Two Rogers State University faculty members –a political scientist and a historian who is a former Anglican minister – will moderate a discussion about differing views of the Bible and its role in American politics at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 11, at the RSU Stratton Taylor Library.
The discussion, which is free and open to the public, will be held in Room 207 of the library. It is part of the Stratton Taylor Library Literary Review Series.
The discussion, titled “The Bible Said What? Differing Views of the Bible and Their Roles in American Political Conflicts,” will be presented by Dr. Kenneth Hicks, associate professor of political science, and Dr. David Tait, associate professor of social and behavioral sciences.
The moderators will discuss how Americans often consult the Bible for guidance on social issues, the conflicting versions of Biblical writings that exist in ancient manuscripts and the role of religion in political conflicts in the U.S. They also will discuss several recent books written on these and related topics.
Hicks received doctoral and master’s degrees in government and international studies from the University of South Carolina and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the State University of West Georgia. His teaching and research interests include political theory, American politics, American foreign policy, and international relations. He has written articles on political theory for scholarly journals and has participated in many academic and professional conferences.
Tait is a former ordained Anglican minister who is now active in the Orthodox Christian Church. He received a doctoral degree in U.S. history from Oklahoma State University. He has taught at RSU since 1996. His research interests include Oklahoma history and the interaction between religious institutions and social issues. Previously, he served as an education officer for the Diocese of Kansas and a pastor in several Kansas churches.
For more information on the RSU Stratton Taylor Literary Review Series, call the library at (918) 343-7716.