You are invited to join the University of Virginia Department of Religious Studies Forum on Religion and Democracy in collaboration with Humboldt Universität zu Berlin as we welcome a distinguished group of international scholars for a multi-day workshop.

The Arabic Iḥsān and the Hebrew Tzelem are not mere translations of each other. They mean different things and are used in different ways. But they also share certain conceptual and theological affinities that can both complement and illuminate each other.  Following the model of our Forum on Jewish-Muslim Thought and Theology, we hope to think together about traditional and contemporary interpretations of these two concepts and to make them relevant to the urgent questions of our time.

Opening Session

Monday, February 26

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm, New Cabell Hall 236

Ephraim Meir (Bar Ilan, Israel), "Reflections on Tzelem and Human Reconciliation"

Atif Khalil (University of Lethbridge): "Iḥsān, Catharsis, and the Trilogy of the Soul"

(reception to follow)

The workshops will close with a public concert:

Wednesday, February 28

6:30 - 9:00pm, 1515 University Ave

Traditional Ottoman Sufi Music: 

el-Iksir-i Mucarreb from Istanbul Sufi Lodges

featuring Istanbul Meshk Ensemble; Directed by Arzu Eylül Yalçınkaya, Ph.D.Harvard University

Please use the following links to see the full schedule and find out more about the workshop and concert.

https://www.religionanddemocracy.org/about

https://www.religionanddemocracy.org/concert