| Dear Friends,
From all of us at the Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies, we wish you a Happy and Healthy New Year!
We also hope that everyone has had a safe and blessed
Chanukah and Christmas. These Holy Days are a time to remember the close historical connection between Judaism and Christianity and on that basis recommit ourselves to the fulfillment of the aims of interfaith dialogue, among which are peace and understanding, mutual respect and justice.
Please remember the Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies in the new calendar year as we continue our mission to build a better relationship between our two Faiths.
Warmly,
Thomas Poynor
Assistant Director |
| SAVE THE DATE | |  2009 Eternal Light Award Dinner Mark your calendar for the March 8, 2009 annual Eternal Light Award Dinner. This year's honoree will be Dr. Amy-Jill Levine, Professor of New Testament Studies at Vanderbilt University Divinity School. Please see our upcoming e-letters for more information on this exciting and important event. |
| Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian Relations (CCJR) Holds Annual Meeting | |  Dr. Michael J. Tkacik, Director of the Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies (CCJS) at Saint Leo University, traveled to Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut for the annual Conference of the Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian Relations (CCJR) on December 7-8, 2008. The annual gathering provides opportunity for leading figures in Jewish-Catholic interfaith dialogue and representatives from participating Centers of interfaith studies from around the United States and world to gather to discuss their work and significant developments in Jewish-Catholic relations. The theme for this year's conference focused on "Conversion and Proselytism in Pluralistic Societies" with keynote addresses from Dr. Gary Dorrien of Union Theological Seminary, Dr. Gershon Greenberg of American University, and Reverend John Pawlikowski of Chicago's Catholic Theological Union.
Additional addresses were provided by Dr. James Buchanan of Xavier University (recent recipient of the CCJS's Eternal Light Award for his work on the exhibit, "A Gift To One Another: Pope John Paul II and the Jewish People"), Dr. Hansperter Heinz of the Central Committee of German Catholics, Dr. Ruth Langer of Boston College, Dr. Michal Cook of the Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, and Dr. Philip Cunningham of St. Joseph's University (a participant in this past year's Interfaith Panel at the Palladium Theatre in St. Petersburg co-hosted by the CCJS and the Florida Holocaust Museum). Each of these leaders in the field offered their assessment of recent developments in Catholic-Jewish affairs with a particular focus on issues of reciprocity, soteriology (theologies of salvation) and evangelism. Collectively, their remarks shed light on competing theologies operative in the field which challenge those of us committed to Jewish-Catholic dialogue to clarify epistemological (claims regarding truth), anthropological and eschatological (understandings of end time events) assumptions inherent in the myriad of approaches to mutual understanding.
The Conference also served as an occasion to recognize the life-time achievements and contributions of one of the field's seminal figures, Dr. Eugene J. Fisher, former Associate Director of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. For more information about the CCJR and the conference please see the Council's webpage: http://www.ccjr.us/ |
| Temple Beth Sholom in Sarasota and CCJS Foster Jewish-Catholic Dialogue | | Thanks to the generous and gracious invitation of Rabbi Joel Mishkin of Temple Beth Sholom in Sarasota, CCJS Director, Dr. Michael J. Tkacik spent the day of December 16, 2008 with a plethora of members from the Temple discussing various issues pertinent to Jewish-Catholic relations. Together with Rabbi Mishkin, Dr. Tkacik discussed the contributions of Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI to Catholic-Jewish relations with some 25 adults who participate in Rabbi Mishkin's weekly adult education classes. Dr. Tkacik was also invited to join Rabbi Michelle Goldsmith's adult education class to discuss the infancy narratives of Jesus as found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke in the Christian Scripture. To end the day, Dr. Tkacik spoke to the 8th graders of the Goldie Feldman Academy at the Kane/Karp Educational Center at Temple Beth Sholom about Christmas and central Christian beliefs regarding the Incarnation of Jesus. An additional highlight of the day was the invitation extended to Dr. Tkacik to join Rabbis Mishkin and Goldsmith as they hosted the monthly lunch gathering of area rabbis. The success of the day has yielded a mutual commitment from Dr. Tkacik and Rabbi Mishkin to continue to collaborate with one another in efforts to fulfill the Center's mission of building mutual respect, understanding and appreciation between Catholics and Jews by providing additional opportunities for interfaith education and dialogue. |
| Please see our Web Page for more information about the work and activities of the Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies and our collaborating partner, The American Jewish Committee, as well as our many friends. "A Dynamic Partnership Between Jews and Catholics..."
The Web Page is also an excellent resource for us involved in and committed to interfaith dialogue. Please look for enhancements in the upcoming months! |
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