Oct. 19, 2007 :: No. 75

Spirituality and health care are the focus of the 14th annual Religious Diversity Forum Saturday, Nov. 3, at Cal State Fullerton.

Keynote speaker for the daylong conference is Henri Colt, professor of pulmonary medicine at UCI Medical Center, who will discuss “Religion and Medicine: How Diverse Customs and Beliefs Affect the Way Health Care Is Provided.”

Following lunch, programs will include the physical and mental health benefits of meditation, medical ethics and end-of-life issues, as well as issues in health care for specific religious traditions.

Speakers include Deborah Barrett, director of the Zen Center of Orange County; Jon Wetterholm, chaplain at UCI Medical Center; Ananda Guruge, chair of the World Buddhist University Council, who will focus on Buddhism; Zakyi Ibrahim, assistant professor of comparative religion at Cal State Fullerton, who will focus on Islam; Yash Manchanda, a clinical psychologist, who will share the perspective of Hindus; Herb Modelevsky, a physician who will focus on Judaism; and Victoria Dendinger, adult faith formation director at Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church, who will share the Christian point of view.

“This conference provides participants with a chance to explore the belief processes of others and see how that relates to their concerns and ideas about health care,” said Benjamin Hubbard, emeritus professor of comparative religion at Cal State Fullerton and co-chair of the event.

The cost for the 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. forum, including lunch, is $35 for healthcare professionals seeking continuing education units, $20 for the general public and $12 for students. The program will take place in Cal State Fullerton’s Ruby Gerontology Center.

The Religious Diversity Forum is sponsored by the Cal State Fullerton’s departments of Comparative Religion and Nursing, and UCI’s Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity.

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