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Fatih Harpci, a senior in the Master of Arts in Theological Studies program at MTS, was chosen to present his paper, "Interfaith Dialogue Fosters Human Development: The Views of Fethullah Gülen" at the second annual Human Development Conference at the University of Notre Dame on February 26 and 27. This student-led conference draws together ambitious, innovative young development thinkers from across the nation and globe.
The conference, "People, Power, and Pragmatism:
The Future of Development in Our Changing World," is jointly sponsored by The Ford Family Program in Human Development Studies & Solidarity and the Center for Social
Concerns of the University of Notre Dame, and SIT Study Abroad, a program of world learning. It is the hope of the conference planners that dialogue and engagement between these students, their peers, and distinguished academics will generate a deeper commitment to and understanding of how to bring forth authentic development that advances human dignity.
Fatih will be one of 43 presenters at the two-day conference. His paper argues that interfaith dialogue is essential to human development and he presents the ideas of Turkish Muslim scholar, Fethullah Gülen, and the actions of the Gülen Movement. Gülen believes that Muslims and Christians have three common enemies that they must face together: ignorance, poverty, and conflict.
To defeat ignorance through education, Gülen and his followers opened many colleges and educational facilities from Europe to Central Asia, from Africa to the Far East. These schools serve all people, regardless of their races, colors, or faiths. It is in these colleges, students of all cultures are taught universal values and ethics along with modern sciences.
The movement also fights poverty with Kimse Yok Mu, the main channel of aid and relief for the Gülen movement. This organization was one of the international agencies that responded to the 2008 tsunami in Thailand, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka. It also helps the needy families delivering clothing, food, and medicine in Philippines, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Mongolia, Sudan, and Kenya. The purpose of these worldwide social activities initiated by Gülen is to form bridges that will lead to dialogue between religions and civilizations.
Born and raised in Turkey, Fatih Harpci graduated from Marmara University in Istanbul. His major fields of study were Islam and theology. From his high school years to the present he has been a member of the Gülen Movement.
Mr. Gülen currently resides in Pennsylvania. In 2004, Mr. Harpci was accepted as one of Gülen’s students for advanced study in Islamic sciences and interfaith dialogue. Mr. Harpci’s goal is to contribute to interfaith dialogue especially among Christians and Muslims. In preparing to meet that goal he enrolled in the Master of Arts in Theological Studies at Moravian Seminary. He is currently writing his thesis on the necessity of interfaith dialogue. He also writes articles for The Fountain, bi-monthly magazine of scientific and spiritual thought.
Follow this link for more about the conference. To engage in discourse about the conference or with any of the presenters, visit the conference's Facebook page. |
