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DALLAS  – The Center for Evangelism and Missional Church Studies of Perkins School of Theology will host a lecture by  of the Ismaili community in London on Thursday, March 20, at 2:00 p.m., in the Great Hall of Elizabeth Perkins Prothro Hall on the SMU campus. The event is free and open to the community. Dr. Keshavjee will discuss Ismaili understandings of contemporary Shari’a law.

The Institute of Ismaili Studies was established in 1977 with the object of promoting scholarship and learning of Muslim cultures and societies, historical as well as contemporary, and a better understanding of their relationship with other societies and faiths.

Dr. Keshavjee’s lecture follows two events promoted by the Center: a public viewing of the documentary film “An Islamic Conscience: The Aga Khan and the Ismailis,” held March 5 at Perkins, and the Aga Khan’s March 11 Stephen Ogden Jr. Lecture on International Affairs at Brown University.

The release of the documentary comes at a time when the Aga Khan’s work in international development and peacemaking is receiving renewed attention, according to Dr. Robert Hunt, director of the Center for Evangelism and Missional Church Studies. In addition, the Aga Khan recently addressed both houses of the Canadian Parliament, Dr. Hunt said.

The Center for Evangelism and Missional Church Studies of Perkins School of Theology encourages Christians and Christian communities to engage in fruitful interfaith dialogue with other religious traditions. The Keshavjee lecture, documentary, and Aga Khan lecture are offered as part of its ongoing program to encourage dialogue.

Perkins School of Theology, founded in 1911, is one of five official University-related schools of theology of . Degree programs include the Master of Divinity, Master of Sacred Music, Master of Theological Studies, Master of Church Ministries, and Doctor of Ministry, as well as the Ph.D., in cooperation with at SMU’s of Humanities and Sciences.