The Christian-Jewish Council of Greater Charleston, SC held the first James Sawers, Jr. Interfaith Speaker Series on October 28-30, 2017. Dr. Mark Berkson, professor and chair in the Department of Religion at Hamline University, St. Paul, MN was the keynote speaker. 

Dr. Berkson teaches courses in Asian religions (including Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist and Hindu traditions), Islam and comparative religion. Mark received his PhD from Stanford University in Religious Studies, his MA from Stanford in East Asian Studies and his BA from Princeton University.

Various lectures and workshops were offered throughout the Charleston community.