The Center for Christian-Jewish Dialogue
is pleased to congratulate The Catholic Diocese of Colorado Springs
and its Bishops The Most Revered Michael J. Sheridan and The Most Reverend
Richard C. Hanifen Emeritus on the occasion of its Silver Anniversary and
wishes all of the diocesan clergy and laity many more years of growth, service
and success Rabbi Dr. Howard Abel Hirsch, Founding President.
Our keynote speaker was Father John Pawlikowski, Professor of Ethics and Director of the Catholic-Jewish Studies Program at the University of Chicago. Dr. Pawlikowski fielded questions from Dr. Hirsch and from those in attendance, via Dr. Hirsch, during the dinner.
Our annual dinner is the source of 90 percent of the funding for all of the good work we do to foster understanding and respect for the religious faith, culture and history of Christians and Jews. Thank you for supporting this important event, and thank you to board members Erica Allgood and Sue Foerster for taking on the important task of co-chairing this event.
“Exploring Faith with our Muslim Neighbors”
On September 14, 2008, our founder and president Rabbi Howard Hirsch participated in a trialogue with Catholic Bishop Richard Hanifen and Imam Arshad Yousufi. The conversation took place at First Lutheran Church in Colorado Springs with the church’s senior pastor, Rev. Paul R. Peel, moderating. The trialogue was videotaped and transferred to DVD, and the CCJD offers it at no cost to anyone upon request. Please call or email to request your copy.
In October 2007, the Colorado School of Professional Psychology awarded Dr. Hirsch an honorary Doctor of Psychology degree. The commencement address he delivered that day was titled “Hanging On and Letting Go.” Congratulations, Dr. Hirsch, for this fine honor!
On October 8, our Tenth Annual Dinner and Dialogue at the Doubletree Hotel was a milestone celebration. Our hardworking committees arranged a panel of guests worthy of this occasion. Beth Byer, who did a phenomenal job as chairperson two years running, chaired the dinner once again, and Martin Nussbaum served as moderator.
On July 25-29, Dr. Hirsch lectured about the origins, development and work of the CCJD at the Fourth Biennial Conference of Jesuits and Jews at Fordham University in New York City. Dr. Hirsch writes, “After showing the DVD, I was inundated with questions about what we do and how we do it. I also read lengthy passages of the latest edition of my ‘Passover Celebration for Christians’ and lively discussion followed.” Dr. Hirsch has now been invited to join the group.
On June 28, the Board of Directors and the Board of Advisers of the CCJD met at the Colorado School of Professional Psychology in Colorado Springs. We thank our colleague Dr. Alison Walls, director of Clinical Services at the school, for hosting the meeting. Several new directors were elected to the Board, and we received a report on the progress of the 10th-anniversary dinner dialogue committee, chaired by Beth Byer. Nominations for the annual “Dove of Peace” award were considered.
In the spring, three public interfaith dialogues took place before crowded and enthusiastic audiences. Each event received coverage in the local and religious media. Dr. Hirsch writes, “I can’t begin to tell you how inspiring these meetings were and how energized we all felt.”
The 2006 Dove of Peace Award was presented to L. Martin Nussbaum and A. Marvin Strait. The C. Gary Mammel Memorial Award was presented to Paige Evans and Roxann R. Johnson.
Dialoguing on the topic of “Interfaith Relationships in the Military as a Model for Civilian Life” were:
Rev. Rear Admiral Louis V. Iasiello, Former Chief of Navy Chaplain and President of The Washington Theological Union. Rev. Iasiello, OFM, was ordained to the priesthood in 1978. He was the Wartime Community Leader for the United States Navy Chaplain Corps in an era of radical military transformation. Responsible for all religious programming within the United States Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, he led more than 860 active duty and 400 reserve ministers, priests, imams and rabbis from more than 200 denominations and faith groups.
Rear Admiral Iasiello is a highly decorated chaplain and a former Navy Chief of Chaplains. He holds the Distinguished Service Medal and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal. He is a 10-year elected member of the Archbishop of the Military Service Presbyteral Council representing more than 175 Roman Catholic priests of the Military Archdiocese. Rear Admiral Iasiello holds three masters degrees and a PhD from Salve Regina University. In May, he was unanimously selected by the Board of Trustees of The Washington Theological Union to be its fifth president.
Chaplain Charles W. Marvin, The National Association of Evangelicals.Captain Marvin is a Chaplain in the United States Navy and serves as Director of the Chaplaincy Department and Ecclesiastical Endorsing Agent for the Assemblies of God. The holder of a Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary, Captain Marvin served several congregations, and, in preparation for future military ministry, pursued graduate studies in psychology at Penn State University, Duquesne University and Pittsburg Theological Seminary. In 1987, Chaplain Marvin was nominated by the Navy Chief of Chaplains to receive The Witherspoon Award for dedicated Bible-centered ministry. His other awards include the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Award, the Navy Commendation Medal, and the National Defense Medal.
Rabbi Arnold E. Resnicoff, Former Special Assistant (Values and Vision) to the Secretary of Chief of Staff of The United States Air Force. Rabbi Resnicoff is a widely known consultant on interfaith values and inter-religious affairs, and a former Special Assistant (Values and Vision) to the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. He was principal advisor on religion, ethics and morals to General Wesley K. Clark and coordinated religious support for more than 100,000 U.S. Military personnel and their families. Rabbi Resnicoff is a graduate of The Jewish Theological Seminary (New York). He has served as Command Chaplain for the U.S. European Command. As liaison to USEUCOM, he covered 83 nations and 13 million square miles. The recipient of numerous awards and honors, Rabbi Resnicoff has also received the Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service, the highest award that the Air Force can present to a civilian, for his “singularly distinguished accomplishments.” Rabbi Resnicoff’s many other historic achievements include his leading the first interfaith service at Israel’s Western Wall. He helped create the Naval War College conference on Military Leadership and Professional Ethics and was its principal speaker at every annual conference until his retirement from the Navy.
The CCJD, in cooperation with The Greenberg Center for Tolerance, The Colorado College and Temple Shalom, hosted its 2006 Fall Lecture with Michael Brooks, Executive Director of The Hillel Foundation at The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
The event took place on Tuesday, October 17, at Temple Shalom, 1523 East Monument Street, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Dr. Brooks addressed the topic of “Judaism And Christianity: What Our Differences Might Teach Us About Our Relationship and Why the Wisdom of Both Traditions Is Needed for the World to Work.”
It is often said that great minds think alike, but that is seldom the case. Small minds more often think alike; great minds usually think differently. While the unspoken assumption of interfaith dialogue is often that the engagement will help us appreciate how much we have in common, it is equally possible that our profound differences in experience, worldview and values may bring Christians and Jews to an even greater appreciation of why the wisdom of both of our faith traditions is needed for the world to work.
