St. Joseph Parish (Otis Orchards) Presentations on Islam

Please call the parish office at 926-7133 or email info@stjoeparish.org for more information. Come to one or both talks which are free and open to all.

Did you know that the Virgin Mary is mentioned more in the Quran than in the Bible? The parishioners at St. Joseph Parish in Otis Orchards heard this recently in a weekend homily given by a visiting priest. This prompted the parish Charity and Justice Committee to question what we honestly know and don’t know about Islam, and our fears that might be associated with Muslims in the United States and around the world.
The bishops at Vatican II wrote, “Although in the course of the centuries many quarrels and hostilities have arisen between Christians and Muslims, this sacred Synod urges all to forget the past and to strive sincerely for mutual understanding.”

In response to this, the committee is inviting Dr. Shannon Dunn, Ph.D. from the Religious Studies Department at Gonzaga University to speak at two sessions at the parish in April. Dr. Dunn will give some historical background on Islam and present the continuities and similarities between Judaism, Christianity and Islam. She will also discuss the need for conversations to address the misunderstanding, fear, and anger that many direct at the Islamic faith and Muslims. There will be time for discussion and Dr. Dunn will address questions.

Dr. Dunn is an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Gonzaga University. Shannon received her M.A. degree from Claremont School of Theology prior to completing her doctoral degree at Florida State University. Her areas of focus include comparative Islamic and Christian ethics, gender and religion, as well as uses of violence in religious discourses.