The University will sponsor the second lecture in a new series that addresses the growing tension between science and spirituality April 10.

The lecture will feature Waleed El-Ensary, an assistant professor of Islamic studies and religious studies at USC. El-Ensary's talk, "Islamic Science and the Environmental Crisis," will be at 7 p.m. in Room 114 of the Arnold School of Public Health's research center, located at the northwest corner of Assembly and College streets. The lecture series is free and open to the public.

El-Ensary's talk will explore the relationship between religion and science in Islam and the need for "sacred science" in the modern world. He will address the nature of Islamic science, its impact, and its significance in the study of science and the world of nature in the West.

El-Ensary joined USC's faculty last fall. With degrees in human sciences, Islamic studies, and economics, his research focuses on the relationship among religion, philosophy, science, and economics. An expert in interfaith dialogue, El-Ensary is a consultant to the Royal Court of Jordan and the Grand Mufti of Egypt. He recently wrote the journal article "The Spiritual Significance of Jihad in the Islamic Approach to Markets and the Environments."

Daniel Buxhoeveden, a USC researcher, launched the series and helped develop three related courses for the Honors College to address society's struggle with the worlds of faith and science.

For more information about the lecture series, contact Buxhoeveden at 7-4460 or by e-mail at buxhoeve@gwm.sc.edu.

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