Fethullah Gulen, the Gulen Movement and Socrates - A comparison of perspectives on peacebuilding

The American Turkish Friendship Association (ATFA) along with the Rumi Forum – Fairfax hosted a Dialogue and Friendship Dinner: Education for Peace on Wednesday, November 28th, 2012 at the Marriott Hotel in Tysons Corner, Virginia.

A diverse group of guests including elected officials, leaders and representatives from faith communities, business, media and academia attended the dinner and distinguished speakers gave important messages on the theme of this year’s event: “Education for Peace”.

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Fethullah Gulen & Gulen Movement's Soft Power Approach - Lessons for Arab Political Reform

(Video Duration: 6 mins. 14 secs.)

Mohammed Abu-Nimer, Ph.D.

This presentation is based on field observations and readings of Fethullah Gulen. The goal is to draw lessons from the ideas and practices of the Gulen Movement that can inform political reform in the Arab world.

In a panel discussion held at Georgetown University's Berkeley Center, Mohammed Abu-Nimer of American University points out that one important character of Fethullah Gulen and the Gulen Movement is the movement's refusal to engage in partisan politics.

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Fethullah Gulen & Gulen Movement - Remarks by Klas Grinell

(Video Duration: 8 mins. 3 secs.)

Klas Grinell, Ph.D.

Klas Grinell speaks about Fethullah Gulen & Gulen Movement at the conference, Culture of Coexistence: The Art of Living Together, organized by Finland Dialog Association and The Fountain, a bimonthly US-based periodical, under the auspices of the Finland Ministry of Culture and Sports on April 24, 2012.

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Gulen Movement - An Example to the 'Committed Core' in Promoting Peace through Education

(Video Duration: 19 mins. 3 secs.)

Alp Aslandogan, Ph.D.

An international group of educators and convened for the inaugural "Peacebuilding Through Education" summit sponsored by Fountain Magazine, the Peace Islands Institute and co-sponsored by regional universities as well as the Alliance for Shared Values. The goal of the summit was to show how lessons of tolerance, understanding and intercultural respect can be woven into classroom curriculum or extracurricular activities. Throughout the day, speakers offered insights and strategies for building character in the classroom and creating a safe learning environment to incubate future leaders of more peaceful communities.

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Gulen Movement and Peacebuilding through Education

(Video Duration: 14 mins. 18 secs.)

Ihsan Yilmaz, Ph.D.

Last week New York City hosted the United Nations General Assembly, the Clinton Global Initiative and the Education Nation conference. These massive events focus on international diplomacy and peace, societal problem-solving and improving classroom instruction. However, just a few blocks away from these grand assemblies, a smaller group met for the first time to tackle all these issues with a single, bold strategy.

Organized by The Fountain and Peace Islands Institute, the conference featured a number of distinguished speakers from the United States and abroad. Among the government representatives were Rochelle Hendricks, the Secretary of Higher Education of New Jersey, Armin Altamirano Luistro, Secretary of the Department of Education in the Philippines, and Tanzania Minister of Education Shukuru Jumanne Kawambwa.

Below, you may find Dr. Ihsan Yilmaz's presentation titled: Peacebuilding through Education: A Perspective on the Hizmet Movement:

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Dr. Jill Carroll speaks on Fethullah Gulen and The Gulen Movement

(Video Duration: 1 hr. 13 mins. 25 secs.)

Dr. Jill Carroll, author of the book A Dialogue of Civilizations: Gülen's Islamic Ideals and Humanistic Discourse, speaks at the lecture and book signing event in Chicago at Niagara Foundation. Dr. Carroll talks about the components that lead her to write the book and provides valuable insight on its context and content.

Fethullah Gulen is a Turkish intellectual, scholar, and activist whose influence over a new Islamic intellectual, social, and spiritual revival is revealed in this insightful book. Readers will gain a fuller understanding of where Gulen stands on issues of inherent human value and dignity, freedom of thought, education and taking responsibility for creating society and the world. In addition, readers will also see how different perspectives across time, geography, and worldview can still find points on which to engage in dialogue and find a deep resonance.

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Fethullah Gulen and Peace as Horizon of Tolerance and Dialogue

(Video Duration: 24 mins. 4 secs. )

Pim Valkenberg, Ph.D.

Prof. Pim Valkenberg presents his paper titled Fethullah Gulen and Peace as Horizon of Tolerance and Dialogue at the conference Preventing Violence and Achieving World Peace: The Contributions of the Gulen Movement, held by the Rumi Forum on Oct. 29, 2009 at the University of Maryland, College Park.

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Fethullah Gulen's Alternative to the Dialectic Humanity

(Video Duration: 19 mins. 23 secs. )

Heon C. Kim, Ph.D.

Dr. Heon C. Kim of Temple University presents his paper at the conference Preventing Violence and Achieving World Peace: The Contributions of the Gulen Movement, held by the Rumi Forum on Oct. 29, 2009 at the University of Maryland, College Park.

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Gulen Movement - An Analysis by Professor Helen Rose Ebaugh

(Video Duration: 28 mins. 12 secs.)

Helen Rose Ebaugh, Professor at the Department of Sociology at University of Houston, who primarily teaches sociology of world religions, discusses the concept of organizational culture by telling about a study that she reported in her recent book: The Gulen Movement – A Sociological Analysis of a Civic Movement Rooted in Moderate Islam.

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Fethullah Gulen's Care for All Creation as a Means to Nonviolence

(Video Duration: 22 mins. 25 secs. )

Eileen Eppig, Ph.D.

Prof. Eileen Eppig of College of Notre Dame presents her paper at the conference Preventing Violence and Achieving World Peace: The Contributions of the Gulen Movement, held by the Rumi Forum on Oct. 29, 2009 at the University of Maryland, College Park:

The nonviolent and peaceful lifestyle of Fethullah Gulen reflects the Sufi belief that love is the essential element in every creature. Gulen’s own love extends to the entire universe, which is meant to be “read” by human beings in order to achieve faith, knowledge, and closeness to God. With traditional Sufi theology, Gulen relates the inner meaning of the Qur’an to the inner meaning of the natural world. The Qur’an and the universe are two expressions of the same truth.

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Followers of Fethullah Gulen seek to build up the human community

(Video Duration: 4 mins. 31 secs.)

Leo Lefebure, Ph.D.

Prof. Leo Lefebure of Georgetown University speaks at Annual Intercultural Shared Iftar (fast-breaking Dinner) held by Rumi Forum of Washington D.C.

According to him, we all can get so used to routines, and fasting exerts a call to attention for not only Muslims, but followers of other religious paths as well. He shares how Islamic faith calls him to stop and think "what do I worship functionally in my life?"

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Fethullah Gulen and the Concept of Ikhlas [Pure Love for God, Fidelity]

(Video Duration: 1 min. 35 secs.)

Fr. Thomas Michel

A conference titled “Muslims between Tradition and Modernity: The Gulen Movement as a Bridge between Cultures” was held at Potsdam University in Berlin on May 26-27, 2009.

Presenting a conference paper titled “The Concept of Ikhlas [pure love for God and sincerity in Islamic literature] in Gülen's Teachings,” American Professor Thomas Michel said “gaining the approval of God” without expecting anything in return from people is a central tenet in the teachings of Fethullah Gülen. Noting that even reaching heaven is not a motivating factor in his teachings, he said the acquisition of worldly gains does not exist in Gülen's understanding of Islam.

In this video, Fr. Thomas Michel responds to a question about the concept of Ikhlas in Gulen's teachings:

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Fethullah Gulen's Legal Journey: A Political Trial

(Video Duration: 7 mins. 59 secs.)

James C. Harrington, Ph.D.

The Hizmet Movement in the Turkish Context was the topic of the third panel at the "International Conference on Gulen Movement: Paradigms, Projects, Aspirations" held at the International House of University of Chicago in 2010.

In the panel, Dr. James C. Harrington of the Texas Civil Rights Institute from University of Texas presented his paper titled Strengthening Religious Freedom, Free Speech, and Democracy in Turkey: The Political Trial of Fethullah Gülen. Below are some excerpts from Dr. Harrington's presentation:

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Gulen Movement enterprises through the lens of 'Social Business'

(Video Duration: 5 mins. 6 secs.)

Greg Barton, Ph.D.

Hizmet Movement and Civic Engagement was the topic of the second panel at the "International Conference on Gulen Movement: Paradigms, Projects, Aspirations" held at the International House of University of Chicago in 2010.

In the panel, Dr. Greg Barton of Monash University, Australia presented his paper titled Understanding the Gulen Movement enterprises through the lens of ‘Social Business’. Below are some excerpts from Dr. Barton's presentation:

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The Gulen Movement - Civic Engagement, Efficacy and Success

(Video Duration: 4 mins. 54 secs.)

Muhammed Cetin, Ph.D.

Sociological Approaches to the Hizmet Movement was the topic of the fifth panel at the “International Conference on the Gulen Movement: Paradigms, Projects, Aspirations” held at the International House of University of Chicago in 2010.

In the panel, Dr. Muhammed Cetin of the East Stroudsburg University, Pennsylvania presented his paper titled The Gulen Movement - Civic Engagement, Efficacy and Success. Below are some excerpts from Dr. Cetin’s presentation:

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An analysis of the literature on Fethullah Gulen and Gulen Movement

(Video Duration: 1 min. 6 secs.)

Jeremy Walton, Ph.D.

Modern Social Paradigms and the Hizmet Movement was the topic of the sixth panel at the “International Conference on the Gulen Movement: Paradigms, Projects, Aspirations” held at the International House of University of Chicago in 2010.

In the panel, Dr. Jeremy Walton of the New York University presented his paper titled Toward a Comprehensive Interpretation of Piety and Civility: Theological, Ethical, Institutional and Aesthetic Dimensions of the Hizmet Movement. Below are some excerpts from Dr. Walton’s presentation:

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Sacred Space in the Hizmet Movement & The Thought of Fethullah Gulen

(Video Duration: 5 mins. 8 secs.)

Jon Pahl, Ph.D.

Religious Studies Perspectives on the Hizmet Movement was the topic of the fourth panel at the “International Conference on the Gulen Movement: Paradigms, Projects, Aspirations” held at the International House of University of Chicago in 2010.

In the panel, Dr. Jon Pahl of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at the Temple University, Pennsylvania presented his paper on the Sacred Space in the Hizmet Movement and the Thought of M. Fethullah Gulen. Below are some excerpts from Dr. Pahl’s presentation:

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Fethullah Gulen’s conception of Knowledge and Reflection

(Video Duration: 2 mins. 56 secs.)

Klas Grinell, Ph.D.

Religious Studies Perspectives on the Hizmet Movement was the topic of the fourth panel at the “International Conference on the Gulen Movement: Paradigms, Projects, Aspirations” held at the International House of University of Chicago in 2010.

In the panel, Dr. Klas Grinell of the Gothenburg University of Sweden presented his paper on Islamic Movements and Gulen’s conception of Knowledge. Below are some excerpts from Dr. Rausch’s presentation:

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Fethullah Gulen, Moral Selfhood and Devotion

(Video Duration: 1 min. 45 mins.)

Margaret J. Rausch, Ph.D.

Religious Studies Perspectives on the Hizmet Movement was the topic of the fourth panel at the “International Conference on the Gulen Movement: Paradigms, Projects, Aspirations” held at the International House of University of Chicago in 2010.

In the panel, Dr. Margaret J. Rausch of the University of Kansas presented her paper on The Hizmet Movement and Sufism: Moral Selfhood and Compassionate Engagement. Below are some excerpts from Dr. Rausch’s presentation:

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Fethullah Gulen as a model and his approach to "the other"

(Video Duration: 4 mins. 1 sec.)

Martin Marty, Ph.D.

Hizmet Movement and Civic Engagement was the topic of the second panel at the “International Conference on the Gulen Movement: Paradigms, Projects, Aspirations” held at the International House of University of Chicago in 2010.

In the panel, Dr. Martin Marty of the University of Chicago presented his paper on The Risks and Promise of “Engagement” in Gulen’s Writings. Below are some excerpts from Dr. Marty’s presentation:

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