Middfest presents talk on Indonesia, Islam

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By Eric Robinette, Staff Writer Updated 6:30 PM Monday, June 8, 2009

Middfest International will present a lecture on its featured country Indonesia and Islamic law at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday, June 10, at the Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati in West Chester Twp.

Elizabeth Collins, an associate professor in the department of classics and world religions at Ohio University, will discuss the history and forms of Islam in Indonesia and the role of sharia law — or Islamic law — and its implications on the country’s government, the surrounding region and the world.

The lecture is the first part of Middfest’s Religion Center project, which will be part of the weekend celebration set for Oct. 2-4. The center will be housed in the Middletown City Building and will include exhibits of religious artifacts, a film series focusing on Indonesian religious life, and various presentations and discussions by Indonesian scholars.

Deborah Schultz, the project coordinator for Middfest, said Ohio University specializes in Southeast Asian studies, and seemed like “the right place to start” to find an authority on the country, which has six recognized religions: Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Protestantism and Catholicism.

That’s a reflection of how so many different cultures settled on the islands over time, Schultz said.

Through her lecture, Collins hopes to show how Indonesia can be a place where democracy and Islamic rule can co-exist. Contrary to what some think, Indonesia is not dominated by Islamic extremists but moderates, she said.

“The signs are very good that Indonesia will embrace democracy as a solution for the problems they face,” Collins said.

The Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati will also provide a tour of the mosque at 6:30 p.m. The building’s stained glass windows were created by Middletown’s BeauVerre/Riordan Studio.

The event is free and open to the public and funded by the Ohio Humanities Council.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2836 or erobinette@coxohio.com.