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Whitworth professor Lindy Scott to present March 29 Great Decisions lecture on Latin American Christians and U.S. Policy

March 8, 2012
Scott serves as director of Whitworth's Costa Rica Center


As the ninth anniversary of the beginning of the Iraq war approaches, Whitworth Professor of Modern Languages Lindy Scott will deliver the third lecture in the university's 55th annual Great Decisions Lecture Series. The series features five speakers who focus on current political, cultural and economic subjects of interest to the international community. The public is invited to attend the lectures free of charge. Scott's lecture, "Latin American Christians and U.S. Foreign Policy: The War in Iraq as a Case Study," will take place on Thursday, March 29, at 7:30 p.m. in the Robinson Teaching Theatre in Weyerhaeuser Hall at Whitworth University. For more information, please call (509) 777-4937.

In his lecture, Scott will address the war in Iraq from the point of view of Just War Theory, Latin American governments, and Latin American churches and organizations.

"I trust that the information presented will help the audience to rethink the relationship of Christianity and U.S. foreign policy today in a more interrelated world community," Scott says.

Scott will also discuss the role of world opinion and Christian values in the construction of a coherent foreign policy for the United States. Scott will briefly touch on the Arab Spring, immigration, and international cooperation to address common challenges such as terrorism and climate change.

Scott's areas of academic expertise include Latin American history and theology, as well as U.S. politics. He serves as the director of Whitworth's Costa Rica Center, where he teaches courses on Latin American culture, history, and literature, as well as Core 350: Applied Ethics, Public Policy and Worldviews. He makes three visits annually to Whitworth's Spokane campus to speak in classes and to meet with students, professors and staff.

Scott, who joined the Whitworth faculty in 2007, received his Ph.D. from Northwestern University, his M.Div. and M.A. degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and his bachelor's degree from Ohio University.

Scott is a regular commentator on the national radio programs "Prime Time America" and "Open Line" (WMBI), where he presents a Christian perspective on contemporary politics. He also serves as the North American coordinator and treasurer of the Fraternidad Teológica Latinoamericana (Latin American Theological Fellowship). In 1995, Scott was the recipient of the Christian Writer of the Year Award from the Asociación Cristiana de Periodismo, in Mexico. The award was given to him based largely upon his book Salt of the Earth: A Socio-Political History of Mexico City Evangelical Protestants, which was published in English and Spanish and became a classic on Mexican Protestantism in the 20th century.

In addition to the March 29 lecture, the final Great Decisions lectures will take place on April 12 and April 26. The lectures will begin at 7:30 p.m. and will be held in Weyerhaeuser Hall's Robinson Teaching Theatre. For information on upcoming lectures, please call (509) 777-4937. Great Decisions 2012 is sponsored by the Whitworth Political Science Department.

Located in Spokane, Wash., Whitworth is a private liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). The university, which has an enrollment of nearly 3,000 students, offers 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

Contacts:

Kathy Fechter, academic program assistant, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4937 or kfechter@whitworth.edu.

Emily Proffitt, public information officer, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4703 or eproffitt@whitworth.edu.