is that living without these disabilities makes one more whole, more complete. At the same time, the Bible seems to celebrate disability. When Moses protests that he has a speech impediment and therefore is not the best man for the job of speaking to Pharaoh, demanding that Pharaoh release the Israelites from slavery, God reminds Moses that it is God who has made the lame, the blind, etc. This talk seeks to navigate these tensions and to propose that while the tensions are probably irresolvable, the Bible provides its adherents with constructive ways to acknowledge and celebrate disability.

Dr. Dolinsek, blind from birth, has taught philosophy for Drake University since the fall of 2015, and he also teaches philosophy for the Des Moines Area Community College, Urban Campus. He earned his B.A. in Philosophy from Drake University in 2005 and his PhD in Philosophy in 2020. His areas of specialization are Ancient Philosophy and Philosophy of Religion. He is the author of Philosophy is for Everyone: An Introduction to Something You’ve Already Been Doing, published by Kendall Hunt in 2024. 

Those wishing to attend this lecture by zoom can sign-in here by 5:55pm: https://drake-edu.zoom.us/j/83530174120. 

Please see below for an audio recording of Dr. Dolinsek’s lecture.

On April 12-14, Drake will host the 6th annual Iowa Interfaith Conference (IIC), this time in conjunction with the regional conference of the upper-Midwest American Academy of Religion (UWMAAR) on April 12-13.

These conferences will feature site visits (on Friday evening, Saturday evening, and Sunday morning/afternoon) and panels and keynotes (on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning and afternoon). The on-campus events will be held in Meredith Hall.

Here, in brief is the schedule for both events. (Also see below for detailed schedules of each and attire/etiquette information about the site visits.)

FRIDAY, APRIL 12
-3:30 pm: reception
-4:00-5:15 pm: first session (panels 1 & 2)
-6:00-6:45: Visit to Hindu Temple and Cultural Center of Iowa (33916 155th Ln, Madrid)
-7:00-8:30: Visit to Islamic and Education Center: Bosniak (17630 Bosniak Ln, Granger), dinner
-9:00: Ice Cream social at Drake Diner

SATURDAY, APRIL 13
-7:45: breakfast
-8:15-9:30: second session (panels 3, 4 & 5)
-9:30: coffee break
-10:00-11:15: plenary address: Dr. Douglas Kries, “Religions and Their Communities: Is Religion Friend or Foe?”
-11:15-11:45: lunch
-11:45-1:00: screening of and panel about digital stories from Drake’s interfaith camps (Varsity Theater)
-1:00-2:15: session 3 (panels 6 & 7)
-2:30-3:25: interfaith plenary address: Sarah McCammon, “Making Sense of Religious Pluralism as an E(x)vangelical”
-3:25: coffee break
-3:45-5:00: session 4 (panels 8, 9 & 10)
-5:15-6:30: session 5 (panel 11)
-5:45-6:45: visit to Wat Lao Buddhavas (1804 E Park Ave, Des Moines)
-7:00-8:30: visit to Hindu Cultural and Educational Center (1940 E Army Post Rd, Des Moines), dinner

SUNDAY, APRIL 14
-9:00-11:30: visit to St Mary Coptic Orthodox Church
-12:00-1:30: visit to Iowa Sikh Association

On Sunday, April 14, we will celebrate the annual holiday of Vaisakhi from roughly 11:00 am to 1:00 pm with the Sikh gurdwara in West Des Moines, the Iowa Sikh Association (1115 Walnut St.).

The service will include many of the elements of a typical Sunday worship service: the signing of hymns (kirtan), reading from sacred scripture (Guru Granth Sahib), community prayers (aardas), and the sharing of the sacred sacrament (karah prashad, the so-called “holy pudding”), after which a free vegetarian meal will be served (langar). Dress modestly, remove shoes at door, and don a head scarf (available at the door for both women and men). Also, refrain from pointing outstretched legs toward the holy book/altar.

On Friday, April 5 from 7:30–9:00pm, we will attend a Ramadan prayer and iftar meal” at Ezan Islamic and Cultural Center, the Bosnian Islamic mosque at 6206 Douglas Ave in Des Moines. The event includes the sunset (maghrib) prayer, the breaking of the fast, and an iftar meal.   

Please dress appropriately: women should be covered below the elbows and knees and should cover their head/hair with a scarf. Men should wear long pants.

On Sunday, March 24 from 11:00am–1:00pm (roughly), we will join the Hindu Temple and Cultural Center (33916 155th Lane, Madrid) in the annual celebration of Holi. Guests will be able to tour the temple, observe the Holi fire ritual (Holika Dahan), throw colored powered at one another, and dance. (Please dress accordingly if you are going to participate in the throwing of colors.) Lunch is available for purchase from the temple. (This event is part of the “Meet My Religious Neighbor” series, which is co-programmed with CultureALL, the Des Moines Area Religious Council, and Interfaith Alliance of Iowa.)