Date: Monday, November 16, 2026, 12:30-2pm

Location: Casa Hispánica 612 W. 116th

Series: Interfaith: The Practice, History, and Politics of Dialogue

Speakers: Rebekah Coffman (Chicago History Museum) and Alexander Rocklin (Kenyon College)

Moderator: Seth Kimmel (Columbia University)

From its invention in the late nineteenth century though to the present, the category of “world religion” has served not only to demarcate the boundaries of certain forms of interfaith dialogue, but also shaped how courts define and protect religious freedom, how scholars of religious studies imagine their fields of inquiry, and, more generally, how non specialists conceptualize what religion is and what all religions seem to share. This event will feature scholars in conversation about the category of “world religion” and the modern emergence of interfaith dialogue, touching on the history and legacy of Chicago’s “Parliament of World Religions” and other key moments in the institutionalization of interreligious relations in the United States and elsewhere.

Free and open to the public

Light lunch provided

Registration is required—Please register in advance to reserve your spot

All prospective attendees must register by 11:59PM on Sunday, November 15. Registration will close at that time.

Note on building access: Please be aware that the event takes place on the second floor and is accessible only by stairs. Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact the IRCPL team directly at ircpl@columbia.edu.

Columbia University makes every effort to accommodate individuals with disabilities. If you require disability accommodations to attend an event at Columbia University, please contact Disability Services (disability@columbia.edu or 212-854-2388) at least 10 days in advance of the event. Requests for CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) or sign language interpretation require two weeks' notice.