Piety, Policy, and the 'Christian Nation' Myth:

Finding the Line between Politics and Religion

with Rob Boston of American United

7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 8

Tabernee Conference Center

Philips Theological Seminary

765 N. Mingo Rd.

The Tulsa Interfaith Alliance and Americans United cordially invite you to attend a free public lecture at 7 p.m. on Thursday, December 8, 2011.   Rob Boston, senior policy analyst at Americans United, will take a look at church state issues and the role of religion in politics with an eye towards the upcoming elections.   Rob Boston has worked at AU since 1987, and he serves as assistant editor of AU's "Church & State" magazine.  He is the author of three books: "Close Encounters with the Religious Right: Journeys into the Twilight Zone of Religion and Politics" (Prometheus Books, 2000); "The Most Dangerous Man in America? Pat Robertson and the Rise of the Christian Coalition" (Prometheus Books, 1996) and "Why the Religious Right Is Wrong About Separation of Church and State" (Prometheus Books, 1993; second edition, 2003).

This event is free and open to the public.

Sunday, September 25

2:00-4:30 p.m.

Aaronson Auditorium

Tulsa Central Library

The Tulsa Interfaith Alliance cordially invites you to gather on Sunday, Sept. 25 to remember and celebrate the Rev. Russell Bennett's 38 years of work in behalf of human rights and interfaith understaning in Tulsa.

This year's feature film will be Waiting for Armageddon, a critically acclaimed exploration of modern apocalypitc theology and the complex relationship between Christian Zionists and Jews.  By depicting this worldview from within, Waiting for Armageddon seeks to foster dialogue among dissenting groups, while also taking a hard look at the wider implications of this intersection of faith, politics, and foreign policy.

The film will be followed by a panel discussion with local community leaders and scholars, including David Bernstein of the Jewish Federation of Tulsa and Prof. Brad Young of the ORU College of Theology.

This event is free and open to the public.  For more information about the film, please go to www.waitingforarmageddon.com.  For other inquiries, please call 918-851-9976 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

“More in CommonThan You Think”

with Imam Imad Enchassi

Tuesday, May 3

Business Session: 6:00 p.m.

Dinner:  6:30 p.m.

Keynote Address:  7:30 p.m.

Fellowship Congregational Church (2900 S. Harvard)

The Tulsa Interfaith Alliance invites you to attend our 2011 annual meeting.   The keynote speaker for this event will be Imam Imad Enchassi of the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City.  Imam Enchassi will be speaking about the state of interfaith relations and the current challenges faced by the Islamic community in Oklahoma.  The title of his talk is, “More in Common Than You Think.”

To reserve your place for dinner, please send your payment ($25 per person) to :

Tulsa Interfaith Alliance

P.O. Box 35654

Tulsa, OK  74153

For more information call 918-292-8457 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The Tulsa Interfaith Alliance (TIA) declares its strong opposition to HB 1001, “The Religious Viewpoints Antidiscrimination Act,” by Rep. Reynolds.   If passed, this bill would damage religious liberty in our state, undermine the integrity of our public school curricula, and create a legal and bureaucratic morass that our teachers and school administrators do not need.  We urge all of our elected representatives to oppose it.

TIA strongly supports the legitimate expression of religious viewpoints in appropriate venues and at appropriate times.   Indeed, such speech is protected by current law and requires no further legal safeguards.   What is not protected, and should not be protected, is the government-sanctioned imposition of majority religious views upon people of minority faiths.  It is our belief that the establishment of “limited public forums”, as envisioned by the current legislation, would amount to just that.

TIA is also concerned that the proposed legislation would undermine classroom instruction by making it more difficult for teachers to hold students accountable for subject material.  The potential for harm is greatest in science courses, where some students may wish to substitute their own religious beliefs for scientific facts and theories.  Although all religious views should be respected, teachers cannot teach if they do not have the authority to determine the correct answers and to hold students accountable for knowing those answers.   HB 1001 places a significant legal cloud over this authority.

It is understandable that some people of faith would wish to express their beliefs in public venues, including the public schools.   But we encourage all Oklahomans to consider the special care that must be taken when religion becomes entangled with government institutions.   The potential for conflict, division, and the persecution of minority viewpoints is ever present, as is the potential to undermine the legitimate purposes of the institutions themselves.   HB 1001 stampedes past all of these concerns, rushing in where legislators and communities with good sense should fear to tread.  All who are concerned about religious liberty, the state of our public schools, and the welfare of our children, should oppose it.