Elon University, the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life and the School of Communications will host a day-long Religion and Media conference on campus March 9. The conference, titled "Faith, Doubt and the Media," will feature an evening keynote address by Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper columnist Leonard Pitts Jr.
The event will feature discussion and interaction between students, faculty and regional correspondents. Pullitzer Prize-winning columnist Leonard Pitts Jr. will deliver a keynote address titled “Finding God in the Low Post or, Surviving Journalism With Faith” at 7:30 p.m. in McCrary Theatre. Pitts will discuss God as he has addressed Him in his column and, in the larger sense, about the difficulty as a journalist of reconciling a progressive stance on social issues with Christian faith.
Admission: $12 or Elon ID. Call (336) 278-5610 any time from 12:30-5 p.m.
At noon, former Los Angeles Times religion writer William Lobdell will provide a counterpoint to Pitts with his discussion of his new book, Losing My Religion: How I Lost My Faith Reporting on Religion in America – and Found Unexpected Peace. Lobdell’s faith was sorely tested when he reported on the Catholic Church pedophilia scandal.
Book signings will follow both events.
Other speakers include:
- Yonat Shimron, religion writer for the Raleigh, NC News & Observer, who disagreed with her newspaper’s decision to distribute the DVD, “Obsession,” as paid advertising. The documentary has been criticized for its depiction of Islam.
- Brett Younger, Associate Professor of Preaching at Mercer University School of Theology
- Jason Byassee, director of the Center for Theology, Writing and Media at Duke Divinity School, and contributing editor to The Christian Century.
The conference is open to journalists, educators, and the general public.
PROGRAM OF EVENTS:
8-9 a.m. – Registration in Whitley Auditorium lobby
9:15 a.m. – Welcome
9:30-10:30 a.m. – Brett Younger, Mercer University School of Theology
10:30-10:45 a.m. – Interlude: Richard McBride, Chaplain
10:45-11 a.m. – Break
11 a.m.-noon – Yonat Shimron, religion reporter, News & Observer
12:30-2 p.m. – Luncheon. Guest speaker: William Lobdell, religion reporter and writer
2-2:15 p.m. – Break
2:15-3:15 p.m. – Jason Byassee, Duke University Divinity School
3:15-3:30 p.m. – Interlude: Brooke Barnett, Documentarian
3:45-5 p.m. – Panel with all participants, including Brett Younger, Yonat Shimron, William Lobdell, Jason Byassee and Leonard Pitts
5:30-7 – Reception and dinner with Leonard Pitts
(Registered attendees and panelists only)
7:30 – Keynote address by Leonard Pitts Jr.
$50 per person registration includes sessions, speakers, lunch, dinner and admittance to the keynote address.Elon students, faculty and staff may attend all sessions for free, except for the luncheon with William Lobdell and the dinner with Leonard Pitts.
To register, contact Pamela Baker at bakerp@elon.edu.
Checks may be sent to School of Communications,
2850 Campus Box, Elon, NC 27244
Conference coordinator: Anthony Hatcher
ahatcher@elon.edu or 336-278-5774
http://www.elon.edu/e-web/academics/communications/