19 th World Religions Conference Prince George

Speakers

Baha`i Perspective

Mr. Matt Murdoch

Matthew Murdoch is active member of Baha’i community of Mission and currently sits on its Assembly. His primary paths of service have been in holding Baha’i children’s classes and deepening classes in Mission and Abbotsford over sevral years. He attended UFV and UBC, but ended up getting his nursing license in 2010 and has been working as a nurse at the Mission Memorial Hospital ever since. His personal studies focus especially on world religious scripture 

Christian Anglican Church Perspective
Fr. James Hwang

James Hwang is a former member of a Franciscan order at the Roman Catholic Church in Korea. In addition to the theological education for the priesthood, he studied at Loyola University Chicago for a Master’s degree in Pastoral Counseling. James has served as a priest, a spiritual director, and a formator in Korea. Since he came to Canada, he worked at St. John’s Shaughnessy Anglican parish as a curate and now he is the rector at St. Matthew Anglican parish in Abbotsford.

Maulana Umran Bhatti
Islam Perspective

Umran ul-Haq Bhatti is a Missionary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at. Umran acquired his degree in Islamic Theology and Comparative Religions in 2013, Canada. He has served in Ghana, Atlantic Canada, and Toronto. During his 4 yrs in Atlantic Canada he was a monthly columnist writing for the local newspaper in removing misconception about the peaceful teachings of Islam and building bridges in the community. Currently he is the Imam of the Baitur Rehman Mosque in Delta, BC. He served as an Imam and Missionary for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in the Calgary  branch at Baitun Noor Mosque from 2013- 2015.For the last 4 years he was serving Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Jamaica, West Indies, in the capacity of Missionary in Charge. He was recently appointed to serve the British Columbia chapters and the community based around Baitur Rahman Mosque in Delta, & Surrey BC. He is currently living in Delta with family (wife and 3 children)

Mr. Bhupinder Singh
Sikh Faith Perspective

Bhupinder Singh, born in Prince George, lives in Surrey with his wife and two kids. He has learned about the Sikh faith from priests and scholars. Due to his Sikh based education and ability to connect with youth, he is often invited to speak at Gurdwaras, camps and other events, which he’s being doing since 2004. Bhupinder Singh is a lifelong student and enjoys sharing what he’s learned with others. 

Christian LDS Perspective
Mr. Paul Hardy

Paul is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. From 1991 to 1993, he served as a full-time missionary for the church in Montreal. From 2010 to 2015, he served as a bishop of a local congregation in Langley, with duties similar to those of a pastor, priest, or rabbi. From 2016 to present, he serves as a counselor in a stake presidency. As a counselor, he assists the stake president oversees Church programs in the Fraser Valley. Outside of volunteering at church, he works full-time in the insurance industry. He is married, has 4 children, and 2 grandchildren.

Myoshin Kate McCandless
Buddhist Perspective

Myoshin Kate McCandless and Shinmon Michael Newton began Zen practice in 1983 as university students in Japan, with a Rinzai priest at an ancient temple on Mount Tsukuba, later moving to Kyoto and practicing Soto Zen with Shohaku Okumura. Since returning to Vancouver in 1987 they have practiced with Zoketsu Norman Fischer. They received priest ordination from him in in 2003 and dharma transmission in 2011. They were installed as guiding teachers of Mountain Rain Zen Community in May, 2017.

Hindu Faith Perspective
Dr. Rajnish Dhawan PhD

Rajnish Dhawan [PhD] is an Associate Professor with the Department of English at the University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC, Canada. He teaches Creative Writing, Classical Literature, and South Asian Literature. He has been involved with South Asian Studies Institute since the day he joined UFV in September 2009.  Rajnish is also a playwright who has written and produced two full length plays and two one act plays since joining UFV. Before moving to Canada, Rajnish used to teach at the DAV College, Amritsar. As a freelance writer in Amritsar, he wrote consistently for television, stage, and newspapers. 

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