Westmont Profs Talk Religion, Politics at Free Lecture

Two topics often nervously side-stepped are being tackled head-on on Thursday, October 16, during a talk entitled “Does Religion Belong in Politics? Reflections in the Midst of the 2008 Campaign,” sponsored by the Westmont Foundation. The talk is part of a series called Westmont Downtown: Conversations About Things that Matter.

Jesse Covington, assistant professor of political science, and Telford Work, associate professor of religious studies, will address the relationship between American politics and American faith. They will discuss what role, if any, religion should play in today’s politics.

Covington graduated from Pepperdine University, holds master’s degrees from the University of Notre Dame and Westminster Theological Seminary, and earned a doctorate from Notre Dame. He emphasized the importance of the forum as an outlet for “careful reflection and responsible dialogue, particularly as we approach an important presidential election.”

Work graduated from Stanford University in political science, holds a master’s degree from Fuller Theological Seminary, and earned a doctorate in theology and ethics from Duke University. Work also recently published Ain’t Too Proud to Beg: Living Through the Lord’s Prayer, a book that theologically addresses American politics, sociology, and economics.

The talk is a free event and will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the University Club, which is located at 1332 Santa Barbara St.