Qur'an Expert to Speak at Meetinghouse in Jaffrey This Today

Rev. Jamie L. Hamilton, Rector of All Saints' Parish in Peterborough, NH and Muslim religion expert will be the sixth speaker for the 70th season of the Amos Fortune Forum. Her topic is entitled "Iqra: Reading the Qur'an" and will be presented on Friday, August 12 at 8pm at the historic Meetinghouse in Jaffrey, New Hampshire.

Jamie L. Hamilton explores the overarching themes of the Qur'an. See if you come to agree with her that America could easily be referred to as a Judeo-­Christian-­Islamic nation, so close we are in our shared values that support dignity, equality, equanimity, peace, community and justice.

Ignorance of the Qur'an, the Holy Scripture for Muslims, diminishes us all. On one hand it's only a book, so why does it matter whether we understand the Qur'an or not? On the other hand, it's the Standing Miracle for one fifth of the world's population and guides their living. Today, too many non­ Muslims accept the jihadist rhetoric that the heinous and murderous acts committed by the terrorists are sanctioned by the Qur'an.

The Rev. Hamilton knows they're wrong, and she believes that if we're going to make any progress in our relationships with Muslim ­majority countries, as well as with the Muslim minority in America, we need a fluency in the major themes of the Qur'an. Such an understanding will give us best access in understanding the world view of Muslims. For twenty years, Jamie taught courses in religion, ethics and philosophy at Phillips Exeter Academy, and was the dean in charge of student health and welfare. She was also a Visiting Fellow at Harvard Divinity School, working with a project regarding "Religious Life in Nonsectarian, Multi­Religious Educational Settings."

Ordained in the Episcopal Church since 1991, Jamie was the Priest-­in-­Charge of the summer chapel, Emmanuel, in Dublin, New Hampshire from 1996-­2011. Currently, Jamie is the Rector of All Saints' Parish in Peterborough, NH, and has a summer home, just around the corner in Jaffrey Center!

The Amos Fortune Forum is presented at the Meetinghouse, built in 1755 in historic Jaffrey Center, New Hampshire, 2.5 miles west of downtown Jaffrey and 75 miles from downtown Boston. Speakers are presented at 8pm sharp each Friday during the summer. As is the custom of the Forum, no admission is charged, however, donations are accepted. After each forum, a brief reception is held with each speaker at The First Church in Jaffrey Parish Hall, directly across from the Meetinghouse. Information for the Forum can be found at www.amosfortune.com, Facebook (facebook.com/amosfortuneforum) or at Twitter (@amosforum). The telephone number is (641) 715-3900 Extension 742251.

The final Amos Fortune Forum speaker for the 2016 season is performance art, dance, and puppetry creator, performer and teacher, Dan Hurlin. His talk is entitled, "Futurism, puppets and me. A personal look at the Italian Futurists." Dsn will speak on Friday, August 19th at 8pm.

Amos Fortune Forum, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, has been providing a platform for speakers to express ideas, concepts, information and history to thousands of curious and engaged citizens since 1946. It has been internationally recognized as one of the most important and influential speakers' forums in the world.

The Amos Fortune Forum, now in its 70th season, is free to the public. Operating expenses are partially offset by a generous annual bequest from the Grimshaw-Gudewicz Charitable Foundation, as well as by contributions from residents of the Monadnock Region and beyond.

Visit www.AmosFortune.org for more information.