Deepening Inter-Religious Dialogue and Community Alliances

Location

Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice, Theatre

Cost

0

Violent extremism, terrorism, and transnational violent movements under a religious banner have led to growing public concern. Security-based approaches to countering violence and extremism have in turn created new threats, particularly against the Muslim community in America.

Most Reverend Robert McElroy, Diocese of San Diego, Sayyid Syeed, PhD, Islamic Society of North America (see attachment), joined Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies faculty members Ami Carpenter, PhD, and Fr. William Headley, CSSp, to share their respective efforts, knowledge and experience on inter-religious dialogue, community resilience and public engagement as effective approaches to community and peace building.

Find the full story from Catholic News Service here.

Watch the full event video here.

Read more about the event from USD News.

Most Reverend Robert McElroy, Diocese of San Diego, Sayyid Syeed, PhD, Islamic Society of North America are participants in the Catholic-Muslim National Dialogue. In May of 2015, the Bishops’ Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs (BCEIA) of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) partnered with leaders and academics from major organizations representing the U.S. Muslim community to establish a national Catholic-Muslim dialogue. A central goal of this national dialogue is to implement the mandate of Nostra Aetate, which expressly calls for Catholics to engage persons of other faith traditions in dialogue so as to build up networks of collaboration, understanding, mutual esteem and friendship. For over twenty years the BCEIA has conducted regional dialogues with Muslim organizations including the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), the Islamic Educational Center of Orange County (IECOC), and the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California (ISCOSC). Combining the energy and talent of scholars, clerics, and lay leaders in interreligious dialogue, these regional dialogues have produced a number of reports on a variety of topics including marriage, revelation, education, textual studies, and Catholic and Muslim collaboration in the public square. Having developed close-knot and collaborative relationships built on a trust of and respect for one another’s traditions, the regional groups have evolved to form one national dialogue with representation from each of the regions. It is hoped that in the years ahead this dialogue will contribute tangible fruits that benefit not only those who pray and worship in our churches and mosques but also the American public and the international community Christians and Muslims as each tries to replace narratives of hate and distrust with love and affection.