(April 19, 2012)

CLC hosts "The Mormon Moment"

SHREVEPORT, LA — The Christian Leadership Center (CLC) is hosting "The Mormon Moment: A Look at What Sets the Latter-Day Saints Apart" on Tuesdays, May 8-June 5. In a lecture series, Dr. Ross E. Smith, Associate Professor of Music, will examine features of Mormonism that diverge from contemporary Christianity and will explore ways in which Christianity and Mormonism coincide.

Dr. Ross Smith
Dr. Ross Smith

Many factors in popular culture have led to what is now being referred to as the Mormon Moment: Mitt Romney's likely nomination as the Republican presidential candidate, public conflicts with the Jewish and Hindu communities over baptisms for the dead, the Tony-award-winning Broadway musical The Book of Mormon, HBO's Big Love, Stephanie Meyer's Twilight book and series, and American Idol runner-up David Archuleta.

Dr. Smith graduated from Brigham Young University and University of Michigan with degrees in piano performance. He is an ordained High Priest and is currently serving his fifth year as a Bishop for the Shreveport Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Smith is a frequent guest lecturer for Religious Studies courses at Centenary and the Questers Sunday School class at First United Methodist Church.

He co-taught Rel 395W: Joseph Smith and Early Mormonism with Dr. Peter Huff, Centenary's James Chair of Religion, in Fall 2009. Smith currently teaches piano and music courses at Centenary.

Salt Lake Temple

To register, call Maegan Daigle, Assistant Director of CLC, at 318.869.5112 or send your contact information (name, mailing address, phone number, email address) along with your check for $50 to:
Christian Leadership Center
Attn: Smith Series
2911 Centenary Blvd
Shreveport, LA 71104

The CLC is a faith-based program committed to offering educational opportunities at the intersection of faith and intellect for the Shreveport-Bossier and Centenary community. The CLC also promotes local, regional, and international mission trips that are grounded in biblical study and integrated with theological discussion and reflection.