Venue
About
Each year Religious Studies (currently named Studies in Religion until 2025), hosts the World Religions Symposium.
Secondary school students from across South East Queensland are invited to the St Lucia campus for a day of discovery. Students choose to attend a number of sessions throughout the day that cover topics such as Islam and Society, Science and Religion, Hinduism, Spirituality in the Everyday and Galileo and the Church.
The World Religions Symposium grants students the opportunity to:
- experience a day at the St Lucia campus of The University of Queensland
- hear from world-leading scholars
- learn about specific religions, and the place of religion in the contemporary world
- participate in a Q&A session
Event Details
Date: Wednesday 17 July, 2024 - fully booked
Time: 9:30am - 2.00pm
Location: UQ St Lucia (View Map)
Date: Thursday 18 July, 2024 - new session added
Time: 9:30am - 2.00pm
Location: UQ St Lucia (View Map)
Registrations now open
The event on Wednesday 17 July has now reached capacity.
However, due to increased interest in the event we’re excited to announce an additional symposium on Thursday, 18th July. This second event will feature the identical schedule and program as the initial event. If you are interested in attending the Thursday event please email engagement@hass.uq.edu.au.
The cost for this event is $5 per student. Teachers are free.
Program
9:30am: Arrivals and welcome
10-10:45am : Session block 1
- Islam and Society
- Science & Religion Conflict
- Hinduism: Sacred Texts
- The Ethics and Reception of Job
10:45-11:10am: Morning Tea
11:15am-12pm: Session block 2 (repeated sessions from block 1)
12pm - 12:45pm: Lunch
12:55pm - 2pm: Panel session
2pm: Finish
Session descriptions and links to SoR unit
Session: Islam and Society
Presented by Dr Ryan Williams
- Description: How do Muslims connect to the Islam of the past? What does Islam mean for Muslims in a Muslim-minority country like Australia? This session will explore the texts, rituals, and ethics that connect Muslims in Australian society.
- SoR Unit Themes: Sacred texts and religious writings; Religion and ritual; Religious ethics
Session: Science & Religion Conflict
Presented by Associate Professor Tom Aechtner
- Description: Are religion and science in conflict? This session explores answers to that controversial question, and it explores religion-science relationships throughout history to the present-day.
- SoR Unit Themes: Sacred texts and religious writings; Religious ethics
Session: Hinduism: Sacred Texts
Presented by Associate Professor Adam Bowles
- Description: This session will explore the sacred texts in the Hindu tradition. Why have some texts been elevated over others? Does Hinduism have ‘a sacred text’?
- SoR Unit Themes: Sacred texts and religious writings; Religion, rights and the nation-state
Session: The Ethics and Reception of Job
Presented by Dr James A.T. Lancaster
- Description: The problem of pain (theodicy) raised by Job’s suffering in the Bible has motivated thousands of years of discussion and debate. This session will explore the authorship, text, and reception of the Book of Job as a means to understand its ethical importance.
- SoR Unit Themes: Sacred texts and religious writings; Religious ethics
Contact
Please contact engagement@hass.uq.edu.au for enquiries.
Kindly be aware that this event is exclusively for high school students. We are unable to accept conference papers or speaker proposals from individuals not affiliated with The University of Queensland (UQ).