The challenges faced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as it develops outside the United States will be the focus of the International Society's 15th annual conference, "The Developing Church in the Developing World," on the Brigham Young University campus Monday, April 5, following General Conference weekend.
"After 14 years of conferences held at the beginning of Education Week, the board of directors decided that we would attract just as many of our members and other interested people by holding the conference just after the spring General Conference," says Blaine Tueller, International Society president. "Students and faculty are on campus at that time, and we hope that many of them will find our conference stimulating with timely subjects discussed by experts."
The conference will begin at 8:30 a.m. in 3222 and 3224 of the Wilkinson Student Center. The conference is free and open to the public; however, the award luncheon at noon Monday is $12 per person and requires reservations.
For more information or to RSVP, contact the International Society, int-soc@email.byu.edu, 222 HRCB, BYU, Provo, UT 84602. See the full 2004 conference schedule online at http://kennedy.byu.edu/isd.
Elder Robert S. Wood of the Second Quorum of the Seventy of the Church will deliver the keynote address, "Church Development in the Developing World — A Babe Upon Its Mother's Lap."
Panels and presentations will focus on "The Implications of Secularism for the Church and the World," "The Perpetual Education Fund in the Third World" and "Religious Liberty — Developments in the Developing World."
Conference participants include Elder John K. Carmack, emeritus member of the First Quorum of the Seventy and director of the Perpetual Education Fund; Bruce Olsen, director of Public Affairs for the Church and his colleagues Kim Farah, Michael von Rosen and Val Edwards; and William F. Atkin, associate general counsel for the Church.
Also participating are BYU faculty members Roger Keller, professor of world religions; Douglas Tobler, professor emeritus of history; and W. Cole Durham Jr., Gates Chair University Professor of Law and director of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies.
Organized in 1989, the International Society is an association of professionals with international interests who are members or friends of the Church. The society is supported by BYU's David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies, Marriott School of Management, J. Reuben Clark School of Law, David O. McKay School of Education and Alumni Association.
The society encourages collegiality among professionals involved in international business, law, government, education, humanitarian service or other activities; promotes shared professional and social interests and concerns of society members; and, where possible, provides support for the international programs of BYU and the Church.
Writer: Lee Simons
