Does God exist? Is God the creator of the universe? Where can we find God? Can God cure all problems and end human suffering?
These questions and more will be pondered this weekend as the eighth annual World Religions Conference comes to Thompson Rivers University.
The conference is again presented by Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at and will be held in the Alumni Theatre in the Clock Tower Building on Sunday, March 15, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Attendance is free.
The conference will feature prominent religious scholars representing Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Islam, all of whom will address the questions posed above.
The conference will also include a multi-media presentation.
The conference will be moderated by Kamloops This Week editor Christopher Foulds.
World Religions Conference speakers include:
• Dr. Jap Warveni (Buddhist perspective):
Warveni is senior lecturer in the department of marketing, international business and entrepreneurship at Thompson Rivers University. She is a member of the MBA committee, co-chair of the faculty Council International Programs Advisory Committee and Member of the TRU Senate International Affairs Committee. Warveni received the 2013 TRU President’s Award for Excellence in Internationalization She is also a strong believer in traditional Chinese Buddhism (the combination of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism), which played a prominent role in Chinese culture and history.
• Alan S.Vaal (Christianity perspective):
Vaal was raised in a non-Christian home in London, England, and converted after hearing the Gospel of Christ preached at a missionary conference in1968. Vaal and his wife moved to Canada in 1972. He graduated from Victory Baptist Bible College in Prince Albert in 1983. He has pastored for more than 30 years, including serving, with his wife, three years in Veracruz State, Mexico, preaching in remote riverside areas.
Vaal has two children dedicated to the ministry. He is now semi-retired and teaches at Berean Baptist Church.
• Acharya S. P. Dwivedi (Hindu perspective):
Dwivedi has three master’s degrees, in English, Hindi and political science.
He has taught in Indian and Canadian universities and has organized and participated in several national and international interfaith, peace and literary conferences.
Dwivedi has been involved in the interfaith movement in Canada for more than 37 years and is a poet, essayist, literary critic, social activist and journalist. He has six books of poems in circulation and has edited two anthologies.
In 2000, Dwivedi was invited by the United Nations to its Millennium Peace Conference in New York and to the URI Global Summit in Rio.
• Balal Khokhar (Islam perspective):
Khokhar is a graduate of Jāmi’ah al-Ahmadīyyah — the Ahmadiyya University — an International Islamic seminary. He graduated in 2011 and worked as a missionary in Ottawa and southwest Africa.
Since 2013, Khokhar has been serving the community as a missionary in British Columbia. He has a keen interest in comparative religious knowledge, history and Qur’anic sciences. and encourages interfaith dialogue as a tool to promote understanding and harmony in communities.
• Gian Singh Kotli (Sikhism perspective):
Kotli is a dedicated multi-faith activist. He has a master’s degree in English and political science and is also a law graduate.
Kotli is a prominent Punjabi poet and writer whose numerous articles have been published in Punjabi and English newspapers. He has worked in India, Singapore and Vancouver as an editor and principal, and in various other positions.
Kotli is also involved in interfaith and community programs.
The post Does God exist? World Religions Conference comes to Kamloops on March 15 appeared first on Kamloops This Week.