April 2024

Video: Antisemitism and Allyship: Allyship is a Two-Way Street

Panel on Allyship is a Two-Way Street

Rabbi Burt Visotzky (moderator), Nathan and Janet Appleman Professor of Midrash and Interreligious Studies Emeritus, JTS
Rev. Dr. Dennis McManus, Professor of Dogmatics and Director of Spiritual Life, St. Patrick’s Seminary and University
Rabbi Stephanie Ruskay, Associate Dean of the Division of Religious Leadership, JTS
Rev. Dr. Lisa Jenkins Brown, Senior Pastor, St. Matthew’s Baptist Church
Dr. Hussein Rashid, Assistant Dean for Religion and Public Life, Harvard University

Video: Religion and Comics Panel

Religion and Comics Discussion

Throughout history, comic books have occupied many roles for religious communities. They continue to do so today. Comics have been mediums for both the positive and negative portrayal of religious belonging. They have served as objects of devotion as well as of controversy and censorship. Some comics are, themselves, religious artifacts. One might approach comics from a literary analytical perspective, identifying and analyzing the theological and otherwise religious themes and characters that appear therein. Join us for a conversation, however, that will discuss comics as sources for the study, teaching, and publication of American religious studies.

Host:
Matthew J. Cressler (Chief of Staff at the Corporation for Public Interest Technology, Independent Scholar)

Panelists:
Jenny Caplan (University of Cincinnati)
Yvonne Chireau (Swarthmore College)
Hussein Rashid (Harvard Divinity School)

April 18, 2024

Media Appearance: God at the Movies

God at the Movies: The Enduring Influence of Religion in Film

“Marvel is doing some interesting things with religion,” says Hussein Rashid, assistant dean for Religion and Public Life at Harvard Divinity School. He mentions Loki and Thor about Norse Gods, and Moon Knightabout Egyptian Gods. “I am really curious to see if they will explore the Jewishness of The Thing, who is Jewish in the comics, in The Fantastic Four [2025].”