The influence of Muslim presence on Spain and Portugal will be examined during the Afternoon Sabbatical on Tuesday, Oct. 14.
Dean Rhodes, professor of Spanish, and Annette Johnson, a guide for Venture Forth Iberia in Spain, will present on the shared, but also unique history of Spain and Portugal through Muslim presence in the Iberian Peninsula.
The program, titled Portugal and Spain: Common Neighbors with an Uncommon Past, will include a luncheon and lecture. The luncheon will consist of Spanish and Portuguese cuisine and the lecture will focus on the influence of the countries’ history on their modern lives and the modern issues these countries face.
According to Rhodes, in the Communications and Marketing press release on this event, “The ability of the three monotheistic religions—Judaism, Christianity and Islam—not only to coexist but to flourish in the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages remains a testament for us today as we struggle to live peacefully with the growing Islamic presence in the world.”
Afternoon Sabbatical, a yearly series held on one Tuesday of every month, brings Goshen College faculty and community members on campus to share their expertise with the GC community. It allows students, facutly, staff and community members to connect over a shared learning experience.
Rhodes has taken multiple May term classes to Spain and Morocco to examine their combined history, and Johnson has been a guide for some of these trips. Although these trips have not focused on Portuguese history, Rhodes has studied Muslim influence on medieval Portugal and Johnson’s guide company has done education tours that include Portugal.
This joint presentation will take place on Oct. 14 at noon in the Church-Chapel Fellowship Hall. To find out if there are any tickets available, call the Welcome Center at 574-535-7565. The cost for the meal and program is $25.
