The Center for Church/State Studies at DePaul University will present monthly breakfast forums through June that will present a distinctive perspective on religion and the law. Each forum will explore how diverse faith traditions have understood their relationship to the state during the last century.

The lectures will be held at 8 a.m. at the Union League Club of Chicago, 65 E. Jackson Blvd. Speakers in April, May and June will discuss Native American, Buddhist and Mormon perspectives on church/state relationships.

Scheduled speakers are Richard A. Monette, assistant professor of law at the University of Wisconsin Law School; Asayo Horibe, president of the Buddhist Council of the Midwest; Toshu John Neatrour, a Soto Zen priest; and W. Cole Durham, Jr., a law professor at J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University.

"As DePaul’s centennial academic year comes to a close the Center for Church/State Studies continues to offer unique perspectives on how different religious traditions understand their church/state relationships during the past 100 years," said Craig Mousin, executive director of the center. Mousin is an attorney and an ordained minister with the United Church of Christ. "The forums provide the perfect platform for people to discuss complex issues that are important to society."

Programs for April, May and June are:

April 8, 1999—"Native American Perspective." This lecture will be given by Richard A. Monette, a professor of law at the University of Wisconsin and the current president of the National Native American Bar Association. He specializes in drafting provisions for constitutions and codes for Indian Tribes.

May 13, 1999—"Buddhist Perspective." This lecture will be presented by Asayo Horibe, president of the Buddhist Council of the Midwest, and Toshu John Neatrour, a Soto Zen priest. Horibe is a third-generation Japanese American who is president of the largest Buddhist Temple in the United States, with over 45 Temples and Centers throughout Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan. Neatrour has been practicing zazen since 1972 and was ordained a Soto Zen priest in 1995. Soto Zen is based on the practice, example and writings of Dogen Zenji.

June 3, 1999—"Mormon Perspective." This lecture will be presented by W. Cole Durham, Jr., a law professor at J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University. He is heavily involved in comparative law scholarship, with a special emphasis on comparative constitutional law and church/state relations.

The Center for Church/State Studies is part of the DePaul College of Law. The lectures are designed to celebrate the university’s centennial academic year and foster continuing dialogue between members of the legal, policy-making and religious constituencies of our society.

Past forums during the centennial academic year have explored church/state relationships with Secularist, Orthodox Christian, Protestant, Roman Catholic, Jewish, Evangelical Protestant and Islamic religious perspectives.

The series is free and open to the public but reservations are required. For more information or to reserve a space call Jennifer Donham at the Center for Church/State Studies at 312/362-8818.