 |
Jeffrey
Lidke is Assistant Professor of Religion at Berry College and is the
IFC Chair for the 2004-2005 year. With a Ph.D. in Comparative
Religions, Jeff has found that the practice of Asian arts and
meditative practice has been a powerful compliment to his intellectual
studies, teaching, and writings. As a perennialist, he believes that
there is a deeper truth that transcends the social, cultural, and
historical circumstances of each religion. And so, while he values the
unique heritage of each religious tradition, he also seeks in his
interfaith work to understand what it is that connects us all to the
divine. jlidke@berry.edu |
|
|
Steve
Bell is a former soccer coach, current Professor of Psychology and a
serious Jew. A guide he uses to guide his life is written by Rabbi
Danny Siegel:"If you always assume the person sitting next to you is
the Messiah, waiting for some simple kindness, you will soon come to
weigh your words and watch your hands. And if the Messiah so chooses
not to be revealed in your time, it will not matter." sbell@berry.edu |
|
|
Aira
Shimura, a student at Berry College, has been interested in the diverse
spiritual traditions of the world and interfaith dialogue for many
years. She is a recent member of the Rome Unitarian Universalist
Congregation. Particular interests range from the relationship of
nature and spiritual traditions and religion and art, to name a few... |
|
|
David
McKenzie has been a member of the Religion and Philosophy Department at
Berry for 27 years, and is currently a Professor of Philosophy. He has
been deeply committed to the development of interfaith relations at
Berry, and is delighted at the accomplishments of the Council. He is a
Christian and a proponent of progressive-liberal Christian theology,
but is open to the revelation of God in all of the major religions as
well as various minority and new forms of spirituality. He is also
bivocational, serving as Pastor of Rehoboth Baptist Church in Cave
Spring, a moderate Baptist congregation. dmckenzie@berry.edu |
|
|
Jake Dirnberger
|
|
|
Ellen
Johnson is an assistant professor in the English Department at Berry.
She belongs to the Chattanooga Friends Meeting (Quakers), which is part
of the Friends General Conference. She also leads Dances of Universal
Peace, an interfaith worship activity, in Decatur and elsewhere. She
is pleased to have been elected to the Interfaith Council because she
knows that there are many different ways to commune with God, and she
hopes that all students at Berry will feel welcome here, no matter what
their path. ejohnson@berry.edu |
|
|
Mary
Randall, a senior Music Education Major at Berry, is a student
representative for the IFC. For many years, her interests and studies
in various religious practicing has increased, believing strongly in a
coexistence amongst all religions. Currently, she is working at Rome
First United Methodist church as a children's choir director and member
of the Chancel Choir. In graduate school, she hopes to study the
influence of music in Eastern religions. Contact:
mrandall@students.berry.edu |
|
|
Amy
Summerlin is the Grants Coordinator here at Berry. She is a '92 and '97
graduate of Berry College, and is a very active and long-time member of
St. Peter's Episcopal Church here in Rome. Her hobbies include walking,
weaving, and cooking, which she enjoys doing with her husband, Keith,
and three children, Matthew, Jake, and Ellen. |
|
|
|