Regular readers here know of my long and deep interest in interfaith relations and especially Jewish-Christian dialogue.
A good example of what I've written about this matter can be found here, and it will link you to two other examples.
In recent days I've run across two things about this subject I want to share with you.
The first is this in-depth column by John L. Allen Jr. of The National Catholic Reporter (for which I also write a column).
John recently gave an important lecture on this subject, and in the column to which I've linked you, he summarizes it.
The good news in John's column is that none of the oft-distressing events now happening in the world should mean "any fundamental rollback on the Catholic commitment to good neighborly relations with Judaism, which has come to be an utterly conventional feature of church life in the last 50 years."
Next is this story from The Jerusalem Post. It describes a visit to Israel by Latin American Catholic priests and their Jewish counterparts. These kinds of events are designed not simply to educate clergy but also to work to undo some of the anti-Judaism and antisemitism still found in some Latin American countries.
I hope those priests and rabbis also will begin to bring members of their congregations to Israel. I'll be helping to lead just such a trip next month with a rabbi and an Episcopal priest.
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OBAMA THE NIEBUHRIAN CENTRIST?
Mark Silk. professor of Religion in Public Life at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., writes this interesting piece about how Barack Obama is a disciple of theologian Reinhold Niebuhr and why that puts him at odds with folks on both the political far left and far right. Obama's fondness for Niebuhr (one of three theologian siblings) is well documented, though in this piece Silk, an excellent observer of religious affairs in the U.S., describes how he sees that playing out in political terms.
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P.S.: The other day here I wrote about an upcoming local (KC-area) production of "The Diary of Anne Frank." Today I add to that by offering this perhaps-unique story from Tablet magazine about a woman who knew -- but didn't like -- Anne Frank.
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