What began as the Catholic-Muslim Dialogue at The University of Toledo in 2000 has expanded to bring understanding of three of the world’s top religions to campus.
The annual Jewish-Christian-Muslim Dialogue will be held Monday, April 15, from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Student Union Auditorium. The dialogue will be the main event for UT’s Center for Religious Understanding lecture series this academic year.
“This is our biggest event of the year,” said Dr. Jeanine Diller, center director and assistant professor of philosophy. “We usually offer five or six lectures per year, including one on Catholic studies, Jewish studies, Islamic thought, Eastern religious thought, and this year lectures on Hinduism and Native-American spirituality as well.”
This year, the Jewish-Christian-Muslim Dialogue also is a part of the President’s Lecture Series in Diversity, and the theme will be “Prophetic Peacebuilding: Abrahamic Visions for Peace.” The keynote speaker will be Dr. Najeeba Syeed-Miller, assistant professor of inter-religious education at Claremont School of Theology, Claremont, Calif.
Also speaking at the event will be Dr. James Waddell, the UT Markowicz Visiting Assistant Professor of Judaism and Jewish Biblical Studies, and Dr. Peter Feldmeier, the UT Thomas and Margaret Murray and James J. Bacik Professor of Catholic Studies.
As the UT Religious Studies Program grew, Diller said Judaism was brought into the dialogue and Catholicism was expanded to Christianity in 2003. The current three religions included in the dialogues all find their origins in Abraham.
Last year about 150 to 200 people attended the Jewish-Christian-Muslim Dialogue, and about half were from off campus. Diller said about the same number is expected to attend this year.
“In past years, some of the attendees have stayed around to talk with each other after the event has ended,” Diller said. “It is a great meeting ground for students and members of the larger community.”
A free reception with refreshments will open the event. There also will be a smaller get-together and a free dinner for UT students at 5 p.m. at the Hillel House.
For more information on the free, public lecture, contact Diller at 419.530.6190 or jeanine.diller@utoledo.edu.
