Leadership in a devout and diverse America topic of Jan. 6 talk on 'With God on All Sides'

Just prior to the convening of the Virginia General Assembly and the presidential inauguration, leadership studies scholar Douglas A. Hicks will discuss his new book, With God on All Sides: Leadership in a Devout and Diverse America on Tuesday, Jan.6 at 5:30 p.m. at the Library of Virginia, 800 East Broad St.

The book, published by Oxford University Press, provides ideas for how citizens and leaders can navigate conflicts in public policymaking and civic life that arise from differences in religious beliefs. A reception and book signing will follow the talk.

Hicks is associate professor of leadership studies and religion in the Jepson School of Leadership Studies and executive director of the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement at the University of Richmond. He holds a Ph.D. in religion from Harvard University. More on Dr. Hicks' books.

Perhaps no other nation is as religiously diverse as the United States. In With God on All Sides, Hicks provides a roadmap for leaders of various kinds as they traverse the post-9/11 landscape. Although the devout possess moral and spiritual resources that can enrich civic life, leaders must also be prepared to cope with nearly inevitable conflicts between people of different faiths. Hicks tells the stories of how diverse Americans have transformed public controversies into cases of cooperation. The key, he believes, is to engage one another across lines of difference with a spirit of humility, build communication and trust, and offer an inclusive vision that is true to America’s principles.

“The recent presidential election revealed both the significance and the contested nature of religion in our public life,” Hicks states. “In many ways, however, the real challenge is not campaigning with religion, but governing a religiously diverse country. That’s the agenda for our new leadership—national, statewide, and local—and it’s the topic of this book.”

Hicks is also the author of Religion and the Workplace: Pluralism, Spirituality, Leadership (2003) and Inequality and Christian Ethics (2000), as well as a co-editor of Global Neighbors: Christian Faith and Moral Obligation in Today’s Economy (2008) and the three-volume International Library of Leadership (2004).

There is free and ample parking in the lot beneath the Library. Seating is limited and is first-come, first served.

Sponsors for the event are: The Jepson School of Leadership Studies, The Library of Virginia and its foundation, the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement and the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities.

For further information email jepson@richmond.edu. 

Posted December 12, 2008