by Heidi Hormel
When he’s not studying ancient texts, Professor Ali Karjoo-Ravary, religious studies, might be cooking up kebabs on his specialty charcoal grill.
They may not live up to the best he’s had, but they’re still his “lifeline” to the ones he had in eastern Turkey, served gyro style with fresh lamb, and another on the road outside Tehran at 11 p.m.
This native New Yorker, who started at Bucknell this fall, is planning to bring his love for food and travel into the classroom.
This spring, Karjoo-Ravary is teaching “Drinking Coffee, Tasting God.” The class will explore the mystical traditions of Islam, particularly Sufism, and cover the role of coffee, tea and food in the transmission of “inner knowledge.” And he’ll make Turkish coffee for students once a week.
He also wants to have students experience the study of religion beyond Bucknell and the United States. His first choice is Singapore, whose people practice Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity and traditional Chinese religions.
This mix has created a culture without a clear majority religion, making it “an interesting vantage point to study,” even if it may not have a thriving kebab culture.
When he’s not studying ancient texts, Professor Ali Karjoo-Ravary, religious studies, might be cooking up kebabs on his specialty charcoal grill.
They may not live up to the best he’s had, but they’re still his “lifeline” to the ones he had in eastern Turkey, served gyro style with fresh lamb, and another on the road outside Tehran at 11 p.m.
This native New Yorker, who started at Bucknell this fall, is planning to bring his love for food and travel into the classroom.
This spring, Karjoo-Ravary is teaching “Drinking Coffee, Tasting God.” The class will explore the mystical traditions of Islam, particularly Sufism, and cover the role of coffee, tea and food in the transmission of “inner knowledge.” And he’ll make Turkish coffee for students once a week.
He also wants to have students experience the study of religion beyond Bucknell and the United States. His first choice is Singapore, whose people practice Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity and traditional Chinese religions.
This mix has created a culture without a clear majority religion, making it “an interesting vantage point to study,” even if it may not have a thriving kebab culture.