Durham, NC - Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth will deliver the 2007 Kenan Distinguished Lecture in Ethics on Jan. 18 and the Rudnick Lecture on Jan. 20.

 The 2007 Kenan Distinguished Lecture in Ethics, titled "The Dignity of Difference: How to Avoid the Clash of Civilizations," will be given at 5 p.m. Jan. 18 in the Bryan Center's Reynolds Theater. The chief rabbi, an orthodox Jew who lives in London, will address the moral and spiritual dimensions of globalization and the ways in which religions can be a source of peace rather than conflict.

 His 2002 book, which shares the title of the Kenan Lecture, focuses on the key role of religion -- and religious extremism -- in world events. It is a plea from a Jewish theological perspective for people of faith to see those of different races, colors or creeds as an enrichment to mankind instead of as a threat. Sacks asks, "Can we see the presence of God in the face of a stranger?"

 The Rudnick Lecture, "On Jews, Judaism and the World: The Jewish Experience as a Model for Global Citizenship in the 21^st Century," will be given at 8 p.m. Jan. 20 at the Freeman Center, on the corner of Campus Drive and Swift Avenue.

 Both lectures are free and open to the public and will be followed by a reception.

 Sacks has been Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth since 1991. A philosopher and theologian, he has played a leading role in advancing dialogue between religious minorities and dominant cultures. He studied philosophy at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, New College Oxford and King's College London. He is an honorary fellow of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge and King's College London.

Sponsored by the Kenan Institute for Ethics, the annual Kenan Lecture brings a distinguished speaker to campus to address moral issues of broad social and cultural significance. This year's lecture is co-sponsored by the Office of the President, the Provost's Common Fund, Jewish Life at Duke, Duke Chapel, the Divinity School, the Center for Jewish Studies, the Department of Religion, the Franklin Humanities Institute, the Department of Philosophy, the Sanford Institute of Public Policy, the Fuqua/Coach K Center of Leadership and Ethics (COLE), the Samuel DuBois Cook Society, the Trent Center for Bioethics, Humanities and History of Medicine, and the Gerst Program in Political, Economic and Humanistic Studies.

The Rudnick Lecture, sponsored by the Office of the Vice Provost for International Affairs and Development, brings renowned speakers to Duke. Lecture topics vary within the scope of modern-day Jewry and issues surrounding Israel and world affairs. This endowed lectureship fund began in 1990 with a gift from David L. Rudnick, and it provides financial support for Duke to host lectures, residencies and extended series of lectures by individuals.

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The Kenan Institute for Ethics is a university-wide initiative at Duke that supports and promotes the study, teaching and infusion of ethics at Duke and in higher education, K-12 and business. For more information, contact the Kenan Institute for Ethics at (919) 660-3033 or kie@duke.edu, or visit its website at <http://kenan.ethics.duke.edu>.

The Office of the Vice Provost for International Affairs and Development was created in 1995 to support the university's commitment to internationalization.