The topic on Christian Muslim Relations gathers a cluster of Jesuit Higher Education Institutions working on the study of Islam itself, Christian-Muslim interreligious dialogue and dialogue with Islam on social issues. The main trait that all the members have in common is the will to approach Islam and Christian-Muslim relationships in a way that reflects Ignatian spirituality’s main characteristics. The development of an Ignatian inspired methodology of dialogue with Islam – in the line of past historical contacts between Jesuits and Muslims – becomes then a main goal of our cluster.
Because on the main traits of Ignatian spirituality is the desire to contemplate our present world as God does and be moved to action by that contemplation, we take as a goal in our cluster to develop a certain transformative social influence in the field of dialogue with the Muslim tradition. This goal coincides with HEST ultimate inspiration. This influence is extremely needed in fields like education, social integration of migrants, development of religious freedom and other basic rights.
At the same time, as scholars, we feel responsible for doing a high quality and rigorous academic work that includes a deep and long study of Muslim and Christian sources. Only such a work may actually contribute to real progress in Christian-Muslim interreligious dialogue and may offer the Church a view of itself that overcomes prejudices and facilitates entering in relations and working with Muslim communities.
In the best of the Jesuit tradition we want to articulate such rigorous academic approach with a more transformative one as the best way to produce real and fruitful knowledge. The diversity of our institutions and of their contexts may be very helpful in order to achieve such an articulation.
All these efforts will necessarily require a direct contact with Muslim communities and individuals, our relationships and friendships with them will make real our desire to contribute to Muslim-Christian dialogue. We hope to share and foster such key relationships.
Ultimately, as scholars working in this fields and as members of Jesuit institutions we want to be an instrument at the service of the Society of Jesus’s mission in Europe and the Near East, which has as one of its priorities the Christian-Muslim relationships.
INITIATIVES
SEMINAR – COMPARATIVE METHODS IN STUDYING ISLAM AND CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM RELATIONS
The Hest Cluster is preparing a seminar on «Comparative Methods in Studying Islam and Christian-Muslim relations» which will take place from October 29 to 31 at the Faculty of Theology, University of Innsbruck (Austria). The program will be available soon and will feature contributions from scholars such as Tobias Specker, SJ, Jaime Flaquer, SJ, Irem Kurt, and Tugrul Kurt, among others. They will address topics in philosophy, religious literacy, interreligious peacebuilding, and case studies on Christian-Muslim encounters.
For more information, contact Jaime Flaquer SJ: jflaquer@uloyola.es
SYMPOSIUM CHRISTIAN AND MUSLIM RELATIONS
The scholars discussed the tensions between universalism and communitarianism in contemporary plural democracies, particularly concerning Christianity and Islam. The Symposium´s inquiries were: How can religious traditions appropriate social values, and what ethical references can be used to build a shared morality in plural societies?
The Cluster plans to submit the papers of the Symposium to the Social Compass journal for a special issue.
Access the symposium programme here
STUDY WEEK IN GRANADA
The HEST cluster prepared an Erasmus BIP Student Training for the Study week. The Universidad Loyola coordinated this Erasmus BIP, and its international relation unit helped the group to prepare the project. The Jesuit University Ignatianum- Krakow, Faculty of Theology – Innsbruck University and the Sankt Georgen Jesuit College of Philosophy and Theology – Frankfurt did also participate in the BIP.
ONLINE COURSE
Theology of Christian-Muslim Dialogue
