The Institute of Interfaith Dialog was honored to host Dean William B. Lawrence on the September 24th Satruday Social event. The topic for Satruday Social was "The Free Exercise of Religion in a (Non) Religious Nation".

An excerpt from Dean Lawrence's talk which also summarized the topic

"My interest is to focus on the “religion” part of that constitutional right—both on the phrase that prohibits an establishment of religion and on the part that guarantees the freedom to exercise religion. Religious freedom is foundational to American democracy."

The rest of Dean Lawrence's talk can be downloaded following this link The Free Exercise of Religion in a (Non) Religious Nation.

William B. Lawrence, Professor of American Church History, became the new dean of Southern Methodist University's Perkins School of Theology on Aug. 1, 2002. Bringing more than three decades of experience in local church leadership and theological scholarship, Lawrence is known throughout The United Methodist Church for his writing and research in homiletics and the history and doctrine of The United Methodist Church. His recent work includes study of the episcopacy and ordination.

The event was sponsored by Fountain Magazine and dinner was sponsored by Destan Restaurant.