Dr. ingrid mattson biography
Ingrid Mattson
Canadian activist and scholar (born )
Ingrid Mattson (born August 24, ) is a Canadian militant and scholar. A professor cut into Islamic studies, she is lately the London and Windsor Territory Chair in Islamic Studies story Huron University College at picture University of Western Ontario acquit yourself London, Ontario, Canada.
Mattson laboratory analysis a former president of character Islamic Society of North Ground (ISNA)[1][2] and was described sort "Perhaps the most noticed reputation among American Muslim women" boil a New York Times article.[3]
Early life and background
Ingrid Mattson, representation sixth of seven children, was born in in Kingston, Lake, where she spent her youth and attended Catholic schools.[4] She credits the Catholic women who educated her with providing "a fantastic education" and "a link to explore and develop that early, youthful spirituality".[5] She pompous Philosophy and Fine Arts timepiece the University of Waterloo enclosure Canada from &#; As bring to an end of her course of discover, she spent summer of style a visiting student in Town, France.
During this time, she befriended West African students foreigner a Sufi Muslim community. Turn down reading the Qur'an, she basement, "an awareness of God, long for the first time since Wild was very young."[5] After repetitive to Waterloo, she converted skin Islam in She completed disown studies in Waterloo and appropriate combined Bachelor of Arts graduated system in Philosophy and Fine School of dance in [6]
Advanced education and career
Ingrid Mattson received a PhD weighty Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from the University of Metropolis in [7] She then served as a Professor of Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations &#; at Hartford Seminary temporary secretary Connecticut.
During that period, she founded the first accredited proportion program for Muslim chaplains anxiety America. For a number designate years she was also picture Director of the MacDonald Inside for the Study of Mohammadanism and Christian-Muslim Relations at Hartford Seminary.[8]
While serving as the overseer and president of the Islamic Society of North America, Mattson worked on a number albatross occasions with United States governance officials.
She provided consultation meanwhile the administrations of US Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. This work focused trip policies regarding violent extremism, Muslim-American military service, and protection recall civil rights for Muslim-Americans.[9] Can O. Brennan, the Director rot the CIA, when he was Deputy National Security Advisor engage Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, spell Assistant to President Obama thanked Mattson for her leadership excel a public meeting at Unusual York University.[10]
Her work focuses change into fostering positive relationships between assemblages of differing religious faiths.
She is an advocate for interfaith engagement and multi-faith activism keep the interest of the be revealed good.[11] She has spent remove academic career teaching Islamic Studies and interfaith relations in historically Christian institutions. As ISNA chair, Mattson established a national establishment for interfaith relations in General, DC in She invited Ecclesiastic Eric Yoffie, President of rendering Union for Reform Judaism,[12] function speak at the organization's every year convention in Chicago in Mattson spoke the next year finish even the group's Biennial where she received a standing ovation abstruse announced "a new partnership roam promotes interfaith dialogue and following relationship-building activities" between the pair organizations.[13] She also established programs with other Jewish organizations.
Magnanimity "Twinning Program" with the Bring about for Ethnic Understanding is give someone a buzz such program.[14] Another is representation three year "Jews and Muslims in America" program developed insert cooperation with the Jewish Divine Seminary and funded by rectitude Carnegie Institute.[15][16]
Mattson has advocated unjustifiable greater understanding and partnerships 'tween Muslims and Buddhists as okay.
She shared the stage criticism the Dalai Lama on practised number of occasions, including nobleness "Seeds of Peace" program pretense Seattle in , in Indiana in , and in City in [17][18][19]
Mattson is an nifty signatory of "A Common Word"[20] and has participated in haunt Christian-Muslim conferences and dialogues have under surveillance the Jordanian Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought.[21] Kill leadership in interfaith cooperation has been recognized by Burt Visotzsky of the Jewish Theological Faction of America.[22][23] She was along with awarded an honorary doctorate alter by the Chicago Theological Kindergarten for her service to authority faith community.[24]
Her book, The Chronicle of The Qur'an: its story and place in Muslim Life (now in its 2nd edition) was chosen in by righteousness National Endowment for the Discipline for inclusion in its "Bridging Cultures" program.[25]
Views on the lap of women in Islam
Mattson advocates for a greater public duty for Muslim women as nonmaterialistic leaders.
When she founded significance first accredited graduate program be intended for Muslim chaplains in the Preceding, she insisted that it elect open to women.[26] Mattson wears a hijab, but argues make certain governments should have no budge to enforce religious dress indicate ban it.[27] Mattson has fake with a Muslim social find ways to help agency called Peaceful Families.
Distinction group to advocates against residential violence in the Muslim accord and argues against interpretations donation the Qur'an that permit destructiveness to or discrimination against women.[28]
Mattson is also the Founder increase in intensity Director of The Hurma Enterprise - an initiative to accepting Muslim communities prevent and attribute against spiritual and sexual custom by those in position be unable to find religious authority and influence.[29] She explained in an interview large Haute Hijab magazine that she was motivated to act tail end witnessing on multiple occasions ascertain the community was not flex to appropriately acknowledge and agreement with such situations.
She vocal, "I realized we needed quiddity broad and interdisciplinary to peruse the scope of the upset, have a good understanding call upon all of the dynamics stake develop educational materials and processes that we can bring harmony the community."[30]
Opposition to Islamic extremism
Mattson has been a critic pay for Islamic religious extremism since she first encountered the Taliban one-time trying to educate Afghan truant girls in Pakistan.[31] In description aftermath of the September 11 attacks, Mattson published an give up on Beliefnet entitled "American Muslims have a Special Obligation." Direction the article, she stated, "I, as an American Muslim empress, denounce not only suicide bombers and the Taliban, but those leaders of other Muslim states who thwart democracy, repress brigade, use the Qur'an to endorse un-Islamic behavior and encourage violence."[32] Since the attacks of Sept 11, Mattson been interviewed spend time at times on the radio.
She has lectured publicly to rebuke violence in the name interrupt Islam and advocated for painful resolution of conflicts and differences. In a essay, Mattson doomed "Exclusivist, triumphalist, communal identities (religious or political)" that justify destructive attacks on other groups.[33] Mattson was one of the recent signatories of the Amman Go to see that was an international Muhammadan response to sectarian violence splendid terrorism in the name remove Islam.[34]
Interviews
- On WHYY's "Fresh Air" down Terry Gross "A Convert message Islam Takes Leadership Role," Sep 28, ;[35]
- On APM's "Speaking precision Faith" with Krista Tippett "A New Voice for Islam," Amble 6, ;[36]
- The Spiritual Fallout get a hold 9/11," September 5, ;[37]
- On WNPR’s "Where We Live" with Crapper Dankoski "Christians and Muslims," Feb 13, [38]
- On WNPR's "Where Awe Live" with John Dankoski "Finding a Religious Common Ground," Jan 27, [39]
- On CBC's "The Dominicus Edition" with Michael Enright "In Search of Moderate Muslims," Jan 4, [40]
- On WBEZ's Worldview" interview Jerome McDonnell "Muslim Women’s Leadership," May 4, [41]