Christian /Muslim Dialogue Lexington, Kentucky February 22, 2014

Christian /Muslim Dialogue Lexington, Kentucky

February 22, 2014

Each month in Lexington, Kentucky the Christian/Muslim Dialogue, which has been in existence for many years, sponsors an educational program for the community. Today’s program was titled “Faithful Christian and Muslim Women As Agents of Change Within Faith Communities: An Exploration of Traditional and New Ground-breaking Roles of Faithful Women within Christianity and Islam.” Moderators Roz Heise and Jim Smith showed the documentary Pink Smoke Over the Vatican and then hosted a panel discussion with Dr. Nadia Rasheed and Roman Catholic Women Priests, Janice Sevre-Duszynska, and Donna Rougeux. About forty people attended the program that was followed with a potluck lunch. Janice talked about witnessing to the Bishops for many years before she was ordained as a priest. She thanked Judy, Eileen, Murry, Doris Caspani and her husband Guido for their continued support of the movement. Janice talked about the sign that Guido helped get permission to hang in Rome that said "Ordain Women." Donna talked about being mentored by Janice and being significantly influenced by a founder of the Lexington Christian /Muslim Dialogue,Muhammed Nasser, before he died. She said it is an honor to be invited by this group to talk about the movement.  Nadia pointed out that Islam does not discriminate against women, men and culture do. A common theme emerged during the discussion that there is a need for education and careful contextual study of sacred texts such as the Quran and the Bible so that progress can be made in ending sexism.